Reza Askari ROAR ...

Reza Askari ROAR feat. Christopher Dell (QFTF, 2022) 

Reza Askari ROAR feat. Christopher Dell - Zen World Cables - (Boomslang Records, 2024)

 

By Sarah Grosser

 

Reza Askari (bass) and Christopher Dell (vibes) are both professors. It’s not something that they parade about, but the level of elite musical education between these two is beyond impressive. Suffice to say, they take their shit very seriously. In 2022 Dell teamed up with Askari’s Trio “ROAR" to release a collaborative album, the success and chemistry of which spawned a follow up release, 2024’s Zen World Cables.

Fans of Christopher Dell’s work with DLW (Dell Lillinger Westergaard) will be familiar with his architectural approach to musical structure - a sound that is recognisable when listened to, but, at least for this journalist, somewhat clumsy to try and describe. Details about complexity, texture, frames etc. are far better outlined by the band in their liner notes . If you like what you’ve heard before, you will enjoy this too, as Dell is clearly in his element among the highly talented trio of Askari, Stefan Karl Schmid (clarinet, tenor sax), and Fabian Arends (drums).

The first album consists of mainly improvised atonal works, with bursts of melody just to keep you guessing, and a mixture of different tempos from plodding, meandering swing ballads through to more extreme, fast freak-outs. It contains a number of individual pieces, which is in contrast to the second album (Zen World Cables); an extended piece later split into tracks. The premium listening experience for ZWC is to let it run from start to finish. The track lengths on the first album average out at about 3:50 each, but on ZWC the durations are more sporadic, ranging from just 19 seconds to over 7 minutes. The tracks themselves are borderline superfluous, as the changes are not something you would notice in a live setting, or even a listen through at home.

The titles are also slightly less colloquial on ZWC - the debut featuring subject matter such as “Wheelchair Weed,” and (a personal favourite) “FCK.THT.SHT.ND.MK.MSC,” but just because they are less colloquial doesn’t mean they are any less fun; while “Desayuno Nica” might sound like the name of an exotic desert island, it is in fact, a standard Nicaraguan breakfast of eggs, rice and beans, and a slice of soft cheese.

Highlights include Dell’s 19-second solo “Interceptor:” a masterclass in vibraphone, in and of itself. Aside from the totally inhuman speed at which he can play, there are, (amidst a myriad of other impressive techniques) also subtle variations in reverberation, executed at precise moments to create a faint swooping, reverse-pedal effect. The thing is, it all happens so quickly, you’ll be skipping back to hear it again; one of the only benefits of having a recording versus seeing his unforgettable live performances in the flesh.

It’s all very complimentary: Arend’s skittery drumming style supports Askari’s intuitive, quick thinking on bass and vice versa, while Schmid’s conversations on sax and clarinet fit effortlessly among the quartet. There is no question about the musicianship of the players here.

Much of the music is quite busy. One would know very quickly whether or not this was going to be an album “for them.” With the level of academia generating the bulk of the sound, one might question whether or not a Ph.D. is required to fully enjoy the minutiae and levels of complexity at play. Surely there would be benefits that arise from a deeper understanding of the relationships between the instruments, the modi, and the architecturally-inspired musical structuring and so on, and so forth… but is it a requirement to "be smart" to be able to get something out of a record like Zen World Cables?

Well, let’s put it this way: If you prefer sweet catchy melodies, standard hooks, predictable returns to the head after a little soft noodling, steer well clear. These albums demand attention. They cannot simply be "on in the background." If you love to be challenged by music, to be fascinated by it, this is going to be right up your alley.

Music aside, one cannot go past the stunning packaging and artwork by Kristina Brauweiler. Both albums, while distinct in palette, contain consistent design themes indicating clearly that the two albums are companions. A signature “pop” of contrasting colour on each CD disk makes for a real “wow” factor when opening the gatefold, but it is the vinyl editions that really steal the show. The intense, translucent, orange wax of the first album is beautifully aesthetic, but the Zen World Cables marbled black and deep petrol-green is so gorgeous it can’t be captured by a photograph. The pictures on Reza’s Instagram don’t do justice to how impressive the marble effect looks in reality, how intense the dark turquoise colour of the wax is, and how it illuminates when held up to a light.

Satisfying in the hands, satisfying on the ears - two worthy additions to any contemporary collection. Here’s hoping for a third.