(Michael Blake, tenor and soprano sax; Brad Turner, trumpet; Sal Ferreras, marimba and percussion; Chris Gestrin, acoustic and electric piano, electronics; Andre Lachance, acoustic bass; Dylan van der Schyff, drums)
Lounge Lizard saxophonist Michael Blake’s new Songlines issue covers many bases. In creating a project for an all Canadian group, Blake provides two non-traditional sax improvisations, Ghost Lines and The Hunt. Odd time signatures are featured on Temporary Constellation. The title track features spacey electronics in surround sound by Chris Gestrin.
So Long Seymour, named after Blake’s childhood Newfoundland dog, begins as marimba based, but branches off into Blake’s soprano musings. The Wash Away is a pleasant trumpet centered song inspired by West African griot kora master, Keba Cissoko. It’s my favorite track.
The ballad Infirmary is based on Blake’s exposure battling the US hospital system, specifically NYC’s infamous, Bellevue Hospital. Gestrin’s piano work gets props here. (Songlines is based in Vancouver, B.C. – they can laugh at our medical dilemma here in the U.S.)
For those with an adventurous bent – especially if you’re equipped for higher-res SACD playback, check out Blake’s Amor De Cosmos. It’s an intriguing listening experience.
– Jeff Krow
