Veteran Canadian guitarist, Lorne Lofsky's latest release is his first one as a leader in over 20 years. Joining him is his quartet, made up of long-time musical colleagues, with whom Lofsky has been playing since the early 1980s.
TSIN signals an exciting new chapter to Lofsky's illustrious ouevre which includes associations with jazz legends like Oscar Peterson, Chet Baker, Ed Bickert, Dizzy Gillespie Clark Terry, Rosemary Clooney and Johnny Hartman. An extensive cornucopia of generations and jazz idioms and styles that bear witness to Lofskys versatility and desire to move the music forward.
The dynamic
trio with Overs and Romberg is a seasoned and special one indeed. Overs’ steady
pulse sketching the harmony while Romberg's percussion rhythmically shadows the
leader's loosely improvised melodies. The ringing balloon bass notes coupled
with the drummer's simultaneity of rhythmic awareness and interaction result in
a perfectly rounded group simpatico and sharing of intent.
Saxophonist
Macdonald, possesses a dark and resonant tone with a piercing fiery passion
that delivers Lofsky's melodies and his solos in equal measure. A good
example of this is on An Alterior Motif where his languid
opening solo produces a linear and thematic development allowing Lofsky's
melody to unfold organically in an unhurried fashion.
In
addition to Lofsky's unique and poignant originals there are two immortal
jazz standards included, both of which have added personal touches. Victor
Feldman’s Seven Steps is couched in a 5/4 metre offering both listener
and player a bit of a challenge yet retaining the essence of Miles Davis'
original 1963 recording's elan and joie de vivre. Legendary saxophonist and
composer, Benny Golson's Stablemates is given a Latin
treatment to which Lofsky writes- "I liked the fact that as a bossa, it
has a very different vibe. And it kind of summarises the way I've been playing
things in five and seven and feeling like those things are not something I have
to work up to anymore. I just instantly start playing it that way".
Looking
at the material as a whole, Lofsky's goal is to approach music in new and
unique ways. His quest yields wondrous results that are plainly revealed
on this excellent recording. Please, Lorne, do bring us another one
well before a further twenty years should elapse.
Frank Griffith
Available from Modica Music and usual suspects on April 2.
No comments :
Post a Comment