Home » Jazz Articles » Album Review » Jon Crowley: At the Edge

233

Jon Crowley: At the Edge

By

Sign in to view read count
Jon Crowley: At the Edge
There's a mysteriously haunting and melancholic presence to trumpeter Jon Crowley''s At the Edge. In a way, the elongated melodies, tonal shadings and ensemble colorings seem Impressionistic; there are layers of sound—textural gemstones, displayed via minimalist melodic segments, like a beautiful haiku.

All thirteen of At the Edge's cuts are Crowley originals. His composer's pen lays broad, wide strokes with subtle flair. While the general format is subdued, a relaxed tension permeates the presentation. This is thoughtful and thought-provoking music.

Crowley's tone is highly personal; masculine, yet sensitive in timbre. His improvisational approach—in a domain within the lines and spaces of the staff—is subtle, more restrained and capable of emotional range. Longer, melismatic lines are his wheelhouse, and there are no pyrotechnics here; it takes instrumental maturity to hold back and not let the ego burst away with technical showmanship. While there's a sense of freedom of expression, Crowley tends to gravitate to tonality and lyricism as opposed to more outside-the-changes playing.

Crowley has amassed an outstanding ensemble with a collective focus. Saxophonist Jeremy Udden flitters faster and brilliantly, as well. In keeping with the elegant restraint here, his solos complement Crowley's nicely. Julian Waterfall Pollack's Fender Rhodes—an exquisite production touch—scurries about Chick Corea-like, exchanging bursts and fragments with extended ribbons of marvelously slick ideas. Bassist Julian Smith and drummer Ziv Ravitz fall in step, supporting both melodies and solos with fervor.

The shorter segments of the set frame the other longer selections nicely. At the Edge possesses a unique solidity, a consistency of thematic concept; no one cut overtakes another, yet each stands alone, revolving around the others. Never over the edge, Crowley and his group admirably deliver some ambitious compositions with restrained abandon on At the Edge.

Track Listing

In Real Life; Find Me; ...And then one day, it's all over; At the Edge; Remembering the Details; Sadness, Suffering, Hope Triumph; Because You Believe; Progress; Because You Care; Shine; Patience; Fixation; These Four Walls.

Personnel

Jon Crowley
trumpet

Jon Crowley: trumpet; Fender Rhodes (7); Jeremy Udden: alto saxophone; Julian Pollack: Fender Rhodes, acoustic piano; Julian Smith: acoustic bass; Ziv Ravitz: drums.

Album information

Title: At the Edge | Year Released: 2011 | Record Label: Lonely Crow Records

Comments

Tags


For the Love of Jazz
Get the Jazz Near You newsletter All About Jazz has been a pillar of jazz since 1995, championing it as an art form and, more importantly, supporting the musicians who create it. Our enduring commitment has made "AAJ" one of the most culturally important websites of its kind, read by hundreds of thousands of fans, musicians and industry figures every month.

You Can Help
To expand our coverage even further and develop new means to foster jazz discovery and connectivity we need your help. You can become a sustaining member for a modest $20 and in return, we'll immediately hide those pesky ads plus provide access to future articles for a full year. This winning combination will vastly improve your AAJ experience and allow us to vigorously build on the pioneering work we first started in 1995. So enjoy an ad-free AAJ experience and help us remain a positive beacon for jazz by making a donation today.

More

What Was Happening
Bobby Wellins Quartet
Laugh Ash
Ches Smith
A New Beat
Ulysses Owens, Jr. and Generation Y

Popular

Eagle's Point
Chris Potter
Light Streams
John Donegan - The Irish Sextet

Get more of a good thing!

Our weekly newsletter highlights our top stories, our special offers, and upcoming jazz events near you.