Matthew Shipp: On The Ascent

The simultaneous release of two markedly different efforts documents pianist/composer Matthew Shipp's arguably inevitable ascent into the upper echelons of contemporary jazz. The man's rise to prominence has been inexorable to be sure, but all the more laudable for the slow but steady nature of his journey. As such, the arc of Shipp's career not surprisingly mirrors his musicianship: virtually without exception, playing alone or with others, he invariably takes his time to explore the possibilities of the material as fully as the potential of the setting. But this iconoclastic artist's greatest distinction may well be his innate ability to maintain the singular persona so clear in his solo work when he is in the company of like-minded free spirits. This pair of 2025 releases thus presents not only a scintillating study in contrasts, but a dual set of metaphors for evolution of Shipp's creativity.

Matthew Shipp
The Cosmic Piano
Cantaloupe Music
2025

The Cosmic Piano depicts Matthew Shipp as an artist unremittingly patient in his explorations of spontaneous creation on his chosen instrument. Over the course of a dozen tracks running approximately fifty-five minutes, the pianist soars and declaims on the keyboard and, not surprisingly, this title song reaffirms those contrasting approaches. Shifting between the two at greater or lesser speed throughout the album, as on "Orbit Light," the directional flow of ideas matters less than the melodic or abstract motifs the musicians offer. Likewise, a cover painting and layout by DM Stith (the artist whose work adorns Mary Halvorson's recent albums) is as deceptively amorphous as the musicianship; essayist David Lang's prose is more to the point and therein lies a duality reflecting the vivid nature of the alternately insistent and seductive transitions populating "Suburban Outerspace" and, indeed, the whole of this album.

Ivo Perelman & Matthew Shipp String Trio
Armageddon Flower
Tao Forms
2025

Sumptuous as are the depth and intricacy of the improvisations that comprise Armageddon Flower, the four-way interactions find Matthew Shipp's String Trio and saxophonist Ivo Perelman accommodating each other to (re) configure a distinct whole apart from the individuals involved . Yet, there is minimal sense of the foursome feeling each other out, but instead casting their shared fate to the wind, confident of each participant's ability to hold his own individually and as a member of the newly-configured whole. That spirit of abandon is only slightly less tangible on the opener "Pillar of Light" than on the concluding "Restoration:" the clarity of Shipp's ringing piano tones burnishes the sound of Perlman's saxophone as well as the dusky textures of Mat Maneri's viola and William Parker's bass. The suspense is tangible too throughout the various undulations of instrumental textures running roughly sixty-two minutes in duration over the course of four extended tracks.

Tracks and Personnel

The Cosmic Piano

Tracks: The Cosmic Piano; Cosmic Junk Jazz DNA; Orbit Light; Piano's DNA Upgrade; The Other Dimensional Tone; Blues Orgasm; Radio Signals From Jazz Keys; Suburban Outerspace; Face To Face; Subconscious Piano; The Future Is The Past; A Cosmic Thank You..

Personnel: Matthew Shipp: piano.

Armageddon Flower

Tracks: Pillar of Light; Tree of Life; Armageddon Flower; Restoration.

Personnel: Ivo Perelman: tenor saxophone; Matthew Shipp String Trio; Matthew Shipp: piano; Mat Maneri: viola; William Parker: bass.