Home » Jazz Articles » Album Review » Rich Halley: Back From Beyond

2

Rich Halley: Back From Beyond

By

View read count
Rich Halley: Back From Beyond
Over a half a century after saxophonist Ornette Coleman launched the free jazz movement the genre is going strong thanks to such individualistic practitioners as tenor saxophonist Rich Halley.

Halley's sound has matured and crystallized over the course of dozen or so albums, all critically acclaimed. On his fourteenth release as a leader, Back From Beyond, he showcases his versatility and virtuosity, switching from quiet lyricism on "Opacity" to unbridled fury on "Spuds." Regardless of style, his brassy tenor is not lacking in improvisational vigor, and his intelligent exchanges with his band mates add a delightful spontaneity without devolving into cacophony. Halley brings a strong hard bop sensibility to some of the compositions, like the bluesy and soulful harmonic structure of "Broken Ground," and the leader's acerbic playing.

The achingly beautiful "The Mountain's Ege," on the other hand, features Halley's Native American-inspired wood flute floating up, while son Carson Halley's resonant and rhythmic percussion and Clyde Reed's chanting bass enhance the mood and anchor the melody.

Carson Halley and Reed are not confined to the traditional supporting role but are participants in the creative process. Reed's atonal arco bass solo adds a contemplative dimension to "Solanum," while the drummer's polyphonic work creates a deconstructed marching band sound on "Basalt," while the growls of Michael Vlatkovich's talking trombone add earthiness and humor to an otherwise free-flowing piece.

Short bursts of intense musical conversation characterize "Continental Drift," featuring Vlatkovich's whimsy as he uses squeak toys with perfect comedic timing. Vlatokovich' skills as a superior improviser are heard throughout, but especially in his tight work on "Reorbiting (for Sun Ra)" and his loose and melodic playing over the funky grooves of the title track.

A work that is both intellectually stimulating and emotionally satisfying, Back from Beyond may fall slightly short of Halley's 2011 masterpiece, Requiem for a Pit Viper (Pine Eagle), but is, nevertheless, a superior example of innovative music.

Track Listing

Spuds; Section Three; Reorbiting--for Sun Ra; Solanum; Opacity; Continental Drift; Broken Ground; The Mountain's Edge; Basalt; Back From Beyond.

Personnel

Rich Halley
saxophone, tenor

Michael Vlatkovich: trombone, percussion, squeak toys; Rich Halley: tenor saxophone, wood flute, percussion; Carson Halley: drums, percussion; Clyde Reed: bass.

Album information

Title: Back From Beyond | Year Released: 2012 | Record Label: Pine Eagle Records

Tags

Comments


PREVIOUS / NEXT



Rich Halley Concerts


Support All About 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 make 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.

Go Ad Free!

To maintain our platform while developing new means to foster jazz discovery and connectivity, we need your help. You can become a sustaining member for as little as $20 and in return, we'll immediately hide those pesky ads plus provide access to future articles for a full year. This winning combination vastly improves 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

Tramonto
John Taylor
Ki
Natsuki Tamura / Satoko Fujii
Duality Pt: 02
Dom Franks' Strayhorn
The Sound of Raspberry
Tatsuya Yoshida / Martín Escalante

Popular

Old Home/New Home
The Brian Martin Big Band
My Ideal
Sam Dillon
Ecliptic
Shifa شفاء - Rachel Musson, Pat Thomas, Mark Sanders
Lado B Brazilian Project 2
Catina DeLuna & Otmaro Ruíz

Get more of a good thing!

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

Install All About Jazz

iOS Instructions:

To install this app, follow these steps:

All About Jazz would like to send you notifications

Notifications include timely alerts to content of interest, such as articles, reviews, new features, and more. These can be configured in Settings.