Jake Baldwin: Vanishing Point

Trumpeter Jake Baldwin has been an important presence in the Minneapolis jazz scene since the early 2010s, known especially for a stylistic breadth that can cover the gamut from conventional post-bop fare to rock-inflected fusion. On Vanishing Point, his fourth release for Shifting Paradigm Records, he digs deeper into the latter mode, making good use of a strong band to support a set of infectious, edgy, melody-driven excursions.

The album crackles with energy from the outset, as the feisty title track gets things moving in a hurry, propelled by drummer Adam Harder-Nussbaum's quicksilver technique and guitarist Toivo Hannigan's fuzzy guitar chords, with electric bassist Cody McKinney holding down the bottom end as Baldwin's anthemic trumpet soars over the top. "Low," dedicated to the Duluth, Minnesota-based indie band, has an even grittier feel, with a churning guitar that gives a menacing aspect to a track that is leavened just a bit by Baldwin's listener-friendly melody. Baldwin is clearly interested in unleashing Hannigan's role in the band, as his compositions on the album all tend to highlight the guitarist's convincing shredding ability. "Orb" is another case in point, with an odd-meter theme that paves the way for some scintillating solo trade- offs between Hannigan and Baldwin that fuel the track's pile-driving intensity.

Whereas Baldwin is definitely in a mood to rock out, Hannigan's compositions veer in a more tranquil direction. "Space Heater" is reminiscent of some of Bill Frisell's work with Ron Miles, characterized by an expansive feel and a lyrical trumpet part that merges well with the guitar's plaintive musings. And "Riverway" is even more pensive, with an understated poignancy that offers a respite from the more hard-hitting music on the album. Fittingly, "Meditation" is the most reserved cut, with Hannigan and Baldwin limning the piece's delicate features thanks in part to some multi-tracked horn parts that allow for some interesting harmonic development.

The closing track, Jimmie Davis and Charles Mitchell's "You Are My Sunshine," is the only composition not penned by Baldwin or Hannigan. It may also be the only misfire on the record, as it seems like a throwaway effort that is played mostly straight, albeit with a hint of effects-laden bravado from Hannigan toward the end of the cut. Even so, Vanishing Point reveals a band that is more than capable of putting its distinctive stamp on rock-based jazz, and this is a vein it should continue to explore.

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