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Stephan Crump: Wandersphere

By Mark Corroto
September 24, 2021
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Let's play a game. Call it "Is it improvised or composed?" Today's contestants are the Borderlands Trio, comprised of bassist

Stephan Crump

bass, acoustic
b.1972

" data-original-title="" title="">Stephan Crump, pianist

Kris Davis

piano
b.1980

" data-original-title="" title="">Kris Davis, and drummer

" data-original-title="" title="">Eric McPherson. Their release Wandersphere, recorded in December, 2020, consists of four tracks on two CDs. Four lengthy tracks, the shortest nearly twenty minutes and the longest at forty-one minutes plus. The game is, of course, rigged because listeners of the trio's previous release Asteroidea (Intakt, 2017) will know all the music is improvised and is the result of instant composing.

Imagine for a moment that you've come upon this recording with no prior knowledge of these three musicians. You don't know for instance that Crump is the anchor for bands led by

Vijay Iyer

piano
b.1971

" data-original-title="" title="">Vijay Iyer and

Liberty Ellman

guitar

" data-original-title="" title="">Liberty Ellman, besides his own outfits Rhombal Quartet and Rosetta Trio. McPherson may be best know for his long held chair in

Fred Hersch

piano
b.1955

" data-original-title="" title="">Fred Hersch's trio and Davis is one of the most in demand pianist today, working with everyone from

John Zorn

saxophone, alto
b.1953

" data-original-title="" title="">John Zorn to

Tyshawn Sorey

drums
b.1980

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

Terri Lyne Carrington

drums
b.1965

" data-original-title="" title="">Terri Lyne Carrington, and

Hafez Modirzadeh

saxophone, tenor

" data-original-title="" title="">Hafez Modirzadeh. Davis also leads her own ensemble and is an assistant director at Berklee College of Music.

Maybe we play this game because the music is seamless; you could also describe it as selfless. Three generous musicians building sonic structures. And without preconceptions or idiosyncratic gestures. Meaning; not one musician falls back on familiar licks or routines. Davis does employ a prepared piano here, a device she uses frequently in her own music. And to great effect, because her prepared piano agrees with McPherson's cymbal science and Crump's talkative bass. With all four of these extended improvisations, the mood and tempo is variable and the playful interactions are in full effect. This release should come with these instructions: close the blinds, turn up the volume and inhale this music.

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Track Listing

Wnadersphere I, CD 1: Super Organism; An Invitation to Disappear. Wandersphere II, CD 2: Old Growth; Possible Pictures.`

Personnel

Stephan Crump

bass, acoustic

Kris Davis

piano

Eric McPherson

drums

Album information

Title: Wandersphere | Year Released: 2021 | Record Label: Intakt Records

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Stephan Crump Concerts

Sep 24 Wed

Stephan Crump's Passerine

Barbes
Brooklyn, NY

Oct 9 Thu

Stephan Crump - Solo

P'tit Ours
Montreal, Canada

Oct 17 Fri

Otherlands Trio

The Jazz Gallery
New York, NY

Nov 14 Fri

Otherlands Trio

Firehouse 12
New Haven, CT

Jan 31 Sat

Stephan Crump - Passerine

Bar Bayeux
Brooklyn, NY

Apr 21 Tue

Stephan Crump - Slow Water

Krannert Center For The Performing Arts
Urbana, IL

Apr 24 Fri

Stephan Crump - Slow Water

The Cleveland Museum Of Art
Cleveland, OH

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