Drew Gress: 7 Black Butterflies

Music that reveals beauty even in the Rhinoceros...

To say that Drew Gress may be one of today's premier bassists/composers is a bold statement, but one with considerable merit. The veteran player has profoundly enhanced numerous recordings by names like Uri Crane, Don Byron, and Ravi Coltrane with his distinct sound, dynamic playing, and writing abilities. But his most revealing work has been on his own recordings, of which 7 Black Butterflies is simply a cut above in terms of vision, creative energy, and sheer musicality. This followup to 2001's Spin and Drift continues to challenge and yield deep rewards with music that is beyond the norm and thoroughly engaging.

Iron sharpens iron, as the band includes the vast talent of saxophonist Tim Berne, trumpeter Ralph Alessi, drummer Tom Rainey, and keyboardist Craig Taborn, who are a perfect mixture for Gress' fertile concepts. These artists have proven on many recordings that they that can play it straight, but they definitely push towards the edge with their associations with freer jazz idioms. Collectively they are force to be reckoned with, and with Gress as the catalyst, 7 Black Butterflies unflinchingly gives a broader view of his abilities.

Once again the bassist has composed all new material with the goal of creating music that is "modern and beautiful. This becomes evident starting with the atmospheric "Rhinoceros —a composition that at first moves slowly and gracefully, then shows dangerous instincts as the tempo swells and charges, with a forceful vamp powered by robust drumming, and then retreats with eerie sax/trumpet siren wails. The remaining eight selections are compositions in the truest sense, allowing optimum creative interaction between the music and musicians.

The album's beauty has many facets, from the cinematic quality of "Zaftig, with its grand thematic changes, to the up-tempo siblings "New Leaf and "Blue On One Side, which employ aggressive swing with heated horn arrangements and outstanding solos solidified by Gress' bass. Beyond his formidable skills as a composer, Gress is an incredibly strong player. To get a full taste, listen to his solo on "Bas Relief, which is marked by power, nimbleness, and ingenuity, with biting and sustained notes.

The modern nuance of electronics enhances this acoustic setting nicely, but it's the musicians themselves who create the fifth element, with many memorable performances like "Low Slung High Strung, with its serrated tempo, where Berne and Alessi converse against complex and feuding horns as Rainey's drums push the music, Talborn delivering another stellar solo.

The closing ballad "Like it Never Was recalls ideas from Mingus and Weather Report, but more so from Gress himself. Wondrous, strange, bold, and beautiful are all synonymous of 7 Black Butterflies, one of this year's most interesting releases.