Home » Jazz Articles » Album Review » Ivo Perelman: Molten Gold

5

Ivo Perelman: Molten Gold

By

Sign in to view read count
Ivo Perelman: Molten Gold
Saxophonist Ivo Perelman is a restless innovator, and his recorded output is as inventive as it is prolific. On the exhilarating Molten Gold he explores a new sonic texture by playing with the equally idiosyncratic trombonist Ray Anderson. In addition to Anderson, the quartet includes another Chicago native, drummer Reggie Nicholson who developed his unique sound with the Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians (AACM). Frequent Perelman collaborator, guitarist Joe Morris, here playing double bass, completes the ensemble. The entirely improvised set consists of four long tracks and, despite the distinctiveness of each musician's style, the four men demonstrate remarkable camaraderie with one another.

For instance, "Liquid" opens with an angular dialogue between Morris' sparse pizzicato and Anderson' brief, poignant growls. Anderson brings an almost human quality to the trombone's voice while Morris makes his pliant notes respond with alacrity. Seamlessly, Perelman enters the conversation with his brassy tenor while Nicholson contributes clusters of thundering beats. Morris' approach to the bass is singular as he sometimes strums the strings like a guitarist while at other times bowing out a melancholic drone like a kora. Perelman and Anderson echo one another with their spontaneous phrases while building a fiery duet of wailing reed and yearning brass lines within a riotous group performance and a tense ambience.

Elsewhere, "Gravity" has a dark, dramatic mood as Morris' con arco refrains merge with Nicholson's rumbling expectant mallet strikes. Perelman maintains this somber mood as he plays the upper registers of his instrument, flirting with dissonance. He launches into a wistful, somber extemporization, to which Anderson adds his softly moaning tones. The absorbing and solemn tune, nevertheless, is quite vibrant and as thrilling as the rest of the album. Perelman and Morris play a moving and sorrowful melody which melts into a dynamic and more up-tempo duet between the bassist and Anderson. The latter's cinematic staccato unfurls with breath-taking agility. With polyrhythmic flourishes, Nicholson drives the piece into a crescendo after which the horns engage in a solemn exchange filled with deep emotion and spirituality.

Not surprisingly, for Perelman, Molten Gold is another superlative work of improvisation. His colleagues on this two-disc release share in his creative vision, making the music even more compelling. This a sublime example of artistic collaboration, simultaneously individualistic and synergistic.

Track Listing

CD1: Warming Up; Liquid. CD2: Aqua Regia; Gravity.

Personnel

Ivo Perelman
saxophone, tenor
Ray Anderson
trombone
Joe Morris
bass, acoustic
Additional Instrumentation

Joe Morris: acoustic bass.

Album information

Title: Molten Gold | Year Released: 2023 | Record Label: Fundacja Słuchaj!


Comments

Tags


For the Love of Jazz
Get the Jazz Near You newsletter All About Jazz has been a pillar of jazz since 1995, championing it as an art form and, more importantly, supporting the musicians who create it. Our enduring commitment has made "AAJ" one of the most culturally important websites of its kind, read by hundreds of thousands of fans, musicians and industry figures every month.

You Can Help
To expand our coverage even further and develop new means to foster jazz discovery and connectivity we need your help. You can become a sustaining member for a modest $20 and in return, we'll immediately hide those pesky ads plus provide access to future articles for a full year. This winning combination will vastly improve your AAJ experience and allow us to vigorously build on the pioneering work we first started in 1995. So enjoy an ad-free AAJ experience and help us remain a positive beacon for jazz by making a donation today.

More

Central Park’s Mosaics of Reservoir, Lake,...
Wadada Leo Smith / Amina Claudine Myers
Waive
Omawi: Marta Warelis / Onno Govaert / Wilbert De...
Shadow
Lizz Wright

Popular

Get more of a good thing!

Our weekly newsletter highlights our top stories, our special offers, and upcoming jazz events near you.