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Eric Person: Rhythm Edge
Who is this charmed and charming Person and what is his Meta-Four? Reedman Eric Person has logged veteran time in distinguished bands (Chico Hamilton, Dave Holland, World Saxophone Quartet). His open-minded largesse is manifest in an enigmatic yet daring compositional approach that occasionally features smart and subtle twin keyboarding and multi-reed overdubs. His seductively serpentine linear conception as soloist creeps into his writing as smoothly as a snake among reeds.
Meta-Four is Person's present working quartet, a continually collaborative ensemble, as evidenced by the turn-on-a-dime dynamics and pacing of "Reach." Cohort Jerod Kashkin plays agile piano and keyboard (sometimes simultaneously) and dependably whips out fine solos. The rhythm team of bassist Adam Armstrong and drummer Peter O'Brien burbles along, gamely shifting patterns and directions according to the tunes' whims and soloists' darting, while holding to the tight pocket and nailing some tasty bits, with Armstrong on a sidewise blues, O'Brien under brass tutti on the title track.
Cameos ebb and flow. Guitarist Cary DeNigris (a 20-year collaborator) solos on the fiery "Supersonic" but comps neatly elsewhere. Trombonist Robin Eubanks percolates on the 6/8 "Pendulum Swing" and conga-spiced storm-gathering "Multitudes." Trumpeter Ingrid Jensen has her neat say on the closing romp "Tyner Town" (dedicated to another ex-boss of Person's, McCoy Tyner) but inserts a disembodied Miles-ian coda on "Reach." In this aural tapestry are interwoven synth colors and brass fanfares while stray threads of voice and tabla serve as bright exclamation points. Amid the fray, a welcome ballad set ("Sunset" and "Beauty") finds the leader in a calm oasis on his liquid yet potent soprano.
Track Listing
Yesterdays; Reach; Pendulum Swing; The Multitudes; I'll Be Just Fine; Majestic Taurean Majesty; Rhythm Edge; 'A Word From Our Sponsor'; All Out In The Open; Supersonic; Sunset; Beauty; It's Time Again; Pretty Strange Love; Source Lore; Tyner Town.
Personnel
Eric Person
saxophoneEric Person: reeds; Jarod Kashkin: piano; Adam Armstrong: bass; Peter O
Album information
Title: Rhythm Edge | Year Released: 2008 | Record Label: Distinction
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