By Don Phipps

The partaking musical poetry by The Choir Invisible on City of Two Faces gives managed ardour amongst its minimalist sound adventures. A delicate
halo floats above the music, like grey clouds interspersed with radiant
mild on an uncrowded seaside at sundown.

The group, a sax trio comprised of Charlotte Greve on alto sax and voice,
Vinnie Sperrazza on drums, and Chris Tordini on acoustic bass, is sort of a
candle in a darkish room – offering refined lighting – sufficient so as to add
distinction whereas retaining heat shadows. The album’s music is rarely rushed
or flashy. As an alternative, all notes and phrases match completely in place.

Greve approaches her strains utilizing classical method – distantly
harking back to Jan Garbarek. Her strains are comfortable and dreamy whereas probing
and unique. There’s virtually a slight sweetness to her strategy that’s
inspired by Tordini and Sperrazza’s refined but partaking accompaniment.

Tordini approaches his contribution in restrained style, offering strong
strains that carry out his deeply picket tone, a tone that brings to thoughts the
late nice Charlie Haden. To not be outdone, Sperrazza offers poignant
colour to the absorbing tunes, with light cymbal and drum work that kicks
in with depth when wanted however is extra inclined to delicate prospers
and splashes.

Every of the numbers generate a completely different feeling however tie collectively neatly,
from the glad switchback climb of “Membrane” and the dreamy however mysterious
ballad “Lockwood,” to the bluesy and soulful “Stones Covers” and the
rhythmically ingenious “17 East.” The album even provides a few vocal
numbers to the combination. One, “In Heaven,” that includes Fay Victor, is soulfully
expressive, highlighted by its drawling assertion that “in heaven,
all the things is okay.” The opposite, “City of Two Faces,” showcases Greve’s
stunning voice (sounding a bit like Suzanne Vega). Within the quantity, Greve
describes a metropolis panorama of busy faces on sugar highs earlier than they
“crash,” a parade “that by no means actually ends,” “the signal that’s nonetheless
lacking”, and “birds and leaves… in this city of two faces.”

One can be amiss to depart unmentioned the sustained fantastic thing about “Sustained
Creativeness,” with comfortable sax trills over bowed bass. Tordini picks his
notes with nice care beneath the lilting sax strains, whereas Sperrazza,
all the time current but understated, gives cymbal work that appears like ocean
spray on a heat day.

Eschewing flurries and flashes, the adventures afforded by City of Two
Faces are ones all ought to embark on. Issues in heaven could or will not be
tremendous, however this album most undoubtedly is.