Guitarist and composer Dan Bruce introduces a bold new chapter in his creative journey with the debut of Ohm! and their first album The Architects, out now on Shifting Paradigm Records. Following his acclaimed work with the boundary-pushing group :beta collective, Bruce ventures into rawer territory—melding groove, improvisation, and sonic exploration into a sound that’s as electric as it is introspective.
Rooted in the push and pull between chaos and control, The Architects captures the trio’s kinetic energy and emotional depth. “I’m always trying to reconcile my joy for life with my fear of death,” says Bruce. “This album is about accepting both sides—the beauty and the disorder—and finding the groove that holds them together.”
Based in Cleveland after a decade in Chicago’s thriving jazz scene, Bruce has established himself as a guitarist of uncommon versatility, balancing virtuosic improvisation with compositional nuance. His previous albums drew praise for their adventurous yet inviting sound, with All About Jazz calling his music “generous, accessible, and exploratory.”
Ohm! features Bruce with bassist Jordan McBride (Orrin Evans, Sean Jones) and drummer Gabe Jones (Howie Smith, Sean Jones), forming a powerhouse trio that thrives on rhythmic intensity and open-ended dialogue. Their name reflects dual meanings—“Ohm” as a measure of electrical resistance and “Om” as the sacred sound of unity. True to that spirit, the group often begins live shows with a shared chant, bridging energy between band and audience. “Community building is what art should be doing right now,” Bruce explains.
The album’s title track, “The Architects,” sets the tone with tightly woven compositions that burst into expansive improvisation—featuring guest saxophonist Jason Kush and a cameo from Bruce’s own children, symbolizing a future built on creation rather than destruction. “Eh?” adds a playful nod to Bruce’s Canadian connections, while “Ice” draws inspiration from Gerhard Richter’s paintings, layering nylon-string guitar and ethereal vocals from Nadine Douds.
On “Glimpse,” the trio crafts a journey from tension to transcendence, offering a fleeting vision of harmony in a fractured world. “Major_Chord” (by producer Nathan Douds) embodies joy within instability, its solo section unfolding as a shared conversation among equals. The set closes with “Rare Birds,” a jubilant finale featuring Reggie Watkins on trombone and Douds on keyboards, celebrating the joy of risk and collaboration.
With The Architects, Dan Bruce’s Ohm! emerges as a thrilling new force in contemporary jazz—a project that grooves hard, questions deeply, and builds connection through sound.
No comments:
Post a Comment