Matthew Halpin, Stefan Bauer, Matthias Akeo Nowak, Terry Clarke: Mosaic

Mosaic, a live recording from Dachtheater, Warendorf and Domicil Dortmund in Germany, captures the thrilling spontaneity of four master musicians coming together for the first time. They are Matthew Halpin on tenor saxophone, Stefan Bauer on vibraharp, Matthias Akeo Nowak on bass and Terry Clarke on drums. With two exceptions, all compositions were written by Bauer, and they unfold like conversations among strangers who, nonetheless, find a common universal language in jazz. The result is an interplay that is both seamless and revelatory.

The warm tone of Halpin leads the discourse, weaving through the composition on the opening track, David Occhipinti's "Fifth Season." Bauer adds a shimmering voice to the mix while the ever-inventive Clarke shapes the music with momentum. The initial Bauer composition is "November 13," which develops from Bauer's lengthy opening vibraharp figure. Halpin enters the conversation with unexpected flights of fancy, stretching the tenor's upper register. A period of cacophony ensues as the number taps out. Akeo Nowak brings his composition, "Clown," to the group, with Clarke laying down an intricate drum riff that continues through the number. Halpin and Bauer feed off Clarke's playing with a celebration of imperfection.

The balance of the tracks on this release are showcases to delve into new sonic territories based on Bauer's compositions, beginning with "Lonely Moments." Nowak's bass work provides a rhythmic anchor—bolstered by Clarke's dynamic drumming—for Halpin and Bauer to explore a textural abstraction of assertive modernism. "A Brooklyn Shindig" is an old-fashioned swinger propelled by Clarke's swirling rhythmic undercurrents. Halpin and Bauer lay down the melodic frame, after which each develops extended solos that are beautifully improvised. "Zeitinseln" is a German term that translates assnapshots in time. Nowak opens the number with a solo, showing he is big-toned, resourceful, and highly adaptable. Halpin and Bauer continue to flesh out their horizons in this introspective composition.

The closer is "Coast to Coast," which squares the circle by fulfilling the premise of the session, a testament to the power of jazz as a living breathing art form.

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