Arman Sangalang’s 'Waypoints' blends cinematic storytelling and modern jazz improvisation across eight originals and a standard, shaped by years of travel, collaboration, and a free-flowing quartet approach.
—Thierry de Clemensat, Paris Move
Waypoints is the sophomore album from Chicago saxophonist-composer Arman Sangalang, recorded at Pro Musica in Chicago. His debut, Quartet (2023), introduced a promising young voice; Waypoints is a significant step forward: eight original compositions and one jazz standard written across two years of movement and discovery as Sangalang shuttled between Chicago and Monterey, California, teaching, performing, and attending residencies.
“From making our first record I learned a lot about balancing between written material and improvisation,” says Sangalang. “I wrote this music thinking of these musicians in particular, but I never give the guys much direction. I wanted to give them the freedom to do what they wanted with the music.”
The quartet features guitarist Dave Miller, whose evocative use of effects pedals has become central to the band’s sound. Miller creates luminous textures at the opening of “Nina,” adds a shadowy film noir atmosphere to “Writer Agents,” framing Sangalang’s solo statements in a constantly shifting palette of color and texture. Bassist Ethan Philion, a newer addition to the group, connects immediately with drummer Devin Drobka, the two having previously played together in groups led by Sangalang’s fellow saxophonists Jimmy Farace and Max Bessesen.
Sangalang’s work as a composer here covers a lot of ground both musically and geographically. “Nina,” co-written with bassist Oliver Wattles during the Boysie Lowery Living Jazz Residency in Delaware, was inspired by a collage artwork at the Delaware Contemporary Art Museum depicting a woman’s silhouette assembled from flowers. “Easy Does It” and “Writer Agents” were born out of Chicago’s Logan Square scene, the latter fusing film noir atmosphere with something close to surf rock. “Who’s It Going to Be?” and “Less Is... ” were written during Sangalang’s time in Monterey, their titles nodding to compositions by Walter Smith III and Joel Ross. “Monkish” sketches Thelonious Monk’s distinctive ballad approach. A Bandcamp bonus track, “Chatterbox,” written in Door County while teaching at Birch Creek, pays tribute to Ornette Coleman. The album appropriately concludes with a spare but gorgeous single chorus “Body and Soul,” echoing Sangalang’s signature closer in live performances.
“From making our first record I learned a lot about balancing between written material and improvisation,” says Sangalang. “I wrote this music thinking of these musicians in particular, but I never give the guys much direction. I wanted to give them the freedom to do what they wanted with the music.”
The quartet features guitarist Dave Miller, whose evocative use of effects pedals has become central to the band’s sound. Miller creates luminous textures at the opening of “Nina,” adds a shadowy film noir atmosphere to “Writer Agents,” framing Sangalang’s solo statements in a constantly shifting palette of color and texture. Bassist Ethan Philion, a newer addition to the group, connects immediately with drummer Devin Drobka, the two having previously played together in groups led by Sangalang’s fellow saxophonists Jimmy Farace and Max Bessesen.
Sangalang’s work as a composer here covers a lot of ground both musically and geographically. “Nina,” co-written with bassist Oliver Wattles during the Boysie Lowery Living Jazz Residency in Delaware, was inspired by a collage artwork at the Delaware Contemporary Art Museum depicting a woman’s silhouette assembled from flowers. “Easy Does It” and “Writer Agents” were born out of Chicago’s Logan Square scene, the latter fusing film noir atmosphere with something close to surf rock. “Who’s It Going to Be?” and “Less Is... ” were written during Sangalang’s time in Monterey, their titles nodding to compositions by Walter Smith III and Joel Ross. “Monkish” sketches Thelonious Monk’s distinctive ballad approach. A Bandcamp bonus track, “Chatterbox,” written in Door County while teaching at Birch Creek, pays tribute to Ornette Coleman. The album appropriately concludes with a spare but gorgeous single chorus “Body and Soul,” echoing Sangalang’s signature closer in live performances.
