'Identical Sunsets', the collaboration between Paul Dunmall and Chris Corsano, is the first album since ESP-Disk's recent resurrection to bear a clear connection to the label's rich history (as I know it).Since the label's founder, Bernard Stollman, reactivated ESP-Disk in 2005, the only recordings to particularly pique my interest have been archival or reissue material; efforts by Tsigoti and Joe Morris' band rang dull in my ears. 'Identical Sunsets' is a welcome success by Stollman & Co.
'Identical Sunsets' comes from an April 2008 session in Cheltenham, England, between reedsman Paul Dunmall and drummer Chris Corsano. After a chance meeting in Spain, the duo set out to play some live dates in Corsano's time off as drummer for a Bjork tour. The young New Englander has an extensive resume that grows wildly year to year; apart from filling the drum seat in Bjork's touring band, he's had a hand in steady collaborations with players like Paul Flaherty and Mick Flower. Corsano's newer projects see the drummer working outside of jazz, with rock bands Rangda -- a trio with Richard Bishop (Sun City Girls) and Ben Chasny (Six Organs of Admittance), with a new disk out on Drag City -- and Jailbreak, with Heather Leigh Murray. The elder Brit, Paul Dunmall, is rather less prolific (that's not saying much). His projects, more carefully considered than Corsano's, consistently rank among the most exciting music put to record over the past fifteen years (with improv quartet Mujician, and in various big bands and small groups).
More often than not, Chris Corsano has a knack for tapping into the mindset of his collaborators without producing a forced-sounding result; I feared the present duo might succumb to that, but there is no evidence of any unease in sight. In a country where group-minded improv is par for creative music's course, Paul Dunmall is one of the best; no doubt his well-spent time in Mujician and various big-bands help put young-gun Corsano at ease. Dunmall is definitely the more powerful creative force here, and 'Identical Sunsets' touches off widely on many points in between the focused intensity of his big bands, and the confident aura and sprawling dynamic of his smaller units. Like with the best of Dunmall's drummers (Tony Bianco, Tony Levin), a firm elasticity is achieved through Corsano's turbulent fluttering. Through this Dunmall moves with ease, given quite the choice of available range. As to be expected, the pace of his tenor saxophone reaches feverish intensity, but Dunmall also makes clipped, boppish motions as Corsano reduces the impact.
And as a bonus, we're treated to the majestic procession of Dunmall's border piping and the extended tones of bowed cymbals and cymbal-scraped drums (track one). It seems an odd choice to start the set, but I'd be out of my mind to bicker over it, because this is a truly excellent set by two of the best players working today. Bravo, ESP-Disk!
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
0 comments:
Post a Comment