Album review: Ben Wolfe - The Understated (Outside in Music)

Ben Wolfe (bass); Nicole Glover (tenor sax); Orrin Evans (piano); Aaron Kimmel (drums) + Russell Malone (guitar on tks 2 & 7); Sullivan Fortner (piano on tks 5 & 10)

To say that The Understated is well-named is in itself an understatement. Nevertheless, that works to its credit rather than to the contrary. It's delicate, introspective, subdued and, in its own sweet way, it's rather beautiful.

There's that will-o-the wisp feeling you get when you listen to early Miles or Lee Konitz or Warne Marsh. I was tempted to crank up the volume but I didn't. To do so would have defeated the object of the exercise. Instead, I closed the window to keep out any extraneous noises. I even made sure there were no pins perched precariously close to dropping. It's that kind of album.

Glover has a lovely sound. A bit like Stan Getz only without all those extra notes and runs that thrilled at first but became, with familiarity, clichéd. Whether it's Evans or Fortner on piano the gentle explorative mood is maintained. Malone only shows up on a couple of tracks but he's well-versed in what's required including some duo passages with Evans. Even Kimmel's drum solos fall far short of the decibels that most drummers use as a launchpad - the perched pin was safe. 

Leader, composer, bassist Wolfe has found a relatively unexplored niche in the market and has surrounded himself with like minded souls who take jazz in a different direction. I'd hazard a guess that that direction doesn't lead to a boozy blues bar nor a vast concert hall but an intimate venue where customers listen intently and don't shout 'yeah man' after every solo - if there is such a place! Lance

The Poet Speaks; Occam's Razor; Ballad in B; Anagram; So Indeed; Waltz; Beautiful You; Triangle Man; Love is Near; Barely Spoken