Jason Stein/Marilyn Crispell/Damon Smith/Adam Shread

A profound meeting of creative musicians from different cities, Spi-raling horn not only shows off the coiled improvisational skills of the disc’s one horn player – Chicago bass clarinetist Jason Stein – but also the fortuitous integration of improvisers who hadn’t recorded together previously. Joining Stein in this session released in the order in which it was recorded are fellow Chicagoan drummer Adam Shead, St. Louis bassist Damon Smith and pianist Marilyn Crispell from upstate New York. All have experience playing with everyone from Roscoe Mitchell to Ken Vandermark.

In essence Stein’s curlicue reed variations move through multi pitch and tempo variations as Crispell expends waterfalls or singular positioned notes alongside, strengthened by shifting cymbal patterns and strongly vibrated bass thumps. Encompassing trills, barks smears and tongue futters in both horn registers, Stein’s playing seems to inspire the pianist to dig into and find more dynamic patterns to explore than in some of her recent recordings. The upshot is that on tracks such as “Back And Back Out”  she bangs the keys, dynamically ricochets textures and piles prestissimo notes into concentrated patterns. Stein answers with split tones and work his way upwards with spetrofluctuation and note bending.

With Shead’s press rolls and ruffs completing the expositions whether driven by keyboard tolling and pattern or clarion reed spurts or intermittent snarls, Smith too gets to shape the tunes. Auguring an augmentation of his careful responsive or forward thrusting patterns earlier, on the concluding “A Rusted Bell’s Clank” he widens his processes. Introducing the piece with measured string pops and stops, he gradually works his way up the scale, soon encouraging from the others cymbal spins, piano continuum and a mid-range clarion reed expressions. Tongue stops animate the narrative alongside pressurized swing with key busting intensity until the track slows to near- statis with a coda of reed flutters and a final cymbal crash. This first-time quartet meeting was both spontaneous and striking. A sequel should be stipulated.

–Ken Waxman

Track Listing: 1. A Song Paid By Singing 2. A Universe Of Otherwise 3. The Ground Laid Open 4. Saturant Moon Water 5. So Close It Cut My Ribs 6. Back And Back Out 7. A Rusted Bell’s Clank

Personnel: Jason Stein (bass clarinet); Marilyn Crispell (piano); Damon Smith (bass) and Adam Shead (drums)