The worth of a thing is not only to be found in its
bottom-line value. That's the idea at the heart of Canadian artist Emily Carr's
painting "Scorned as Timber, Beloved of the Sky," which depicts a
solitary tree, rejected by loggers who have clear-cut its neighbors, stretching
improbably but majestically into the heavens.
It's a sentiment that resonates deeply with pianist/composer
Renee Rosnes. On her new album, Beloved of the Sky -- which borrows its title
and cover art from Carr's painting -- Rosnes explores the beauty and wonder to
be found in life's more elusive, intangible joys. The album's nine pieces ruminate
on pleasures and inspirations that don't come with a price tag -- the splendor
of nature, the mysteries of the universe, the comforts of home, the treasured
memories of lost loved ones, the simple warmth of an inside joke.
Beloved of the Sky (due out April 6 on Smoke Sessions
Records) also celebrates the chemistry and discovery made possible by a band of
truly remarkable musicians, each one a master of their instrument: saxophonist
Chris Potter, vibraphonist Steve Nelson, bassist Peter Washington, and drummer
Lenny White. "The beautiful thing about working with such masters is that
they channel a wealth of experience, skill and imagination into the new
compositions," says Rosnes. "It's exhilarating to hear the music
transform and blossom, and inevitably develop into something greater than what
I initially imagined."
In the artwork of Emily Carr (1871-1945), Rosnes finds a
kindred spirit -- not just in their mutual concern for humanity and the
environment, but also in their common origins in western Canada. Carr's work
often depicts landscapes familiar to Rosnes from childhood, and a shared
fascination of the art and culture of the First Nations people.
"There are several Carr paintings that display her
concern for the environment, and specifically the clear-cutting of the forests.
Having grown up in the Pacific Northwest, her canvases of coastal landscapes
and deep woods are familiar territory and evoke a strong emotional response in
me. Her work feels like home," Rosnes says.
That feeling comes across in the painterly scene-setting of
Rosnes' "Scorned as Timber, Beloved of the Sky." Potter's soprano and
Nelson's vibraphone combine to lead the listener along a winding path that
stretches skyward with the same stoic beauty as Carr's lone pine. Rosnes' piano
brings the nurturing warmth of the sun, Potter's darting solo the aspirational
reach, and Nelson's resonant vibes add a regal defiance.
The title track is preceded by the bristling "Elephant
Dust," which in its forceful momentum suggests a thundering herd of the
massive beasts. The title actually comes from the pianist's mother, who, after
touching an elephant at a circus, suggested she was allergic to "elephant
dust" after suffering a violent reaction -- requiring a rush trip to the
hospital. Equally strong, if far more constructive, reactions fuel the urgent
interaction between Rosnes' pointed playing and Potter's burly tenor.
Originally composed for the SFJAZZ Collective to feature
Bobby Hutcherson, "Mirror Image" pays tribute to the legendary
vibraphonist, who passed away in August 2016. Nelson ably steps into the
master's shoes to engage in an elegant dance with Rosnes. Hutcherson wrote the
lovely and loving "Rosie" for his wife of more than 40 years,
Rosemary, who died almost exactly one year later. On that very day, and before
the news had reached her, Rosnes says that she "came across Bobby's
handwritten chart of the piece and sat down to play it. Later on I thought about their spirits being
reunited, and knew I wanted to record 'Rosie' in honor of them both."
Reprising the passion for scientific investigation that was
central to Rosnes' previous Smoke Sessions release, Written in the Rocks,
"Black Holes" casts its eyes -- and its music -- to the cosmos. Jim
McNeely had arranged a version of the same tune for the Danish Radio Big Band
several years earlier, but in this smaller incarnation the quintet manages to
sound just as formidable -- and interstellar. They then compact for the
meditative "The Flame and the Lotus," a blues-infused take on
tranquility.
The cascading melody of "Rhythm of the River"
vividly depicts a flowing stream -- whether a literal one in nature or a
figurative life force coursing through all things remains intriguingly vague,
but a case could be made for either, or both. Potter's lively flute is buoyed
by White's joyfully chattering cymbals, launching the leader into an ecstatic
solo.
Rosnes discovered Alec Wilder's rarely-revisited "The
Winter of My Discontent" through Helen Merrill's recording with lyrics by
Ben Ross Berenberg that seem tragically relevant today: "The world is full
of dissonance / The scheme of things is wrong / The air resounds with the
resonance / Of a harsh and spiteful song." Rosnes' stark, moving solo
intro wrings out that turbulent emotion without the need for a word to be sung.
Finally, a memorable line from Maurice Sendak's classic Where the Wild Things
Are -- "Let the Wild Rumpus Start!" -- unleashes the band for a
gleefully anarchic finale, driven by the propulsive pairing of White's roiling
drums and Washington's ardent, vigorous bass.
Washington and Rosnes share a partnership that dates back
more than 30 years, to the pianist's arrival in New York City. "There's a
shared history and depth of knowledge that contributes to the way we musically
communicate with one another," Rosnes says. Potter was also an early
collaborator, appearing on a pair of the pianist's mid-'90s Blue Note releases.
She calls the saxophonist "a towering musician: a virtuoso with an endless
imagination. It's thrilling to get back into the studio with Chris."
White is an acquaintance of more recent vintage, though
Rosnes has long admired his playing with many of the music's most legendary
figures. "Lenny has worked with many of my heroes," she says, adding
that "hebrings great architectural beauty, swing, and power to the music
at all times." Nelson also appeared on Written on the Rocks, and Rosnes praises
him as "a technically gifted musician, whose heart and soul comes through
in every note. Steve and I have a wonderful rapport and he consistently
surprises me with his ingenious explorations."
Like Carr's "scorned" tree, Rosnes and her quintet
stand apart from the clamor, crass commercialism and self-interest that
surrounds them. Beloved of the Sky is a gorgeous yet defiant statement that
aspires to the heavens while staying firmly rooted to the earth, bold and
striking in its unique beauty.
"Beloved of the Sky" was produced by Paul Stache
and Damon Smith and recorded
live in Brooklyn, New York at Systems Two and mixed to
½" analog tape
using a Studer mastering deck. Available in audiophile HD
format.
Renee Rosnes · Beloved of the Sky
Smoke Sessions Records · Release Date: April 6, 2018
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