Argentinian trumpeter Sebastián Greschuk and US bassist Ethan Cohn have drawn together an octet of rare feeling to realise the recording of their paean to the unity of jazz and their compositional relationship.
A piano might be introduced, a welcome arm around the shoulder, its solo adding a poignant vibrancy while the voice is a mellifluous wave from sunny climes, adding to the sedate pace, a whirlwind romance, its slow dance intimacy cooled down by the gentle trumpet breaks. They don’t push too hard, just the odd forced tone for emphasis.
They can up the tempo though if you wish, and the piano rush and blaring trumpet are a wake-up call, sweeping the lovers off the floor, Yakiv Tsvietinskyi‘s bop blowing upping the ante, the rest of the band swinging in his wake. Even Tatiana’s ululations grow wilder, giving off a spiritual vibe that grows with each syllable.
Interestingly though, they can also throw a curve by hinting at the odd glint of modern classical; discordant tones and awkward tempos, wordless vocalising, dramatic pauses and unexpected extemporisation. The horns compete here to see who can leave the party first, looking over the shoulders for any minor movement. It is quite a thrilling glimpse of how diverse this group can be.
This is a warm, playful and jubilant recording, revelling in the size of the group and the opportunity to bounce plenty of horns off one another. Add in the silky rhythm section and Tatiana’s experimental leanings and you have a recipe for past/future delights. Lovely.-Mr Olivetti-
