Spirit Fall
marks bassist/composer
John Patitucci
's debut leader album for
Edition Records
. His sidemen are saxophonist
Chris Potter
and drummer
Brian Blade
. The drummer and
Patitucci
were members of the
Wayne Shorter Quartet
, and the late saxophonist/composer was a tremendous influence on
Potter
. Nine of the set's ten tracks were composed by the bassist, and he includes a cover of
Shorter
's "House of Jade."
is a deeply personal project for
, reflecting his commitment to music that has the power to uplift and often bridge societal and cultural divides.
desires connecting with family and friends naturally, but also, and especially, people on the margins. The album draws inspiration from the rich tradition of New York saxophone trio music, reflecting the influence of
Sonny Rollins
,
Joe Henderson
, and
Joe Lovano
's
Trio Fascination
.
Opener "Think Fast" is a delightful meld of organic groove from the bassist and
Blade
as
moves through folk themes in a post-bop language. It's
's inventive, swinging solo that steals the show. "Pole Star" commences as a midtempo modal finger-popper.
sets up as the rhythm section engage directly with one another. His sax solo follows and builds on harmony and dynamic before an understated bass solo syncopates the melody. The bassist introduces a blues walk titled "Deluge on 7th Ave," which languidly pursues a funky soul-jazz groove until
begins to break free, crossing post-bop, modal blues, and neo-bop as the rhythm section erects a ledge underneath.
uses his electric bass like a guitar on the title track, creating a droning modal jam that
takes apart with double- and triple-timed flourishes before reconstructing the groove as
solos on soprano, invoking the spirits of
John Coltrane
and
Steve Lacy
. "Lipi¿m" is Cameroonian for "hope." Using an electric bass,
deliver lithe, syncopated funk while
offers a melody derived from township jazz; it's complex yet nearly hummable. The reading of
's "House of Jade" manages to infuse it with a dynamic, noirish blues vibe inside modal hard bop. In the slightly more abstract "Light in the Darkness" the harmony channels a chamber group. While the bassist leads,
deciphers the mysterious melodic code, leading the other players toward improvisation without sacrificing the blues feel. Closer "Sonrisa" melds Caribbean and Afro-Latin rhythms in a joyous, carnivalesque melody that is also almost hummable. The musicians come off sounding like a crack band playing in the street. It contains killer solos from
, and amazing rhythmic invention from
, who pushes them ever further onto the cliff. While
is a diverse modern jazz recording, its roots lie deep in several musical traditions and international folk forms. Taken as a whole, the album reveals the sax/bass/drums trio has plenty of room for exploration and discovery, as its fine tunes provide a balm for the soul in deeply troubled times. ~ Thom Jurek