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[matwalerian]

Boston, MA - The Arts Fuse - review - Okuden | Walerian Shipp Parker Drake - by Michael Ullman

"...Notable because of its superstar line-up... Walerian’s horns are a haunting presence - they seem to be calling from some tucked-away space... It also proffers a wonderful way to demonstrate to doubters that free jazz isn’t all sound and fury..."

Mat Walerian, who plays clarinets and flute as well as tenor, proclaims himself to be a mostly self-taught instrumentalist — though he admits he has studied with Shipp, with whom he collaborates. Besides having the longest album title I can remember, his two-disc set Every Dog Has Its Day But It Doesn’t Matter Because Fat Cat is Getting Fatter is notable because of its superstar line-up, with includes the always estimable William Parker on bass, Shipp on piano, and Hamid Drake on percussion. They call themselves the Okuden Quartet.

The recording begins peaceably enough with “The Forest Council.” This forest is eerily quiet for most of the time. Walerian’s horns are a haunting presence — they seem to be calling from some tucked-away space (behind a tree?).

The tune begins, though, with Parker’s powerful solo: he’s a wonder throughout, serving up an apposite forcefulness. Walerian (on bass clarinet) and Shipp enter after a minute and a half with the pianist contributing out of tempo chords and Walerian huskily sounding off in the background.

Although Walerian is the titular leader, this group seems to be more of a cooperative. Despite the waggishness of its theme, “Thelonious Forever” does not openly reflect Monk’s music: it is a series of duets between Shipp and Walerian and later an encounter between Shipp and Parker. The latter is aptly at the heart of “Business with William.”

The two-disc set ends with “Lesson II,” whose silences are as impressive as the subdued notes Parker and Shipp emit at the beginning of the tune. Every Dog is full of riches: it also proffers a wonderful way to demonstrate to doubters that free jazz isn’t all sound and fury.

read full review here :

https://artsfuse.org/215541/jazz-album-reviews-matthew-shipp-a-splendidly-many-sided-pianist