Upstream (Posi-Tone)

Alex Sipiagin

Released May 7, 2021

DownBeat Four-and-a-Half-Star Review

YouTube:

https://music.youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_mwQpdTp5bET6cGDWNu_5W0nqcRfntqYxY

Spotify:

About:

Trumpet sensation Alex Sipiagin conducts his attention and intention “Upstream” directing the energetic empathy of his music towards engaging the hearts and minds of jazz fans on his first release for Posi-Tone. Exuding confidence with effortless virtuosity, Sipiagin performs with a compelling and emotional voice on his instrument that clearly elevates and distinguishes him from his able contemporaries. Joining Sipiagin on this musical journey is Posi-Tone’s steadily serviceable and reliably inventive rhythm section of pianist Art Hirahara, bassist Boris Kozlov and drummer Rudy Royston. With elegant lyricism, Sipiagin leads the group steadily straight forward to explore harmonic wonderlands that clearly reflect his modern melodic non-diatonic jazz sensibility. With a thoughtful program of original compositions and arrangements, Alex Sipiagin clearly attenuates his focus “Upstream” and successfully provides jazz fans everywhere with an astonishing array of captivating currents and bright moments to cherish and enjoy.

Track Listing:

1. Call 05:22               

2. Echo Canyon 05:30         

3. Sight 05:21             

4. SipaTham 06:20              

5. Magic Square 05:44        

6. Rain 07:10              

7. Shura 06:46            

8. Miyako 05:00          

9. Upstream 07:37

Personnel:

Alex Sipiagin: trumpet, flugelhorn

Art Hirahara: piano, electric piano

Boris Kozlov: upright bass, electric bass

Rudy Royston: drums, percussion

Recorded October 24-25, 2020, at Acoustic Recording, Brooklyn, NY

Producer: Marc Free
Recording Engineer: Michael Brorby
Mixed and Mastered by Nick O’Toole
Photography by Anna Yatskevich
Package Design by Beth Escott

Review:

A seasoned vet who has been on the scene for 30 years since moving to New York from Russia, Alex Sipiagin distinguished himself as lead trumpeter in such large ensembles as the Mingus Big Band, Dave Holland Big Band and Michael Brecker’s Quindectet as well as with the all-star quintet Opus 5. His 18th album as a leader, and first for Posi-Tone, finds him fronting a crackling quartet of pianist Art Hirahara, bassist Boris Kozlov and drummer Rudy Royston. The leader’s fluency and bravura high-note displays throughout are breathtaking as his stellar sidemen push him to some dizzying heights on this excellent outing. They come out of the gate flying on the trumpeter’s “Call,” which has Sipiagin and Hirahara in tight on the challenging head before the quartet leaps into serious uptempo swing mode, paced by Kozlov’s surging bass and Royston’s whirlwind attack. Sipiagin’s laser-sharp execution and harmonic daring on this intense opener and also on the bristling “Sight” are clearly inspired by his personal hero, trumpeter Woody Shaw. Hirahara’s mellow “Echo Canyon” and the leader’s “Rain” both showcase Sipiagin’s more lyrical side on flugelhorn, then he conjures electric Miles Davis with some muted work on Kozlov’s open-ended “Magic Square,” which also has Hirahara shifting to Fender Rhodes. Royston unleashes on an extended solo over the last two minutes of this dynamic number. On the other end of the dynamic spectrum, they luxuriate in Wayne Shorter’s beautiful ballad “Miyako.”

Bill Milkowski (DownBeat)