Dave Liebman: Live At Smalls

Editor's Choice

Rating: ★★★★

Record and Artist Details

Musicians:

Tyshawn Sorey (d)
Dave Liebman (s)
John Hébert (b)
Peter Evans (t)
Leo Genovese (p)

Label:

Cellar Music

April/2023

Media Format:

CD, DL

Catalogue Number:

CMSLF005

RecordDate:

Rec. 15 January 2022

It's often said that truly free music shouldn't necessarily preclude the possibility of playing in time. Or, put another way, if cats want to swing, they’re going to swing. That's certainly the liberating philosophy saxophonist Dave Liebman brings to this continuous 75-minute live set.

Liebman has demonstrated his fluency in a number of styles over the years, not least, of course, as a member of Miles Davis’ bands when the Magus was burrowing deep into dark funk in the 1970s. But the saxophonist has, of late, professed a desire to concentrate on freely improvised music. Here, he assembles a stellar group of younger players he's previously worked with separately, all of whom have proven adept at operating without a safety net.

Throughout the episodic ebb and flow of the piece there are abstract moments of exploration, making room for Peter Evans to showcase his incredibly precise, almost clinical, rapid-fire articulation. But it never takes long for the music to find its way into deep swing, driven forward by Tyshawn Sorey's pinging ride cymbal and laconic punctuation, allowing pianist Leo Genovese to come alive with dexterous splashes and clipped witticisms. It's music to satisfy mind and heart in equal measure.

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