Ralph Peterson 35th Annual Student Music Awards - Downbeat

Darius Jones Quartet
Book Of Mæ’bul
AUM FIDELITY 072
★★★★
Over the last couple of years, the galvanic saxophonist
Darius Jones has made serious waves
in New York, and his latest salvo reinforces
why.
Not only is Book Of Mæ’bul another powerful
addition to a body of work that he cumulatively
calls a “sonic tone poem” of his life—
this collection wordlessly essays the women in
his life whom he’s loved and had relationships
with—but it shows his smarts as a bandleader.
Each recording under his name has featured
a different band or instrumental context,
and each offered a discrete musical approach.
Considering the subject material, it’s hardly
surprising that Book Of Mæ’bul is balladheavy,
but the results are necessarily romantic.
Pianist Matt Mitchell employs an impressively
light touch on the proceedings, a perfect
counter to the way the leader’s heavy vibrato
streaks his astringent tone and sorrowful, tender
melodies with an emotional weight. The
rhythm section of Trevor Dunn and Ches Smith
is exceptionally nimble, but that doesn’t prevent
it from engaging in some well-placed turbulence.
In fact, many of Jones’ compositions
here evolve through shifting emotional states—
apropos of the subject matter—without losing
the thread. There are moments when the influence
of David S. Ware shines through, as on
“Be Patient With Me,” but Jones channels such
inspirations through his own sensibility; his
playing doesn’t sound at all like Ware’s, but the
gravity of his writing and the band’s kaleidoscopic
emotional intensity reminds of the tenorist’s
classic quartet. I think the full picture of
Jones’ talent and vision has yet to emerge, but
with each new recording we’re seeing another
facet of a magnificently gifted musician. Here’s
hoping the denouement takes a while.
—Peter Margasak
Book Of Mæ’bul: The Enjoli Moon; The Fagley Blues; Winkie; Be
Patient With Me; My Baby; You Have Me Seeing Red; So Sad;
Roosevelt. (55:49)
Personnel: Darius Jones, alto saxophone; Matt Mitchell, piano;
Trevor Dunn, bass; Ches Smith, drums.
ordering info: aumfidelity.com
JUNE 2012 DoWNBEAt 73