Home » Jazz Articles » Album Review » Greg Burk: Many Worlds

Greg Burk: Many Worlds

By Troy Collins
January 19, 2010
View read count

A startlingly original improviser, rising pianist Greg Burk straddles a confluence of traditions, seamlessly balancing the spontaneity of free jazz with the discipline of mainstream conventions. A former

Either/Orchestra

band / ensemble / orchestra
b.1985

" data-original-title="" title="">Either/Orchestra member and student of

Paul Bley

piano
1932 - 2016

" data-original-title="" title="">Paul Bley,

Yusef Lateef

woodwinds
1920 - 2013

" data-original-title="" title="">Yusef Lateef,

George Russell

composer / conductor
1923 - 2009

" data-original-title="" title="">George Russell and

Archie Shepp

saxophone, tenor
b.1937

" data-original-title="" title="">Archie Shepp, Burk possesses an uncanny gift for melody that surpasses many of his peers. On Many Worlds, Burk unveils an evocative array of pre-written tunes and collective compositions that exude a rich chiaroscuro, bolstering frenetic free improvisations with mellifluous themes.

For this quartet date, Burk—a former Boston resident currently living in Rome—is joined by a trio of seasoned veterans. Fellow Bostonian and former Either/Orchestra multi-instrumentalist Henry Cook, Canadian bassist Ron Seguin (also of Rome) and French Canadian drummer

Michel Lambert

drums

" data-original-title="" title="">Michel Lambert bring an empathetic ear to Burk's expansive, tuneful compositions. Cook alternates woodwinds throughout the session; his saxophone technique is impressive, and his fluid phrasing and breathy timbre on flute find great accord with Burk's tortuous lyricism. Seguin and Lambert ply fleet bop rhythms and atmospheric rubato accents with equal devotion; their affable interplay infuses the quartet's excursions with vim and vigor.

Divided in two parts, the first half of the record consists of tunes written by Burk, Lambert and Seguin, with the second half bearing the collectively composed title suite. Seguin's "Sonny Time" opens the date with a beatific invocation of bucolic vistas before Burk and Cook careen through the intervallic head melody of "BC" in unison, setting the stage for a quicksilver free-bop excursion. Skirting conventional tonality without abandoning form, the piece features a string of vivacious solos, introducing each member in turn. Easing into ruminative territory, the cinematically lush "Lost Time" shadows Lambert's ghostly "Storm Cloud" before "Look to the Lion" ends the record's first half with a lilting modal theme reminiscent of

Pharoah Sanders

saxophone, tenor
1940 - 2022

" data-original-title="" title="">Pharoah Sanders' Impulse!-era work—a joyously ebullient tune underscored by minor dissonances.

The titular six-part suite encompasses a similar wealth of moods and tonal colors, undulating between scintillating opulence and roiling fury on the introductory "Many Worlds" and the cacophonous fanfare of "The Strong Force." Guided by Burk's labyrinthine cadences, the quartet settles into the episodic "Waves / Scattering Matrix," ebbing with oblique swing before modulating from pointillist introspection to pungent impressionism. Boasting a memorable melody and spare, sensitive rhythm section accompaniment, "In Pursuit of Matter" continues the thread, featuring some of Burk's most poignant variations. Cook's haunting, vocalized alto fuels the quiet, but severe "Particular," building to the cathartic

John Coltrane

saxophone
1926 - 1967

" data-original-title="" title="">John Coltrane-esque finale, "The Spirit Will Take You Out." Interweaving with Burk's cascading filigrees, Cook's scorching soprano soars above the rhythm section's tumultuous undercurrent, closing the date on a high note.

This variegated quartet session sets a new standard in Burk's budding discography, which was previously dominated by solo and trio excursions. Drifting gracefully between the composed and improvised, Many Worlds unveils a rich ebb and flow between freedom and form.

Learn more about our star rating system

Track Listing

Sonny Time; BC; Lost Time; Storm Cloud; Look to the Lion; Many Worlds Suite: Many Worlds; The Strong Force; Waves / Scattering Matrix; In Pursuit of Matter; Particular; The Spirit Will Take You Out.

Personnel

Greg Burk

piano

Greg Burk: piano, small percussion; Henry Cook: alto and soprano saxophones, flute, alto flute, washint; Ron Seguin: contrabass, electric acoustic bass, percussion; Michel Lambert: drums, percussion.

Album information

Title: Many Worlds | Year Released: 2009 | Record Label: 482 Music

PREVIOUS / NEXT

Orchestrion
< Previous

Signs Along The Road
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.