Joe Maneri - Mat Maneri - Barre Phillips: Tales Of Rohnlief

Tales Of Rohnlief represents woodwind specialist Joe Maneri’s fourth recording for the ECM label. Along with his son, violinist and respected solo artist Mat Maneri and the venerable bassist Barre Phillips, the musicians once again pursue microtonal passages and highly conversational interplay while also utilizing space and undulating sequences or implied meter to their advantage.

Electric violinist Mat Maneri’s brief jagged lines and Barre Phillips arco-bass and deft picking provides good contrast on the piece titled, “Rohnlief” and throughout the entire recording. Here, Joe Maneri’s somewhat boisterous tenor work aims to push and prod his bandmates while the musicians also inject a bit of pathos and lighthearted dialogue into the busy proceedings. Joe Maneri picks up the clarinet on “A Long Way From Home”, as the musicians construct dwarfish themes with pinpoint accuracy and varying degrees of intensity akin to a lively debate yet the musicians occasionally engage in abstruse movements through sublime and at times, meticulous three-way dialogue.

One common denominator or perhaps the foundation for much of Joe and Mat Maneri’s music consists of long rests in between measures as the soloist’s generally state themes in rotation while often converging in climactic fashion as these pieces progress. Joe Maneri’s lyrical clarinet performance on “The Field” merely suggests motifs as though he was tempting us to put the pieces of the puzzle together as the musicians leave some room for the listener’s imagination while the Trio ultimately unite towards the finale.

Tales Of Rohnlief is yet another strong outing from a musician/educator who at the age of 73, would be considered a late bloomer to the modern jazz/improv scene since his recording career commenced in the early 90’s. Hence, Joe Maneri’s late arrival or perhaps a better depiction would be – recent notoriety has created something of a buzz within improvisational circles as Maneri recordings are considered to be something of an event these days. After years of teaching in the New England area, Joe Maneri along with his equally adept son Mat Maneri and the legendary bassist Barre Phillips have created a series of works that extend previous concepts and hint towards new beginnings in modern improvisation. The Maneri’s unique improvisational speak, which is based upon microtones and to some extent minimalism has enlivened the eyes and ears of pre-existing and new audience’s alike, as Tales Of Rohnlief extends this somewhat interminable journey in impressive fashion! * * * *