Graylen Epicenter (Mithology Records)
David Binney
Released January 6, 2011
AllMusic Favorite Jazz Albums 2011
YouTube:
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About:
Saxophonist and composer David Binney has released his latest album, Graylen Epicenter. Binney enlisted a terrific supporting cast for the album, including bassist Eivind Opsvik, guitarist Wayne Krantz, drummer Brian Blade and others.
This is one diverse album, covering a huge spectrum of jazz styles from many eras. Binney’s bandmates really bring a lot to this diversity as well, adding to the leader’s excellent writing.
“Dave has long been one of my favorite musicians. This may be the most complete example yet of his incredible talent as a composer and bandleader. Exceptional writing and playing all around.”
Pat Metheny
Track Listing:
1. All of Time (David Binney) 09:58
2. Graylen Epicenter (David Binney) 12:34
3. Equality at Low Levels (David Binney) 08:21
4. Everglow (David Binney) 08:26
5. From This Far (David Binney) 05:46
6. Terrorists and Movie Stars (David Binney) 07:19
7. Same Stare, Different Thought (David Binney) 01:35
8. Home (David Binney) 07:00
9. Any Years Costume (David Binney) 07:12
10. Waking to Waves (David Binney) 05:32
Personnel:
David Binney: alto and soprano saxophones, vocal
Gretchen Parlato: vocal
Ambrose Akinmusire: trumpet
Chris Potter: tenor saxophone
Craig Taborn: piano
Wayne Krantz: guitar
Eivind Opsvik: bass
Brian Blade: drums (1-4, 6, 8-10)
Dan Weiss: drums (1, 5, 6, 9, 10)
Kenny Wollesen: percussion, vibes
Rogerio Boccato: percussion
Nina Geiger: vocal harmony (10)
Recorded at Systems Two, Brooklyn, NY
Producer: David Binney
Recorded, Mixed and Mastered by Mike Marciano
Design: Howie Shia
Review:
On some level, saxophonist, composer, and arranger David Binney’s Graylen Epicenter is a restless extension of the three previous recordings he’s issued on his Mythology imprint. That said, it is also his most relentlessly ambitious, with his largest cast ever. Vocalist Gretchen Parlato appears on most of these cuts as another instrument in Binney’s tonal and harmonic arsenal, as she sings wordlessly a great deal here. Binney’s alto and soprano is also assisted by bassist Eivind Opsvik, guitarist Wayne Krantz, pianist Craig Taborn, percussionist Kenny Wollesen, drummer Brain Blade (who appears on all but one cut here, where Dan Weiss holds the chair, and both drummers play simultaneously on nearly half the album). Trumpeter Ambrose Akinmusire and tenor saxophonist Chris Potter lend considerably to the diverse, intoxicating meld of textures and atmospheres found here. Opener “All of Time” is a relentless sprint that features a killer drum solo by both drummers. The title track, with a knotty percussion and piano vamp and an elegant, three-horn counter melody, give way to Krantz on electric guitar; he plays languidly at first, allowing his notes to fall right into Blade’s fills before moving toward the blues even as the horns continue their leisurely, melodic restatement before they, too, move into warmly abstract space. Taborn’s deft, imaginative soloing on “Equality at All Levels” is matched only by the one he provides on the opener. On “Terrorists and Movie Stars” he builds solid, large-scale, block chord foundations for Binney and Potter to move off road and go straight at one another with abandon. Parlato’s vocal on “Home” commences as an aching, restrained paean to longing. Taborn’s piano gives her just enough support, laying out sparse chords that provide a gateway for her to gradually emerge from the shadow of her lyrics and into purely and poetically expressive vocalizing. Blade’s sublime cymbal work offers a gentle pulse that creates a shelf under her, before Binney’s alto enters to twin with her soaring voice. The emotion and musicality match tenderness to the transcendent. “Waking to Waves” with Nina Geiger’s harmony vocal, slips from the gate as a a quiet abstraction, but becomes a shape-shifting jazz art song with excellent voicings by Krantz on acoustic guitar and Akinmusire’s solo. Ultimately, the enormous palette of moods, ensemble shapes, and exchanges on Graylen Epicenter, and the sheer, sophisticated inspiration of Binney’s written material move this album further into his own jazz sound world than anything he’s recorded before. This is one of 2011’s finest offerings.
Thom Jurek (AllMusic)
