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Tim Stine Quartet: Knots

By Mark Corroto
December 24, 2019
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What is apparent straight away with Knots by the

Tim Stine

guitar, acoustic

" data-original-title="" title="">Tim Stine Quartet is the intense physicality of the performance. I'll posit Stine, a North Dakota native who grew up with classical music, was drawn to the creative music scene of Chicago because of its tradition of a robust and muscular sound. From

Gene Ammons

saxophone, tenor
1925 - 1974

" data-original-title="" title="">Gene Ammons to

Roscoe Mitchell

saxophone
b.1940

" data-original-title="" title="">Roscoe Mitchell,

Henry Threadgill

woodwinds
b.1944

" data-original-title="" title="">Henry Threadgill,

John Gilmore

saxophone, tenor
1931 - 1995

" data-original-title="" title="">John Gilmore, and

Harrison Bankhead

bass, acoustic

" data-original-title="" title="">Harrison Bankhead, the Chicago sound attracts a certain type of adventurous player. Those driving the scene today make up Stine's quartet; saxophonist

Nick Mazzarella

saxophone, alto
b.1984

" data-original-title="" title="">Nick Mazzarella, bassist

Matt Ulery

bass, acoustic

" data-original-title="" title="">Matt Ulery, and drummer

Quin Kirchner

drums
b.1981

" data-original-title="" title="">Quin Kirchner, all leaders in their own right.

Opening with elbows poking outward, "SH8" lurches and lumbers at first in lockstep, with players muscling the notes. Then Stine solos with his insistent (let's say audacious) attack. Even though Stine exclusively plays acoustic guitar throughout, he can match up to the huge sound generated by Mazzarella and Ulery and Kirchner. While he plays electric in Mazzarella's quintet, he sticks to acoustic here, as he does in his trio with

Anton Hatwich

bass, acoustic

" data-original-title="" title="">Anton Hatwich and

Frank Rosaly

drums
b.1974

" data-original-title="" title="">Frank Rosaly.

His compositions mirror the same philosophy and his pieces tread the same ground as that of

Steve Lehman

saxophone, alto

" data-original-title="" title="">Steve Lehman. Both the title track and "Fred Waltzing" have a stammering pulse with Mazzarella's alto broadcasting an

Ornette Coleman

saxophone, alto
1930 - 2015

" data-original-title="" title="">Ornette Coleman-meets-

Jackie McLean

saxophone, alto
1932 - 2006

" data-original-title="" title="">Jackie McLean vibe. For his part, Stine's guitar can cast a bebop mood or sound not unlike an oud. The music the quartet performs trades off solos without deference to a single leader. It is a joy to hear Ulery's bass freed on a composition like "Trempealeau," where he tangles with Kirchner's drumming. "Ride Wild Rides" is woven of independent voices, beautifully interlaced to construct a launch pad for Stine and Mazzarella's gentle voices. Stine is a new voice in the chorus of Chicago's creative establishment.

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Track Listing

SH8; Knots; Fred Waltzing; Trempealeau; Quietus; Ride Wild Rides; Kjallstret.

Personnel

Tim Stine

guitar, acoustic

Tim Stine: guitar; Nick Mazzarella: alto saxophone; Matt Ulery: bass; Quin Kirchner: drums.

Album information

Title: Knots | Year Released: 2019 | Record Label: Clean Feed Records

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