Home » Jazz Articles » Album Review » Matthew Shipp Trio: Circular Temple

Matthew Shipp Trio: Circular Temple

By Mike Jurkovic
September 4, 2023
View read count

On a good day it is strenuous to stay current with pianist

Matthew Shipp

piano
b.1960

" data-original-title="" title="">Matthew Shipp's imposing and voluminous output. On an even better day it is a fool's hardy errand to say the least. Now with the planned re-issuing of some of his great early deconstructions of musical thought and theory, starting here with 1990's daringly incongruous yet hypnotically accessible, Circular Temple, keeping up just got a whole lot harder.

With

William Parker

bass
b.1952

" data-original-title="" title="">William Parker on bass and

Whit Dickey

drums

" data-original-title="" title="">Whit Dickey on drums, this four-movement suite for piano, bass, and drums takes its opening jab with "Circular Temple #1," Shipp's brief though lush and orchestral overlay quickly challenged by Parker's sawing insistence and Dickey's broad concussions. It is the sound of men listening and the sound of men arguing for the better and for the good of the collective. Each man wastes no time getting to the crux of the apogee, making "Circular Temple #1" a forceful, free jazz anarchy.

"Circular Temple #2 (Monk's Nightmare)" could very well be considered a tribute of sorts to

Thelonious Monk

piano
1917 - 1982

" data-original-title="" title="">Thelonious Monk's oft-quoted acrobatics and curious musical dictums. Shipp skitters and riles through the rhythmic cacophony, jumping through hoops effortlessly with broken melodics only Monk (and Shipp) could conjure, while "Circular Temple #3" resolves the arguments at the warring heart of "Circular Temple #1" with a Dickey/Shipp duet.

At twenty-six plus minutes, "Circular Temple #4" is, as it was at the time of its original release, Shipp's elusive blueprint, an angular template to his thinking and performance. But Shipp has given us so much in the three-decade expanse since then that it is literally impossible to measure. Let's just say that the man has stayed true to his vision, making Circular Temple not just as defining and revealing as it definitely was then, but more a prelude to now. Available September 15, on vinyl, CD, and all digital formats.

Learn more about our star rating system

Track Listing

Circular Temple #1; Circular Temple #2 (Monk's Nightmare); Circular Temple#3; Circular Temple #4.

Personnel

Matthew Shipp

piano

William Parker

bass

Whit Dickey

drums

Album information

Title: Circular Temple | Year Released: 2023 | Record Label: ESP Disk

PREVIOUS / NEXT

Between Two Worlds
< Previous

I Wished On The Moon - A Birthday Sh...
Next >

Support All About Jazz

All About Jazz has been a pillar of jazz since 1995, championing it as an art form and, more importantly, supporting the musicians who make it. Our enduring commitment has made "AAJ" one of the most culturally important websites of its kind, read by hundreds of thousands of fans, musicians and industry figures every month.

Go Ad Free!

To maintain our platform while developing new means to foster jazz discovery and connectivity, we need your help. You can become a sustaining member for as little as $20 and in return, we'll immediately hide those pesky ads plus provide access to future articles for a full year. This winning combination vastly improves your AAJ experience and allow us to vigorously build on the pioneering work we first started in 1995. So enjoy an ad-free AAJ experience and help us remain a positive beacon for jazz by making a donation today.