Tim Berne (saxophone) and Matt Mitchell (piano) are two
stalwarts of the New York scene who have collaborated for nearly a decade in
Tim Berne’s Snakeoil. Although Mitchell
has recorded a solo album of Berne compositions (FJB review here),
this is their first proper recording as a duo. And, it is an impressive one. Most notable about this CD is the lack of a leader. Berne and Mitchell approach these
compositions as equals. (No writing
credits are given, further indicating a deeply collaborative and balanced
effort.) There are a few stand-out
tracks, as all follow similar themes of shared lead, catchy and deconstructed
melodies, homophony, blurred consonance and dissonance, and modulating scales
that evoke Coleman’s harmolodics. This
speaks to the power of each piece and the cohesiveness of the album as a whole,
rather than any sort of stale repetition. Tracks tend to be short for the genre, making them pithy, pointed, and
effective explorations of harmonic communication. If you are already a Berne or Mitchell fan,
you probably already know the technical and emotive qualities to expect. If you are not familiar with the duo, this
intimate recording is a great introduction to two accomplished and
forward-thinking musicians, deeply rooted in the free jazz tradition yet still
fresh and inspired.
Beyond those brief notes, I will let the album speak for
itself.
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