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Rachel Eckroth: The Garden

By Mike Jurkovic
September 1, 2021
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One of the Phoenix's brightest lights, pianist-composer-vocalist

Rachel Eckroth

piano and vocals
b.1976

" data-original-title="" title="">Rachel Eckroth, who has ably added depth to the music of such polar opposites as

Chris Botti

trumpet
b.1962

" data-original-title="" title="">Chris Botti,

Rufus Wainwright

vocals
b.1973

" data-original-title="" title="">Rufus Wainwright, and

" data-original-title="" title="">St. Vincent, leaves no stone unturned in The Garden, her darkly convincing, Rainy Day Records debut.

It is immediately apparent that Eckroth hears things unlike the rest of us. Her music is a prowling evolution, full of darkness yet attainable, redeemable light. Without hesitancy, she shapes and seizes, assembles, dissects, and embraces modern schemes and possibilities, creating a most compelling listen along the way.

With a cool dose of electronica filling its sails, "Dracena" muscles to the fore on a sturdy drums and bass backbeat pulse (courtesy of bassist?

Tim Lefebvre

bass
b.1968

" data-original-title="" title="">Tim Lefebvre?and drummer?

Christian Euman

drums

" data-original-title="" title="">Christian Euman),?which pulls the music to it while forcing the doors open for Eckroth and saxophonist?

Donny McCaslin

saxophone, tenor
b.1966

" data-original-title="" title="">Donny McCaslin to dart, twist, wail and finally break down into a miasmic swarm of dissonant odd noise. "Under the Fig Tree" and "Low Hanging Fruit" put Eckroth fiercely and firmly in charge, her formidable piano instincts hurtling straight ahead into the syncopated displacement of both pieces. Lefebvre and Euman prove themselves a particularly nimble unit, while McCaslin's snakey sense and tone are aided and abetted by the elusive textures of fellow saxophonist

Andrew Krasilnikov

saxophone

" data-original-title="" title="">Andrew Krasilnikov, guitarist?

Nir Felder

guitar

" data-original-title="" title="">Nir Felder and modular synthesist

Austin White

synthesizer

" data-original-title="" title="">Austin White.

Since Eckroth flirts with everything, deliberate splashes of everything color The Garden, the tune itself a lilting conjecture reminiscent of a 1940's romance theme until darker forces prevail and a confident post bop takes hold, only to bend back to the opening love scene. "Dried Up Roots," the lone vocal here, is a standout of mood and hushed, ambient valor in the manner of singer-songwriter hood such as

Fiona Apple

vocals

" data-original-title="" title="">Fiona Apple or Tori Amos. "Vines" is a delirious slice of free jazz while the closing "Oil" slips and slides from funk to fusion to full blown rock anthem reverie. It is fun to listen to. Stay tuned.

Learn more about our star rating system

Track Listing

Dracena; Under the Fig Tree; Low Hanging Fruit; Dried Up Roots; The Garden; Black Eyed Susan; Vines; Oil.

Personnel

Rachel Eckroth

piano and vocals

Tim Lefebvre

bass

Christian Euman

drums

Donny McCaslin

saxophone, tenor

Andrew Krasilnikov

saxophone

Austin White

synthesizer

Nir Felder

guitar

Album information

Title: The Garden | Year Released: 2021 | Record Label: Rainy Days Records

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Rachel Eckroth Concerts

Sep 19 Fri

Rachel Eckroth Trio

The Nash
Phoenix, AZ

Sep 26 Fri

Rachel Eckroth Trio

The Nash
Phoenix, AZ

Oct 14 Tue

Rachel Eckroth Trio

Nospr
Katowice, Poland

Oct 15 Wed

Rachel Eckroth Trio

Ronnie Scott's
London, UK

Oct 17 Fri

Rachel Eckroth Trio

BIX Jazzclub
Stuttgart, Germany

Oct 18 Sat

Rachel Eckroth Trio

Jazzit
Salzburg, Austria

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