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Aram Shelton: Everything For Somebody

By Mark Corroto
August 8, 2012
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Alto saxophonist Aram Shelton cannot break his Chicago habit. We're not talking that monkey woman

Joe Williams

vocals
1918 - 1999

" data-original-title="" title="">Joe Williams used to sing about, back in the day. Shelton, who left Chicago a few years back for the Bay area of California, returns to the windy city often, both physically and for its sound.

His second quartet recording, like These Times (Singlespeed Music, 2010) lands smack-dab on the Midwestern map. The saxophonist recruited three Chicagoans—saxophonist

Keefe Jackson

saxophone

" data-original-title="" title="">Keefe Jackson (

Jason Stein

clarinet, bass
b.1976

" data-original-title="" title="">Jason Stein Quartet,

Josh Berman

cornet

" data-original-title="" title="">Josh Berman, Fast Citizens), bassist

Anton Hatwich

bass, acoustic

" data-original-title="" title="">Anton Hatwich (Rempis Percussion Quartet, Wrack), and go-to drummer

Tim Daisy

drums
b.1976

" data-original-title="" title="">Tim Daisy (

Ken Vandermark

saxophone
b.1964

" data-original-title="" title="">Ken Vandermark,

Dave Rempis

saxophone
b.1975

" data-original-title="" title="">Dave Rempis,

James Falzone

clarinet

" data-original-title="" title="">James Falzone)—to collaborate on this project.

The quartet's sound derive s from a gratifying mix of Shelton's compositions and the band's improvised playing. The six tracks heard here neither stray too far from the themes, nor are they contained by stifled by the written notes. The disc opens and closes with two very

Ornette Coleman

saxophone, alto
1930 - 2015

" data-original-title="" title="">Ornette Coleman-sounding tracks. Both "Anticipation" and "Fleeting" spin gamboling patterns and joyous sound before opening up for some seemingly pell-mell soloing. Jackson and Shelton trade-off, while Hatwich and Daisy keep the order with a proper groove.

Elsewhere, subtlety rules the hour. Shelton's compositions ease into quieter moments, as with the title track and the skulking, open-ended "Joints And Tendons," featuring paired improvisers placidly reaching for a freedom that starts and stops with injections of melody and harmony. "Deadfall" opens with a memorable solo by Shelton, before gaining momentum and a burning intensity. Everything For Somebody begs to be heard in a live setting; this is of the tightest bands of loose improvisers playing today.

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Track Listing

Anticipation; Everything For Somebody; Joints And Tendons:; Barely Talking: Deadfall; Fleeting.

Personnel

Aram Shelton

saxophone

Aram Shelton: alto saxophone; Keefe Jackson: tenor saxophone; Anton Hatwich: bass; Tim Daisy: drums.

Album information

Title: Everything For Somebody | Year Released: 2012 | Record Label: Singlespeed Music

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