The heart of the matter
Jan P. Dennis | Monument, CO USA | 10/31/2003
(5 out of 5 stars)
"The jazz world is littered with workmanlike post-bop sessions. I think I might die if I have to listen to another one of them.Fortunately, although ostensibly a post-bop outing, Canyon is a horse of a different color. Yes, it's classic post-bop, but it's anything but workmanlike. To make this type of jazz succeed requires equal doses of refinement and inspiration. Too often, sessions like this lack one or the other. This disc abounds in both. Mike Holober, a veteran pianist of the New York jazz scene, on Canyon debuts with a very strong release, full of attractive compositions (all except two being his), skilled and passionate playing, and a kind of je ne sais quoi that translates into soulful and rewarding jazz of the highest order.A good deal of this has to do with his selection of like-minded playing partners, comprising Tim Ries, ts & ss; Wolfgang Muthspiel, g; Scott Colley, b; and Brian Blade, d. Hard to find a more hip, nimble, polished, and passionate crew than this. Ries and Muthspiel, names likely familiar to most jazz fans but not as well known as Colley and Blade, especially stand out. Muthspiel seems to have matured greatly since he burst on the scene a decade or so ago. Whether supplying deft counterpart or sinuous lead lines, he's always tuned into the vibe, which is one of high sophistication wrapped in surprising warmth. Ries on both horns also impresses mightily. In the past, I've often found him competent but uninspired. Here, it's almost as if someone's lit a fire under him. Blade, one of the finest and most in-demand young drummers on the scene, displays abundant chops always in service to the sophisticated conversation swirling around him. But it's the leader who makes the deepest impression, with his dancing, lilting lines, huge technique, deft touch, and a joyful playfulness that never fails to bring a smile to this listener. His comping especially stands out. Listen, for example, to the brilliant support he lends Tim Ries on his very attractive solo on "Ansel's Easel," as well as their nifty dialogic outro on the same number.What really sets this disc apart, however, are the fascinating compositions. "Heart of the Matter," my favorite, a medium-slow meditative ballad with a very attractive and haunting seven-note figure, features Ries on soprano sax and Muthspiel reeling off inspired guitar figures, even as it conjures the grandeur of America's heartland, slowly slipping away amid interstate highways and fast-food franchises. "Same Time, Same Place," a burner, showcases some incredibly nimble group interaction in the context of a very attractive, even memorable, tune. "Roc and a Soft Place," a ballad dedicated to the late Joe Roccisano, features an intriguing melodic line reminiscent of the Mancini tune, "Summer Place." "Spin," a dizzy romp snaking in and out of waltz time, proves a wonderful vehicle for inspired soloing from the three lead voices. Closing out the original compositions is "In So Many Words," a gentle, even wistful ballad. Ries plays very convincingly here, once again demonstrating his growing maturity and insight.Almost as intriguing is the band's take on the two standards, "You and the Night and the Music" and "Stardust." The first, taken at a brisk though not breakneck pace, undergoes some rather shocking deconstruction, especially in the radically reconceived open bars with Muthspiel's ringing guitar undergirt by a beguiling piano figure and some tricky time shifts morphing into sneaky harmonic interplay between sax and guitar. An incredible restless energy suffuses the entire piece, capped off by a short, smart Blade solo. "Stardust" is something else again, transformed into a sly faux-tango filtered through a Steely Dan vibe via "The Breeze and I." Hard to imagine? Nevertheless it works marvelously.Although slightly to the right of my usual off-kilter nu jazz aesthetic, Canyon has seldom left my disc player these past few weeks. I'm totally blown away, and so will you be, I think."
Track Listings (9) - Disc #1