(Post-Bop, Modern Jazz) [WEB] Phil Markowitz Trio (Jay Anderson, Adam Nussbaum) - Catalysis - 2008, FLAC (tracks), lossless

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Завершено: четверг, 30. 04. 2015. - 19:57.38 (Время операции: 0:13.09)

In case you have forgotten your chemistry, "catalysis" is the increase in the rate of a chemical reaction caused by the presence of a catalyst. The catalyst here is pianist Phil Markowitz, who steps forward as a leader on this CD, but has unleashed many of his previous chemical reactions in the context of bands fronted by Dave Liebman, Chet Baker and the Saxophone Summit. Markowitz is a master at churning, probing jazz that constantly pushes against the edges of the harmonies. He enjoys lingering at the liminal point where tonality still exerts some gravitational pull, but Markowitz is close enough to his atonal neighbors that he can almost join hands over the barbed-wire fence. His piano attack is biting and precise, and his improvised lines never settle for the conventional. This is jazz purged of romanticism . . . but, hey, what do you expect when the leader names the song (and CD) after a chemical reaction?

The music on this CD is a bit of a surprise. Pianist Phil Markowitz is perhaps best known in jazz for his lyrical and melodic playing years ago behind Chet Baker. He has also worked with Phil Woods, Joe Williams, Joe Lovano, David Liebman, and Ravi Coltrane, among others. On Catalysis, Markowitz interacts with his regular trio, contributing harmonically adventurous originals that inspire the musicians to create complex improvisations. Somehow the three players generally think as one, for the music is often dense and always unpredictable. None of the melodies are destined to become standards, for the harmonies and the interplay between the musicians are much more memorable than the themes. The ballads tend to be brooding, the hotter pieces move purposefully in unexpected places, and "Undercurrents" masterfully utilizes repetition. Although the music on Catalysis may seem a bit forbidding the first time around, repeated listenings reveal a great deal about the special musical communication that consistently takes place between the players. Catalysis is well worth exploring.

John Kelman
Senior Editor since 2004
With the realization that there will always be more music coming at him than he can keep up with, John wonders why anyone would think that jazz is dead or dying.
Recent articles (2,407 total)
With so many artists striving for attention, it's often easy to overlook those who have devoted their lives to music, known amongst musician circles as players of great depth while remaining largely below the radar. His discography as a leader may be small, but Phil Markowitz has, for the past three decades, been the pianist of choice for more visible artists including saxophonist David Liebman—in whose group he worked for a decade, collaborating on the dark-hued and pensive duet disc Manhattan Dialogues (Zoho, 2005) and, as part of the tenor trifecta Saxophone Summit, releasing Seraphic Light (Telarc, 2008)—and Yellowjackets saxophonist Bob Mintzer, heard most recently on In the Moment (Art of Life, 2007). Catalysis, Markowitz's first date as a leader since 1998, is a trio record that amply proves why he's so in-demand, and transcends preconceptions about what this sometimes over-worked format can and cannot be.
Over the course of eight original compositions, Markowitz leans towards a cerebral, impressionistic style that contrasts with another undervalued pianist, Marc Copland, in his ability to burn harder and with greater extroversion when necessary—another reason why he works so well with Liebman. With bassist Jay Anderson and drummer Adam Nussbaum onboard—two more players who've racked up countless sessions and tours, yet remain mysteriously lesser known—Markowitz has a flexible trio capable of navigating "Undercurrents," which references its title by fluidly traversing a broad range of styles while demonstrating an organic ebb and flow. Complex, yet never for its own sake, the song's transitions are so seamless as to be nearly invisible, with Nussbaum crossing over from mid-tempo swing to high velocity turbulence, near-funk and shuffle, only to return to ambling swing as Markowitz's lengthy head opens up. Markowitz's solo evolves over a similarly shifting landscape anchored by Anderson, its constant twists and turns as seemingly unpredictable as the undercurrents to which it references; though the trio's effortless movements make clear that this is anything but unplanned.
"Waiting," Catalysis' other lengthy track at nearly 12 minutes, demonstrates Markowitz's ability to go long without ever overstaying his welcome. A solo piano opening treads the line between ethereal abstraction and a dramatic introduction of the theme and ambience of the piece; but when Anderson and Nussbaum enter after Markowitz's intro fades to black, it becomes a lyrical but harmonically dark ballad that moves in and out of time. Markowitz shares the melody with Anderson, whose solo is one of economical perfection.
Catalysis may be categorized as a mainstream disc, and its roots in the tradition are clear—albeit in the broadest possible terms. Still, when Markowitz, Anderson and Nussbaum pack what they do into the fiery and acutely interactive title track, any beliefs that mainstream need inherently suggest safe, predictable or unchallenging are quickly forgotten. Markowitz and his constantly risk-taking trio—capable of keeping the interplay at an empathic level while navigating his demanding yet compelling charts—make Catalysis a sure contender for one of the year's best, piano trio or otherwise.