Euan Edmonds: Beyond Hope and Fear

Washington DC-based Trombonist Euan Edmonds is a versatile musician who has performed in diverse settings. He honed his improvisational skills, however, in Chicago's creative music scene. His intriguing debut, Beyond Hope and Fear, on drummer Gustavo Cortiñas' Desafio Candente label, features some of the city's most exciting voices in a cohesive sextet.

The core of this cinematic album is the eponymous seven-part suite that features the spontaneity of the individual musicians in a dynamic framework. Saxophonist Clark Gibson plays the melancholic "Introduction" over the band's tense cadence. Thus he sets the mood for "Between Hope and Fear." Saxophonist Dustin Laurenzi, one of the most unique contemporary tenor stylists, improvises with elegance as the rhythm trio backs him with soulful vamps. Pianist Paul Bedal lets loose a bluesy cascade of chords that bassist Sam Peters mirrors while drummer Neil Hemphill's beats rumble in the background.

The first interlude is an intimate unaccompanied piano nocturne that showcases Bedal's sensitive virtuosity. Bedal then launches into "Axis." Edmond states the main theme with his warm pillowy horn followed by Gibson's acerbic alto. Edmond's mesmerizing lines, first alone and then backed by the rest of the group, enhance the dramatic ambiance. The leader embellished the melody with panache. The following dialogue between Gibson and Laurenzi flirts tastefully with dissonance yet maintains a lyricism laced with fervor.

The second interlude is a polyrhythmic drum solo that demonstrates Hemphil's brilliant adroitness. "Endurance," which comes next, is appropriately up-tempo, with a lighter more hopeful atmosphere. Edmond extemporizes with exuberance and agility. Bedal follows with brightly hued notes and, then, Gibson takes center stage with his expressive alto. The epilogue repeats the opening motifs in a more jubilant tone.

The rest of the tracks, on either side of the "Suite," are charming originals that have a conceptual unity. They are intricately constructed with an enchanting poetic sense and serve as vehicles for the ensemble's vibrant artistry. With Beyond Hope and Fear, Edmonds proves to be an accomplished bandleader, an imaginative composer and an inventive improviser. This is the auspicious beginning of what promises to be a brilliant career.