Home » Jazz Articles » Album Review » Peter Epstein Quartet: The Invisible

Peter Epstein Quartet: The Invisible

By Mark Corroto
September 1, 2000
View read count

Saxophonist Peter Epstein changes sound and form as needed for the different lives he leads. In one prior life he sits in a cathedral alone, playing for the gods (see this month’s review of Solus ), in another he wears a Downtown existence in Jerry Granelli’s Badlands. Then there’s his Portuguese folk/jazz (see review of Almas), Mid-Eastern music with Brad Shepik, then again his ECM chamber jazz work. His ability to morph makes him all things to most people.

His second recording with his quartet of hip jazz outsiders: bassist Chris Dahlgren, drummer Jim Black and keyboardist, Jamie Saft is an original offering as indefinable as Epstein’s entire oeuvre. The title track offers an eastern feel, Epstein's saxophone acting as a cantor praying, repeating lines. “Creamy Center” is an organ spun blues whirled like some live Weather Report date. Could that be? Jim Black, a dervish of a drummer rocks out, while Saft’s organ plays a blues, but not one conceived by Jimmy Smith. Epstein for most of the album comes from a Wayne Shorter mold (more Weather Report). Then there is “The Leaf’s Impression,” a WR feel, straight from 8:30. Shorter’s presence is strong, the wistful passages and bold compositional presence. Saft copes with Zawinul too. Beautiful. Nobody has walked this road since fusion became a bad word. Like most great albums, there is more here than first perceived. With Peter Epstein, we haven’t begun to uncover what he is all about. More please.

Track List:Good Fever; The Leaf’s Impression; The Invisible; Centrifugal Force; Shut Up, Peaceful; Creamy Center; Ornette’s Advice.

Personnel

Peter Epstein

saxophone, sopranino

Peter Epstein - Alto Saxophone, Tenor Saxophone, Soprano Saxophone; Jamie Saft

Album information

Title: The Invisible | Year Released: 2000 | Record Label: MA Recordings

PREVIOUS / NEXT

Charles Lloyd: Crossing the Waters W...
< Previous

Passages
Next >

Support All About 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 make 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.

Go Ad Free!

To maintain our platform while developing new means to foster jazz discovery and connectivity, we need your help. You can become a sustaining member for as little as $20 and in return, we'll immediately hide those pesky ads plus provide access to future articles for a full year. This winning combination vastly improves 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.