Home » Jazz Articles » Album Review » Matthew Shipp Trio: Signature

21

Matthew Shipp Trio: Signature

By

Sign in to view read count
Matthew Shipp Trio: Signature
In the period of 2017-2018, the leading avant-garde and free jazz pianist Matthew Shipp performed and recorded in a variety of small group settings. Often, he was paired with reed players such as Allen Lowe, Mat Walerian, Daniel Carter, Roscoe Mitchell and on an astounding dozen albums with Ivo Perelman. But it is in solo piano and trio settings that Shipp's matchless piano talents shine. In the mix of those two years were the excellent Piano Song (Thirsty Ear, 2017) and the solo project Zero (ESP-Disk, 2018). The trio that brought us Piano Song returns with its third album, Signature.

Newman Taylor Baker is one of the finest drummers in jazz and has worked in string bands, bluegrass, and other genres. He has teamed with Henry Threadgill, Billy Bang, Henry Grimes, Leroy Jenkins among other notable progressive artists. He joined this Shipp trio in 2015 on The Conduct of Jazz (Thirsty Ear Recordings, 2015). Bassist Michael Bisio has a well-established history with Shipp dating to Art of the Improviser (Thirsty Ear Recordings, 2011). An accomplished composer and improviser, Bisio has composed for film and theater and his music has been featured in an animated production.

The title track opens Signature in a paradisiacal place. Shipp's ruminative introduction, accompanied by Baker's light brushwork and Bisio's deep woody bass, gives way to "Deep to Deep," a bowed bass drone of under one minute. The pace picks up considerably on the more transcendental "Flying Saucer," a piece that—along with "Zo #2"—serves as a reminder of why Shipp is sometimes compared to Cecil Taylor. Two real treats on Signature are "Snap" and "New Z," both percussion solos from Taylor. The album closes with "The Matrix"—a sixteen-minute epic that moves in and out of stages that are alternately visceral and bucolic, and packed with appealing solos.

Signature comes roughly two years after Shipp moved on from his long, and multifaceted, relationship with Thirsty Ear Recordings. That move had triggered rumors that Shipp would stop recording, performing, or both and thankfully, none of the above were true. Shipp's career has played out in waves, from the David S. Ware era on and has hit new peaks without ever landing in the valley. Signature is one of his albums that attaches itself with greater adhesion on each listen.

Track Listing

Signature; Deep to Deep; Flying Saucer; Snap; The Way; Stage Ten; Speech of Form; Zo #2; New Z; This Matrix.

Personnel

Matthew Shipp: piano; Michael Bisio: bass; Newman Taylor Baker: drums.

Album information

Title: Signature | Year Released: 2019 | Record Label: ESP Disk

Comments

Tags

Concerts

Apr 26 Fri

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.

More

Love Is Passing Thru
Roberto Magris
Candid
Sunny Five
Inside Colours Live
Julie Sassoon

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.