Michael Malis with Virago: From Darkness We Awaken

A ubiquitous presence in the Detroit improvised music community since the early 2010s, pianist Michael Malis has also become something of a sage in charting the emotional landscape of the Covid era. His 2020 release, Dualisms, presented a series of impressive duets which outlined the tensions between resilience and despondency. Now he has teamed up with Virago, a Detroit-based chamber quartet, for an even more intimate musical exploration of the possibilities for renewal which can be found amidst the darkest of times.

The suite involves two main sections; the first, "Ceremoniously, Like a Dance," comprises a series of eight short sketches which have a transfixing quality, each with subtle rhythmic motion, with the members of Virago joining Malis' prepared piano in music which possesses a shadowy resonance but with tangible rays of light shining through. The compositions are capacious in offering Malis' colleagues room for individual statements; violinist Meg Rohrer takes flight exuberantly on the third track, while cellist Wesley Hornpetrie's impassioned surges lend a tranquil beauty to the fourth. Additional lyricism is provided by Bethanne Kunert's vibrant alto saxophone; Sofia Carbonara's shimmering vibraphone and subtle percussion lend texture to the music.

In the last few tracks of "Ceremoniously, Like a Dance," there is an undeniable de-centering of the music, with considerably more agitation and discontent, which transitions into the last portion of the recording. These are the most arresting moments, with a disarming intensity which is especially striking emerging from the more reflective temperament of the earlier tracks. But a renewed determination unfolds with the last tracks, "With a Quiet Confidence," as the musicians find collective purpose amidst the tumultuous penultimate moments of the recording, eventually receding into the measured resilience which arrives at its culmination in "Returning."

At just over 24 minutes, the recording is rather brief, although it feels a bit churlish to quibble about that, as the trajectory of the music is immensely satisfying. Finally, mention should be made of the outstanding production of this release; not only is the music vividly recorded, but it is packaged beautifully. It includes a gorgeous booklet which provides Malis' helpful reflections on the creation of the music, in addition to poetry and artwork from the members of Virago. Malis notes that this work was years in the making, and the results are certainly worth celebrating.