Jon Raskin, Ross Hammond, Clifford Childers, Dana Wendel: Space and Time Blues

On the captivating Space and Time Blues saxophonist Jon Raskin, with three equally adventurous colleagues, puts a uniquely intriguing twist on country blues. The heavily improvised release is made up of seven interconnected parts each with a picturesque title. The result is a cinematic and evocative suite filled with warmth and spontaneity.

Opening the album with a dramatic sense, "Amongst The Reeds" starts off with collective tolling sounds reminiscent of church bells. Within the somber mood that drummer Dana Wendel's expectant rustle sets, Raskin plays a forlorn melody. The delightfully dissonant four-way conversation that ensues includes guitarist Ross Hammond's shimmering tones and trombonist Clifford Childers' eloquent horn solo.

Childers is also an accomplished harmonica player. On the "Delta Pathways In Early Morning Light'' his supple notes engage Hammond's twangy strings in a thrillingly otherworldly call and response. The overall group performance itself is hauntingly wistful and eerily futuristic.

Similarly impressionistic is the mellifluous "Floating at Dusk"; Raskin and Hammond interweave meandering lines into darkly hued refrains. Wendel's understated, laid back cadence and Childers' mellow euphonium add a touch of pastoral mystique to the track.

Raskin blows muscular and blustery phrases on "Insects ln Calm Waters" an intriguing piece which is equally bold and ethereal. Wendel's angular polyrhythms, Hammond's resonant strums and Childer's reverberating harmonica create a sultry rustic ambience. The band, at times, whimsically, mimics the expectant buzz of the insects while Childers' harmonica wails out a forlorn song. The tension between the vibrant and the arcane, the playful and the anticipatory makes the tune perfect for a, yet unmade, film score.

Space and Time Blues could either be thought of as an exercise in extemporization, colored with the hues of the Mississippi delta, or an unconstrained and intrepid blues recording. Regardless, it is, without a doubt, a stimulating work which is due to the merger of two expressive musical traditions. The sublime camaraderie among the quartet members, and their shared artistic vision, make the release even more distinctive and enjoyable

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