Virtuosic and inventive New York trumpeter Ralph Alessi has worked with everyone from Uri Caine to Michael Formanek as well his own bands. As the century progresses he’s also become involved in international projects like the ones here. Melt all the Guns II is a new chapter in the saga of Brookly/Berlin drummer Devin Gray’s trio with the trumpet and new member, French pianist Myslaure Augustin. Mechanics of Nature on the other hand links Alessi with the Polish-Danish Beat Freaks quartet of guitarist Michał Starkiewicz, bassist Flavio Gullotta, tenor saxophonist Tomasz Licak and drummer Radek Wośko.
Unlike Melt all the Guns, created with familiar associates, Mechanics of Nature is a first-time meeting between the trumpet and the quartet. However there’s no grandstanding or feeling of star soloist with backing band. Starkiewicz, who composed nine of the 14 tracks here, and Licak work together often and comping textures from the bassist and drummer fit in as well.
Ironically it’s the track entitled “Broken” which best show this cooperation. Rubbed and slurred fingering from the guitarist and hard pummeling from the drummer frame the horns ascending and descending pitches. Brass triplets and note-bending reed squeaks develop into a contrapuntal challenge by the end.
With volume often pushing him to the background, Gullotta’s supple string movements move upfront during the introduction to “Lifeline (Interlude)”, where guitar strums and horn ascension are expressed in finished form on the subsequent “Lifeline”. Melded with field recordings of voices and automobile movement, the narrative is hammered out with brass triplets and sax snarls, carefully balancing noise and music. Further interaction from irregular drum patterns and harsh trumpet tonguing serves a similar function on “One Of The Last Derkacz” alongside the sounds of piercing sirens and loudspeaker announcements.
While some tracks reach prestissimo affiliations with buzzing accents from the bass and drums, guitar string whistles and horn vamps, not every exposition is as vigorous. For instance “Elephant Song” is a gentling ballad based around Starkiewicz’s adagio strums, note-bending tones from Alessi, Licak’s graceful harmonies and Gullotta’s responsive string thumps.
In familiar territory or intersecting with new playing partners, Alessi’s brass command shows why he’s one of the busiest trumpeters on the New York scene. His associates on both discs are no slouches as improvisers either.
–Ken Waxman
Personnel: Mechanics: Ralph Alessi (trumpet); Tomasz Licak (tenor saxophone); Michał Starkiewicz (guitar); Flavio Gullotta (bass) and Radek Wośko (drums)
https://www.jazzword.com/reviews/the-beat-freaks-ralph-alessi/
