Emerson Hunton (drums) and Ben Cruz (guitar) are two-thirds of the indie-rock band Moontype but that’s hardly the extent of these young, up-and-coming Chicagoans’ endeavors. They are also two-thirds of a new trio, Threadbare – one that has a way more experimental bent, and instead of seeking out a bassist to round out this combo, they instead brought on board a bass clarinet, played by none other than Jason Stein.
As the sole composers it’s conceptually Hunton’s and Cruz’s band, but Threadbare is also Stein expanding the bass clarinet into more areas previously thought off limits to the instrument, proving that in the right hands, that low reed can find a place in any musical situation. And where does Threadbare go, you ask? Pretty much anywhere. On the title song, which is full-on Black Sabbath, Stein is doubling up with Cruz to expand the metal footprint, then goes on to make his bass clarinet impersonate an overamped electric guitar. It’s pretty convincing.
This unlikely punk alliance also shows up on “70 Degrees and Counting Down,” which goes down a dark path. Its dirge-like rock is fertile ground for Jason Stein and his bottom-bound bass clarinet. And “24 Mesh Veils” is doom jazz, but Stein is able to blend right in with that distorted guitar.
Emerson Hunton and Ben Cruz didn’t add Stein just for straight-ahead headbanging with a bass clarinet. Turns out, these fresh-faced guys are serious jazzers. The fractured harmony on “And When Circumstances Arise” is the mark of top level mastery of avant-jazz in the Ornette-Braxton tradition, all the while retaining that indie-rock zeitgeist. It’s a perfect table set for Stein, who throws haymakers but does it within the ever-shifting song structure. Cruz as just as impressive, holding down both comp and co-lead positions with ease.
“Threadbare 02” lives up to its name for a good part of the song, but midway through Hunton begins to nudge the other two ever so gently until the simmer turns into a boil. It’s clear from Cruz’s broken lines he’s versed in jazz of the experimental variety, making Jason Stein comfortable enough to keep going for the jugular. “Funny Thing Is” darts down an entangled pattern for a head that reveals a firm grasp of advanced bop concepts, which break down nearly into free jazz. “Threadbare” is foreboding, and shows the chemistry between Emerson Hunton and Ben Cruz with Stein even in a desolate sonic place. Instead of the head being at the beginning, the three group-improvise their way toward it at the end.
Look for Silver Dollar to drop May 29, 2020 on NoBusiness Records.
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