Home » Jazz Articles » Album Review » Thomas Marriott: Constraints and Liberations
Thomas Marriott: Constraints and Liberations
BySpontaneity has always been a big part of Marriott's jazz game, but with Constraints and Liberations, it seems he has gone deeper into that mode. The set opens with his original "Diagram." A bright splendor of two-horn harmony introduces the tune with a teaming of the leader's open horn and Hans Teuber's haunting tenor saxophone, leading to a shift into brass/reed conversation, with Teuber telepathically finishing Marriott's opening statement.
Here, and throughout the set, the rhythm teampianist Gary Versace; bassist Jeff Johnson, and drummer John Bishopmaintains a low key tumult that keeps things on edge.
The sound of Constraints and Liberations is often moody and atmospheric, giving the impression of a soundtrack from a movie dealing with impending danger. Marriott is in excellent form, his tone by turns bright or dark, clean or murky, and sometimes anguished, always telling an eloquent story. Teuber's tenor has a distinctive sound, cool and hollow, and somehow diaphanous, like a saxophone played by a disconcerted ghost, while the versatile Versacewho has contributed brilliantly to Maria Schneider's orchestra on accordion, and on organ, piano and accordion on numerous sideman dates including drummers John Hollenbeck and Matt Wilson, well as his own discs as leaderslips into any accompanist/soloist task at hand, with a fluid sparkle on the title tune, or a quirky solo aside on "Diagram."
"Waking Dream" opens with piano teardrops accompanied by a gorgeously introspective muted trumpet. Johnson's bass looms in and lies low, adding, with Bishop's whispering drums, a foundation to the abstraction. "Clues" introduces, in its inception, a late night, foreboding dark alley feeling, bass and drums lurking in the shadows, Marriott and Versace trying to shine a light.
Thomas Marriott keeps moving the art forward. Constraints and Liberations may be his best so far.
Track Listing
Diagram; Up From Under; Constraints and Liberations; Waking Dream; Early Riser; Clues; Treadstone.
Personnel
Thomas Marriott
trumpetThomas Marriott: trumpet; Hans Teuber: tenor saxophone; Gary Versace: piano; Jeff Johnson: bass; John Bishop: drums.
Album information
Title: Constraints and Liberations | Year Released: 2010 | Record Label: Origin Records
Comments
About Thomas Marriott
Instrument: Trumpet
Related Articles | Concerts | Albums | Photos | Similar ToTags
Thomas Marriott
CD/LP/Track Review
Dan McClenaghan
Origin Records
United States
Ray Vega
Gary Versace
Jeff Johnson
John Bishop
Maria Schneider
John Hollenbeck
Matt Wilson
Constraints and Liberations