Home » Jazz Articles » Album Review » Rich Halley 4: Crossing the Passes

Rich Halley 4: Crossing the Passes

By Hrayr Attarian
May 19, 2013
View read count

Saxophonist

Rich Halley

saxophone, tenor

" data-original-title="" title="">Rich Halley has always had a thick, brassy tone and a bold and daring improvisational approach. Over the years a certain contemplative wisdom has permeated his music enhancing its intellectual edge without tempering its fiery zeal. The result, as demonstrated on Crossing The Passes is a sublime balance of the cerebral and visceral.

On "Traversing The Maze" for instance, Halley's raw and passionate tenor eloquently creates harmonically intricate ad-lib sonic structures. The dark and mystical piece also features rocking bass and drum vamps that rumble and roll as an undercurrent to Halley's Trombonist

Michael Vlatkovich

trombone
b.1951

" data-original-title="" title="">Michael Vlatkovich's extemporizations. Vlatkovich's angular yet swinging horn growls its way into a stimulating and theatrical four-way conversation.

A sense of the dramatic, albeit introspective and reserved, characterizes the album forming one of its core themes. It is best exemplified on "Journey Across The Land," and inside/outside composition with a well-orchestrated group improvisation that imbues unbridled flights of fancy with stylistic quotes from older genres. Bassist

Clyde Reed

bass

" data-original-title="" title="">Clyde Reed's wistful con arco drone and Halley and Vlatkovich's somber refrains create the cinematic ambience, particularly as they contrast with drummer Carson Halley's bright cymbal crashes. The complex and abstract dialogue between tenor and trombone is laced with bluesy hints while the rhythm section's laid-back swagger is full of soul.

Another recurrent motif on this intriguing record is a form of musical expressionism that does not unfurl into full-blown atonality. Reed's cello like bowing with baroque shades opens the "Smooth Curve of The Bow." Carson Halley's funk infused and angular beats and thrums introduce an urban groove. His frenzied and thunderous drums occasionally burst forth to the surface in exhilarating polyrhythms. Vlatkovich 's wails and roars and Halley's honking solo bring hard bop sensibilities to the tune. Reed's thrilling exchange with the tenor/trombone duet concludes the track in an electrifying, controlled cacophony.

Crossing The Passes is a superlative disc and a high point in Halley's uniformly splendid career. It is sophisticated and provocative, erudite and brash, melodic and unconstrained. In brief, it is what exquisite art should be and what Halley and his bands always strive to deliver.

Learn more about our star rating system

Track Listing

The Only Constant; Traversing the Maze; Looking West From West; Smooth Curve of the Bow; The Spring Rains; Duopoly; Crossing the Passes; Basin and Range; Acute Angles; Rain, Wind and Hail; Journey Across the Land.

Personnel

Rich Halley: tenor saxophone; Michael Vlatkovich: trombone; Clyde Reed: bass; Carson Halley: drums, percussion.

Album information

Title: Crossing the Passes | Year Released: 2013 | Record Label: Pine Eagle Records

PREVIOUS / NEXT

Every Eight Seconds
< Previous

The People Band with Gina Southgate ...
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.