feature photo: Stephanie McNiel
Christopher Hoffman is a composer and cellist who has also worked in cinema. That means he’s collaborated with as diverse group of artists as Martin Scorsese, Marianne Faithfull, Yoko Ono, Ryan Adams, Marc Ribot, Anna Webber and Anat Cohen. His own works reflects the avant, artistic bent of the company he keeps, and that includes his latest project as a leader.
For Asp Nimbus, Hoffman trades in mind-expanding electro-acoustic experimentation of his prior release Multifariam for group vivacity. There’s plenty of fertile ground for finesse to be found here, as Hoffman put together a quartet of hotshots able to bring his advanced modern jazz compositions to vivid life. Craig Weinrib is on drums, Rashaan Carter on bass, and fellow Henry Threadgill alumnus Bryan Carrott on vibraphone (Carrott was a member of Threadgill’s Make A Move, Hoffman a part of Zooid). It’s that exotic mix of cello and vibes that generates a lot of the spark, and Hoffman even looked to another vibes player, Bobby Hutcherson, for some of the inspiration for his own record.
The second song from Asp Nimbus is “Dylan George,” named after Hoffman’s late brother, and it premieres in the stream above. This track has the distinction of being the only one where the quartet is augmented, by the piano of David Virelles. Another distinction is that Virelles’ piano part was overdubbed, as the entire recordings of the album is otherwise a ‘live in the studio’ affair.
Virelles, by the way, is currently in a Henry Threadgill ensemble, so the Threadgill runs extra deep in this song. No more is that evident than with the composer, Hoffman. Like all Threadgill protégés, Hoffman draws from him some sophisticated harmonic and song structure lessons but applies them in his own way. “Dylan George” has modern classical elements in it blended with the freedom of jazz, without confining itself into either camp. The interaction between the musicians is invigorating, whether it’s between Hoffman and Carrott in the intro, Hoffman and Virelles shortly afterwards, or Virelles and Carrott at the end.
Asp Nimbus is set to be released on March 26, 2021 from Out Of Your Head Records.
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