Home » Jazz Articles » Album Review » Michael Gregory Jackson Clarity Quartet: WHENUFINDITUWILLKNOW
Michael Gregory Jackson Clarity Quartet: WHENUFINDITUWILLKNOW
ByFor his latest release, Jackson is partnered with three Danish musicians he has gotten to know rather well of late, with bassist Niels Praestholm, saxophonist Simon Cato Spang-Hanssen and drummer Matias Wolf Andreasen having first recorded with him as the Clarity Quartet on 2015's After Before (Golden). The band's chemistry is immediately apparent, whether it's Praestholm and Wolf Andreasen's ability to forge a tasty groove or Spang-Hanssen's uncanny conversational abilities alongside Jackson. The music is at its best when the four really turn it loose, as on the infectious third cut, "Spin," where a bouncy rhythm provides an opportunity for Jackson to roll out some feisty licks while Spang-Hanssen stays right with him, the two exchanging interlocking lines with abandon as Praestholm and Wolf Andreasen raise the temperature ever-so-gradually, culminating in a fierce finish. "Souvenirs" is no less compelling, with Jackson's jagged shards driving the quartet into its most impassioned and unrestrained playing on the record.
True to Jackson's expansive tendencies, the album's nine tracks cover a lot of ground, from the gentle stroll of "Theme-X," the hard-edged freedom of "Clarity 6," or the lilting, samba-esque "Ay Yay," which includes Jackson's affecting wordless vocals. Although the album loses some cohesion as a result of its breadth, what ultimately holds it all together is Jackson's undeniable prowess. His deep melodic sensibility and razor-sharp precision are constants, so that even on listener-friendly cuts like the updated blues of "Blue Blue" or the danceable "Ay Yay," Jackson's uncompromising musical integrity shines convincingly. And the gorgeous, pensive "Meditation in E" is perfect in closing out the record: a celebration of Jackson's continuing vitality, and a hopeful sign of much more to come.
Track Listing
Theme-X (Dedicated to Geri Allen), Clarity 6 (Dedicated to Fred Hopkins, Spin (Dedicated to Baikida Carroll), Blue Blue (Dedicated to Bruce Kevin Jackson), Clarity 3, Ah Yay, Collectors of Social Dismay, Souvenirs (Dedicated to Jessica Hagedorn), Meditation in E (Dedicated to Karen).
Personnel
Michael Gregory Jackson
guitarMichael Gregory Jackson: composer, producer, electric and acoustic guitars, vocals, harmonica, shakers, tambourine and cowbell, Niels Praestholm: bass, Simon Spang-Hanssen: alto and soprano saxophones, Matias Wolf Andreason: drums.
Album information
Title: WHENUFINDITUWILLKNOW | Year Released: 2019 | Record Label: Golden Records
Comments
About Michael Gregory Jackson
Instrument: Guitar
Related Articles | Concerts | Albums | Photos | Similar To