Jennifer Wharton's Bonegasm: Grit & Grace

Blessed be the 'bone of invention and intention that is Jennifer Wharton. A mere six years ago, the noted bass trombonist had the idea to form a slide-centric septet and commission new music to bring her oft-neglected and ballasting instrument to the fore. Driven to act on that concept, Wharton thought things through, put a plan in motion and willed Bonegasm into existence. That aptly-titled band recorded its eponymous debut in 2018, released that revelation of a record in 2019, and subsequently managed to keep momentum going through the pandemic, safely creating and delivering a first-rate follow-up, Not a Novelty (Sunnyside, 2021). Now, returning with this third offering, Wharton gifts new wonders built on grit and grace.

Taking its two-noun title from what Forbes cited as the qualities women need to thrive in the business world, this latest venture is both a triumph for a trailblazing leader and a stellar showcase for world-renowned female composers. Commissioning the likes of Vanessa Perica, Miho Hazama, Carolina Calvache, Natalie Cressman and Nadje Noordhuis to write for Bonegasm, and bringing her own writing and arranging chops to the fore like never before, Wharton delivers a purposeful statement that's rich with the sound and sentiments of resolve. Opening on John Fedchock's arrangement of the leader's "Be Normal," the band quickly branches out from chorale-esque melodizing to punchy pursuits that make room to showcase the arranger, pianist Mike Eckroth and drummer Don Peretz. Then Perica's "In Our Darkest Hour" arrives with complex hues and suggestions while giving Wharton and trombonist Alan Ferber the spotlight. Drawing on political pollution in our times, yet finding hope through the existence of figures such as the late Ruth Bader Ginsburg and the very present Amanda Gorman, it's a work of life-balancing chiaroscuro capturing these contrasts in motion.

Wharton's writing, appearing at various points from the cited opening to the penultimate slot, makes its mark and leaves deeper and deeper impressions on the psyche. Her arrangement of Dick Oatts' "Anita," which the saxophonist wrote in honor of a friend's daughter gone too soon, waltzes in beautiful tribute, finds trombonist Nate Mayland tapping into the marrow of the music and reveals Eckroth's lightness of being. "Mama's Alright," referencing the misogyny and eventual respect that came to trombonist-composer Melba Liston, darts and dances while giving bassist Evan Gregor, Fedchock and Wharton some deserved space. "Virtual Reality"—the leader's first composition for Bonegasm—is cheerfully oblique, boasting a fine Ferber solo. And Wharton's take on son jarocho staple "La Bruja" deals in the art of allure while presenting Eckroth's most memorable statements on the album and some positively enchanting slide work from Fedchock.

Focusing on music from some of the other aforementioned composers in a mid-album, ternary run, Bonegasm brings its own personality into contact with that of each work's creator. Hazama's "Norhala," with its metal- influenced mentality and slow-sliding textures, proves to be a real eye-opener as it gives the frontline a chance to step within and beyond the page. Calvache's "Uncertainty" unspools diaphanous designs which cut against the misconception of trombone heft and carry forth the concept in its name. And Cressman's baião "Menina Sozinha," influenced by the very nature of the theme(s) of Grit & Grace and enhanced by the presence of guest percussionist Samuel Torres (who appears on half the album tracks), proves uplifting and encourages Bonegasm to envision Brazil in its art.

Having closed out her band's debut with a tongue-in-cheek vocal performance of "Big Long Slidin' Thing" and handed the mic to special guest Kurt Elling on Darcy James Argue's arrangement of Soundgarden's "The Day I Tried to Live" at the end of Not a Novelty, Wharton established a pattern early on in her discography. So it's perfectly fitting that tradition continues with this set's Noordhuis-penned "Coop's Condiments" closer. A bluesy ode to a NOLA nook's selection of spices and sauces and such, it brings the album to a swampy and satisfying finish as Wharton sings with elan. Just don't be fooled by its attractive lightheartedness. Wharton and company may be playful, but they're also pushing the envelope with their every effort. Artistic achievement, after all, always favors the bold—those willing to break with conventions—and Jennifer Wharton continues to embody that truth. Long live Bonegasm.