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Ian Sims And Divergent Paths: Conundrum
ByFor his first album, the Baltimore-based tenor man put together a quintet of sure-footed modernists dubbed Divergent Paths. The band includes Paul Bollenback, perhaps the most under-appreciated guitarist operating today; drummer EJ Strickland, who slices and dices his way through these songs, bringing a tight and focused sound to the project all the while; bassist Ed Howard, who's played with everybody from drum icon Roy Haynes to trumpeter Eddie Henderson to pianist David Berkman over the past few decades; and trumpeter Alex Norris, who proves to be an empathetic front line partner for Sims. When traveling as a single entity, Divergent Paths converges on Sims' original music, coloring each piece with different shades of emotion.
The album opens on the title track, a number that's presented as a tale of two horn men. But as the song plays out, the rhythm section interplay draws equal focus. The Bollenback-Howard-Strickland combo simultaneously provides support, conversational movement(s), and sonic surprises here and throughout. From there, the shapeless takes form, as uncertainty gives way to a pseudo-waltz flow on "Forgotten. Then there's "Cork Street Blues," a number that takes flight with an oblique stop-start unison line, and "Treacherous Persona," a piece that presents the most penetrating side of Bollenback. With those first four pieces, Sims makes his mark, establishing a group sound, projecting a complex yet accessible compositional voice, and putting his horn to good use. Further down the line there are more worthy entries, from pressure-cooker pieces like "The Eleventh Hour" to gentler numbers like "Solitude." In both instances, and virtually everywhere else, there's a wonderful sense of balance between stability and the questing spirit. It's that balance point that makes hearing Conundrum an on-the-edge-of-your-seat listening experience.
Track Listing
Conundrum; Forgotten; Cork Street Blues; Treacherous Persona; Beyond My Window; Foiled; The Eleventh Hour; Solitude; Misguided Perceptions.
Personnel
Ian Sims: tenor saxophone; Alex Norris: trumpet, flugelhorn; Paul Bollenback: guitar; Ed Howard: bass; EJ Strickland: drums.
Album information
Title: Conundrum | Year Released: 2015 | Record Label: Self Produced