Dustin Laurenzi's Natural Language: A Time And A Place
A Time And A Place follows the Snaketime: The Music Of Moondog (Astral Spirits, 2019) and the self-titled debut of this quartet Natural Language (ears&eyes Records, 2016). A quartet that includes guitarist Jeff Swanson, bassist Mike Harmon, and drummer Charles Rumback. The music here, all credited to the saxophonist, nicely balances the composed and improvised parts of this recording. A proper melody is the controlling element throughout. His whispering saxophone sets the tone for "Ridgeway," with Swanson's single note guitar sparring with saxophone before giving way to Harmon's bass solo. The song is part jazz, part folk and very much Chicago Americana. "Mantra" follows a similar successful pattern, opening with a sound that would be familiar to pre-smooth jazz John Klemmer listeners and building complexity through shifting time and textures. This is patient and also indefatigable music. Laurenzi is in no rush to find the end of a song. Perfect example is the final track "Slate," which is an extended drone-like composition that flows like a river of frazil ice with Laurenzi improvising over the drifting rime.
Track Listing
Mantra; Albert; Ridgeway; Blocks; Slate.
Personnel
Dustin Laurenzi: saxophone, tenor; Jeff Swanson: guitar; Mike Harmon: bass; Charles Rumback: drums.
Album information
Title: A Time And A Place | Year Released: 2020 | Record Label: Woolgathering Records
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About Dustin Laurenzi
Instrument: Saxophone, tenor
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