There used to be an old saw in jazz that every band was staffed by musicians... and a drummer. But now that put-down really doesn't hold, and when one considers the current crop of percussionists in the field, they are much more versed in all facets of the music, including composition and arrangement than were past generations. Of this new breed, Andrew Drury certainly seems intent in driving that point home with this most recent release. Seven years after Polish Theatre Posters, issued on the Canadian Red Toucan label in 1995, this Seattle area musician, now transplanted into the Downtown music scene, has assembled a sterling cast of players. With the exception of bassist Mark Dresser, the remaining four members also have ties to the Pacific Northwest (including Chicago native Myra Melford, who spent some time there in her formative years). The front-line of two reeds and violin (Briggan Kraus, alto, baritone saxes, Chris Speed, clarinet, tenor and Eyvind Kang) offers the leader interesting timbral possibilities. By and large, there is something very baroque in his musical concept, as multiple lines run in out of each other, with sudden changes of tempo and dynamics. Basically though, the pieces pretty much follow the customary theme-solo(s)-theme model (often prefaced on freeish intros by the horns), yet there are many twists and turns preventing things from falling into predictable patterns.
In the opening track, the "Schmaltzes," the rhythm section lays down a groove for the front line to peck away at until the entry of the jaunting head, with a few short improv outbursts thrown in for good measure. Kang is up first, joined by Krauss who takes over and cuts loose for a moment until Melford creeps in behind and builds her unaccompanied solo into a frenzy; to round things off, the bassist introduces a vamp figure that leads the band to the final run through the theme. On more than one occasion, the energy level hits some very stimulating highs, but there are more instrospective passages as well, heard to great advantage in the skillfully harmonized voicings underpinning the theme of the fourth track, "Copalis" Of its many assets, this side shows a real esprit de corps, and one senses a commitment to the music by all concerned. But of the nine tracks, the last one ("Keep the Fool") fades rather abruptly after a piano solo and the start of a bass vamp, so would that be the momentary lapse which gives the title to this album?... That quibble aside, it is certainly a propos that this session has found its way on the Minneapolis-based Innova records, for it promotes itself as the American-composers forum label. A Momentary Lapse certainly tweaks this reviewer's interest in checking out other titles in its catalogue.
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