Pianist Renee Rosnes Takes Inspiration from Painter Emily Carr for New Release, Beloved of the Sky

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