Ivo Perelman and Jay Rosen: The Hammer

On this surprisingly diverse set of (relatively) short tunes, Perelman etches contrast into the body of sound. He pursues organic melodies, only to head off into screaming tones at the high end of his instrument's range. While often organizing his playing around regular rhythmic units, he occasionally jumps out and exchanges irregular pulsing dynamics with drummer Jay Rosen. (In this setting, Rosen primarily plays a supporting role. While he certainly offers a versatile range of styles, his playing mostly conforms around the saxophonist's voice. Perelman's occasional bird-like tweets draw color from the percussionist, and moments of unbridled intensity elicit crashing rolls of thunder.) As an innovator in extended techniques, Perelman has few peers. Fortunately, his musical sense is equally well developed. Like it or leave it, The Hammer boldly asserts musical freedom in the strongest sense.

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