Home » Jazz Articles » Album Review » Contact: Dave Liebman / John Abercrombie / Marc Copland ...

158

Contact: Dave Liebman / John Abercrombie / Marc Copland / Drew Gress / Billy Hart: Five On One

By

View read count
Contact: Dave Liebman / John Abercrombie / Marc Copland / Drew Gress / Billy Hart: Five On One
If, indeed, albums are living breathing beings—and this might well be so—then the beating heart of Five on One, by the marvelous Contact ensemble, is "Lost Horizon," a mighty, burbling piece of music that appears to come from a cornucopia of modern sound. It is mysterious, magical and hypnotic, and brings waves of sound that lap incessantly into the inner ear with that warm undertow made memorable by five of the most eminent musicians of this day. Incandescent saxophonist Dave Liebman melds undulating sound with the mellifluous tonal palette of guitarist John Abercrombie. Both these men make their harmonies dance interminably with virtuoso pianist Marc Copland, the melodic invention of bassist Drew Gress and the polyrhythmic imploring of drummer Billy Hart. There is something eternal about that track and it defines the interaction of the men on this album.

Such inspired musicianship is rare these days, when production values mysteriously appear perfect by electronic means. Thus the acoustic values of this intrepid album leap out of the speakers from which they are played. Abercrombie, for instance, is flamboyantly vocal on his own "Sendup." Hart dreams up a myriad colors for a full tonal spectrum of harmony on Gress' "My Refrain" and his own audacious "Lullaby for Imke," which floats like a still, glacial nocturne as the drummer guides it through the pitter-patter of his cymbals and battery of drums. Copland and Gress are so audibly beyond the pale that they seem ghostly in their approach to the music. Occasionally, however, they burst forth from their spirit-like abodes, as in Copland's magnificent modal piece, "Childmoon Smile," which is full of impressionistic suggestiveness; and Gress' own melodic deconstruction on "My Refrain," a reverential comment on Bill Evans' "My Romance."

The icing on the proverbial cake is the retelling of Arthur Schwartz and Howard Dietz's "You and the Night and the Music." Here once was a quiet, crepuscular piece with every possible shade night, from grey to blue to purple. Now, in its place stands a breathtaking sweep of harmonic brilliance rushed through at almost breakneck speed, but with precision in melody and time. The pulse of the piece is now perfectly deconstructed and put back together again with mystical dexterity. It is a nimble work now; absent is the noir-ish effect. Absent also is the mournful, almost dervish-like mood. In its place is a sparkle that keeps the nocturnal imagery alive, but spotlights it all with something new and wholly magnificent.

This album is a veritable masterpiece. Its echo comes from the soul of the musicians and it is heard and felt first in the heart then in the ear where it resonates with brilliance throughout the breathtaking sweep of the music.

Track Listing

Sendup; Like It Never Was; Childmoon Smile; Four on One; Lost Horizon; Retractable Cell; My Refrain; Lullaby for Imke; You and the Night and the Music.

Personnel

Dave Liebman: tenor and soprano saxophone; John Abercrombie: guitar; Marc Copland: piano; Drew Gress: bass; Billy Hart: drums.

Album information

Title: Five on One | Year Released: 2010 | Record Label: Pirouet Records

Tags

Comments


PREVIOUS / NEXT




Support All About 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 make 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.

Go Ad Free!

To maintain our platform while developing new means to foster jazz discovery and connectivity, we need your help. You can become a sustaining member for as little as $20 and in return, we'll immediately hide those pesky ads plus provide access to future articles for a full year. This winning combination vastly improves 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.

More

Tramonto
John Taylor
Ki
Natsuki Tamura / Satoko Fujii
Duality Pt: 02
Dom Franks' Strayhorn
The Sound of Raspberry
Tatsuya Yoshida / Martín Escalante

Popular

Old Home/New Home
The Brian Martin Big Band
My Ideal
Sam Dillon
Ecliptic
Shifa شفاء - Rachel Musson, Pat Thomas, Mark Sanders
Lado B Brazilian Project 2
Catina DeLuna & Otmaro Ruíz

Get more of a good thing!

Our weekly newsletter highlights our top stories, our special offers, and upcoming jazz events near you.

Install All About Jazz

iOS Instructions:

To install this app, follow these steps:

All About Jazz would like to send you notifications

Notifications include timely alerts to content of interest, such as articles, reviews, new features, and more. These can be configured in Settings.