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DON BYRON / ARUAN ORTIZ - Random Dances And (A)Tonalities
Intakt: Intakt CD309
Don Byron: clarinet, saxophone; Aruan Ortiz: piano
Recorded December 7th and 8th 2017 by Martin Pearson at Radio Studio, Zurich
The ‘dances’ to which the title refers arise from the Spanish and Latin American rhythms that flavour but don’t over power the pieces here. Ortiz, grew up in Cuba, and was taught classical viola but taught himself piano, specialising in Cuban pop songs. Byron brings his elegant, classical clarinet playing to several of the tracks here, including a solo performance of Bach’s Violin partita number 1 in B minor. As with his playing elsewhere, Byron’s virtuosity is not the sort the relies of bravado, but involves a technical precision where the weight of each note is exactly what is needed for that particular phrase, and he combines this with an effortless ability to convey emotional intensity in his playing. The set opens with ‘Tete’s blues’ which nods to flamenco in the feel of the piece, and has Byron teasing an eloquent clarinet line over a ticking piano riff. The Spanish theme continues with a piece from Federico Mompou, which also introduces the atonalities of the title. This, like Geri Allen’s ‘Dolphy’s dance’ (track 6) has complex shifts of tone and rhythm that are elegantly disguised by the players; you become so caught up in the logic of the pieces that their complexity eludes you. This is also the case in Oritz’s compositions that draw on the dodecophonics of Muhal Richard Abrams: ‘Numbers’ (track 5), and ‘Arabesque of a geometrical rose - Spring’ (track 9). The opening tune, composed by Ortiz, has the double dedication to Catalan pianist Tete Montoliu and Ortiz’s son, Damien, nicknamed Tete.
A hint of tango pervades their version of Ellington’s ‘Black and tan fantasy’, ending oddly with the funeral march from Chopin. On this track, Byron switches from clarinet to saxophone, which he has recorded less often. His playing reflects some of the nuance and subtleties of his clarinet playing, but he also introduces phrases that feel beyond conventional jazz tonality which makes brings a freshness to a tune that I thought I knew pretty well. Byron also plays sax on ‘Joe Btfsplk’, a vigorous bop blow-out over the top of piano playing at the most avant-garde end of the spectrum (but which combine together really well). I guess that it is pleasure of listening to a well paired duet; each player exercises their own style, interests and enthusiasms, and when these mesh, there are new and exciting avenues to discover and explore. As with the best duet recordings, the music has its own logic (from the charts that the players follow) but there is always a sense of spilling out from these into improvised spaces, even for a few bars, and the free-wheeling player is followed sure-footedly by the other.
Reviewed by Chris Baber
Intakt: Intakt CD309
Don Byron: clarinet, saxophone; Aruan Ortiz: piano
Recorded December 7th and 8th 2017 by Martin Pearson at Radio Studio, Zurich
The ‘dances’ to which the title refers arise from the Spanish and Latin American rhythms that flavour but don’t over power the pieces here. Ortiz, grew up in Cuba, and was taught classical viola but taught himself piano, specialising in Cuban pop songs. Byron brings his elegant, classical clarinet playing to several of the tracks here, including a solo performance of Bach’s Violin partita number 1 in B minor. As with his playing elsewhere, Byron’s virtuosity is not the sort the relies of bravado, but involves a technical precision where the weight of each note is exactly what is needed for that particular phrase, and he combines this with an effortless ability to convey emotional intensity in his playing. The set opens with ‘Tete’s blues’ which nods to flamenco in the feel of the piece, and has Byron teasing an eloquent clarinet line over a ticking piano riff. The Spanish theme continues with a piece from Federico Mompou, which also introduces the atonalities of the title. This, like Geri Allen’s ‘Dolphy’s dance’ (track 6) has complex shifts of tone and rhythm that are elegantly disguised by the players; you become so caught up in the logic of the pieces that their complexity eludes you. This is also the case in Oritz’s compositions that draw on the dodecophonics of Muhal Richard Abrams: ‘Numbers’ (track 5), and ‘Arabesque of a geometrical rose - Spring’ (track 9). The opening tune, composed by Ortiz, has the double dedication to Catalan pianist Tete Montoliu and Ortiz’s son, Damien, nicknamed Tete.
A hint of tango pervades their version of Ellington’s ‘Black and tan fantasy’, ending oddly with the funeral march from Chopin. On this track, Byron switches from clarinet to saxophone, which he has recorded less often. His playing reflects some of the nuance and subtleties of his clarinet playing, but he also introduces phrases that feel beyond conventional jazz tonality which makes brings a freshness to a tune that I thought I knew pretty well. Byron also plays sax on ‘Joe Btfsplk’, a vigorous bop blow-out over the top of piano playing at the most avant-garde end of the spectrum (but which combine together really well). I guess that it is pleasure of listening to a well paired duet; each player exercises their own style, interests and enthusiasms, and when these mesh, there are new and exciting avenues to discover and explore. As with the best duet recordings, the music has its own logic (from the charts that the players follow) but there is always a sense of spilling out from these into improvised spaces, even for a few bars, and the free-wheeling player is followed sure-footedly by the other.
Reviewed by Chris Baber
