Maneri Ensemble: Going To Church

With this release, Joe Maneri (woodwinds) and his equally well-known son, Mat (viola) enlist a modern jazz/free improvising super group. However, history dictates that raw talent is not a prerequisite for success. Although that notion serves as the antithesis to what is conveyed here, on this fine program consisting of open-ended dialogue and yearning lines. The artists’ interactions most assuredly emanate from the spirit within. The message is complex yet starkly personalized – where all semblances of rhythm are reduced to a fleeting experience, amid rumbling undercurrents and offsetting tonalities. They inject elements of pathos and humor into the mix, while also intermingling quiet, microtonal passages with solemn and at times emotive choruses. Trumpeter Roy Campbell frequently soars skyward, atop Mat Maneri’s sinuous lines and the other soloists’ diverting gestures. Overall, the Maneri Ensemble dispels any notions of accepted wisdom. Perhaps the music is analogous to higher-order theories of consciousness? You be the judge. Recommended...

AUM Fidelity