PLAINS PEAK “Someone to Someone”

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ARTIST

Plains Peak

ALBUM TITLE

“Someone to Someone”

LABEL

Irabbagast Records

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This new quartet gathered around saxophonist Jon Irabagon – one of the most compelling voices on the New York jazz scene – here somewhat unusually on alto saxophone, immediately presents a clearly defined musical identity, favouring an essentially collective aesthetic. All compositions are by Irabagon and, beyond the six tracks listed on the cover, there is a seventh piece lasting over ten minutes, bringing the total duration well beyond three quarters of an hour of tightly wound music.

Within this framework, the individual voices are nonetheless given ample space to assert their marked personalities, both in the ensemble passages and, of course, in the solo excursions – which remain relatively contained and are deeply infused with the same thematic substance that permeates the entire sonic structure. The result is a form of jazz that achieves an enviable balance between contemporary impulses and historical awareness, avoiding any unmoored flights of fancy, and instead grounded in a structural and expressive solidity – a sense of assurance and conviction – that proves exemplary.

The voices ring out, dense with substance, yet never spill over or lose control, particularly in the first three tracks and the final two (including the “phantom” piece). While the ear is naturally drawn to Ornette’s Original Quartet – always a meaningful point of reference – the already noted coherence and solidity of the overall conception allow this excellent album to be received as a work fully aligned with the most creative currents of the present day.

Bazzurro

DISTRIBUTED BY

jonirabagon.com / Bandcamp

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