DAN BLAKE - Da Fė
Sunnyside Records: SSC 1616
Dan Blake (soprano & tenor saxophones) Carmen Staaf (piano, Fender Rhodes) Leo Genovese (Moog Prophet, Farfisa, 6 Track, Fender Rhodes, Piano) Dimitry Ishenko (acoustic & electric bass) Jeff Williams (drums)
Recorded August 8th, 9th, & 22nd 2019
Dan Blake is described as a musician `keenly interested in bringing music together with social justice causes` and in this regard his artistic muse draws inspiration from many of the themes and concerns that animate political activists today from climate catastrophe through racial injustice to global poverty and inequality. Blake clearly sees his music as having a social function beyond pure artistic abstraction and hopes it will represent an act of faith (Da Fė) and solidarity with activists engaged in the pursuit of solutions to our existential woes whilst at the same time making the rest of us aware of the magnitude of the issues confronting our civilisation. It’s an ambitious goal but whether what is essentially an abstract art has the power to animate engagement with these issues is debatable for without the benefit of Blake’s notes one is able to listen to the music without being aware of its function as propaganda.
Concentrating purely on the music what we have is an interesting, if at times challenging, set of post -modern pieces that combine the sombre modalism of what has come to be described as `spiritual jazz` spliced with anguished free-bop expressionism and avant-garde dissonance plus elements of limpid impressionism enhanced by electronic effects. Blake is a voluble player on both horns running the gamut of emotions from placid introspection to hysterical stridency, a powerful interpreter of post -Coltrane mannerisms which delivered in the setting provided by his edgy compositions and resourceful arrangements manage to avoid sounding irredeemably derivative.
Of his band members pianist Carmen Staaf makes a standout contribution opening the recital with a prelude for solo piano which develops out of an ominous tremolo into Debussy like arpeggios climaxing with wintry white noise electronics, no doubt a reference to difficult times ahead. The whole band follows this with `City of the East` an angular, skipping theme in the classic Coltrane quartet manner which features another attractive solo contribution from Staaf. Other pieces worthy of being singled out are `Pain`, a testimony of personal grief, in which the emotional impact is heightened by Genovese’s `alien landscape` electronics and `The Grifter`, a swaggering theme which purports to be illustrative of a recent occupant of the White House noted for his extravagant and strident pronouncements. A rumbustious drum solo and some squealing electronic sounds flesh out the picture. On a less frantic note the title track combines bass, soprano and electronics in a distinctly Zappaesque confection and the set comes to a close with a calming, meditative tune articulated by the soprano and underpinned with rippling piano and watery synthesised sounds; an epilogue to serve as a healing balm.
Art functions at many levels: for me it’s a means of escapism, a way of taking my mind off the awful scenarios confronting us but whether or not listening to Blake’s music pricks your social conscious and motivates you to political action there is certainly plenty to stimulate your aural senses and -dare I say it- make you prick up your ears.
Reviewed by Euan Dixon
Sunnyside Records: SSC 1616
Dan Blake (soprano & tenor saxophones) Carmen Staaf (piano, Fender Rhodes) Leo Genovese (Moog Prophet, Farfisa, 6 Track, Fender Rhodes, Piano) Dimitry Ishenko (acoustic & electric bass) Jeff Williams (drums)
Recorded August 8th, 9th, & 22nd 2019
Dan Blake is described as a musician `keenly interested in bringing music together with social justice causes` and in this regard his artistic muse draws inspiration from many of the themes and concerns that animate political activists today from climate catastrophe through racial injustice to global poverty and inequality. Blake clearly sees his music as having a social function beyond pure artistic abstraction and hopes it will represent an act of faith (Da Fė) and solidarity with activists engaged in the pursuit of solutions to our existential woes whilst at the same time making the rest of us aware of the magnitude of the issues confronting our civilisation. It’s an ambitious goal but whether what is essentially an abstract art has the power to animate engagement with these issues is debatable for without the benefit of Blake’s notes one is able to listen to the music without being aware of its function as propaganda.
Concentrating purely on the music what we have is an interesting, if at times challenging, set of post -modern pieces that combine the sombre modalism of what has come to be described as `spiritual jazz` spliced with anguished free-bop expressionism and avant-garde dissonance plus elements of limpid impressionism enhanced by electronic effects. Blake is a voluble player on both horns running the gamut of emotions from placid introspection to hysterical stridency, a powerful interpreter of post -Coltrane mannerisms which delivered in the setting provided by his edgy compositions and resourceful arrangements manage to avoid sounding irredeemably derivative.
Of his band members pianist Carmen Staaf makes a standout contribution opening the recital with a prelude for solo piano which develops out of an ominous tremolo into Debussy like arpeggios climaxing with wintry white noise electronics, no doubt a reference to difficult times ahead. The whole band follows this with `City of the East` an angular, skipping theme in the classic Coltrane quartet manner which features another attractive solo contribution from Staaf. Other pieces worthy of being singled out are `Pain`, a testimony of personal grief, in which the emotional impact is heightened by Genovese’s `alien landscape` electronics and `The Grifter`, a swaggering theme which purports to be illustrative of a recent occupant of the White House noted for his extravagant and strident pronouncements. A rumbustious drum solo and some squealing electronic sounds flesh out the picture. On a less frantic note the title track combines bass, soprano and electronics in a distinctly Zappaesque confection and the set comes to a close with a calming, meditative tune articulated by the soprano and underpinned with rippling piano and watery synthesised sounds; an epilogue to serve as a healing balm.
Art functions at many levels: for me it’s a means of escapism, a way of taking my mind off the awful scenarios confronting us but whether or not listening to Blake’s music pricks your social conscious and motivates you to political action there is certainly plenty to stimulate your aural senses and -dare I say it- make you prick up your ears.
Reviewed by Euan Dixon
