JENNY SCHEINMAN

The Exterminating Angel
Kirk Knuffke/Mike Pride (Not Two)
by John Sharpe
Duets offer the purest form of communication. For
both drummer Mike Pride and cornetist Kirk Knuffke,
such situations hold a special attraction. The latter’s
first real experience of improvising came in a duo with
a drummer in high school while the former finds the
setup one that promotes deeper relationships - witness
his fertile pairing with saxophonist Jon Irabagon. That
shared pleasure comes through loud and clear on this
excellent 68-minute studio session, which forms
Knuffke’s first completely improvised recording.
Unscripted or not, Knuffke’s abstractly lyrical
lines feature a strong rhythmic dimension as he flows
over Pride’s choppy contours, almost as if he could
veer into bebop at any second. But he never loses his
cool, no matter what provocation the drummer throws
his way, remaining mostly pure-toned, singing some
tune only he can hear. Always responsive, Pride takes
his time, exploring all the textures available to him in
purposeful interweaving patterns, though leaving
abundant space for the cornet between the intersections
of his loose pulse.
Each of the six pieces evolves organically, with the
opening “Appeasing the Geezer” setting the template,
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as cornet and drums whirl and pirouette around one
another in perfect balance. Pride’s sound placement is
spot on, usually simpatico, but occasionally providing
the grit that creates the pearl, as on the title track,
where he counters Knuffke’s plaintive appeals by
unleashing what recalls a barrow load of percussive
devices being dumped on the floor. Unperturbed, the
cornetist draws more timbral variety from his horn
with droning screeches and wavering whistles, all
executed with a pleasing musical sensibility, until his
rapid-fire runs develop a throbbing intensity. Similarly
adventurous on “Benstein”, Knuffke pontificates
blearily in sustained tones in contrast to Pride’s thorny
undercurrent, but still manages to sign off with
honeyed epigrams. This disc reveals another facet of
Knuffke’s artistry and one that should be exposed
more often.
For more information, visit nottwo.com. This duo is at
ShapeShifter Lab Mar. 6th. See Calendar.
New Life
Antonio Sanchez (CAMJazz)
by David R. Adler
Antonio Sanchez, Pat Metheny’s drummer of choice,
is steadily building his presence as a leader and up to
now he’s made clear his taste for two-saxophone
lineups sans chordal instrument. His debut Migration
featured tenor saxophonists Chris Potter and David
Sanchez; his two-disc follow-up Live In New York
paired Sanchez with alto saxophonist Miguel Zenón.
On New Life, the roster shifts to Donny McCaslin on
tenor and David Binney on alto. All of the above are
formidable leaders in their own right.
Part of what makes New Life new is the inclusion
of a pianist, the budding master John Escreet, who
plays on all eight tracks of an all-original program. The
harmony flows and shifts and expands, whether it’s
the pastoral waltz feel of “Nighttime Story” (with a
deft McCaslin quote of “Blues on the Corner”), the
churning 7/4 minor-modal flavor of the opening
“Uprisings and Revolutions” or the more elusive
Rhodes sonority of “Minotauro” and “The Real
McDaddy”. Singing melodies, big statements,
deceptive endings, an urge toward more development
and variation: this is Sanchez’ writing voice, buoyed in
every way by his approach as a drummer, complex and
yet flawlessly in the pocket.
“Medusa” and “Family Ties” stand out as widely
contrasting and beautifully played. “Air”, a dark and
mystical ballad with soprano sax (though no soprano
credit appears on the sleeve), is one of Escreet’s key
moments - not just his rubato introduction but his
dramatic impact with the sparest and most ambiguous
whole-note chords.
Sanchez is after something altogether different
with the title track, a 14-minute opus with marked
emphasis on the layered wordless vocals of Thana
Alexa (the leader’s fiancée). His experience in the Pat
Metheny Group, widely known for its wordless vocal
textures and soaring sonic expanses, has to be relevant
here, but the drummer is fresh and not imitative in his
approach. Even if the result has its indulgent side, it
still showcases the band’s emotional power and unified
purpose.
For more information, visit camjazz.com. This project is at
Jazz Standard Mar. 7th-10th. See Calendar.
JAZZ AT LINCOLN CENTER
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CLASSES INCLUDE
RAGTIME with Terry Waldo
Mar 19–Apr 16; 4 Tuesdays
FREE JAZZ with Ben Young
Mar 27–May 15; 8 Wednesdays
JAZZ 301 with Phil Schaap
Mar 27–May 8; 7 Wednesdays
Optional exam on May 22
JAZZ 101 with Vincent Gardner
Apr 1–May 20; 8 Mondays
CHARLIE CHRISTIAN with Vincent Pelote
Apr 1–22; 4 Mondays
JAZZ 201 with Phil Schaap
Apr 2–May 21; 8 Tuesdays
LENNIE’S LISTENING LESSONS
with Connie Crothers
Apr 2–May 21; 8 Tuesdays
THE NEW YORK CITY JAZZ RECORD | March 2013 25
billie holiday Courtesy of the Frank Driggs collection