Column | Andrew Cyrille: Wonder of balance jazz

although they share many roots, Andrew Cyrille and Wadada Leo Smith have not coincided in the study on too many occasions. Both belong to the same generation, although Cyrille started his career a little earlier in areas of a jazz more orthodox, and to the end of the sixties, the two were among the most important young improvisers on the scene of free jazz: Cyrille in the shelter of Cecil Taylor and Smith to Anthony Braxton.

Artist: Andrew Cyrille

Disk: Lebroba

Label: ECM / Distrijazz

Rating: 9 out of 10

Then worked with Marion Brown, although each one on its own, and agreed on the loft RivBea of Sam Rivers when, in 1976, recorded the sessions that would produce the five iconic volumes of Wildflowers, but, once again, Cyrille was there with his Maono, while Smith was with New Dalta Ahkri. Since then, drummer and trumpeter have only been found as for recording on two albums by John Lindberg recorded at the end of the last century, which is more than surprising considering the enormous affinity of music there is between the two musicians.

Now, two years after Andrew Cyrille return to his career as a leader for everything high with The Declaration Of Musical Independence, the drummer Betkanyon is finally with Smith in an album that automatically positions itself among the most important of his career.

Lebroba is one of those albums that one listens and hears without dropping succumb to the magical atmosphere that emerges: a quiet and, at the same time, intense conversation at the base of the brush strokes instrumental, which breathes naturally and organically.

This is due to the amazing balance that we hear in each piece, with the two veteran instrumentalists, weaving the music delicately coupled with the third element of the session: Bill Frisell. The guitarist, who already protagonizaba good part of the previous album of Cyrille in the ECM, acquired in Lebroba —so named from the first syllables of Leland, Brooklyn, and Baltimore, place of birth of Cyrille, Smith and Frisell respectively— the condition of equal and assuming their role in the same terms as their peers.

All push in the same direction, and it happens a curious thing: taking the three a profile of the leader of the creator that is used to manage threads in their respective projects, they all sound absolutely personal, without being overbearing. Not based on his speech, but it will not generate imbalances or outbursts of prominence. If anything, it is Cyrille, as the leader of the session, who marks the way to the base of suggestive accents and control of the acoustic environment, but Lebroba is a true wonder of the confluence of personalities alpha living together in harmony. It is impossible to imagine this music played by anyone else, because nobody could touch her as Cyrille, Smith and Frisell.