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Walter Smith III / Matthew Stevens / Joel Ross / Harish Raghavan / Marcus Gilmore: In Common

By Roger Farbey
October 23, 2018
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Walter Smith III / Matthew Stevens / Joel Ross / Harish Raghavan / Marcus Gilmore: In Common

Eschewing the traditional desire for their compositions to be individually attributed, this group of five virtuosos has instead determined to retain a collective responsibility for their music. This is a brave philosophy but it works remarkably well. In this spirit, "freefive" is a tentative improvised duet between

Walter Smith III

saxophone, tenor
b.1980

" data-original-title="" title="">Walter Smith III on tenor saxophone and

Matthew Stevens

guitar
b.1982

" data-original-title="" title="">Matthew Stevens on guitar. Things take off on the swinging "Unsung," Stevens' crystalline guitar tone now channeling

Bill Frisell

guitar, electric
b.1951

" data-original-title="" title="">Bill Frisell.

"YINZ" is a more obvious collective improvisation, the melody instruments clambering over one another but still affording space to each musician. "ACE" opens with a fleeting and enchanting musical box effect, the tenor sax introducing a captivating melody which is soon rejoined by the ensemble but still retaining a mesmeric feel. This melody is also tantalizingly revived on the two-minute album-closer, "ACE (Reprise)," but here with just saxophone and guitar.

A satisfying head arrangement opens the short but swift "Baron" while, by way of contrast, guitar and bass lead off on the dreamy, crab-like "13th Floor," with tenor saxophone pursuing the melody, eventually joined by

Joel Ross

vibraphone

" data-original-title="" title="">Joel Ross' scintillating vibes and

Marcus Gilmore

drums
b.1986

" data-original-title="" title="">Marcus Gilmore's snap-crackling drums. There's more of this electrifying drumming on the boppish "About 360," with foot-tapping support on bass from

Harish Raghavan

bass

" data-original-title="" title="">Harish Raghavan.

This democratically credited release proves an excellent debut for the quintet and a follow-up should be eagerly anticipated.

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Track Listing

freefive; Unsung; YINZ; ACE; foreword; Baron; 13th Floor; About 360; Unconditional Love; ACE (reprise).

Personnel

In Common

Walter Smith III: tenor saxophone; Matthew Stevens: guitar; Joel Ross: vibraphone; Harish Raghavan: double bass; Marcus Gilmore: drums.

Album information

Title: In Common | Year Released: 2018 | Record Label: Whirlwind Recordings

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