Jason Stein / Marilyn Crispell / Damon Smith / Adam Shead: spi​-​raling horn

spi-raling horn by these genre-destroying avant-garde jazz artists is a whirlwind journey through the vast landscapes of jazz, where the boundaries between tradition and innovation blur into a kaleidoscope of ultrasonic exploration. This album is not just a collection of tracks, but a sonic crusade led by a quartet of virtuosos who wield their instruments like sorcerers conjuring spells.

From the start, listeners are transported into a realm where bass clarinet giant Jason Stein with legendary piano great Marilyn Crispell, and the exceptional talents of bassist Damon Smith, and the drums of Adam Shead intertwine in a dance of musical symbiosis.

The opening track "A Song Paid by Singing" is a tour de force of improvisation, with Stein's horn spiraling through complex melodies and fiery solos, backed by the pulsating rhythm section of Smith and Shead as Crispell's piano adds a touch of wraithlike splendor to the mix. The music seems like a core of positively charged atoms bouncing off the ceiling and walls of the studio while Stein's ferocious attacks are precise strikes against silence.

"Saturant Moon Water" is largely ethereal. Imagine lunar lakes reflecting starlight. Crispell's fingers ripple across the keys, conjuring lunar tides. Stein's clarinet drips with moonbeams, and Smith's bass dives into the cosmic ocean. Shead? He is the lunar lifeguard, ensuring we do not drown in celestial reverie. And "So Close It Cut My Ribs" is a strangely beautiful ballad as Crispell's piano orbits Stein's clarinet while drums punctuate the gradually rising tide.

The album concludes with a cosmic clang on "A Rusted Bell's Clank," beginning with Smith's poignant bass intro. Crispell's piano strikes the bell of eternity, and the quartet responds with a celestial jam session echoing across infinity. Stein's clarinet flutters like a moth drawn to the cosmic flame, whereas Smith and Shead pace the off-metered groove with energized aplomb. So, fasten your seatbelts, adjust your astral goggles, and let the music propel you beyond the event horizon.

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