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John Stowell/Michael Zilber Quartet: Live Beauty
ByLive Beauty the Stowell/Zilber team's second release, is a "Live Record," capital letters. The groupincluding bassist John Shifflett and drummer Jason Lewis, who both contribute to the set's songwritingsounds as relaxed and loose as a post 2010 (alto saxophonist) Lee Konitz live band. Which makes for a lot of surprises, elastic rhythms and copious solo space all around.
Jason Lewis' "In The Park" opens the set, a cool and unsettled rhythm section weather front, steady winds without much gust, clean, icy chords, and then Zilber smolders in on tenor sax. A small fire built in the snow. After a brief bass solo from Shifflett, Zilber's flames flare, pulling the rhythm team into more fervid territory, inciting spirited interplay all around. This is inspired post bop jazz.
"Shot Through with Beauty," a Zilber original, at eleven plus minutes, wanders free, a gorgeous and reflective ballad. Zilber switches from tenor to soprano saxophone for "Quantum Theory," a pure and stinging tone riding the waves of a tempestuous groove.
An especially adroit band playing a bunch of inspired originals, live and looseand throw in a stretched out "My Funny Valentine" that they seem to have pulled, unplanned, out of a wandering saxophone/guitar conversation. Excellent!
Track Listing
In the Park; Shot Through With Beauty; Quantum Theory; Stowell What; Cookie Monster Blue; My Funny Valentine; Wabash III.
Personnel
Michael Zilber: saxophones; John Stowell: guitars; John Shifflett: bass; Jason Lewis: drums.
Album information
Title: Live Beauty | Year Released: 2015 | Record Label: Origin Records
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