Rob Mazurek: Milan

Rob Mazurek has long been hailed as an innovator in the realm of avant-garde jazz, his interdisciplinary, abstract journey taking him through projects like Exploding Star Orchestra, Chicago Underground Duo, São Paulo Underground, and Black Cube SP. These ventures display his innovative approach to music, pushing the envelope and challenging conventions. Unfortunately, Milan, does not reach the heights of his earlier projects, often feeling more like a collection of exploratory sketches than a polished artistic statement.

The solo set opens with "Magic Yellow Bucket," starting with minimalist drums, cymbals, and a relaxed piano groove complete with intermittent melodic voicings. However, it comes across as a fragmented mix of sounds, an unfinished thought, more of a rough draft than a compelling opener.

In contrast, "Sbagliato" evokes a haunting atmosphere with jangling and shaking small percussion implements and discordant prepared piano phrasings. While it successfully creates an eerie soundscape, it lacks the inventiveness that Mazurek's previous work often displays.

"Sun Dials Gestations (for Massimo De Carlo)" highlights Mazurek's brazen trumpet lines, conveying angst with notions of hope and jubilance. This track stands out as one of the more successful pieces on the album. His trumpet cuts through with a sense of urgency and emotion, providing a glimpse of the powerful musical narratives he can construct.

The album ends with "Collimated and Trestled," featuring a sampler, prepared piano, percussion, and perhaps his trumpet modulated with EFX. Mazurek weaves flute passages into the mix, generating an avant-exotic undertone amid circular theme-building progressions. This track presents an interesting multi-purposed drone mechanism through layered and intersecting instrumentation, leading to Mazurek's commanding trumpet lines about two-thirds into the piece. However, the compositions feel more scattered, as if he were still exploring ideas that have not fully come together, like a painter experimenting with techniques before committing to a masterpiece.

Fans can appreciate the artistic journey even if this particular stop feels more like a layover than a destination, like a traveler enjoying the sights while waiting for the next flight. We can hope that his future projects will return to the form that has earned him his well-deserved praise, delivering the cohesive and resonant compositions that have made him a standout figure in the avant-garde jazz scene, like a maestro returning to the stage after a brief intermission.