This document provides reviews of several jazz saxophone albums: Dickie Landry's "Fifteen Saxophones" mixes Glass' minimalism with improvisation; John Berndt's "New Logic for Old Saxophones" explores signs and synchronicity; Travis LaPlante's "Heart Protector" works with integrating human objects through various tones and contrasts. Neil Welch's "Boxwork" plays with extended sequences that burst into lyricism over short tracks.

1. C D R EV I EWS
achieved from these ships foraying into the open sea create, so this is a satisfying listening workout without
and chiming the bells of freedom. Braxton’s double getting too grueling. Welch’s titles - “Black Sequence”,
blessing, though, was that, as much as these “Point and Line”, “Rothko” - obviously come from the
saxophonists following in his wake are still inspired visual arts. What’s more, they imply a concern with the
and inspiring, much else is left to be explored and basic, elemental properties of art, line and shade. As
mapped among the islands and rocks in inlets and Berndt intervolves time and space, so Welch does sight
harbors. Their mode is more plaintive and placid; God and sound, endowing us with new sensory balance
is in the details here, the fine textures and patterns on and a light afterglow.
the undersides of plant and wildlife. But Braxton can’t
Family be escaped, even here. Among the contemplative For more information, visit unseenworlds.net,
3 Cohens (Anzic) complexities on offer, bursts of energy, sometimes creativesourcesrec.com, skirlrecords.com and
by Andy Vélez disturbing, sometimes jubilant, come to the surface. tableandchairsmusic.com. LaPlante plays solo at Performers
Dickie Landry was an original member of the Forum Nov. 5th and Barbès Nov. 30th. He is also at Death
F amily is the third album from the Israeli Cohen Philip Glass Ensemble in the ‘70s. Fifteen Saxophones, By Audio Nov. 2nd with Little Women. See Calendar.
siblings, Anat, Avishai and Yuval, each of whom has also from the ‘70s, is an emotional amalgam of Glass’
established individual careers. The set mixes standards cycle-driven minimalism and the unexpected
with tunes by Avishai and Yuval and a Semitically- asymmetries of jazz-related improvisation. Landry
rocking “Tiger Rag” arranged by Anat. The opener is uses echo effects, creating an ensemble effect, but the
Avishai’s “Shufla De Shufla”, which roughly translates ultimate relation here is between him and his listener,
as “the best of the best” from Aramaic, an ancient whom he takes on a ride with initial turbulence but
language of the Middle East. With Avishai’s trumpet ultimate peace and exuberance. The first and title track
leading the way, it’s a bouncy, feel-good tune. He and mixes an ostinato in the bass with meandering melodies
pianist Aaron Goldberg are stage front, knocking it in the treble. Gradually, the ostinato takes on a life of
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back and forth, with some extended, golden phrasing its own and begins to dominate the treble melodies,
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from Avishai. As with much of the set the effect is like which stay more or less the same. Somehow this is a
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a big band with only a handful of players. disturbing number, where the parts are thrown
Yuval’s tune “Blues for Dandi’s Orange Bull deliberately out of sync. “Alto Flute Quad Delay”, by
Chasing An Orange Sack” begins with a totally contrast, is supremely peaceful, in sync with melodic
different feel. After a very bluesy piano solo, the pace lines that hang like cumulus clouds rather than coalesce
picks up with some subtle brushwork from drummer into tunes. The final cut, “Kitchen Solos”, is a powerful
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Gregory Hutchinson, things heating up with a fervent catharsis. Starting with a one-man fanfare of arpeggios, THE
conversation between Anat’s tenor and Yuval’s it is all about change and disruption put to good use. DIFFERENT
soprano. Goldberg again takes the lead-in on As it progresses, major chords slip in and even some DRUMMER
Ellington’s slyly insinuating masterpiece “The growling and harmonics.
Mooche”. It quickly becomes an opportunity for John Berndt is a master geometer in addition to
blazing brass with piano and drums keeping everyone being a crackerjack organizer of sound and people. ...IS ON OUR LABEL
on course until Anat steps in with some wailing New Logic for Old Saxophones is true to its title,
clarinet. When Avishai comes in on trumpet, it is the concerned with signs and synchronicity, the objects of
family Cohen in totally swinging sync. Another choice
oldie to get Cohen-ized is “On the Sunny Side of the
phenomenology, the school of formal logic that has in
many ways supplanted traditional Aristotelian logic.
2011July.indd 1
RECOMMENDED 6/17/11 3:52 PM
Street”, one of two tunes (the closing “Roll ‘Em Pete”
the other) on which vocalese legend Jon Hendricks
This new school recognizes that signs contaminate as
much as they represent. A sign can become its object,
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For more information, visit anzicrecords.com. This group is Travis LaPlante on Heart Protector also works with New York@Night Columnist
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Some saxophone soloists stateside are still eking out tracks are short, ensuring the craft stays calm and Human Race (Not Two)
new blood from Anthony Braxton’s seminal 1969 collected. Welch also makes extended use of harmonics Andrey Henkin
Delmark recording For Alto. There is still profit to be and the virtual chords and counterpoint they can Editorial Director, The New York City Jazz Record
14 November 2011 | THE NEW YORK CITY JAZZ RECORD