Nadav Remez: Summit

Israeli-born guitarist Nadav Remez has been accruing the compositions on Summit for 20 years, sharpening them in live performances until hitting critical mass. The program, comprised of Remez originals along with rearranged traditional songs, blends jazz, indie rock and Jewish folk music into a fresh and energetic experience. The melodies are memorable, the meters and harmonies artfully varied and the playing passionate.

Remez's roots extend back to the Thelma Yellin High School for the Arts, which has produced an impressive array of jazz talent. Like other alumni, Remez attended the Berklee College of Music, followed by a Master's degree at the New England Conservatory of Music in 2008. He subsequently worked with numerous jazz luminaries, co-created the indie rock band Fishes and recorded a live free-jazz album with Tyshawn Sorey and Antonin-Tri Hoang (ELK3, OutNow Recordings, 2019). He thoroughly blends these influences with a hollow-body guitar sound that ranges from the bright linearity of Peter Bernstein to heavier rock-inflected chords.

Joining Remez are his long-time collaborators Greg Tardy, always an asset on saxophone and clarinet, and the versatile Ben Tiberio on bass, both of whom imbue the music with depth and heft. Guy Moskovich (piano) and David Sirkis (drums) previously toured with Remez, and it shows in their tight interplay and facility with the compositions. Ten of the 12 tracks range from five minutes to over eight minutes, allowing the songs to breathe and for everyone to contribute.

The ascent up Summit passes through many emotional, thematic, melodic and rhythmic zones. It begins with "The Awakening," based on a lovely melody that begins pensively then builds to vivid, sweeping passages reminiscent of Brian Blade's The Fellowship Band, an inspiration Remez acknowledges. It is a confident opening move, setting the bar at a high level, which Remez and his stellar crew clear on each subsequent cut.

The sonic excursion continues with a reimagined traditional agricultural work song, two tunes inspired by ancient Egypt and Greece, ruminations on the COVID pandemic and an homage to a beloved great uncle. Lightening the mood midway is "Tango For Greg," a breezy take with a slight hint of klezmer, on which everyone has a chance to shine, led brilliantly by Tardy on clarinet.

"Beyond!" is a moment to pause and reflect at a scenic vista before reaching "Summit," which begins peacefully, then builds to joyful celebration. From the apex, the path winds down to wrap up the journey with "Adon Olam," a hauntingly beautiful reworking of a traditional Jewish prayer, finally arriving at "Boulevards," written for the town of Sderot, a song both somber and hopeful.

Nadav's guitar chops are impressive, an absolute pleasure throughout, as is his partnership with Tardy, whether in complete unison, creatively dialoging or soaring skyward. Summit is a career peak, so to speak, for Remez and a trek worth retracing many times.