Home » Jazz Articles » Album Review » Vijay Iyer Trio: Break Stuff

62

Vijay Iyer Trio: Break Stuff

By

Sign in to view read count
Vijay Iyer Trio: Break Stuff
From the time of his debut as a leader nearly twenty years ago on Architextures (Asian Improv Records, 1996), pianist and composer Vijay Iyer has been a great experimenter. The Albany, New York native successfully utilized duplicated patterns and phrasing in a variety of settings from solo piano to ensembles. Advanced as his earlier techniques were, Iyer has continued to move forward and challenge himself, incorporating and manipulating decades of learning as his career progresses. At a given time his influences can be artistic, political or ethnic (or all of the above) but they don't overshadow a distinct personal style. Iyer's earlier groups provided a stepping off point for notable talents such as drummer Tyshawn Sorey and saxophonist Rudresh Mahanthappa, the latter being a strong element in many of Iyer's early successes.

With his long-standing trio-mates, bassist Stephan Crump and drummer Marcus Gilmore, Iyer has pulled from multiple references and time periods to create Break Stuff. It is an album of deceptive complexity where absorbing melodies can mask the intricate inner workings of the pieces. As an example, "Mystery Woman" is at times minimal; Iyer's cascading chords or Crump's deep, woody pulsations suddenly become lost as Gilmore accelerates the pace pulling the trio into a complicated maze and then leading them out again. John Coltrane's "Countdown"—with a great solo from Gilmore—features irregular pacing and varying themes in an overall challenging structure.

Within the twelve compositions that make up Break Stuff, there are a good number of pieces that exemplify Iyer's more lyrical side. A disconnected suite focusing on New York birds includes "Starlings," "Geese" and "Wrens" and features some striking individual work from the pianist. These pieces, however, are no less byzantine just below the surface, with "Geese," in particular, including some of the album's more dissonant playing. "Work" and "Hood" meld hard-bop elements with more progressive approaches, creating multiple layers of sound.

A Yale University graduate and Harvard professor, it seems inevitable that Iyer's music would reflect his academic pursuits, but it was more obvious with his earlier recordings. At times that could have a coldly mathematical effect on the music but of late Iyer has found a better balance between accessibility and theory. Mutations (ECM, 2014), his solo piano, electronics and strings recording, may have been the musical catharsis that led to Break Stuff—Iyer's best trio album to date.

Track Listing

Starlings; Chorale; Diptych; Hood; Work; Taking Flight; Blood Count; Break Stuff; Mystery Woman; Geese; Countdown; Wrens.

Personnel

Vijay Iyer: piano; Stephan Crump: double bass; Marcus Gilmore: drums.

Album information

Title: Break Stuff | Year Released: 2015 | Record Label: ECM 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

Love Is Passing Thru
Roberto Magris
Candid
Sunny Five
Inside Colours Live
Julie Sassoon

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.