By Sammy Stein

Immense Blue is a launch from Ollie Brice on bass, Rachel Musson on tenor
sax, and Mark Sanders on drums. The music was recorded at London’s Vortex
Jazz Membership and though it’s simply three tracks, collectively they create over
fifty minutes of improvised music. The longest monitor, ‘Bounce The Hidden
Balcony The Air’ begins as a whisper, every instrument making their presence
felt with mild riffles, phrases, and wisps of introduction. The sax is
first to set off on an explorative journey, working its approach throughout registers
and limitations, with bass and drums following.

A commonality in all of the tracks is the ensemble taking part in from the three
improvisers. The sax leads typically however the percussive traces from drums and
bass work their approach by and into the textural patterns, so their
presence is keenly felt. Even when the tenor sax is left briefly at one
level delivering paired notes into close to silence, the arco bass joins in and
sings out its traces.

The opening monitor could possibly be divided in a number of locations as a result of there are
sudden and big shifts in route, however the truth it’s all linked and
you’ll be able to sense the musicians have a deep connection whereas taking part in is sensible
to maintain it as a single monitor. Over a number of listens, the totally different rhythms,
patterns, and delicate modifications may be heard. Even when the album is performed
a number of instances in a sitting, it feels totally different each time because the ears discover
one other path laid down by one of many devices to comply with. Sander’s drum
solo within the opening monitor is entertaining and flows freely throughout a number of
modifications however by this album, there may be loads of alternative given to every
musician and so they all shine in separate methods at totally different locations.

‘Streched Polyphone’ (deliberate mis-spelling) is aptly named for its
contrapuntal content material and no less than three traces (possibly extra) of melody – but
the connections are there and the divergent melodic traces merge and mix
sufficient to create unity –and the bass solo is simply attractive.

‘Hole Circle and Spherical Edge Scream’ features a bluesy really feel within the opening
traces, offered by a diligent bass line, over which the sax raucously
travels the chromatics. This monitor is filled with vitality and dynamics.

Whereas, with simply three tracks, it feels mandatory to debate them
individually, the album must be taken as a complete as a result of the
interconnectivity between the musicians, of their taking part in kinds, listening
to one another’s traces and the way they then react, is palpable.

As an improvised creation, this recording is, because the title suggests, immense
and has a contact of blue too.

Simplified to a one-line assessment – that is inventive improvisation at its
greatest.