Square Peg

Reviewed: 2020—02-29
Genre: Jazz
FCCs: none
Review: Toronto bassist Godfrey has put together a dynamic group of local musicians on this modern jazz outing, including the stellar Allison Au on alto sax. These are all original tunes. The band is only here to show what they can do & not demonstrate their influences. As a result, the music is continually evolving, fresh, and stimulating.
If You Like: Charles Mingus, Charles Lloyd, Jane Ira Bloom, Geri Allen
Track Review (favorites denoted by *):
***1/ black stars (7:54) – sax starts> mellow midtempo jam builds to uptempo, then swings to fast tempo> crescendo> midtempo jam> fade
**2/ square peg (5:32) – drums start> uptempo jam morphs into cascading riffs to fade> pause> bass solo builds to midtempo> crescendo & fade
*3/ no gig today (5:46) –drums start> uptempo jam builds in volume, then mellows> slow fade
4/ u.s.s. rent-a-car (7:16) – bass starts> slow tempo off-kilter jam slowly builds in volume, then mellows> slowly builds to a crescendo> fade
*5/ skyline (7:16) – bass starts> midtempo jam> quick stop
**6/ one game away from winter (5:38) – sax starts> slow tempo jam> slow fade
7/ forty minutes or more (4:53) – piano/drums start> uptempo jam> builds to crescendo end
*8/ driving westbound (6:01) – piano starts> midtempo jam swings uptempo, then mellows to slow jam> slow fade
**9/ mcduff (5:59) – sax starts> midtempo jam builds to fast tempo> crescendo & slow fade
10/ bucket list (3:09) – bass solo