James Brandon Lewis/Red Lily Quintet

Although one of jazz’s bedrock, spiritual music is rarely emphasized. But here tenor saxophonist James Brandon Lewis reconstitutes venerable gospel songs into modern forms. Lewis comes credibly to the project. Raised in a religious family, he played in churches before dedicating himself to jazz. This quintet includes drummer Chad Taylor, cornetist Kirk Knuffke, cellist Chris Hoffman and bassist William Parker.

The spiritual/secular transformation affects “Go Down Moses”. Suspending the melody over Taylor’s loping beat, it speeds up as Knuffke’s brassy smears meet Lewis’ textures that include a melody fragment. Completing the horns’ face off are Parker’s tough stops which preserve the rhythm. Interpretations are on other tracks as well. “Swing Low” includes tambourine slaps, yet theme elaboration includes cornet in screech mode and the saxophonist’s channeling Albert Ayler. “Wade In The Water” begins with a reggae beat projected by cello slices and drum pops then horns introduce the head, emphasizing theme decoration. The blend reflects Ornette Coleman not Orthodox Christianity. That tune and “Deep River” have “Focus on Sanity” interpolations, while another has a reprises of “A Love Supreme”. Lewis demonstrates how gospel enriches other tunes when in his reading of “Precious Lord” he quotes “Go Down Moses”.

Lewis’ commissioned composition These are Soulful Days is on the second CD. The multi-part suite for tenor saxophone and Poland’s Lutosławski Quartet demonstrates his facility in the European tradition. Echoes of his roots sneak through, as a “Wade in the Water” quote is prominent on “Movement III”. This is also when quartet members – violinists Roksana Kwaśnikowska and Marcin Markowicz, violist Artur Rozmysłowicz and cellist Maciej Młodawski – double down on rhythm, slapping their instruments’ wood as Młodawski plays a walking bass line. By then Lewis has challenged the quartet’s harmonizes with altissimo screams. That discord is absent at the suite’s beginning as Lewis uses counterpoint to embed reed textures within the quartet’s melodic movements. But the program’s second half has Lewis intensifying his emotional commitment with reed bites. As the tempo speeds up, quartet interaction loosens with string rubs and bow slaps mark acceptance of discordant motifs without losing the theme. By the epilogue, reed multiphonics and string swipes draw back to confirm this project’s sonority and strength. Reverting to his roots, Lewis’ encore is a solo saxophone version of “Take me to the Water”. Separation of church and state is ideal. However this set confirms that musically one can excel in both.

–Ken Waxman

Track Listing: CD1: 1. Sparrow 2. Swing Low 3. Go Down Moses 4. Wade In The Water 5. Calvary 6. Deep River 7. Elijah Rock 8. Were You There 9. Precious Lord CD2: These are Soulful Days 1. Introduction by JBL 2. Prologue – Humility 3. Movement I 4. Movement II 5. Movement III 6. Movement IV 7. Epilogue – Resilience 8. Encore – Take me to the River

Personnel: CD1: Kirk Knuffke (cornet); James Brandon Lewis (tenor saxophone); Chris Hoffman (cello); William Parker (bass) and Chad Taylor (drums) CD2: Lewis; Lutosławski Quartet: Roksana Kwaśnikowska and Marcin Markowicz (violins); Artur Rozmysłowicz (viola) and Maciej Młodawski (cello)