Ensemble Infinity – Ensemble Infinity

ears & eyes

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.

With one foot very firmly in the exotica camp, thanks to the dreamy vocals of Tatiana Nova and the lightness and deftness of the horn section’s interplay. Ally that to a percolating rhythm section and you have what starts out as manna from supper club heaven, a late night ’50s vibe, evocative of a breezy trip or a mild sashay across a smoky dancefloor. It is lightly Latin, the horn sweep a real air of positivity, of newness, thoughts of the future blinking in the collective eye.

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.

The butterfly patterns of lead horn can lend a dreamlike quality to some pieces; and on others, they strip things down and sprinkle with piano-based melancholy. It can be a trippy meander which is then boosted by Ethan’s bouncing bass, its tone warm and lovely, and hand in hand with the subtle yet intricate drumming of Aran Talas, who also pops up playing a Moog synthesiser, lending an even further retro-futurist bent.

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-