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Vinnie Sperrazza: Juxtaposition
BySpeed's small-to-medium weight tone manages to sound both frail and decisive. It's an ideal voice for Sperrazza's designs. With few exceptions, Speed forsakes a lot of activity in favor of a bare minimum of notes, often containing little or no friction. Sometimes portions of his improvisations feel like the equivalent of a string of one-syllable words separated by brief pauses. In a stunning rendition of Leonard Bernstein's "Somewhere," he's hanging by a thread, projecting the uncertainty, nobility, and hope that the song deserves, while Barth's sparse, incisive support makes him seem a little less alone. During the medium tempo swing of Sperrazza's "Hellenized," a waltz that is a bit livelier than some of the cuts, Speed remains relatively unperturbed while the band moves around him. His role in the title track conveys a vague, dream-like state that eludes any semblance of certainty.
Barth always gives the impression of possessing an abundance of resources at his fingertips, but has no intention of unleashing them willy-nilly. Not unlike the music as a whole he doesn't sound indebted to any particular school of modern jazz. It's fun to listen to him throw a monkey wrench into carefully laid plans. On Sperrazza's "Chimes," for example, he's moving along in a meticulous, rather well mannered fashion, when a few muddied notes portend an adventurous detour. Barth's turn during the leader's "Solitary Consumer" balances authority and restraint as he simultaneously plays over and feeds off of Brendler and Sperrazza.
"Say The Secret Word" begins with laughter, the sounds of casually executed fragmentsincluding a rare honk from Speed's tenorwith things gradually evolving into a slow blues. An effortless transition into a middling tempo leads to Speed and Barth conversing with one another, amiably coexisting in the same space. Although the track only lasts a couple of minutes, it's a lighthearted, agreeable way to end a first-rate recording.
Track Listing
Chimes; St. Jerome; House On Hoxie Road; Juxtaposition; Alter Ego; This Night This Song; One Hour; Somewhere; Warm Winter; Hellenized; Solitary Consumer; Say The Secret Word
Personnel
Vinnie Sperrazza
drumsVinnie Sperrazza: drums; Chris Speed: tenor sax; Bruce Barth: piano; Peter Brendler: bass
Album information
Title: Juxtaposition | Year Released: 2017 | Record Label: Posi-Tone Records