Home » Jazz Articles » Album Review » Jane Ira Bloom: Early Americans

8

Jane Ira Bloom: Early Americans

By

Sign in to view read count
Jane Ira Bloom: Early Americans
Three years on from the ballad standards of Sixteen Sunsets (Outline, 2013), Jane Ira Bloom—one of the few specialist soprano saxophonists—returns with a lustrous collection of originals. At one extreme, the trio of Bloom, Mark Helias and Bobby Previte fairly bristles with collective energy; at the other, it seduces with caressing, impressionistic lyricism. At whatever tempi, however, Bloom's melodic improvisations and the rhythm section's industry and nuance are never less than captivating.

Helias and Previte plied the rhythmic furrows together on Bloom's Wingwalker (Outline, 2011) and once again their grooving yet elastic sense of time is at the very heart of the music. On "Song Patrol," bouyant ostinato and frisky drum patterns underpin Bloom's dancing lines. On "Dangerous Times," brooding arco and tribal snare-cum-tambourine conjure an Indian—as in early Americans—war council; here, Bloom's searching solo, tinged with Celtic-toned embellishments, unfolds with the guile of a master storyteller—her carefully weighed statements punctuated by startling exclamations.

Bloom pays very personal homage to the late Kenny Wheeler on the solo saxophone piece "Nearly," a gently arresting tone poem that seems to convey the man's quiet elegance. Bloom's long-standing recording engineer Jim Anderson also plays his part, snaring hazy edges on Bloom's soprano that echo into the ether. The suggestively titled "Hips and Sticks" follows with seductive melody and infectious rhythms entwined.

The juxtaposition of slower, meditative tunes with cooking trio workouts is a recurring feature; nowhere are the contrasts more marked—or more effective—than in the sequence of the swinging "Singing the Triangle," with Bloom and Helias in expansive form, which gives onto the bluesy melancholy of the saxophone/bass duet "Other Eyes," followed by the wickedly grooving, melodically snaking "Rhyme or Rhythm"—the latter which is surely a podium contender for the most infectious tune of the year.

The blues is at the core of Bloom's softly crying lines on the slow-churning "Mind Gray River," while a restless energy imbues the saxophonist's narrative on the slightly enigmatic "Cornets of Paradise," which walks a teasing line between swing and free-jazz chomping. A lack of rhythmic pulse colors "Say More," a spacious melodic meditation. And, like day following night, the fast-walking bass, chittering drums and freely singing soprano of "Gateway to Paradise" once more leads the trio up a wildly divergent path.

Mantra-like bass, skipping drums and Bloom's infectious motif largely define "Big Bill," fleshed out by Helias' lithe solo, and culminating with dramatic finality. The last word goes to Bloom with an unaccompanied, fairly faithful interpretation of Leonard Bernstein/Stephen Sondheim's "Somewhere." It makes for a soothing parenthesis, though the overarching appeal of Early Americans resides in the burning, deeply empathetic trio chemistry. Scintillating and alluring stuff that demands an encore.

Track Listing

Song Patrol; Dangerous Times; Nearly (For Kenny Wheeler); Hips & Sticks; Singing the Triangle; Other Eyes; Rhyme or Rhythm; Mind Gray River; Cornets of Paradise; Say More; Gateway to Progress; Big Bill; Somewhere.

Personnel

Jane Ira Bloom
saxophone, soprano

Jane Ira Bloom: soprano saxophone; Mark Helias: bass; Bobby Previte: drums.

Album information

Title: Early Americans | Year Released: 2016 | Record Label: Outline

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.
View events near New York City
Jazz Near New York City
Events Guide | Venue Guide | Local Businesses | More...

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.