NY-based Canadian saxophonist Blake’s Vancouver sextet improvises brilliantly on his wide-ranging compositions.

Saxophonist Michael Blake has been based in New York for three decades, but he grew up in Vancouver. On a visit home he put together this sextet featuring percussionist Sal Ferreras and several of Canada’s most acclaimed and forward-looking jazz musicians (Brad Turner on trumpet, Chris Gestrin on piano/keys, Andr Lachance on bass, and Dylan van der Schyff on drums) improvising on his wide-ranging compositions.

Intrigued by reading about the life of 19th century British Columbia newspaperman and politician William Alexander Smith, who renamed himself Amor de Cosmos, Michael was inspired to re-explore his roots and forge new musical connections. It’s another new departure in a career devoted to revitalizing his own playing and composing by drawing broadly on the whole history and resources of the music as well as on music of other cultures. As a long-time member of the Lounge Lizards and co-leader of Slow Poke, Michael developed an approach that valorized funk, the blues and pop music, as well as paying tribute to the saxophone greats of swing, bop and free jazz, by combining old school elegance and lyricism with downtown eclecticism and innovation. On his subsequent records as leader he has also worked with musical ideas from Africa, the Caribbean and Vietnam.

Several of the more highly composed pieces here (including ‘Paddy Pie Face’ and ‘Temporary Constellation’) seem like moves towards the realm of contemporary/new music, but Michael always leaves plenty room for improvisers to stretch out in solos and duos. The unusual instrumentation offers novel possibilities for voicings, bringing for example a witty, brilliantly executed free time duet between Sal on marimba and Chris on prepared piano in ‘So Long Seymour.’ There are also two highly expressionistic improv duets between Michael and Chris Gestrin.

24/88.2 recording mixed to stereo and 5.0.

Track Listing

• Ghostline
• Temporary Constellation
• Amor de Cosmos
• So Long Seymour
• The Wash Away
• Infirmary
• The Hunt
• Paddy Pie Face

Additional Details

Label:Songlines

Genre:Jazz

Run Time:57 mins

Release Date:11/13/07

UPC:774355156728