Patrick Cornelius

“Fierce”

(Whirlwind Recordings WR 4614)

Released on bassist Michael Janisch’s Whirlwind label “Fierce” is the second solo album by New York based alto saxophonist Patrick Cornelius. His first album, 2006’s “Lucid Dream”  (reviewed elsewhere on this site), was a wide ranging collection that touched many bases. This long awaited follow up is a more focussed affair with a greater emphasis on improvisation. Whereas “Lucid Dream” made use of a wide circle of musician friends “Fierce” concentrates on a core trio of Cornelius, Janisch and drummer Johnathan Blake. There are guest appearances from trombonist Nick Vayenas, who also appeared on the first album, and from tenor saxophonist Mark Small. “Fierce” was recorded in a single day at Bennett Studios, New Jersey in January 2009 and the freshness, spontaneity and vitality of the session is immediately discernible to the listener. “Fierce” simply bristles with intent.

Despite playing alto and naming Charlie Parker and Ornette Coleman as key influences Cornelius also draws inspiration from tenor players and names such varied musicians as Sonny Rollins, Lester Young, Joe Henderson, Branford Marsalis , Joshua Redman, Chris Potter and Seamus Blake plus trumpeter Dave Douglas as further influences on his work. There’s certainly something of Sonny Rollins’ free wheeling saxophone trio stylings on the opening title track and the follow up “Hopscotch” which contains a muscular but remarkably dexterous solo from the always excellent Janisch. Cornelius has written a strong set of highly melodic themes for his trio and guests to improvise around with the long lined almost ballad “Maybe Steps” particularly impressive. Cornelius’ bitter sweet tone receives wonderfully sympathetic support from the flexible Janisch (who also solos) and the sympathetic, subtly colourful Blake.

The strutting"Two Seventy Eight” initially sounds like a movie theme before Cornelius begins to push and probe, this time in the company of Vayenas on valve trombone . Both horns solo in impressive fashion, supported by the implacable bass of Janisch and the intelligent drumming of Blake who also enjoys a lengthy feature.

“First Dance” also incorporates a guest musician with tenorist Small joining the party. The interplay between the two reeds is consistently engrossing and both saxophonists feature extensively as soloists above the rolling pulse of bass and drums.

“The Incident” once again teams Cornelius with trombonist Vayenas and both deliver lengthy, passionate and highly impressive solos whilst linking up well elsewhere. The support from bass and drums is what we have come to expect, an exemplary blend of muscularity, flexibility and intelligence.

“Home With You” is a true ballad, tenderly played by Cornelius at an exaggeratedly languid pace with Blake switching to brushes and with Janisch’s lines, long, deep and resonant.

The boppish “One Thing” has a child like joyousness about it with Cornelius’ pure toned alto soaring above Janisch’s superfast bass walk and Blake’s effervescent drumming. There’s a lengthy duet episode featuring these two that is both thrilling and absorbing before Cornelius returns to play things out.

“New Blues” takes an original blues theme and uses it as jumping off point for some fiery soloing from Cornelius,Vayenas and Janisch. For a blues it incorporates some pretty tricky time signatures, as indeed does the record as a whole, but the musicians sound as if they’re having a great time-stretching out and taking risks. One of my favourite phrases “serious fun” springs to mind with regard to the entire album.

As a title “Fierce” is a bit of a misnomer. This isn’t some kind of belligerent, free form blow out in the style of a Peter Brotzmann. Instead Cornelius has written a set of highly accessible themes for his musicians to stretch out on. As a result the album is eminently accessible and listenable but never bland, the sparky quality of the playing is a guarantee of that with Janisch’s virile bass playing giving the music considerable muscular heft.

The album reminds me of the recent début album by the British group Partikel which also features sax/bass/drum improvisations on a set of highly melodic original themes, this time by tenor saxophonist Duncan Eagles. Interestingly Janisch gets a major thank you in that album’s credits and there’s a certain similarity in the approach of both groups.

The music of chordless line ups is sometimes reckoned to be something of a challenge for both the musicians and the listener but in the case of Patrick Cornelius’ trio it’s one the players clearly relish and also one which the listener can positively enjoy. 

blog comments powered by Disqus