By Don Phipps
“My work involves the idea of building my own molecule and then allowing myself to give meaning to it,” said tenor saxophonist James Brandon Lewis in a November 2023 interview with Stewart Smith of the Quietus. In the interview, Lewis expresses his interest in science – describing the DNA Helix as a model for his Molecular Systematic Music system. He expounds, saying “…the transformative experiences that can shape your artistic DNA…. My encounter with the whole idea of molecular biology continues to shape my music’s personality.”
The DNA helix is well understood in science as the fundamental building block of who each of us is – from our physical characteristics to our behavior and personality. Perhaps this is what drives James Brandon Lewis – his goal – a musical form that emanates who he is deep down – his core . Maybe that is what lies behind the album name – Apple Cores.
Lewis and his bandmates, the wonderful Chad Taylor (drums, mbira) and Josh Werner (bass, guitar) composed all the pieces which grace this effort. The trio is joined on some of the tracks by two guest artists, Guilherme Monteiro (guitar) and Stephane San Juan (percussion). Together they deliver a stunning combination of toe tapping, head nodding, angular musical geometry chockful of rolling rhythm and bass lines, lines that permit Lewis to mold the music with his soulful and seductive sax passages.
Like ocean spray on a warm summer day, the music feels almost joyful - in an abstract sort of way. The geometry of the music suggests paintings of Piet Mondrian, Wassily Kandinsky, or the fascinating landscapes of Yves Tanguy. There is tight coherence to each cut, but also a broadening that stretches outward. The three Apple Core numbers (“Apple Core #1,” “Apple Core #2,” and “Apple Core #3”) demonstrate this tight and loose feel – the rolling Werner bass arpeggios and the Taylor funky, bumpy drumwork behind Lewis’s wild and undulating sax exhortations and stutters. The music leaps from ledge to ledge like a mountain goat on a desolate Wyoming Beartooth mountain.
Then there is the expansive ballad “Of Mind and Feeling,” where the group is joined by Monteiro and San Juan. Coming in at less than three minutes, the music here is airy and hazy, a kind of peaceful morning call – and what a beautiful and introspective morning it is! Listen to Monteiro’s floating guitar lines above Lewis’s deep and resonant presentation. Werner keeps it minimal – touching only on the basics while letting the music open up. And likewise, Taylor adds a minimal approach, his subtle toms apparent at first before disappearing altogether.
Other numbers are equally impressive – the musical safari of “Prince Eugene,” the intense climb of “Five Spots to Caravan,” the New York street feel of “Remember Brooklyn & Moki,” where the music creates a collage of concrete sidewalks, wall graffiti, urban metal security shutters, dusty street signs, and brownstones.
“Broken Shadows” generates heat, lit up by Taylor’s fascinating African-infused beat. There is the hopping dance line of “D.C. Got Pocket.” Listen for Monteiro’s guitar funk and later his intense blowback intermixed with the solid but novel Taylor drumming. And on “Exactly, Our Music,” the tight syncopation is backstopped by Monteiro’s vibrant guitar. After a brief Monteiro solo, Lewis emerges with his soulful motif and San Juan jumps in late with irregular patterns that merge seamlessly.
Although all the music presented is excellent, “Don’t Forget About Jane,” may well be this album’s masterpiece. Here is where - above Taylor’s all over drumming - Lewis shows off his angular dramatic style in all its glory. As the piece progresses, Lewis becomes even more extemporaneous, deploying immense freewheeling arcs and a repetitive motif that reaches for the sky.
There is never a dull moment on Apple Cores – it is exciting to its core. This is a record that delivers Punch and Judy – a ripe bowl of apples - sweet, crisp, with plenty of juice, and ready for your pleasure.
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