A Fresh Context
Original compositions flicker magically on a release that involves Alessi, R.’s long-term collaborators, pianist Matt Mitchell, known for his work with alto sax master Tim Berne, double bassist the Herschian John Hébert, and acclaimed drummer/vibraphonist Ches Smith.
Though the Alessi brothers both boast formidable reputations in the brass world, their musical paths have rarely crossed. Ralph Alessi is a fixture of the contemporary avant-garde jazz scene, whilst his brother Joseph serves as the Principal Trombone for the New York Philharmonic.
Bros brass sound clash
The Alessi siblings only began playing together occasionally over the past decade, after Joseph attended one of Ralph’s lectures at the University of Nevada. Writing for this specific instrumentation presented a fresh challenge for the leader.
I have interviewed Ralph on the phone circa the brilliant Baida and heard him a few times – at the Cheltenham Jazz Festival I think it was with Ravi Coltrane and at Pizza Express Jazz Club. He memorably was also on an album called Sugar Blade (Babel, 2015) I liked a lot. It was led by Northern Ireland drummer Steve Dakiz Davis and featured the Canadian Kris Davis who was relatively unknown at the time but is now a widely acclaimed name in avant piano jazz circles.
Not a case of alas, Smith and bones
“It was uncharted waters through and through for me,” Ralph Alessi says. “Not just because I was doing it with my brother in this improvisatory context, but also just the fact that it’s a trombone. I’ve never really done any of my records with trombone. It was challenging and there was a lot of thought that went into preparing this music with him in mind.”
Smith’s multi-instrumental depth and elastic approach to time here will come as no surprise to UK listeners. His performance on this session echoes the microtonal, punk-jazz energy he brought to London late last year, described in the marlbank review at the Vortex. That particular Dalston one-nighter featured guitarist Mary Halvorson as a key sonic foil although it was another guitarist Liberty Ellman who I thought was even more interesting that night, an evening that showcased Smith’s ability in anchoring highly experimental, jagged harmonic soundscapes at pace.
The Sun That Never Sets music draws inspiration from two distinct poles in Alessi’s current listening rotation: Ornette Coleman and Igor Stravinsky. The album was recorded at Oktaven Studio in New York in February 2025 and mixed in Munich. The album was produced by Ralph Alessi alongside ECM founder Manfred Eicher.
