Home » Jazz Articles » Album Review » Loren Stillman: Blind Date

211

Loren Stillman: Blind Date

By

View read count
Loren Stillman: Blind Date
For alto saxophone aficionados, Loren Stillman's Blind Date is an exquisite release. An intrepid artisan with virtuosity, a refined tone and evocative phrasing; it's hard to believe that the London-born musician is only in his twenties. But with a number of recordings as a leader he's showing that practice does indeed strive for perfection.

The recording is a progressive set of Stillman originals that are equally atmospheric and acutely performed with a band of like-minded players including the ubiquitous talents of bassist Drew Gress, pianist Gary Versace, and drummer Joey Baron. The music lays its markers in avant-garde and modern jazz composition, suggesting a more progressive stance than heard on Stillman's previous Steeplechase recordings— Trio Alto Volume 1(2006) and Trio Alto Volume 2(2007).

There's a distinct persona within the nine compositions that embodies sophisticated imprints of chamber music with deft improvisation on "Blind Date" and "Etude." On "What Will Other People Think" there's a Monk-ish staggered cadence that swells and shrinks, whereas "Shape Shifter" develops slowly, like a blossoming flower, starting with a commanding solo by Gress, then moving into an elegant yet progressive piece as Stillman's lithe and warm voice takes the lead. It also includes some heady interaction between Gress, Versace, and Baron—the perfect balance of composition and musicianship.

The odd-metered groove of "Theme For A New Regime" is a feat, not for the faint-of- heart, with its propulsive backbeat and Stillman's voice turning on the flames. The implied swing of "Major" is catching, as the musicians collaborate and eagerly exchange spontaneous ideas, and features a definitive closing solo from Baron.

Loren's writing is increasingly challenging and thought-provoking, and the fittingly named "Don't be Too Nice" is a good case in point. What begins as a peaceful motif morphs into a twisting melange of notes and solos. Here, Versace's brilliant solo is imaginative and whimsical. Another highlight is "Legroom," where the instruments engage in a complicated dance, moving in and out of the rousing melody.

The alto saxophone still thrives in this tenor-sax dominated arena. The role call is still going with respected names of time-weathered leaders like Charlie Parker, Lee Konitz and Greg Osby, and emerging new players—Miquel Zenon, Logan Richardson and certainly Loren Stillman—bringing up the rear.

Track Listing

Blind Date; What Will Other People Think; Etude; Shape Shifter; Theme For A New Regime; Don't Be Too Nice; Major; Legroom; Etude - Reprise.

Personnel

Loren Stillman
saxophone, alto

Loren Stillman: alto saxophone; Gary Versace: piano; Drew Gress: bass; Joey Baron drums.

Album information

Title: Blind Date | Year Released: 2007 | Record Label: Pirouet Records

Tags

Comments


PREVIOUS / NEXT




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.