Philly colleagues with associations that date back to early 90s, Khan Jamal and Dylan Taylor share something of a mentor and student relationship. The notes to this CIMP detail what seems a somewhat tumultuous history between the two, but Taylor’s words of respect reveal a friendship that transcends such growing pains. This set follows in the proud if slim tradition of bass and mallet conclaves, most notably those undertaken by Walt Dickerson and Richard Davis for Steeplechase in the Seventies. Divorced of any band support the duo is well-suited to the spare Spirit Room surroundings. Jamal’s take on the session is similarly succinct, his notes consisting solely of the statement: “I say the music speaks for itself.” Speak it does, though acclimatizing to their language may take some time. A first trip through the program left me on the fence. Subsequent spins pushed me firmly into the
Coltrane’s “Bessie’s Blues” gets things off to a bit of a stiff start as Jamal sounds slightly mechanical during several laps through the theme. “Global Warming” is the first indication of the album’s singularity. Jamal cranks his vibraphone motor and uses the room acoustics to create echoic loops of aural white phosphorous around Taylor’s steady pizzicato throb. The startling effect is almost like an electric keyboard in resulting tonal intensity and texture. It’s a tactic he takes to even greater extremes on “Bells of Copenhagen”, shaping similar rings against Taylor’s arco bass counterpoint. Cello and marimba meet on two takes of the Oscar Pettiford classic “Bohemia After Dark”. Taylor saws through the theme as Jamal creates a luminous rhythmic cushion beneath him, switching to taut plucking for added contrast. Jamal’s melancholic ballad “Whisper Sweet” pairs cello with vibes for a muted discussion in delicate melodic terms. “Your Guest is as Good as Mine”, scripted by the dearly departed Tyrone Hill, a fellow Philadelphian, celebrates the more animated side of the combination.
Balafon makes memorable appearance “The African American”, a jointly composed venture that delves into the funk with some athletic pizzicato by Taylor against another rhythmic-melodic loop from Jamal. Clever castings of “Blue Monk” and “Equinox” give additional evidence of the duo’s deep connection to jazz tradition, the latter tune also bringing the set full circle. Jamal’s solo “How Low Can You Go” is also of note, a generous ten-minute slice of what might have been had the original plans for the session come to fruition instead. For a complexity of reasons Jamal records far less than his talent would suggest. It’s a pleasure to hear his mallets rendered under the no frills auspices of the CIMP sound and in the company of a partner like Taylor who gets what he’s about and where he’s coming from.
~ Derek Taylor
Posted by derek on May 16, 2008 10:20 AMI was thinking of picking this one up and hesitated. Now, all I can think of is hearing "echoic loops of aural white phosphorous" in my ears. Haaa....nice job, Derek. I'll look forward to hearing it.
Posted by: Frisco at May 17, 2008 9:14 AMHip, hip, horaay! Let's here it for hyperbole!
Posted by: narew ramsh at May 19, 2008 8:35 AMOh, narew, you old pot-stirrer you. Guilty as charged & it's always a pleasure hereing from you ;)
Pat, I have it on good authority that you’re likely to dig this one. With Walt D’s recent passing, Khan’s continued contributions to the creative music diaspora are even more important.
I like that trio Jamal did with Dyani and Dørge. So Derek, are you only reviewing CIMP cds nowadays? Did Valdimir send you an audiophile set up so they actually sound good?
Posted by: damon Smith at May 21, 2008 11:26 AMI have found that bad audio translates well across all systems, myself.
Posted by: Reuben at May 29, 2008 7:04 AMSorry, Damon, just getting to this & Bags usual molasses hasn’t been any help. Potshots at CIMP sound are so 2004. I’ve actually been happy with the audio on the lion’s share of sessions since & think Marc Rusch has evolved substantially as an engineer. This one sounds fine with Jamal’s vibes especially prominent & clear. I don’t usually listen to CIMPs on the car stereo or boombox, preferring the ear goggles experience to moisten up any lingering dryness/distance.
As to Vladimir sending me gratis audiophile equipment: Where do I sign up?
Posted by: derek at May 29, 2008 8:25 AMI think the CIMP audio experience is different for bass players.
I am not saying I wouldn't make a CIMP album given the chance.
Adam Lane gets a good sound, so did Kowald and Wilbur Morris.
I will maintain that has happened is not evolution in audio skills but an evolution on the part of the musicians who record there in insisting on setting up with the bass close to the mics and doing everything else they can to counteract the foolish engineering decisions of the Rusches. What they do in the name of audio realism is nothing more than incompetent misunderstanding of how to get good performances from musicians, how to best capture those performances, and how to master those recording for the home environment. I think the Cadence/North Country organization does a lot of vital work to keep creative music alive, and I am grateful for that, but to me, the CIMP recordings do no good at all, (aside from paying each musician $500) and worse, they promote the idea that drab-sounding, colorless recordings are the next best thing to being there. It may be old hat to say so, but there isn't a single CIMP performance I've heard that wouldn't have benefitted from a better-sounding room and an engineer who knows their stuff. And it isn't just the bass sound... The Dresser/Anderson duo record had the worst recorded trombone sound I've heard in years. Truly strange, harsh, and unpleasant. Ray Anderson on his worst day sounds 900% better.
Posted by: Reuben at June 4, 2008 3:39 PMGranted that the CIMP sound does no favors to anyone (bass player or not), I still buy a lot of their CDs. They've released so much fine music by so many fine musicians (Trio X, Marco Eneidi, Mark Whitecage, Steve Swell, Frank Lowe, Sonny Simmons, James Finn, Chris Kelsey, Jack Wright, Mashashi Harada, Bruce Eisenbeil, and the list goes on and on) that I can't ignore their catalog. I can put up with bad sound, if I must, when the musicians are that good.
Anyway, I find that if I listen to nothing but CIMP recordings on any given day, my ears more or less adjust to the sound quality.
Posted by: Bill_R at June 5, 2008 8:45 PMUnderstandable, Bill.
Of course music is more important than audio fidelity.
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