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Reviews

Rich Halley — Boomslang
(Bandcamp Pine Eagle 014, 2021, CD)

by Jon Davis, Published 2022-03-05

Boomslang Cover art

Saxophonist Rich Halley has a fondness for working in ensembles without a chordal instrument. His last two releases had Matthew Shipp on piano, but before that he had a trio and a quartet, neither of which had piano, guitar, organ, vibes, or similar instrument. With Boomslang, he’s joined by Dan Clucas on cornet, Clyde Reed on bass, and Carson Halley (Rich’s son) on drums. Carson has appeared on many of his father’s albums (12 by my count) and is a fine drummer whose style fits the freedom of this music perfectly. Reed is a Canadian bassist who has appeared on quite a few of Halley’s records as well, going back to around 2001. Clucas has less history with Halley, but his resumé includes work with Nels Cline, Eugene Chadbourne, Arthur Lee’s Love, and many more. This set consists of four Halley compositions and five group improvisations, and all show the musicians in fine form. In spite of the predominance of improvisation, the balance between form and freedom is good. The set is so arranged that when they come together in a coordinated section, it feels like a satisfying punctuation on the roaming exploration that preceded. When it comes to post-bop jazz that hasn’t gone electric, Halley’s recordings are among my favorites — he’s a superb player who surrounds himself with others who fit his aesthetic perfectly.

Filed under: New releases, 2021 releases

Related artist(s): Rich Halley

More info
http://richhalley.bandcamp.com/album/boomslang

 

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