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Clark Sommers: Ba(SH)

By Dan McClenaghan
September 23, 2013
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There's something quite "free" about a trio without a guitar or piano in the mix, with no chords nailing the sound down. Seattle's Origin Records has a history of offering up excellent saxophone/bass/drums outings: bassist

Jeff Johnson

bass
b.1954

" data-original-title="" title="">Jeff Johnson's Near Earth (2004) and Free (2000), and drummer

John Bishop

drums
b.1959

" data-original-title="" title="">John Bishop's Nothing If Not Something (2006). Now three veterans of the Chicago jazz scene have teamed up under bassist

Clark Sommers

bass
b.1977

" data-original-title="" title="">Clark Sommers' leader baton for an organic sounding outing.

Enlisting saxophonist

Geof Bradfield

saxophone, tenor
b.1970

" data-original-title="" title="">Geof Bradfield and drummer

Dana Hall

drums

" data-original-title="" title="">Dana Hall, Sommers leads the sound into a fluid, smooth flowing music on eight of his originals and a couple of fine covers—pianist

Thelonious Monk

piano
1917 - 1982

" data-original-title="" title="">Thelonious Monk's "Think Of One" and drummer

Billy Higgins

drums
1936 - 2001

" data-original-title="" title="">Billy Higgins' "Inga."

With Bradfield employing by turns the soprano saxophone, tenor saxophone, and bass clarinet the group creates a sound that seems to transpire gracefully with an often probing mood, conveying a feeling of tranquility. Sommers "Garrison" opens the set. A nod, surely, to saxophonist

John Coltrane

saxophone
1926 - 1967

" data-original-title="" title="">John Coltrane's bassist

Jimmy Garrison

bass, acoustic
1934 - 1976

" data-original-title="" title="">Jimmy Garrison, the tune throbs to life on a deep bass moaning over Hall's whispering drums, soon joined by Bradfield on tenor, on a tune that has a searching and spiritual Coltrane vibe, with a restrained turbulence as someone, way down in the mix— kind of like a Keith Jarrett outburst—yells as if a sonic nirvana has just hit.

"Momentary Flux" has the trio sounding stealthy, with Bradfield laying down smooth and sinuous lines on the tenor horn, with Hall and Sommers rumbling ominously. "Quanah" opens with an extended drum solo from Hall that sounds like Native American percussion meets drummer

Elvin Jones

drums
1927 - 2004

" data-original-title="" title="">Elvin Jones, channeled through Dana Hall's percussive sensibilities. Bradfield enters with a simple melody on this memorable tune.

Billy Higgins' "Inga," showcases the feature, a pretty melody inside a cool and easy rhythm, and Monk's "Think of One" has Bradfield again blowing with a restrained heat as he explores the nooks of the melody in front of Sommers' rubbery bass and Hall's perfect accenting, closing out this top shelf trio affair.

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Track Listing

Garrison; Momentary Flux; Quanah; Fathom-A-Ning; On Meditation; 10; Inga; Trillium; Llano Estacado; Think of One.

Personnel

Clark Sommers

bass

Geof Bradfield: tenor and soprano saxophones, bass clarinet; Clark Sommers: bass; Dana Hall: drums.

Album information

Title: Ba(SH) | Year Released: 2013 | Record Label: Origin Records

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