feature photo: Isabel Firpo
Young saxophone talent Max Bessesen has his whole career ahead of him but he’s experienced much already, and he distilled the joys and sorrows he’s encountered into a thoughtful set of songs for his debut album. Trouble traces in harmony and rhythm his personal journey from his hometown of Denver, to jazz studies at Oberlin to a fellowship that took him for several third world countries and finally, to his adopted city of Chicago.
Recorded back in Denver with mentor and Denver jazz godfather Ron Miles, Trouble was also made with skilled peers Nathan Friedman (drums), Ethan Philion (bass) and Eric Krouse (piano & keyboards).
The video premiering at the top of this article is an apt introduction to the deep artistry of Max Bessesen, an advance track from Trouble entitled “Mayhem.”
Contrary to what the title might suggest, “Mayhem” isn’t chaotic in its structure, at least not on the surface; it’s full of complex emotions, however. As Bessesen himself explains, “It’s a song for the unsettled social and political moment we’re living in: Like a lot of my favorite protest music ‘Mayhem’ is meant to be catchy and infectious, but with dark undertones that reveal the chaos in the title.”
Miles gets the first solo turn and his characteristically measured, tactful cornet is on full display. Bessesen takes over after a smooth handoff to offer a counter narrative on his alto saxophone, one that brings out the funk with bop overtones that had heretofore lingered in the background. Friedman and Philion clearly feed off of that passion and the momentum brings them into the theme with a nice but not overheated head of steam, while the hushed coda wraps up the performance with a soft landing.
Trouble drops on September 4th, 2020 from Ropeadope Records.
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