Quintrepid

Quintrepid
Quintrepid
Unseen Rain

Listening to the eponymously-titled debut album by Quintrepid, one might be struck by aspects of the music suggesting classic ECM recordings from decades ago. One might be so struck because of Matt Lambiase's flugelhorn (he has been compared to Kenny Wheeler) and the ambiance of the performances. Others in the group are guitarist and composer Jack DeSalvo, pianist Chris Forbes, bassist Dmitry Ishenko, and drummer and percussionist Tom Cabrera. A solid ensemble, Quintrepid performs six originals here, three by DeSalvo and three by Forbes.

The music here is striking, starting with DeSalvo's "Seeing through the Ground," opening with Lambiase's evocative flugelhorn set over DeSalvo's chords before the rest of the quintet enter with intricate ensemble interplay as they construct a pastoral mood. One gets impressed by DeSalvo's solo with its complex lines and solo construction. Lambiase solos with building vitality. Pianist Forbes opens his "February Thaw" with delicate playing before Lambiase contributes a gorgeous solo with DeSalvo adding prickly commentary. One is impressed by Lambiase's tone, phrasing, and dynamics within the often mesmerizing musical framework of the performances, such as on DeSalvo's "All Are."

DeSalvo's Because It Sees You" is the most conventional composition on this recording. It might suggest some of Wayne Shorter's Blue Note recordings with Forbes making notable use of dissonance in his solo and accompaniment to Ishenko's prickly guitar flurries and Lambiase bright, flighty flugelhorn. It is a stirring performance that provides a change of pace to the rest of this marvelously played, enthralling recording.

I received a download to review from a publicist. Here is "February Thaw."