Jack Wright: The Indeterminate Existence
The seven solo pieces Wright refers to here are all physically demanding note-after-note marathons. What Wright refers to in his liner notes is that he no longer plays to this degree of exhaustion. Instead he favors the pacing of silence, interplay and quietness.
In Baltimore in 1988, documented on the first two tracks, he spits notes in a stilted manner, much like Thelonious Monk jabbed the piano at times. This wrenching exorcism is a rush to express as many thoughts as possible, through a machine-gunning saxophone. Ten years later, in Berkeley, he's still at it. The "Tenor piece best exemplifies the "old" Jack Wright. He probes, picks his way through some advanced math theorem he's formulated in his head, or perhaps some poetry and meter he has fixated on from a vending machine, or a remark someone uttered as he was preparing to go onstage. Wright's muse sends him in multiple directions—extending the saxophone beyond breath, beyond melody, beyond touch. He touches upon the pureness of sound, energy and the subconscious.
Fans of Evan Parker's extended blowing should find these sessions valuable listening experiences. Where Parker may have an all-too-familiar menu of sound from which he draws, Jack Wright constantly invents a new language of sound. He packs these pieces with flutters, honks, slaps, vocalizations, tweaks and breaths.
This exhausting document is a valuable insight into a truly remarkable improviser.
Track Listing
Soprano (Baltimore, MD 10/1988); Alto (Baltimore, MD 10/1988); Soprano (Berkeley, CA 12/ 1998); Alto (Berkeley, CA
Personnel
Jack Wright: soprano, alto and tenor saxophones.
Album information
Title: The Indeterminate Existence | Year Released: 2007 | Record Label: Last Visible Dog
Post a comment about this album
FOR THE LOVE OF JAZZ
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.
WE NEED YOUR 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.About Jack Wright
Instrument: Saxophone
Article Coverage | Calendar | Albums | Photos | Similar Artists
