In Common III

Saxophonist Walter Smith III and guitarist Matthew Stevens In Common collaboration takes on an ever more mutable atmosphere with 2022s In Common III. Beginning with 2018s In Common, Smith and Stevens showcased their experimental aesthetic, bringing together like-minded luminaries to craft a heady blend of modern creative and avant-garde jazz. Past collaborators have included vibraphonist Joel Ross and bassist Linda May Han Oh. On In Common III theyve joined forces with esteemed veteran bassist Dave Holland, as well as pianist Kris Davis and drummer Terri Lyne Carrington; each boundary-pushing players in their own rights. There are several finely rendered compositional pieces here, including the jaunty, Sonny Rollins-esque "Hornets" with its dual sax and guitar melody. Similarly, "Familiar" is a noir-ish midtempo number anchored by Carringtons deft swing and featuring a bluesy solo from Holland. We also get the R&B-tinged "For Some Time" and the contemporary modalism of "Prince July." Much of the album feels freely improvised as if the musicians are playing off each other and creating the song in the moment. However, rather than a barrage of noise, tracks like "Lite" and "Shut Out" have an impressionistic quality, as Smith and Stevens craft otherworldly soundscapes out of vocal-like sax drones, wiry spaceship guitar tones, and broken glass piano chords. They also bring some of this aural experimentation to their straight-ahead cuts, as on the roiling, 3/4 piece "Loping" or "Dust," in which Davis plucks her piano strings bass-style as Stevens lays down a shimmering, Middle Eastern-inspired melodies. Elsewhere, they dive into the hypnotic, Steve Reich-ian prog of "Orange Crush" and "Reds," Stevens kinetic, circular guitar riffs propelling the group through a kaleidoscope of topographical textures. ~ Matt Collar