Ivo Perleman Quartet: Magic Dust

On all his recordings, the accomplished improviser and saxophonist Ivo Perelman is known for building seamless rapport with his side musicians, regardless of whether he has a long- standing relationship or is newly collaborating with them. The stimulating and often mellifluous Magic Dust superbly demonstrates this synergy and the individual innovative skills of the band members. The 101 minutes of music is divided into four captivating segments which flow into one another with fiery elegance.

"Impromptu," for instance, starts off with swaggering, boppish, rhythmic vamps. Perelman's sinewy tenor flows with agility through the trio's intricate and dynamic refrains. Out of this backdrop emerges pianist Christopher Parker's crystalline chords. The piece rapidly embraces delightful dissonance with simmering passion. The collective conversation balances raw emotions with intelligent extemporization. Drummer Chad Anderson contributes a propulsive cadence with breathtaking alacrity, and master bassist William Parker coaxes darkly vibrant angular patterns out of his reverberating strings. The quartet concludes on a yearning melancholic note which dovetails perfectly into the opening bars of "The Way of The Magician."

William Parker's expectant con arco lines, Anderson's sparse cymbals and bells as well as Christopher Parker's cascading notes build a tense ambience. Perelman plays a wistful and contemplative melody. Gradually he and his sidemen engage in a spirited repartee with controlled abandon. The resulting collective improvisation, replete with honks, wails, chimes and thundering beats, is as poignantly poetic as the alternating, more introspective passages. William Parker's bowed solo is eloquent, soulful and imbued with serene lyricism which mirrors Perelman's own bluesy musings.

Like Perelman, William Parker is also a prolific and versatile artist. He opens the Eastern-themed "Cardician" with the serene resonance of the Japanese flute, the shakuhachi. Engaging Perelman in a duet, William Parker interweaves his expressive phrases with the saxophonist's plaintive ones. The other band members enhance the Zen atmosphere with occasional manipulation of piano strings, carefully timed notes and rustling drums.

Anderson's rumbling polyrhythms open the title track with an extroverted energy. Perelman launches into an intriguing and erudite soliloquy which superbly incorporates more traditional ideas into its unfettered, fiery spontaneity. Similar to the rest of the release, here too there are periods of pensive quietude. For instance, midway through, there is a solemn and peaceful dialogue made up of short, edgy tones and sonic fragments. The tune closes with otherworldly balladry which is hauntingly beautiful and perhaps is the most "mainstream" sound from this unique and groundbreaking collective.

The most remarkable feature of this music is that the group simultaneously performs as a single unit as well as four distinct yet interconnected voices. Provocative, moving and exquisite Magic Dust is yet another high point in Perelman's discography.

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