Jeff Parker Trio Shines a Bright Light in Winter

Chicago guitarist Jeff Parker has certainly built quite a career working with the likes of Fred Anderson, Nicole Mitchell, Joshua Redman, the Brian Blade Fellowship, Ken Vandermark, George Lewis, Nels Cline, Matana Roberts and Ernest Dawkins. Delmark has issued the third release by his trio of bassist Chris Lopes and drummer, Bright Light in Winter. Both Parker and Lopes also make use of a synthesizer and Lopes also plays flute here. It is comprised of nine originals by the three that display a contemporary and open-ended approach to improvisation and group interplay.

Taylor’s Mainz opens this recording with the Parker stating the theme over the ostinato laid down by the Lopes and Taylor. Parker adds guitar effects to add to the tonal color as well as displays a spare attack that allows his notes and chords to linger. Lopes Swept Out To Sea has a more syncopated feel while sounding like a duet between Parker and Taylor that exhibits empathic interplay between them.

Parker’s Change sounds a bit more abstract as the bass anchors Parker’s soft chords set against Taylor’s steady clock-like rhythms before he shifts the performances tenor as he constructs a very imaginative, thoughtful solo with some nimble single note explorations.Taylor adds a funky underpinning for Parker original Freakadelic, which like the rest of the album, surprises with how the performance unfolds. Lopes’ flute is heard on The Morning of the 5th, on which Parker adds support and counterpoint with his backing as Taylor adds his embellishments with some brushes on the cymbals.

The engineering of this is excellent resulting in a lively sound in which the nuances of the music are captured. Bright Light in the Winter is an excellent recording that will reward those those who spend time to listen to the music herein.

Delmark records sent me a review copy. Here is Jeff Parker and Cad Lopes with a different drummer.

Awakened By Nicole Mitchell's Stunning New Recording

In the past few years Nicole Mitchell has emerged as a major voice in contemporary music. The poll winning flautist (in 2010 won Downbeat’s Critics Poll as both Rising Star and top instrumentalist in the flute category) has performed in a number of contexts and has established herself as an educator, composer, instrumentalist and band leader. Her new Delmark album, The Awakening, which she notes that decided to put her flute more in the forefront. She has worked previously with each of her collaborators here, bassist Harrison Bankhead, guitarist Jeff Parker, and drummer Avreeayl Ra. However this group played the first time together a few days prior to entering the studio for this recording.

Curly Top, the ebullient opening number is written for her daughter and in addition to her flighty solo, Parker especially turns in some bright playing. The suite-like Journey On a Thread, has a bit more free and abstract tenor with Parker’s opening which is followed by Mitchell painting sounds with her flute. Bankhead’s funky ostinato bass pattern provides the anchor for the mesmerizing Center of the Earth and the strong improvisations by Mitchell and Parker (who himself repeats a riff during Mitchell’s solo with her overblowing and use of overtones). Parker also plays with sounds during his interlude here.

Snowflakes is a lovely and brief, delicately played piece followed by Momentum, which has an appealing peppy theme and an engaging, vibrant performance. Parker’s guitar helps instill an indigo mood for the evocative More Than I Can Say. Parker contributed one composition, F.O.C. which features a stunning improvisation by Mitchell who displays such a pure tone, followed by the deliberate and thoughtful guitar of Parker. The title composition was inspired by Mitchell’s association with Steve Coleman and closes this recording on a high level.

The Awakening impresses with the outstanding playing and strong ensemble playing on challenging compositions. This recording is consistently superb. This writer would love to see this band live.
My review copy was provided by Delmark