Home » Jazz Articles » Album Review » Matt Bauder: Day In Pictures

Matt Bauder: Day In Pictures

By Troy Collins
January 5, 2011
View read count

Day In Pictures is

Matt Bauder

saxophone, tenor
b.1976

" data-original-title="" title="">Matt Bauder's first traditional jazz recording as the leader of a stellar acoustic quintet. Far from a debut, the young Brooklyn-based multi-instrumentalist already has a number of eclectic releases to his name, but none delve as far into the nuances of jazz tradition as this refined platter. His previous albums expand on his work as a sideman to adventurous peers like

Taylor Ho Bynum

cornet
b.1975

" data-original-title="" title="">Taylor Ho Bynum,

Harris Eisenstadt

drums

" data-original-title="" title="">Harris Eisenstadt and

Rob Mazurek

trumpet
b.1965

" data-original-title="" title="">Rob Mazurek, including his electro-acoustic debut, Weary Already Of The Way (482 Music, 2003), and the improvised chamber music project, Paper Gardens (Porter, 2010), in addition to a trilogy of albums made with the collective trio Memorize The Sky.

Bauder's studies with composers

Anthony Braxton

woodwinds
b.1945

" data-original-title="" title="">Anthony Braxton, Ron Kuivila and Alvin Lucier are readily apparent in his more experimental work; Day In Pictures showcases his fondness for convention. Flush with elegant melodies, lush harmonies and supple swing rhythms, the session demonstrates Bauder's commitment to the art form's more modest antecedents, with brief avant-garde interjections providing thematic continuity within the context of his existing discography.

Nate Wooley

trumpet
b.1974

" data-original-title="" title="">Nate Wooley (widely revered as one of the leading lights of new trumpet technique) joins Bauder on the frontline. Wooley's coruscating excursions add layers of rich textural depth to Bauder's sinuous themes—when not plying sonorous refrains, as on the simmering lamentation "January Melody."

Angelica Sanchez

piano

" data-original-title="" title="">Angelica Sanchez's tough yet tender pianism provides a perfect balance between freedom and form, gracefully interweaving with

Jason Ajemian

bass, acoustic

" data-original-title="" title="">Jason Ajemian's pliant bass lines and

Tomas Fujiwara

drums

" data-original-title="" title="">Tomas Fujiwara's vibrant trap set ruminations, yielding a nuanced mosaic of tones, tempos and textures that offer subtly adventurous variations on the tradition.

Bauder shares ample solo space with his band mates, proving to be as resourceful an improviser as he is a writer. Whether on tenor or clarinet, Bauder excels at building narrative solos that seamlessly integrate euphonious lyricism and wooly abstraction. His probing tenor solo on the hypnotic opener "Cleopatra's Mood" is emblematic, effortlessly juxtaposing diaphanous filigrees and whispered motifs with trilled flurries and gruff multiphonics.

A devoted student of jazz history, Bauder subtly invokes

Wayne Shorter

saxophone
1933 - 2023

" data-original-title="" title="">Wayne Shorter's haunting introspection on "Parks After Dark," drawing similar inspiration from

Duke Ellington

piano
1899 - 1974

" data-original-title="" title="">Duke Ellington's vivacious charts and

George Russell

composer / conductor
1923 - 2009

" data-original-title="" title="">George Russell's elaborate arrangements on the punchy swingers "Reborn Not Gone" and "Two Lucks." The dramatic arc of the album's episodic centerpiece "Bill and Maza" recalls

Charles Mingus

bass, acoustic
1922 - 1979

" data-original-title="" title="">Charles Mingus, with the opulent closer, "Willoughby," hinting at the legendary bassist's nostalgic streak.

Occasionally augmented by understated electronic effects, the date draws a subtle parallel to another sonic innovator,

Rahsaan Roland Kirk

woodwinds
1935 - 1977

" data-original-title="" title="">Rahsaan Roland Kirk—an iconic presence whose all-encompassing pre-Post Modernist aesthetic is widely championed in the Brooklyn scene. Although it represents only one aspect of Bauder's talents, Day In Pictures is a beautiful record, presenting a well-crafted program of modern jazz that expertly balances past traditions with future innovations.

Learn more about our star rating system

Track Listing

Cleopatra's Mood; Parks After Dark; January Melody; Reborn Not Gone; Bill And Maza; Two Lucks; Willoughby.

Personnel

Matt Bauder

saxophone, tenor

Matt Bauder: tenor saxophone, clarinet; Nate Wooley: trumpet; Angelica Sanchez: piano; Jason Ajemian: double-bass; Tomas Fujiwara: drums.

Album information

Title: Day In Pictures | Year Released: 2010 | Record Label: Clean Feed Records

PREVIOUS / NEXT

Petla Bohumina
< Previous

Jan Garbarek / The Hilliard Ensemble...
Next >

Matt Bauder Concerts

Oct 18 Sat

Bobby Previte's SECOND ARROW

Firehouse 12
New Haven, CT

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.