Home » Jazz Articles » Album Review » Avram Fefer Quartet: Testament

Avram Fefer Quartet: Testament

By Mark Corroto
November 12, 2019
View read count

After a blindfold listening test, maybe the greatest compliment you can give Testament is to guess the leader's name to be drummer

Chad Taylor

drums
b.1973

" data-original-title="" title="">Chad Taylor, or maybe bassist

Eric Revis

bass
b.1967

" data-original-title="" title="">Eric Revis, guitarist

Marc Ribot

guitar
b.1954

" data-original-title="" title="">Marc Ribot or saxophonist

" data-original-title="" title="">Avram Fefer himself. This misapprehension is attributed to the equal footing each of the four musicians is given on the recording. Partly this, and credit must be shared with the mixing engineer Eli Crews for his application of parity.

Nevertheless, this is the Avram Fefer Quartet, an expansion of his trio with Revis and Taylor. The Avram Fefer Trio previously recorded Ritual (Clean Feed, 2009) and Eliyahu (Not Two Records, 2011). The addition here is Downtown guitarist Marc Ribot. It is a wonder Fefer and Ribot haven't recorded together before. Both players can apply a multitude of approaches to music, from jazz to funk to blues and rock. Here the quartet plies its trade to seven Fefer compositions and Taylor's "Song For Dyani," the South African jazz musician Johnny Mbizo Dyani. The latter piece was also the opening track on Eliyahu. Likewise, the title track can be heard on Ritual.

As the sounds are exchanged between musicians, so are the styles. The title track, dedicated to

Ornette Coleman

saxophone, alto
1930 - 2015

" data-original-title="" title="">Ornette Coleman, is seared with a ceremonial progression before it veers into an Ayler-esque sound. An approach Ribot favors. The slow drag of "African Interlude" is bolstered by the strong pulse of Revis and Taylor's tuneful drumming. Fefer for his part can change perspectives with ease. Trying on his

Albert Ayler

saxophone, tenor
1936 - 1970

" data-original-title="" title="">Albert Ayler coat or swapping for a

Sonny Rollins

saxophone
b.1930

" data-original-title="" title="">Sonny Rollins feel on "Wishful Thinking" and maybe some

Charles Lloyd

saxophone
b.1938

" data-original-title="" title="">Charles Lloyd with "Parable." There is an ease with exploration here, because Fefer doesn't carry the entire load. With these three partners, he can go just about anywhere.

Learn more about our star rating system

Track Listing

Dean St. Hustle; African Interlude; Testament; Song For Dyani; Magic Mountain; Wishful Thinking; Parable; Essaouira.

Personnel

Avram Fefer

saxophone

Avram Fefer: alto saxophone, tenor saxophone; Marc Ribot: electric guitar; Eric Revis: acoustic bass; Chad Taylor: drums.

Album information

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

PREVIOUS / NEXT

Wycliffe Gordon & Vincent Gardner At...
< Previous

Musings & Origins
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.