Sirens, The

Jazz | Feb 2013

Reviews

Fo
Reviewed 2013-02-16
CHRIS POTTER: The Sirens
ECM, 2013

MODERN JAZZ – Top saxophonist leads a great quintet through a suite inspired by the themes and emotions of The Odyssey. Both poetic and grooving, with moments of cold, cerebral abstraction and heated, sometimes even funky drive (check out #2, it has all of that). This is unpredictable but cohesive – and really interesting – stuff. The use of piano + atmospheric acoustic keyboards gives it all a dreamlike air.

Chris Potter : saxophones, bass clarinet
Craig Taborn : piano
David Virelles : piano, celeste, harmonium
Larry Grenadier : bass
Eric Harland : drums

Fo’s Picks: 1, 2, 4, 5, 6

1. 8:49 – lyrical intro, lightly funky traveling rhythm; solos cover a lot of ground
2. 6:53 – cool rhythm, understated sound: gazes into distance, solves puzzles
3. 7:26 – optimistic intro, then quiet and chilly, introspective and questioning
4. 8:40 – soft, gentle and slowly flowing, with bass clarinet & bowed bass solo
5. 7:17 – aching ballad with soprano sax: outstanding solo from Potter
6. 8:26 – lopsided, meandering tune with strong hints of calypso and bebop
7. 5:44 – relaxed ballad, very dreamlike with gentle piano + celeste
8. 8:16 – serious, steadfast sound; marches along w/ knotty sax, flowing piano
9. 2:12 – very quiet, very spare solo piano, lots of silence

[ Fo ] - 16 February 2013

Recent airplay

The Sirens, Wine Dark Sea
Nausikaa
Waste FMMar 21, 2017
The Sirens
RebopApr 01, 2016
Wayfinder
Kalypso

Charting

2013-02-16 — 2013-04-21 Jazz
Week EndingAirplays
Apr 21 2
Apr 14 1
Apr 7 1
Mar 31 1
Mar 24 1
Mar 17 4
Mar 10 3
Mar 3 2

Track listing

1. Wine Dark Sea
2. Wayfinder
3. Dawn (With Her Rosy Fingers)
4. The Sirens
5. Penelope
6. Kalypso
7. Nausikaa
8. Stranger At The Gate
9. The Shades