Dancing Shadows

Bassist Tyler Mitchell briefly played in the Sun Ra Arkestra during the mid-80s before going on to work with numerous jazz musicians and vocalists, including Art Taylor, Shirley Horn, and Jon Hendricks. He spent a decade living in Mexico and traveling throughout Cuba and South America, forming groups with several Latin jazz musicians, before returning to New York in the early 2010s and reconnecting with the Arkestra. Dancing Shadows is a studio effort that heavily features Marshall Allen, leader of the Arkestra since Sun Ra returned to outer space in 1993. Much of the track listing contains familiar Sun Ra tunes from the Arkestras repertoire, as well as a funky rendition of Thelonious Monks "Skippy" and compositions by Mitchell and alto saxophonist Nicoletta Manzini. As a bass player, Mitchell grounds the songs with heavy notes, yet still sounds breezy and freewheeling. Its clear that he can easily adapt to a wide range of styles and settings, and the album consists of more restrained pieces as well as spontaneous freak-outs. Allen is unmistakably the guiding spirit of the record, however. Ninety-seven years old at the time of the albums release, hes still able to conjure unheard sounds and untold feelings with his saxophone and EVI playing, particularly on songs like "Angels & Demons at Play," which he co-wrote with Sun Ra and Ronnie Boykins. He erupts on the otherwise cool and blissful "Carefree," and hes given the spotlight on Mitchells scorching "Marshall the Deputy," the albums most unhinged and exciting performance. The reading of Sun Ras "Enlightenment" begins with Mitchell bowing the songs melody, then the band launches into the tune with the same jumpy fervor of the Arkestra during the years when they were regularly performing songs from Disney movies. The two Manzini compositions are among the sets most sporadic and abstract, with "Spaced Out" being a particularly stunning example of the groups cosmic chemistry, ebbing and flowing in electric waves and culminating in joyous bursts. Truly a special session. ~ Paul Simpson