Camila Nebbia & Angelica Sanchez: In Another Land, Another Dream

Improvising with an instrument that can leave the tempered scale presents a considerable challenge to a pianist. However Angelica Sanchez aced the exam when she encountered tonally free-spirited Argentinean tenor saxophonist Camila Nebbia at Brooklyn's IBeam in November 2023. Consequently there is the feeling not only of ongoing conversation on the six tracks that make up In Another Land, Another Dream, but also negotiation and exploration to find the most appropriate rejoinder. That means seeking a sound that moves the dialogue on, which doesn't mimic but makes, if not sense, then a contribution to the alchemy. They succeed magnificently.

Since relocating to Europe in 2020, Nebbia has become a fixture on the scene, performing with many of the continent's finest, as well as developing an increasing presence internationally through collaborations with the likes of pianist, Marilyn Crispell, bassist Michael Formanek, and drummers Vinnie Sperrazza and Lesley Mok. Like many free saxophonists she reveals a fascination with timbre and texture, but unlike the majority does so without prolonged recourse to furious screaming. Instead she inclines towards a fragile abstraction, maximizing the emotive impact through manipulation of hushed split tones.

Sanchez' playing speaks of more of a jazz hinterland, testament to alliances with luminaries such as trumpeter Wadada Leo Smith, saxophonists Tony Malaby and Tim Berne, and drummers Billy Hart, Chad Taylor and Paul Motian. While responsible for the occasional rhythmic passage, none is sustained. And although she doesn't shy away from shapely, well-turned phrases that lead the saxophonist towards the sunnier side of the street, she shows no hesitation in also diving under the bonnet for a litany of interior knocks, scrapes and plucks on dampened strings, following Nebbia off the well-worn sidewalks and into the briars.

But perhaps the prime takeaway from this album remains how responsively the pair interact. They are constantly feeding material to each other, which might be referenced, or equally might be ignored. Some of the most thrilling moments come when they embark on a helter-skelter chase in which it is never quite clear who is pursuing who. Ultimately, this should be catnip to anyone who likes their adventurous improv seasoned with a dash of melodicism.