Dayna Stephens: Closer Than We Think

A few brief observations: first, New York-based Dayna Stephens is an excellent saxophonist. Second, the other members of his quartet on Closer Than We Think, Stephens' twelfth album as a leader, are similarly proficient. Third, Stephens clearly had a specific plan in mind before entering GB's Juke Joint to record the album in May 2023, one whose purpose, he writes, was to nurture a spirit of togetherness as an answer to today's divisive and fractured landscape.

While Stephens presumably achieved his goal, many listeners may be confused by the outcome, which encompasses a series of generally innocuous and mostly tedious themes that are by and large lacking in impetus or charm and belie the leader's noble ambitions. As Stephens affirms that his teammates were carefully chosen, the inference must be that they delivered precisely what he desired. Even so, the end result seems to yield considerably less ardor or allure than what an observer might reckon their talents would warrant.

Every song on the album is an original composition, half a dozen by members of the group (if one includes a reprise of guitarist Emmanuel Michael's dreary "Placate"). Michael also wrote the opening (and sadly misnamed) "Bubbly." Stephens composed "The Nomad," "Scrutiny" and "A New Spring," bassist Kanoa Mendenhall "TE," which is as enigmatic as its name. Wayne Shorter contributed "E.S.P.," Julian Lage "Ryland," David Berkman "Blue Poles." Stephens plays tenor sax much of the way, alto on "TE" and EWI on "Bach Home" (one of a handful of numbers with a perceptible pulse). Even a guest appearance on "E.S.P." by trumpeter Jeremy Pelt is not enough to clear the debris.

While Stephens and his mates are apparently doing the best they can to enliven the enterprise and lend it substance and spirit, the conviction remains that they are performing well below their topmost capacity, and the reason for that must rest with the music they were tasked with interpreting, which for the most part is simply drab and uninspiring.

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