Home » Jazz Articles » Album Review » Andrew Cyrille & Bill McHenry: Proximity

21

Andrew Cyrille & Bill McHenry: Proximity

By

Sign in to view read count
Andrew Cyrille & Bill McHenry: Proximity
The story behind this duo setting by legendary drummer Andrew Cyrille and venerable tenor saxophonist Bill McHenry was initiated by Max Koslow who routinely attends New York City's fabled Village Vanguard venue on Thursday evenings. After hearing the twosome perform, he proposed they record a set in the studio for his nascent Brain Schism Productions. Indeed, the artists' synergy comes into full swing from the onset for a production that clocks in at 38-minutes.

McHenry's full-bodied tenor sound is occasionally mellowed via his light-hearted dialogues with Cyrille's poetic and overtly melodic fills, countered by many bristling improv segments. Even without a bassist, the musicians still manage to sustain a tightknit working relationship along with a capacious backdrop. On "Let Me Tell You This," Cyrille dishes out a clever and intricately developed motif with intermittent cowbell hits and what seems like an electronically altered snare drum effect or perhaps he loosened the tension on the snare's strainer. And they segue into a sprightly and quirky bop vamp during "Broken Heart," abetted by the saxophonist's wailing extended notes and the drummer's brisk polyrhythmic solo. Other pieces are marked by Cyrille's rolling Afro-centric toms patterns and parts where the artists' go full throttle, based on rippling currents and rapidly paced exchanges. Hence, a job well done and perhaps additional works are in the tank, evidenced by the 50 second final track "To Be Continued." Essentially, these jazz masters transmit a compassionate and indisputably upbeat mindset from start to finish.

Track Listing

Bedouin Woman; Fabula; Drum Song for Leadbelly; Drum Man Cyrille; Proximity; Let Me Tell You This; Broken Heart; Aquatic Life; Double Dutch; Seasons; Dervish; To Be Continued…

Personnel

Andrew Cyrille: drums; Bill McHenry: tenor saxophone.

Album information

Title: Proximity | Year Released: 2016 | Record Label: Sunnyside Records

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.
View events near New York City
Jazz Near New York City
Events Guide | Venue Guide | Local Businesses | More...

More

What Was Happening
Bobby Wellins Quartet
Laugh Ash
Ches Smith
A New Beat
Ulysses Owens, Jr. and Generation Y

Popular

Eagle's Point
Chris Potter
Light Streams
John Donegan - The Irish Sextet

Get more of a good thing!

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