Brazil meets Cuba meets France and New York…in Spain.
Ivo Perelman had convened another recording session with members from the current crop of jazz greats, once again trying out a new configuration to hash out fresh results. Ephemeral Shapes (FSR Records) puts the New York-based saxophonist from Brazil in the company of the Cuban-born Aruán Ortiz on piano and the Spanish-French drummer Ramón López, instantaneously composing and playing as the tape rolled in a studio in the Barcelona region of Spain.
It’s the third recorded meeting for López with the premier tenor master, and the rapport that was well established by the time of Interaction goes even deeper for Ephemeral Shapes. This isn’t Ortiz’s first go around with Perelman either, and considering his advanced concept of melody and improvisation, Ortiz is on paper an excellent fit with Perelman. That fit works well in practice, too.
“Shape 1” goes out the gate in a staccato-like cadence before busting open in a fluid motion a few minutes in. It’s most interesting how Ortiz’s responds to the shift. Even playing completely free, he brings some Havana flair and plays with strong intent. When he downshifts to comp behind Perelman, he instantly picks up the melody from the slightest cues coming from the saxophone and finds the chords that match. Go behind those two and you’ll find López is driving things to a large degree with his ever-adjusting rhythm patterns that shape where the song is headed.
Perelman leads off “Shape 2” with an ardent delivery; Ortiz opts to decorate it with an economic dispersion of chords that syncs right with the sentiment the saxophonist is seeking. On “Shape 3,” he chooses to engage with Perelman directly, with López’s close involvement making this a three-way clash of instant ideas.
López’s brushes on “Shape 4” establishes a patter that Perelman and Ortiz create a fully conceived song around, while Perelman and Ortiz very quickly establish a melodic, almost laughing shape for “Shape 5.”
“Shape 6” benefits from the unhurried development, a diffused number marked by a building tenseness from Perelman and López as Ortiz patiently bides his time before jumping into the abyss with the other two. “Ephemeral” springs from a pattern seemingly materializing out of thin air from Ortiz. His piano acts as the centering force, leaving the saxophone and drums to build a kinetic field around it.
Nothing brings out the true character of virtuosic musicians like improvisation sessions with Ivo Perelman. The sterling essence of Aruán Ortiz and Ramón López can’t help but to come pouring out on Ephemeral Shapes.
Ephemeral Shapes is out now and can be acquired from Bandcamp.
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