Nicole Glover: Plays

Tenor saxophonist Nicole Glover has been having an impact on modern jazz since she was a tenor phenom coming out of Portland, Oregon, before arriving in the New York metro area to study and eventually have a career in jazz. She was often seen at festivals playing with several different artists, prompting the obvious questions of who she was and "Where in the dickens did she suddenly appear from?"

In 2024, such notions are a thing of the past for the on the rise tenorist. Glover has appeared in the female supergroup, Artemis, in the new quintet of Christian McBride and on many occasions the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis. She is best described as "bold" or "unafraid," owing to the fact that she is often the most eclectic player on the stage no matter with whom she is performing. Whether attacking a piece aggressively or treating it with tenderness, her full tenor sound and flow of ideas that fit together imaginatively simply stand out.

As a leader, Glover prefers to forego the constraints of chordal support and play in a trio with bassist Tyrone Allen II and drummer Kayvon Gordon. Her 2024 release, Plays (Savant), is a plus-one affair with vibraphonist Steve Nelson entering the fray, joining a trio whose group mind has been honed in live performance. The result is a very satisfying session that should draw attention from all sectors of the modern jazz community.

The opener, Ornette Coleman's "Open or Close," personifies the close collective spirit this trio has achieved. There is a lot of listening going on, with each member adding to the conversation not only by matching melody and harmony, but by freely joining textures and dynamics while pushing ever so slightly the envelope of time. On the swinging Kenny Dorham tune, "The Fox," Nelson plays harmonic fragments, leaving a wide aperture for Glover to respond. His launch point into his solo on the piece is one of the most explosive moments of the recording as a whole.

Glover's "The A-Side" and the standard, "I've Grown Acustomed to Your Face" find the trio exploring soft tones and slim melodic figures with warmth and embrace, employing stunning technique. Allen's chordal approach creates a vibrational pulse behind the trio's thoughtful ruminations.

"Munsoon" is a steely comp that begins with Gordon's opening solo clearing the way for starters. Glover dives in with an eerie tonal resonance that provides audible glimpses into the John Coltrane / Eric Dolphy school of thought. Her sound is both round and growingly edgy with each long breath, reaching out like a messenger into the vast beyond. The abrupt ending is symptomatic of the seemingly endless dialog of wisdom emanating from Glover's horn.

Many parts of this album swing hard and highlight the artists playing innovatively within tradition. "Blues for Mel," Glover's homage to Portland drum legend Mel Brown, gives the listener a glimpse of her humility and gratefulness for the mentorship she has received on her path to prominence. The tune is deep in the blues, with Nelson jumping in and dropping sparse, but heavy comping beneath Glover's probing tenor. The classic work of Allen on this piece reminds us that from start to finish, the bassist has things covered in a way that is expressive and spacious. Gordon plays off his nimble lines with precision and vivid spontaneity. This speaks to Glover's prowess as a bandleader, in choosing partners with a common vision. Plays is sure to end up on top ten lists at year's end.

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