The Angelica Sanchez Nonet – ‘Nighttime Creatures’
(Pyroclastic Information. Album assessment by John Ferguson)

A member of Kris Davis’ progressive Pyroclastic Information steady, pianist Angelica Sanchez has gathered collectively some massive hitters on the New York jazz scene, equivalent to Chris Pace (tenor sax, clarinet), Kenny Warren (cornet), Ben Goldberg (contra alto clarinet) and others, to supply this debut launch by her Nonet. The Nonet is accomplished by Michaël Attias (alto sax), John Hébert (bass), Thomas Heberer (quarter-tone trumpet), Sam Ospovat (drums) and Omar Tamez (guitar).

With musical reference factors starting from Carla Bley to Tyshawn Sorey (and just a little little bit of Duke Ellington alongside the best way), this album is recent and vibrant, albeit considerably difficult in its depth. Sanchez composed a lot of it while secreted away in a cabin within the woods, therefore the album title and broader inspiration. With 9 Sanchez-penned compositions and two covers (by Ellington and Armando Carvahal), there’s a ‘darkness’ inherent in a lot of the music.

The opening title monitor units the scene, with Goldberg’s deep clarinet that includes notably strongly. Certainly, the low-slung tones of the instrument are a continuing supply of curiosity all through a lot of the album. Second monitor C.B. The Time Traveler pays homage to Carla Bley and as on a lot of the album, it’s clear the musicians have been given an excessive amount of freedom, reasonably than staying inside the confines of a strictly composed construction.

The tempo slows to virtually funerial tempo by the fourth monitor Astral Mild of Aarid, nevertheless following Heberer’s trumpet solo, Sanchez herself lets free with some frenetic traces throughout a piano trio part, earlier than the remaining ensemble members re-enter the fray.

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An oasis roughly midway by way of the expedition arrives, as a homage of a barely totally different type, when the nonet performs a model of Ellington’s 1947-published Girl of the Lavender Mist. Sanchez, maybe referencing Claude Bolling’s 1960 solo piano rendition in her personal taking part in, brings the traditional updated, with the musicians exhibiting an genuine interval massive band sound, completely capturing the piece’s melodic attraction.

Extra avant-garde dissonance and free taking part in resumes on a lot of the remaining music on the album, albeit as if to point out that this group can minimize it alongside any extra conventional jazz ensemble, the ultimate monitor Run virtually ‘swings’ after 90 seconds in, earlier than some discordant interactions re-establish the modern tone to complete off.

The musicianship right here is exemplary, although the album could effectively check listeners with lower than a complete dedication (and a chance) to pay attention. It’s maybe greatest skilled in ‘bite-sized chunks’ reasonably than the considerably prolonged 80 minutes in a single session, however the problem is rewarding however.

Writer John Ferguson co-promotes reside music at SoundCellar in Poole (www.soundcellar.org)

‘Nighttime Creatures’ is launched on Pyroclastic Information immediately 27 October 2023 – BANDCAMP