Noah Preminger: Thunda

There's a fascinating, affirmative equilibrium coursing throughout Thunda that words may fall short of. It's a music of purity and wonder spoken by survivors of the oddest year. It's a broad, fearless conversation between two big thinkers and all who choose to listen in, either by accident or design. Simply stated, you'll find yourself easily lost in the tight, exquisite mazes created and crafted freely by fellow metropolitans saxophonist Noah Preminger and bassist Kim Cass.

"Slaughter" is a gripping give and take wherein color and contrast blur like the line between gang and government. Cass volleys first as Preminger moans high above him, each racing to a destination only they know but willfully welcome all to share. The just under two minute tsunami "Me You Sad" seeks the same high ground but veers more towards a childlike play as Preminger's blue clarinet weaves between Cass's pop-art lines. Fresh and frenzied, "Chron" comes at you hit and run, its dizzying minute and half spinning you 'round to where you started, maybe.

Recognized as a Downbeat Rising Star in 2017, Preminger, who has woven his spell alongside Dave Holland, Joe Lovano, Roscoe Mitchell, Cecil McBee and others, employs a wily and elusive tone-for the-moment that gives the reflective and considerate "Iris" the jumpy swing of "Tradr Hoez," and the darkly meditative "Drone" their particular voice and focus. Cass, no slouch in the CV department (Matt Mitchell, Tyshawn Sorey, Rudresh Mahanthappa) works in kinetic bursts and observations as if every single performance was its own solo telling its own origin story. Magnetic listening. Digital release only.

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