Home » Jazz Articles » Album Review » Sentient Beings: Truth Is Not The Enemy

Sentient Beings: Truth Is Not The Enemy

By John Sharpe
October 29, 2024
View read count

"Hills And Valleys," "Valleys And Hills." The titles of the two lengthy tracks on Truth Is Not The Enemy furnish oft-used metaphors for the flowing changes in intensity, volume and dynamics of long-form improvisations. However, on this occasion the hills seem more like summit plateau while the valleys are narrow and deep, as the four piece Sentient Beings maintains an almost unbroken stream of engaging high-energy interplay. At the heart of the outfit lies the pre-existing duo of British violinist

Faith Heleene Brackenbury

violin

" data-original-title="" title="">Faith Heleene Brackenbury and American drummer

Tony Bianco

drums

" data-original-title="" title="">Tony Bianco, responsible for the sometimes transcendental Wayward Mystic (Discus, 2023), while completing the unit are American saxophonist

John O'Gallagher

saxophone, alto
b.1964

" data-original-title="" title="">John O'Gallagher and Newcastle-based bassist

John Pope

bass

" data-original-title="" title="">John Pope.

Recorded in North London's Vortex Jazz Club in February 2024 on the last night of a seven date tour, the quartet has obviously gelled from top to bottom. Exhibit A in affirmation is the ceaseless empathetic interweaving of Brackenbury's violin and viola with O'Gallagher's fluent alto saxophone. Their fast morphing shifts between soaring, supporting and squabbling comprise one of the disc's main selling points. Bianco's crisp hyperspeed rat-a-tat drum undertow further adds to the distinctiveness of the session and sweeps the other participants continually onwards, abetted by the subliminal thrum of Pope's knotty bass lines.

Brackenbury's horn-like phrasing and keening tone mesh well with the saxophonist, whose aching cries, linked by rapid-fire ululations, contain a tang of

Ornette Coleman

saxophone, alto
1930 - 2015

" data-original-title="" title="">Ornette Coleman. Perhaps too well at times, as their sparring might be better served by more contrast than the tonally similar alto and viola, in particular, afford. But that is a minor criticism, outweighed by many notable moments. "Hills And Valleys" contains a lovely pizzicato passage for both bass and violin, fuelled by Bianco's pattering brushes. Later in the same piece, O'Gallagher demonstrates his feel for lyricism with an extemporized melody which evokes

John Coltrane

saxophone
1926 - 1967

" data-original-title="" title="">John Coltrane's "Naima" and forms the core of the ensuing group exchange. As is often the case, the next cut, "Valleys And Hills," (maybe the second set), raises the stakes again, with Bianco pushing everyone yet more.

All in all, Truth Is Not The Enemy offers a compelling document of an exhilarating encounter.

Learn more about our star rating system

Track Listing

Hills And Valleys; Valleys And Hills.

Personnel

Faith Heleene Brackenbury

violin

Tony Bianco

drums

John O'Gallagher

saxophone, alto

John Pope

bass

Album information

Title: Truth Is Not The Enemy | Year Released: 2024 | Record Label: Discus Music

PREVIOUS / NEXT

Jason Robinson, Sanchez / Guy / Lope...
< Previous

Ben Sidran: It Don't Mean A Thing If...
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.