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Fly: Year of the Snake
By
Mark Turner
saxophone, tenorb.1965

Larry Grenadier
bass, acousticb.1966

Jeff Ballard
drumsb.1963

Brad Mehldau
pianob.1970

Kurt Rosenwinkel
guitarb.1970

Enrico Rava
trumpetb.1939

Steve Kuhn
pianob.1938

Tim Berne
saxophone, altob.1954

Billy Hart
drumsb.1940
Once again, Year of the Snake brings together compositional contributions from all three players, but takes a left turn from Sky & Country with the inclusion of the five-part "The Western Lands," its first part a dark-hued premise from Turner that's closer to contemporary classical music than the jazz tradition that's a clear reference point for the trio. Four additional parts, scattered throughout the set, are group improvisations stemming from Turner's miniature opener, with Grenadier and the saxophonist weaving lines that orbit, diverge and converge, and Ballard's role more colorist than rhythmist. Ranging from just over half a minute to a mere three minutes and change, these brooding tone poems act as way stations along an hour-long program that twists and turns the premise of the saxophone trio into something altogether new.
It's interesting to compare and contrast Year of the Snake with British saxophonist

Andy Sheppard
saxophoneb.1957
At over ten minutes, Grenadier's "Kingston" is more oblique, and a feature for Grenadier's arco playingwhich, more dominant this time around, represents a clear evolution for Fly that results in not just a "bigger" sound, as Ballard has suggested, but a more elastic, serpentine ambidexterity. The trio now has greater leverage to divide its time between freer concerns and the more rhythm-centric approach of Turner's "Festival Tune" unsurprisingly, a more cerebral affair than Ballard's surprisingly episodic "Diorite," which unfolds over its complex six minutes with repeated rhythmic motives, a challenging but ultimately visceral groove and a feature for Turner's remarkable upper register control.
If Fly's raison d'être is to consolidate its members' extracurricular work, then what Year of the Snake demonstrates with crystal clarity is that each player's language, command and sophistication continue to evolve as the result of their efforts; but it's only as Fly that they can truly exercise everything they've honed with complete and utter freedom. Year of the Snake will undoubtedly challenge those familiar with Turner, Grenadier and Ballard's work in intrinsically accessible contexts like Mehldau's Trio,

SFJAZZ Collective
band / ensemble / orchestrab.2004

Pat Metheny
guitarb.1954
Tracks: The Western Lands I; Festival Tune; The Western Lands II; Brothersister; Diorite; Kingston; Salt and Pepper; The Western Lands III; Benj; Year of the Snake; The Western Lands IV; The Western Lands V.
Personnel: Mark Turner: tenor saxophone; Larry Grenadier: double bass; Jeff Ballard: drums. ">
Track Listing
The Western Lands I; Festival Tune; The Western Lands II; Brothersister; Diorite; Kingston; Salt and Pepper; The Western Lands III; Benj; Year of the Snake; The Western Lands IV; The Western Lands V.
Personnel
FLY
band / ensemble / orchestraMark Turner: tenor saxophone; Larry Grenadier: double bass; Jeff Ballard: drums.
Album information
Title: Year of the Snake | Year Released: 2012 | Record Label: ECM Records
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