ContraPunctus: ContraPunctus

The New York quartet ContraPunctus eases into the third track on its 2026 self-titled debut with about 15 seconds of musical suggestion. Bassist Gui Duvignau and drummer Hamir Atwal respond to pianist Carmen Staaf's gentle Fender Rhodes melody with a tempo that starts at a comfortable clip. Staaf eloquently establishes the melody in the next few seconds—Juan Tizol and Duke Ellington's "Caravan"—that clarinetist Mike McGinnis picks up and continues. McGinnis and Staaf trade the tune's theme as the quartet establishes an elastic, rollicking synergy.

This "Caravan" came about during a moment of collective improvisation the group made time for in the recording studio, summoning this restless and introspective version of a jazz standard that is often a spotlight for showy solos. ContraPunctus eases the tempo a bit, creating space for McGinnis and Staaf to explore different aspects of the tune's beguiling blend of swing and early Latin jazz. And this "Caravan" is an engaging snapshot of what makes this album and group so captivating: four musicians closely listening to each other and enjoying the responsive, energetic interplay.

Atwal, Duvignau, McGinnis, and Staaf are versatile players as comfortable in jazz ensembles as they are in big band orchestras, bluegrass combos, rock groups, free improvisation settings, and genre-straddling combinations of all of the above. ContraPunctus coalesced into a quartet in 2024 when Duvignau met McGinnis and Staaf while subbing on a gig with drummer and bandleader Allison Miller—which led to Duvignau and Staaf collaborating more and discovering they gelled with McGinnis and Atwal, who Staaf knew from the Bay Area.

The eight-song, roughly 60-minute ContraPunctus was recorded over one day at Astoria's Samurai Hotel recording studio in February 2025. The playlist includes original works by each member; distinctive compositional voices they thread into a tightly knit sound. Atwal's "This One is for B.G." is powered by the drummer's subtle snare-and-hi-hat rustle and showcases McGinnis' expressive bass clarinet. Staaf's "Boiling Point" opens with her left hand establishing a bass line that Duvignau picks up and sustains, freeing Staaf and McGinnis to solo atop the low-end stroll. Duvigan's "April Fools" rides a melodic groove motif by the bassist and Atwal, which Staaf dances atop and turns into a back-and-forth conversation with McGinnis. And for McGinnis' "Cheeky," Atwal, Duvigan, and Staaf lay down a percolating groove while McGinnis jitterbugs around the rhythm.

The quartet's version of pianist-composer Carla Bley's touching "Jesús-Maria" provides the album's vulnerable high point. The ballad sounded like a levitating embrace when first recorded by the The Jimmy Giuffre 3 in 1961 (Verve); ContraPunctus embraces the melody's hesitance and elongates the moments of near silence, intensifying this vulnerable and devastating piece of music.