Shifa’s Live at Cafe Oto is a recording by Rachel Musson (saxophone), Pat Thomas (piano) and Mark Sanders (drums), due on July 12, 2019 via 577 Records. These three musicians are well-established on the U.K. jazz scene and have played together in various combinations before but never recorded as a trio, so this is a first – and it is glorious. Shifa is an Arabic word that means “healing,” and it’s a good choice of title. The music has an energy which lifts, engages and takes the listener on a series of twists, turns, changes and concepts which evolve as the music is released.
“Improvisation 1 (Part 1)” sees Pat Thomas’ piano introduce just over 20 minutes of improvisation with sax blowing up a storm across delicately placed piano chords initially and heavy percussion which then swaps and changes with the piano across the track. That provides a rhythmic background against which Rachel Musson’s sax swirls, soars, dives and swoops, at times with raw, unfettered power which is refreshing. During the second half of the track, Thomas creates arching, lower note waves of sound across the keyboard, providing a backdrop against which drums and sax take apposite stances. Then, a little later, the piano raises an octave and creates rivulets of tinkling, busy sound lines around which the sax and drums duck and weave.
The piano sets the tone across most of “Improvisation 1 (Part 1),” yet there are sections where the sax in particular introduces off-set rhythms against which the piano recedes and takes a back line, while Mark Sanders’ drums later emerge to change the overall atmosphere with deep, rolling sounds. The art of improvisation here is well honed, as each player adds their own voice, creating a cohesive wholeness. The final minute is completely engaging for the ears, as the piano takes control and the others are happily led along a musical line which is slightly unsettled but also rather beautiful in its essence.
“Improvisation 1 (Part 2)” is again introduced by the piano, this time with a chord and then single notes in lower octaves over which percussion enters, light and off-rhythm, which serves to grab attention. The sax joins, stut-notes and short phrases, and the conversation has begun. The rest of the track is a to-and-fro between the three musicians, largely short, simplistic riffs with developed phrases from the saxophone. In places, the opposition of deep, steady notes from the piano pitched against altissimo wails from the saxophone create a sense of stretching the music out. In the second third, the piano builds a foundation of chords while the sax and percussion create some well-worked lines of their own, with the sax singing out over the top before a quietude which contrasts so beautifully with the busy section preceding. This is a wonderful piece of listening.
“Improvisation 2” is introduced by the piano, at speed, traveling in short three- and four-bar riffs across the length of the keyboard, over which the sax calls and drops into any short gaps, creating a call and response that maybe deliberate, maybe not but it’s a lovely moment redolent of traditional jazz performances – yet improvised and very much of the moment. This track is wonderful partly because of the perfectly placed gaps and spaces, which capture the imagination and create anticipation. Together with the on-point percussion, this makes interesting and attention-grabbing listening.
On digital versions, Shifa also includes “Improvisation 1 Unedited,” a bonus sound track which is “Improvisation 1” but in an unabridged form with an extra 12 minutes or so of musical interactions.
There is a sense of collective synergy, the energy contained within Shifa swapped back and forth as the highly imaginative improvisation is worked through and the energy is shared. Each player is listening and respectful of the others, yet chooses at times to assert their own musical message and interpretations of the rhythms and tempos set out before. That echoes the time-honored tradition in jazz music of listen, interpret, play, share.
This is joyful, unfettered, yet there is control and a depth of musical interpretation which does credit to Shifa’s experienced and intuitive free players. Live is definitely best and the recording does justice to the atmosphere and setting. Shifa’s Live at Cafe Oto is stunning and beautiful.
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