Memories, Dreams, Reflections is a far more avant-garde release than what Artemis American tenor saxophonist composer Nicole Glover is also part of. Or what that formidable all-star Blue Note label band delivered this year with Arboresque.
But there are different styles, not just avant here, although that’s the mood. Nevertheless random sturm und drang is kept under wraps. And one’s cortisol levels as a listener do not go through the roof.
The work opens with bassist Tyrone Allen II piece ‘Obsidian.’ Glover’s sound is understated, great on the subtones, weighty pauses and meaningful inflections. And the Oregonian leader contributes a tune called ‘Petrichor’ that’s also on Arboresque which is a ballad that has a stealthy appeal delivered so deftly. It’s even better pared back as here on this new version from the New York usually far more straightahead and spang-a-lang loving indie, Savant.
There are unusual softly, softly choices on the album all over the place. That’s what makes it work on a discovery level and is in its massive favour. All are crafted to be authentically Glover. Of the less familiar organist Glenn Tucker’s ‘Resilience’ is here – check out his version on an album called Determination a decade ago to listen in tandem. Drummer Kayvon Gordon does well on this track.
It’s only brief but the inclusion of ‘Androgyny’ by bassist Jaribu Shahid of highly obscure Detroit band Griot Galaxy hypnotically becomes one of the best bits. It’s a stormer.
There’s cello from Lester St Louis in the sound later, a dedication to Astral Weeks and Out to Lunch bassist Richard Davis and the great Aylerian avantist Henry Grimes on Glover’s own chamber jazz piece which is the main achievement compositionally that leans towards the pared back avant garde surgically dissecting the notes at every turn. Go on, dear reader, venture in the slipstream between the viaducts of your dream as the poet put it.
In a year when one of the chief saxophone voices is James Brandon Lewis’ Glover also makes her mark and can be mentioned in the same breath stylistically.
Allen’s rampaging bass is great on Miki Yamanaka Human Dust Suite tune ‘March’ that has been interestingly re-arranged and where Glover is at her most Sonny Rollins-like.
The album also includes a version of Charlie Parker’s ‘Bird Feathers’ that Jim Snidero did a good take on issued this year on the album of the same name.
Finally and on an album that’s a gift that keeps on giving what a super choice in Jack Canning’s ‘Tell Him I Said Hello’ done as an instrumental of course. Betty Carter (and later on Hummin’ To Myself Linda Ronstadt) fans will know the unsentimental “second thought” song from the formerly monikered Bebop Betty’s Social Call album recorded in the 1950s but which took decades to come out. Overall then – great choices – fab tenor work. Ideal Saturday morning – scratch that: any time of the week, listening.
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