William Hooker: Flesh and Bones (ORG Music)
Ras Moshe: tenor sax/flute
Charles Burnham: violin
On Davis: guitar
Hilliard Greene: bass
Luke Stewart: bass
William Hooker: drums
Compered to many of his peers from the loft jazz scene in New York in the 1970s, drummer and composer William Hooker has remained a somewhat obscure figure within the fields of jazz and improvised music. Why that is exactly may be hard to pin down. It is true, some of his music may come across as confrontational, a no-hold barred cry that can be equal parts anguish and ecstasy, moving and free form and reveling in noise, of both rock and jazz type leanings. It is music that may not seem an inviting place, it doesn’t hold your hand, but rather something that you will have to be willing to give into. And if one does, the result can be both cleansing and stirring.
Case in point, his latest album Flesh and Bones, released earlier this month on ORG Music. Recorded with a sextet of stellar musicians, this is pure fire music. It often eschews both a sense of propulsion, or any notion of a steady beat for that matter, and much in the way of themes. Rather, it stirs up torrents of sounds and rhythms, often audibly urged on by Hooker’s shout outs. That said, the opener “Flames” starts fairly light footed, with a flute that flutters over rhythmic hand claps, before arco bass, guitar and violin add shards of dissonance. But “My Blood” quickly starts boiling, with hammering drums and a deep tenor sax taking over from the hand claps and flute. And although “Black Lives” starts plaintively with a mournful tenor, it soon gives way to righteous anger. “Reveal a Truth”, though, is at its core a raucous, rough hewn bluesy number, so if you’re hesitant to give into the full on barrage of sound, maybe that’s a way into this album.
Also, I buy anything with Charlie Burnham on it!
Hey! I actually fell in love with an album BEFORE you wrote about it! Chris is right as usual....