Stone House – drummer Luther Gray, Joe Morris on the bass and Rob Brown on alto saxophone and flute - shows off its brilliant improvisation and Morris’s incredible transition from guitar to bass, with their CD Likewise.
The first two pieces are tightly performed with something of an Ornette Coleman sound. It’s not until the third piece, “Emotion of Space,” that Rob Brown and Joe Morris start to take more risks, experimenting with the breathy sounds of their instruments and lightly playing off each other. Joe Morris is obviously enchanted with his new instrument and shows off brilliant bowing in the lower register; nicely balancing Brown’s horror movie-like trills. Although the piece tends to show off the melodic instruments, Gray’s gentle percussion adds a subtle layer without ever intruding. The song’s title holds true, as the three inherently understand and maintain the space of the piece through the song’s duration.
This album is generally engaging and accessible, though Rob Brown does go a bit extreme on the alto sax in “Turning.” Those who are not fans of the instrument may not appreciate the sounds he produces. However, like Stravinsky’s “Flight of the Bumblebee,” one can appreciate the effect produced by Brown and the two accompanying instruments.
Anyone who enjoys Elvin Jones and the Jazz Machine will take pleasure in “Lifelike,” which shows off some incredible talent by all three musicians. In particular, the rhythm started by Joe Morris on the bass (showing off expert and nimble fingering) is snatched up by Gray and flows into a beautiful drum solo. To the novice, it’s easy to focus on the main melodic instrument (in this case, Rob Brown on the alto sax), but the trio listens carefully to each other, and finds moments to show off each instrument in every combination. The compositions following “Lifelike,” however, do start to sound repetitive in their themes.
What’s most interesting about this album is the trio’s ability to engage their instruments and allow each other to solo or drop back, depending on the flow of the piece. The art of improvisation is a delicate balance that requires fine technique but, more importantly, excellent listening skills. Stone House have found a delightful combination that will inspire improvisational musicians of all genres. Their biggest challenge will be to find even newer and more interesting themes to keep up their artistic momentum. The album will especially appeal to Morris fans, since he shows that he’s just as adept on the bass as on his main instrument, the guitar. Although the creative momentum diminishes slightly at the end, the album is a solid collection of interesting improvised compositions.
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