Adam Larson: Listen With Your Eyes

Listen with your eyes. Open your ears and look. What tenor saxophonist Adam Larson has to offer here is something truly extraordinary. With horn in hand he takes us on a journey, an unforgettable trip through his wiring that's as daring as it is direct, as complex as it is approachable, and as dynamic as can be. To see and hear is to believe.

Serving as Larson's debut for Ropeadope and his fifth record to date, Listen With Your Eyes manages to perpetuate the firm sense of purpose endemic to his earlier releases while also acting as a clear point of departure. "It's the first record of mine to present a true working band, the first to solely use electric bass, and the first to draw on certain elements of rock music," he shares. Those notable firsts ultimately assist in creating a lasting impression.

Benefitting from two years of steady gigging at New York's 55 Bar, the members of Larson's band manage to artfully coalesce while still standing apart as individuals. Pianist Fabian Almazan is at once penetrating, mercurial, and driven; bassist Matt Clohesy serves as a harmonic hinge, possessing an unerring ear and smart foundational instincts; and drummer Jimmy Macbride blends precision and musicality like no other, propelling the project and directing its flow. With Larson's lively and limber horn leading the way, the results are remarkably potent.

Focusing on original music, Larson and company invest tremendous energy into these performances. "Sleepers" makes that case at the outset, acting as a strong sign that art is in the groove. Then the band blows things wide open with "False Pageantry." A rager honoring a favored phrase of bassist Clark Sommers, it brings Larson's leaping lines, Almazan's wild synth layers, and some seriously explosive angling from the rhythm section to the fore.

With each subsequent number Larson both deepens and furthers the picture of his artistry."Twenty Something" reflects on life at a liminal stage through a hint of metric indecision in its A section. "Invisible Barriers" relies on pensive and probing means to address non-musical roadblocks in the life of a musician. "Bright" keeps on the sunny side with tuneful designs that nod toward fellow tenorist Joel Frahm. And the title track proves moody and somewhat disconcerting as it addresses the next generation's fascination with the audio-video meld. Then it all comes to an end with an ode to the beat—the half-time funk of "Boom-bap."

As this music makes clear, there's much to appreciate in Adam Larson and his work. But when all is said and done, honesty and creative bent rise to the top of the list. "I'm always striving for that balance of being true to who I am and completely uninhibited all at once," he shares. Larson clearly doesn't play to conventions or lean toward expectations. This is simply who he is.

Liner Notes copyright © 2024 Dan Bilawsky.

Listen With Your Eyes can be purchased here.

Contact Dan Bilawsky at All About Jazz.
Dan is a jazz journalist, jazz advocate, music educator, and lover of sounds.

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