Dan Schnelle: Shine Thru

Dan Schnelle is a drummer on the Los Angeles music scene who has played in a lot of contexts. That is reflected in his first album which delves into different shades of jazz-rock with traces of exotica and electronic music in the margins.

"Unknown Territory" and "Spaceman Spiff" are angular pieces that spotlight the atmospheric keyboards of Jeff Babko and the electric guitar of Anthony Wilson with the ethereal vibe of a vintage science-fiction soundtrack. "Shine Thru" has Wilson, Babko and alto player David Binney surging together and alone serenely over Schnelle's complex drum patterns. On "Thin Skinned" Babko's plays repeated and spaced piano chords under Wilson's twanging guitar as Binney blows wistfully above them. The entire piece sounds like one of Carla Bley's more placid compositions.

Some tracks on the album have something of a mechanical feel but others come off looser and more relaxed. "The People's Republic" floats along on a soothing tropical drift carried by Wilson, Schnelle and bassist Alex Boneham while "New Changes" features a mesmerizing blend of ghostly guitar, breathy sax and delicate piano. "Vistas" is largely two minutes of Wilson's clear, chiming guitar over martial drumming. "Nosh Dukish" is the edgiest track on the album, with a faster tempo and swaying rhythm and Binney exploding into a long, wriggling Steve Coleman-like tear as the other musicians respond with more forceful playing. Josh Nelson has a similar moment on "2nd Orbit," cutting through the tune's supple guitar and sax melody with a deliriously romantic solo as the bass and drums keep brisk time.

Parts of this album get overly intricate and busy but when it takes the time to breathe and relax, the players produce lyrical music with a slightly haunted and exotic air. Dan Schnelle shows a lot of promise in his composing and arranging on this worthwhile first album.

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