Jeremy Rose and the Earshift Orchestra: Disruption! The Voice of Drums

Australian saxophonist and composer Jeremy Rose has created a unique body of work since he arrived on the music scene in 2008 with his collaborative quartet, The Vampires. He has forged an innovative path over the course of several local and international projects and multiple recordings. His twentieth, Disruption! The Voice of Drums is a poignant, moving, and soulful set of eleven interlinked movements originally commissioned for the 2021 Sydney festival. It features Rose with his octet, the Earshift Orchestra, a collective he founded in 2009.

Rose is a skilled bandleader who builds dynamic and evocative ambiences which serve as apt backdrops to his simulating solos. For instance, on the captivating "Road to Body" his bass clarinet reverberates over percussive chimes creating a dramatic mood. When the two drummers, Simon Barker and Chloe Kim enter with their thunderous exchanges, they ground the tune with a primal spirituality. Trumpeter Tom Avgenicos responds to Rose's muscular phrases with warm, burnished tones. All this is enveloped in a subtle, synth-driven, soundscape courtesy of guitarist Ben Carey (who, nevertheless, sticks to electronics here).

Kim and Barker, who share composing credits with Rose, are both heavily influenced by East Asian music. Kim, herself, is native of Korea, and Barker has extensively studied the music of that country. This translates to an ethereal quality to their performances. On the traditional "O,Yeok, Chil-Chae," which the pair arranged, the dialogue of booming percussion is simultaneously sublime and visceral. Thanks to their camaraderie and respective virtuosity their spontaneous dialogue is very nuanced as the pair coaxes layers of harmonic color out of their kits.

Guitarist Hillary Geddes starts off another original tune, "Here Again," with passionate blistering strums. Bassist Jacques Emery's thumping refrains while Kim and Barker's restless beats set an expectant atmosphere. Synths, keyboards and horns further embellish the cinematic mood of this vibrant extemporization. Kim and Barker conclude with their galloping vamps.

Geddes plays a serene melody over eerie soundscapes on "Hold Tight." Rose and Avgenicos state the main theme with languid lines. Pianist Novak Manojlovic contributes simmering, bluesy chords to the ensemble performance. Rose blows his tenor with resonant abandon as Avgenicos parries with his incandescent high notes. Emery, Kim and Barker create a complex rhythmic backdrop for this thrilling piece.

Rose is a superb and accomplished musician who should be better known to North American melophiles. His mastery in all aspects of his artistry makes him a creative force with which to reckon. If not his masterpiece, Disruption! The Voice of Drums is definitely a highlight of his career and easily one of the best releases of 2022.