Home » Jazz Articles » Album Review » Believers: Hard Believer

Believers: Hard Believer

By Dan Bilawsky
March 1, 2025
View read count

Belief—the cornerstone of conceptual development and the impetus for any pursuit, artistic or otherwise—is central to the shared mission binding guitarist

Brad Shepik

guitar

" data-original-title="" title="">Brad Shepik, bassist Sam Minaie and drummer/percussionist

" data-original-title="" title="">John Hadfield in this aptly titled trio. Through their eponymous 2020 debut—a strong album that flew under the radar due to its pandemic-era release timing—these three established an aesthetic reflective of global influences and wide-ranging interests. And with this sophomore date, they further that outlook by branching out in numerous directions and embracing a variety of traditions and approaches.

Opening on the title track—one of four Shepik originals on the program—this outfit demonstrates art built on the balance point of measure and resolve. The rhythm team proves firm yet pliable from the start, with Hadfield laying down and elaborating on a tasteful asymmetric groove in nine and Minaie providing expert guidance with well-considered bass lines and markers. Shepik, both within and above it all, paints with variegated harmonic brushstrokes, melodizes with class and soars in signature fashion. "Broken English"—Hadfield's lone compositional inclusion—goes a different way, fusing outr�� experimentalism and electronic music in inimitable fashion. A delightfully disorienting number built around sophisticated metric sleight of hand, it's pure desire in fire.

Moving further into the program, these believers captivate from various angles and locales. West African strains surface through the guitarist's dance-friendly "In the Weeds." Menace and hope engage in a weighted pas de deux on Minaie's "Corduroy."

Steve Swallow

bass
b.1940

" data-original-title="" title="">Steve Swallow's "Falling Grace" offers rising tides and sharp turns aplenty. And "Ranglin" runs the Afro-reggae down, nodding to Jamaican six-stringer

Ernest Ranglin

guitar
b.1932

" data-original-title="" title="">Ernest Ranglin in title and substance.

Shepik's "Pilgrimage," occupying the penultimate slot, looks forward while drawing from his past. A number originally appearing on the composer's Short Trip (Knitting Factory, 2001)—a notable trio set with bassist

Scott Colley

bass
b.1963

" data-original-title="" title="">Scott Colley and drummer

Tom Rainey

drums
b.1957

" data-original-title="" title="">Tom Rainey—it's reenergized in these six hands. "Rocinante"—a Minaie composition that namechecks Don Quixote's equine companion and reflects that horse's stamina and power—serves as a feisty farewell and summation of this combo's creative mindset. Operating with collective verve while playing to individual strengths in oh so many ways, this is one band that's full of intriguing ideas executed with passion and commitment. Hard Believer, possessing its own unique aura, is quite easy to admire.

Learn more about our star rating system

Track Listing

Hard Believer; Broken English; In the Weeds; Corduroy; Falling Grace; Ranglin; Pilgrimage; Rocinante.

Personnel

Brad Shepik

guitar

Sam Minaie

bass

John Hadfield

drums

Album information

Title: Hard Believer | Year Released: 2025 | Record Label: Shifting Paradigm Records

PREVIOUS / NEXT

Ravi Coltrane: Translinear Light��T...
< Previous

Altitude 1100 Meters
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.