JazzTimes – October 2019

54 JAZZTIMES SEPTEMBER 2019

REVIEWS ALBUMS

be America again,” goes the refrain to

“Despite the Dream,” adding, “The land

that never has been yet.”

Upholding that dream, that possi-

bility of becoming something great

and fair, isn’t just a lyrical or political

stance for this band; it sits at the core

of their playing. “America Will Be”

makes that point with a magnificent-

ly intertwined group improvisation

even before Meza starts singing, the

diversity of instrumental voices never

undercutting the sense of community

the music evokes. Even better are the

four “Catharsis Trio” performances, in

which Meza, Keberle, and bassist Jorge

Roeder offer the sort of conversational

maven. That broad skill set serves her

well on this cross-platform project.

GO TiME: Live in LA, like its two

Brooklyn counterparts released in

2018, aims at narrowing the gap

separating the senses. Capitalizing

on the popularity of her PopUp video

series and eyeing the way that younger

listeners tend to consume music, Kelly

delivers an album that’s both audibly

and visually appealing. Those who

prefer a traditional listening experi-

ence may just end up sticking with the

music, but watching the way she works,

via video footage, allows for a greater

appreciation of her artistry.

Continuing down the pop-jazz

path she’s been walking for some

time, Kelly moves comfortably from

originals to jazz standards to the music

of rock icons. Right from the opening

electro-groove workout “Unbroken

Wings,” there’s a gleam in her horn

and a slick knowingness in the music.

Neither of those qualities dissipates,

regardless of where Kelly roams. She

invites tap dancer Sarah Reich into the

picture for a spin on Louis Jordan’s “Is

You Is or Is You Ain’t (My Baby),” gives

the Beatles’ “Come Together” a glossy

and soulful finish, delivers a heart-

felt performance of Van Morrison’s

“Crazy Love,” and closes out the album

proper with a Reich-enhanced journey

through Chick Corea’s “Spain.” A re-

mix of the leadoff number and a bonus

track—the upbeat “Lemons Make Lem-

onade,” featuring Jon Batiste—sweeten

the deal on the audio end.

While a few still insist on bemoan-

ing the loss of the straight-ahead star

that Grace Kelly could’ve been, the

many continue to follow her to the

outskirts of jazz and beyond. Her reach

and outreach are both commendable.

DAN BILAWSKY

EDMAR

CASTANEDA &

GRÉGOIRE

MARET

Harp vs. Harp

ACT

The concept is simple and smart:

Edmar Castaneda, master of the

playing that has always been at the

heart of great jazz. The hope I hold is

that Keberle and Catharsis will make

more such optimistic and provocative

music. J.D. CONSIDINE

GRACE KELLY

GO TiME: LIVE IN LA

PAZZ Productions

You really have to hand it to saxophon-

ist/vocalist Grace Kelly. Not only is she

a fine musician on multiple fronts, she’s

also a polished entertainer, a savvy

self-promoter, and a real marketing

Editor’s Pick

ANAT COHEN TENTET

Triple Helix

Anzic

Few musical ploys are as riveting as intricacy, especially when the ensemble at

hand is sizable. But without a wealth of eloquence in play, elaboration can be its

own worst enemy, a knot of tangles void of emotion. Anat Cohen knows this, and

though her Tentet’s second album boasts some truly formidable crossweaves,

there’s seldom a moment when poise doesn’t carry the day.

Much of the grace that guides these victories has to do with what the leader has

deemed the group’s “flexible” nature. As with the Gil Evans-led ensemble on Sketch-

es of Spain or Ellington’s troupe on “A Tone Parallel to Harlem,” listeners never hear

the mechanics of the work at hand, just the resultant art floating through the air. This

applies to all the tunes—from Astor Piazzolla’s “Milonga del Angel” to Stan Kenton’s

“Lonesome Train”—but especially the program’s centerpiece, a Carnegie Hall and

Chicago Symphony Center commission penned by Tentet musical director Oded Lev-Ari

that gives the album its title.

The three sections of “Triple Helix” are varied in disposition. Though Cohen’s clarinet

is out front, the band’s level of interplay is wily; the score steers them away from all

things obvious. The Rite of Spring and Rhapsody in Blue flash by, even a phrase from

“Turkey in the Straw” pops up. But in the end, former Tel Aviv schoolmates Lev-Ari and

Cohen deliver an original and deeply affecting work whose dramatic aspects are given

lots of room to reveal themselves.

That flexibility thing shows up in the

album’s other pieces too. The bouncy

“Footsteps & Smiles” is a crowd-pleasing

fanfare, detailed and swinging. “Miri”

allows Cohen to wax bittersweet; “La Llo-

rona” augments that feel and throws in a

bit of spookiness. By the time Triple Helix is

done, it’s hard to decide if its success rests

on stylistic breadth or the deep rewards of

partnership. Probably both.

JIM MACNIE

“Some truly formidable crossweaves”:

Anat Cohen

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