Home » Jazz Articles » Album Review » Abbey Rader and John McMinn: Two As One
Abbey Rader and John McMinn: Two As One
ByFrom the start, the duo sets a distinctly ethereal mood which permeates the entire album. "Rejoiceful Reunion" features McMinn's smoldering elegiac saxophone which weaves a serpentine course around Rader's vibrant yet solemn polyrhythms. McMinn's reverberating honks and Rader's thundering beats complement one another in a passionate exaltation of a primal incorporeality.
The title track, meanwhile, brims with a melancholic lyricism. Rustling drum beats and incandescent, bluesy saxophone lines engage in a dynamic and complex dance which is thrillingly original yet remains rooted in tradition. The fluid course of musical ideas from one artist to the other exhibits breathtaking agility and throbs with deep sensitivity and intelligence.
Similarly, "To the Masters Before" is an extemporization which bridges the gap between the present moment with its brilliant spontaneity and past heritage with its historical significance . McMinn blows fiery phrases and emotive refrains with hints of angularity while exploring original motifs. Rader's energetic rumble and complex percussive flourishes add a sophisticated organicity to the piece. The result is quite melodic despite its intensity and occasional flirtation with dissonance.
The introspective and contemplative "Gone Gone Gone Beyond" is one of the handful of tracks that feature McMinn on the piano. His cascading notes fall in mesmerizing patterns, and chime and echo against Rader's sparse beats. The drummer's textured, muscular cadence also drives McMinn's hypnotic pianism. The superimposition of McMinn's dense chords over Rader's swishing susurrations builds a haunting ambience.
Two As One is much more than a commemoration of a friendship and an artistic alliance. It is a celebration of a universal human experience, and a paean to a transcendent mystery. As with Rader's previous releases, this captivating album reflects not only the ingenuity of innovative improvisers, it also mirrors Rader's own profound spirituality which imbues his life both as a musician and as a human being.
Track Listing
Rejoiceful Reunion; Inner Vision; Diss & Dass; To the Masters Before; Defending the Gate; Rhythm of My Birth; Repentance; Form Is Emptiness; Gone Gone Gone Beyond; Awake So Be It.
Personnel
Abbey Rader
drumsJohn McMinn
saxophoneAdditional Instrumentation
John McMinn: piano, percussion.
Album information
Title: Two As One | Year Released: 2021 | Record Label: Abray Productions