Ivo Perelman Quartet: Water Music

Come on a rafting expedition with the Ivo Perelman Quartet. A river excursion is a perfect metaphor for the saxophonist's Water Music. Those familiar with the anomalous and idiosyncratic sounds that emanate from Perelman's saxophone also know he is attuned and reactive to the set and setting of a performance. Just as a trip on a raft is conditioned by the river's flow, gradients, constrictions and any obstacles in its way, the same can be said of Perelman's music.

It is not to say the saxophonist's bandmates are obstacles as much as they are in charge of each track's flow (time) and constriction (intensity). The quartet includes Perelman's brother from another mother, pianist Matthew Shipp. Together the pair have made nearly 50 recordings since 1996. Here they invite bassist Mark Helias and drummer Tom Rainey on their expedition. This session from November 2022 would be followed by a trio recording (without Shipp) Truth Seeker (Fundacja Słuchaj!, 2024) from December of the same year.

As Rainey and Helias accelerate and brake on the opener, so do Perelman and Shipp. The music slows to allow listeners to study the inner workings of the quartet. They also quiet the affair with "Life Force" and "Boundless" for an even closer inspection. Each ensemble Perelman and Shipp team up with has a unique signature. This new assemblage may be the most sympathetic quartet to date. Shipp's intro to "Sound Essence" draws first Perelman's saxophone retort, then Helias and Rainey apply their speed controls. Considering that all the music produced here is improvised, the quartet's instantaneous rapport is brilliant.