This second release from
the Claudia Quintet (and their first on the
Cuneiform label) not only offers
Claudia's great blend of instrumental textures from tenor sax/clarinet, vibraphone, accordion, acoustic bass, drums, and percussion, but also provides a satisfying stroll among multiple musical genres. Drummer
John Hollenbeck is the group's composer, and his clever pieces move effortlessly from funky
chamber jazz to
minimalism (both rhythmic and ambient), with some African elements and "new music" vocabulary thrown in for good measure. A good example of
Hollenbeck's eclecticism (one of many) would be the piece
"...Can You Get Through This Life With a Good Heart?," which was inspired by a quote from
Joni Mitchell in a
PBS documentary. It opens, in
Hollenbeck's words, with "the harmonic clouds and space of
Morton Feldman," which eventually give way to a pensive
folk melody stated by accordion and vibes.
The Claudia Quintet has been compared favorably with
Tortoise, and it's an apt analogy as far as it goes, but
the Quintet brings a different mix to the table, with a stronger
jazz presence, more musical intellect, and a bit less of the slacker/stoner vibe embraced by the
post-rock crowd.
Jazz credentials aside,
Claudia's supple rhythmic patterns (sometimes with a dash of whimsy) form a link with the witty, "invented ethnic" music of
the Penguin Cafe Orchestra, although their minimalist tendencies also draw upon
Feldman or early
Steve Reich.
Matt Moran's percussive mallet work evokes the sound of classic
Reich pieces such as
Music for 18 Musicians, but
Moran can also swing mightily, especially when he,
Hollenbeck, and bassist
Drew Gress grab onto a groove. On some pieces (or portions thereof),
Chris Speed's microtonal and/or multiphonic forays on clarinet and tenor also bring to mind various
Jimmy Guiffre experimental trios and quartets. Likewise, accordionist
Ted Reichman wanders "outside" at times, pulling atonal bursts from his instrument, and pitch-blending with
Speed's clarinet. But
Hollenbeck's compositions are so deft and fluid that any movements toward the fringes are integrated into a broader musical palette that beguiles and seduces rather than throwing a thorny musical challenge at the listener. As a consequence,
the Claudia Quintet manages to produce music that is mellow, easy on the ears, but also creative and intellectually stimulating. ~ Bill Tilland
