Live At The Jazz Gallery

When pianist Jason Lindner first led his own big band in 1995 at the overnight jazz hang Small's in New York City, it was a diamond in the rough. Ten years hence, it was refined, enriched, and enlivened like few other comparable groups; those of Maria Schneider, Toshiko Akiyoshi, and Carla Bley come to mind. Lindner, who has a distinct and joyful individual voice on the piano, has translated that sound quite well into his compositions and the voices of his instrumentalists. The result is a well-pronounced style of progressive and modern jazz that can rival any of his more experienced peers. This double CD of live recordings at the Jazz Gallery in N.Y.C. is a potent reminder of the potential for written orchestral music to still sound innovative, fresh, and above all exceptional. The program starts with bassist Omer Avital's "Intro: Song for Jason," which warms up the ten-piece group with repeated minimalist lines that recall the legendary South African/British band Brotherhood of Breath. Then the group digs into Lindner's compositions: the 6/8 to 7/8 "Suheir," laced with polyrhythms and stacked melodies; a spooky, lilting to lighthearted waltz in "Rumors"; and the floating and delicate "Inbal." As the show goes on, you hear Lindner's piano setting the tone for the collective on some astounding charts, outstanding solos, and unparalleled shared counterpoint between all of the horns. Lindner also plays the Nord Electro II, a sound falling between and organ, Fender Rhodes, and Farfisa. Jay Collins on flute, trumpeter Avishai Cohen, and Miguel Zenon on alto sax add color and drama, while drummer Eric McPherson keeps the band rhythmically in line. Side two has more from Lindner's pen, but the feeling is changed up during sprays of spirited watercolors in the horn sounds of "Freak of Nature," with a brief horse-gallop rhythm and a powerhouse trombone solo by Joe Fiedler. "Life Light" starts serene and stays there, while "The 5 Elements and the Natural Trinity" leads out with the flute of Collins aside Lindner in a hot and modern Afro-Cuban mode. There are so many highlights, with the longer approach of the pieces for live performance requiring close listening to be fully appreciated. You can hear the personalization Lindner brings to the music, gradually shifting emphasis as a teammate rather than a leader. Avital is as much a partner as a participant, also contributing the Hebrew/Arabic-feeling composition "Song for Amos" with an outstanding bass solo and a juggernaut clockwork rhythm from McPherson. The merging of confluence, influence, levels of light, and resonance makes this ensemble unique beyond doubt. There are several modern-day bands that compare favorably, but Duke Ellington's multicultural latter-period work and recent ensembles of progressive Argentine pianist Guillermo Klein, as well as the aforementioned peer groups, are points of reference. A very rich, fully realized, and conceptually brilliant effort, this live recording of Lindner and friends comes highly recommended, and is easily one of the best contemporary jazz recordings of 2007. ~ Michael G. Nastos