Albert Beger / Ziv Taubenfeld / Shay Hazan / Hamid Drake: Cosmic Waves

Cosmic Wave is a stellar collaboration between tenor saxophonist Albert Beger, bass clarinetist Ziv Taubenfeld, bassist Shay Hazan and drummer Hamid Drake. The quartet, drawing from their diverse backgrounds and rich musical experiences, delivers an album that merges free jazz, avant-garde and spiritual music into a charismatic sonic journey. With roots spanning Israel and the United States, these musicians bring an eclectic mix of influences to the table, resulting in a sound as vast and varied as the cosmos itself. This quartet, a celestial alignment of sonic explorers, creates a gravitational pull that may draw the listener into a vortex of raw energy and ethereal beauty.

Beger's tenor saxophone is a fiery comet, streaking across the sonic expanse with a ferocity that is both exhilarating and terrifying. Taubenfeld's bass clarinet, a darker, more brooding presence, counterbalances Beger's intensity with a lingering undercurrent. Hazan's guimbri and double bass provide the rhythmic bedrock, a deep, pulsating heartbeat that grounds the music while also propelling it forward. And then there is Drake, the master percussionist whose drumming is a cosmic force, capable of both delicate nuance and overwhelming power.

The album opens with a maelstrom of sound during "A Question of Universality," as the quartet plunges headlong into a 19-minute collective improvisation that is both chaotic and controlled. Beger's saxophone wails and screams, while Taubenfeld's bass clarinet adds layers of dark, brooding contrasts. Hazan's rhythmic foundation is propulsive and insistent. Moreover, Drake's drumming is a whirlwind of polyrhythmic complexity.

As the album progresses, the quartet explores more subtle and nuanced textures. "Into the Horizon" is a haunting ballad, as the focus shifts to Taubenfeld's bass clarinet, where he delivers a heart-wrenching, beautiful and devastating solo. Beger's saxophone provides a counterpoint, while Hazan and Drake create a shimmering, ethereal backdrop.

On "The Steamer," the quartet returns to its more explosive mode, launched with Shay Hazan's supple bass lines. Yet Beger and Taubenfeld engage in a furious dialogue of reeds. Hazan and Drake provide a relentless rhythmic drive, pushing the music to the brink of chaos. The album concludes with a more reflective and introspective piece, "Astral Visit." Beger's saxophone is lyrical and expressive, Taubenfeld's bass clarinet is soulful and evocative, Hazan's bass playing is deep and resonant, while Drake's drumming is subtle and nuanced amid the soloists' use of small percussion instruments.

Cosmic Waves is a testament to the power of human creativity and the infinite possibilities of improvised sound. It is a record that rewards repeated listening, revealing new depths and complexities with each spin.