Home » Jazz Articles » Album Review » Noah Preminger: Thunda

Noah Preminger: Thunda

By Mike Jurkovic
June 10, 2021
View read count

There's a fascinating, affirmative equilibrium coursing throughout Thunda that words may fall short of. It's a music of purity and wonder spoken by survivors of the oddest year. It's a broad, fearless conversation between two big thinkers and all who choose to listen in, either by accident or design. Simply stated, you'll find yourself easily lost in the tight, exquisite mazes created and crafted freely by fellow metropolitans saxophonist

Noah Preminger

saxophone, tenor
b.1986

" data-original-title="" title="">Noah Preminger and bassist

Kim Cass

bass, acoustic

" data-original-title="" title="">Kim Cass.

"Slaughter" is a gripping give and take wherein color and contrast blur like the line between gang and government. Cass volleys first as Preminger moans high above him, each racing to a destination only they know but willfully welcome all to share. The just under two minute tsunami "Me You Sad" seeks the same high ground but veers more towards a childlike play as Preminger's blue clarinet weaves between Cass's pop-art lines. Fresh and frenzied, "Chron" comes at you hit and run, its dizzying minute and half spinning you 'round to where you started, maybe.

Recognized as a Downbeat Rising Star in 2017, Preminger, who has woven his spell alongside

Dave Holland

bass
b.1946

" data-original-title="" title="">Dave Holland,

Joe Lovano

drums
b.1952

" data-original-title="" title="">Joe Lovano,

Roscoe Mitchell

saxophone
b.1940

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

Cecil McBee

bass
b.1935

" data-original-title="" title="">Cecil McBee and others, employs a wily and elusive tone-for the-moment that gives the reflective and considerate "Iris" the jumpy swing of "Tradr Hoez," and the darkly meditative "Drone" their particular voice and focus. Cass, no slouch in the CV department (

Matt Mitchell

piano
b.1975

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

Tyshawn Sorey

drums
b.1980

" data-original-title="" title="">Tyshawn Sorey,

Rudresh Mahanthappa

saxophone, alto
b.1971

" data-original-title="" title="">Rudresh Mahanthappa) works in kinetic bursts and observations as if every single performance was its own solo telling its own origin story. Magnetic listening. Digital release only.

Learn more about our star rating system

Track Listing

Slaughter; Me You Sad; Chron; Iris; Tradr Hoez; Drone; Slow Ridah; Ricky; Roobz; Huck It.

Personnel

Noah Preminger

saxophone, tenor

Kim Cass

bass, acoustic

Additional Instrumentation

Noah Preminger also clarinet and flute.

Album information

Title: Thunda | Year Released: 2021 | Record Label: Day Bridge Records

PREVIOUS / NEXT

Prometheus
< Previous

Bud's Got Buddies
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.