VIJAY IYER SEXTET - Far From Over
ECM 576 7386 (CD) / 577 9773 (2-LP)
Graham Haynes (cornet, flugelhorn, elctronics); Steve Lehman (alto saxophone); Mark Shim (tenor saxophone); Vijay Iyer (piano, fender rhodes); Stephan Crump (double bass); Tyshawn Sorey (drums)
Recorded April 2017
In a rapidly expanding discography for ECM, the pianist has recorded five albums for the label since 2014, Far From Over is possibly the most accessible of them to date. With his output ranging from a suite for piano plus string quartet on Mutations to the piano trio he leads with drummer Marcus Gilmore and Stephan Crump (who is also heard on this recording) on bass on Break Stuff, and the fascinating duo set with Wadada Leo Smith (A Cosmic Rhythm With Each Stroke) the sextet flex their muscles in a hard hitting and intensely swinging set that is exhilarating and challenging by turns.
The defiantly titled 'Nope' is anabject lesson is setting up a deep groove and then maintaining rhythmic impetus and interest in the solos, with the horns playing with and against each other. Also good to hear Iyer in this context playing the Fender Rhodes, for my money the original and best electric piano. The use of the electric instrument is again heard to god effect on the mysterious 'End Of The Tunnel' alongside Graham Haynes' use of electronics.
'Down The Wire' opens with Iyer's refelective piano statement before the rhythm section kick in and Iyer takes off on a solo that swings hard with flurries of notes from flying fingers in a lithe outing that shows his lineage from the finest jazz masters to finding his own distinctive voice. Elsewhere, the sextet power their way through 'Good On The Ground' and 'Poles' with some neat unison and counter point themes that provide a perfect catapult for some extended blowing. Hayne's playing on cornet or flugel is often terse and to the point and the electronics used sparingly, whilst the saxophones are more expansive. Mark Shim is a player that I have lost track of since his Turbulent Flow album for Blue Note back in 2000. This was a highly impressive set from a young turk, and it is great to catch up with him again some seventeen years later, and nice to note that he has lost none of the fire of his youth but now channels this into fast moving solos packed full of adventure., whilst leaving space for the listener to catch up with the flow of his ideas.
The same can also be said of altoist, Steve Lehman who plays with a hard edged yet bluesy tone, that has absorbed lesson learned from mentor Jackie McLean with a cutting and acidic edge to his sound that is utterly contemporary. Listen to his playing on the intensely passionate and tightly controlled 'Threnody' to hear a player at the height of his powers with much to say; and much to say is indeed with this excellent sextet have in abundance.
With this superb album, Iyer must lay to claim to having one of the most dynamic and explosive groups on the New York scene, and this must be one of the small group albums of the year. With the rate of progress of this always compelling musician, it will be interesting to hear how develops his music further.
Reviewed by Nick Lea
ECM 576 7386 (CD) / 577 9773 (2-LP)
Graham Haynes (cornet, flugelhorn, elctronics); Steve Lehman (alto saxophone); Mark Shim (tenor saxophone); Vijay Iyer (piano, fender rhodes); Stephan Crump (double bass); Tyshawn Sorey (drums)
Recorded April 2017
In a rapidly expanding discography for ECM, the pianist has recorded five albums for the label since 2014, Far From Over is possibly the most accessible of them to date. With his output ranging from a suite for piano plus string quartet on Mutations to the piano trio he leads with drummer Marcus Gilmore and Stephan Crump (who is also heard on this recording) on bass on Break Stuff, and the fascinating duo set with Wadada Leo Smith (A Cosmic Rhythm With Each Stroke) the sextet flex their muscles in a hard hitting and intensely swinging set that is exhilarating and challenging by turns.
The defiantly titled 'Nope' is anabject lesson is setting up a deep groove and then maintaining rhythmic impetus and interest in the solos, with the horns playing with and against each other. Also good to hear Iyer in this context playing the Fender Rhodes, for my money the original and best electric piano. The use of the electric instrument is again heard to god effect on the mysterious 'End Of The Tunnel' alongside Graham Haynes' use of electronics.
'Down The Wire' opens with Iyer's refelective piano statement before the rhythm section kick in and Iyer takes off on a solo that swings hard with flurries of notes from flying fingers in a lithe outing that shows his lineage from the finest jazz masters to finding his own distinctive voice. Elsewhere, the sextet power their way through 'Good On The Ground' and 'Poles' with some neat unison and counter point themes that provide a perfect catapult for some extended blowing. Hayne's playing on cornet or flugel is often terse and to the point and the electronics used sparingly, whilst the saxophones are more expansive. Mark Shim is a player that I have lost track of since his Turbulent Flow album for Blue Note back in 2000. This was a highly impressive set from a young turk, and it is great to catch up with him again some seventeen years later, and nice to note that he has lost none of the fire of his youth but now channels this into fast moving solos packed full of adventure., whilst leaving space for the listener to catch up with the flow of his ideas.
The same can also be said of altoist, Steve Lehman who plays with a hard edged yet bluesy tone, that has absorbed lesson learned from mentor Jackie McLean with a cutting and acidic edge to his sound that is utterly contemporary. Listen to his playing on the intensely passionate and tightly controlled 'Threnody' to hear a player at the height of his powers with much to say; and much to say is indeed with this excellent sextet have in abundance.
With this superb album, Iyer must lay to claim to having one of the most dynamic and explosive groups on the New York scene, and this must be one of the small group albums of the year. With the rate of progress of this always compelling musician, it will be interesting to hear how develops his music further.
Reviewed by Nick Lea
