Hybrids can sometimes be a rough proposition. Luckily, the Movable Objects by the band Hybrid shows an empathetic melding of talents and styles.
The lineup features Adam Larson on tenor sax, Clark Sommers on bass and John Kizilarmut on drums, and these three talented musicians and songwriters create compelling jazz as one cohesive unit. Part of their musical success stems from their experiences touring together throughout the Midwest and the East Coast. Another element is their critically successful track records as artists.
Larson is a prime example of someone who hasn’t rested on his laurels. His With Love, From …” album trilogy was critically and commercially acclaimed, and with good reason. Sommers, an in-demand studio player, educator, and side man, adds precision and nuisance to each song. Rounding out the trio is Kizilarmut, also an educator arranger and sought-after Kansas City-based drummer.
Kizilarmut’s performance on the Larson composition “Flip Clild” lights up the room as his cymbals and snare work nudge the song forward yet allow space for Sommers’ thoughtful bass solo. The Clark Sommers-written “Immovable Objects,” is dynamic and compelling. The interaction of Adam Larson’s sax with John Kizilarmut’s propulsive backbeat provides the listener with a musical rollercoaster. Melodically challenging and emotionally enchanting, the song is my favorite on Movable Objects.
The ballad “Lasting,” another Sommers composition, provides a dynamic high point. Sommers’ eloquent bass solo follows Larson’s coy and inventive saxophone leads. Kizilarmut’s cymbal work skates around the bassist’s effective solo work before Larson returns to finish painting the picture.
Movable Objects is a brisk and enchanting 40-minute listen. Another song vying for attention is the opener, “November to March,” again written by Sommers. This epic is bold in concept and execution. Kizilarmart’s rim work is the immediate draw, then Sommers delivers asymmetric bass touches before the pace quickens, and Larson delivers yearning saxophone passages.
Sommers then takes a sharp left turn with a bass solo section, which strips away all preconceptions of how the song should go. The song could have been the climax of the album. As an opener, it signals the listener to expect the unexpected and a joyous, adventurous ride from Hybrid.
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