Abiding Memory

Perhaps it is simply because the record revolves around the concept of memory, but Phillip Golubs first album as a group leader brings to mind the words of Tennessee Williams: "In memory everything seems to happen to music." The Glass Menageries narrator states it right at the beginning of the play, and Williams himself says in the introductory stage directions, "Memory takes a lot of poetic license." As the pianist himself explains, his album Abiding Memory is about nostalgia and a desire to live in a more earnest, pre-digital past; and, so, his "memory play" follows Williams notion while omitting some details and exaggerating others. While there is no "fiddle in the wings," theres cellist Daniel Hass at hand to add gravitas to the compositions and improvisations, along with electric guitarist Alec Goldfarb, bassist Sam Minaie, and drummer Vicente Atria. Abiding Memory, however, has little of the despair and loneliness thats at the heart of Williams play; instead, Golub and his group musingly (and sometimes amusedly) follow their thoughts, bringing some of their memories into focus, while at times circling others without ever quite fully capturing them. The ghostly "Threads Gather" seems to suggest darker thoughts, while the impressionistic soundscapes of "Unspooled (Waiting Quietly)" feel like a hint of a memory that just refuses to take shape. At times, the images from the past become livelier, even agitated, as on "At the 11th Hour" with its distorted sounds, and they keep unfolding and evolving into unexpected directions: for example, when "The Group to Hear" moves between earthy improvisation and a more abstract approach before suddenly heading into a quiet ambient segment. While Golub claims that nostalgia is at the heart of the record, the sonic palette rarely feels time-specific, with one exception being a part of "In a Secret Corner" where he uses a funky electric piano that recalls the fusion era. Another instance is the dramatic "Where Lapses Elapse," which features a harpsichord interlude. Ultimately, however, the record stays in the present, seemingly more focused on how the protagonists of the pieces feel about their memories now, rather than retreating into them. And while Golubs compositions and modern jazz improvisations can be challenging -- after all, this is a pianist who, with his group Tropos, covered several Anthony Braxton pieces -- this emotional current grounds the record and makes it accessible. As Tennessee Williams wrote, "Memory is seated predominantly in the heart." ~ Christian Genzel