snobb
NY-based sax player Jon Irabagon is best known as co-founder and member of "revolutionary free-bop band" Mostly Other People Do The Killing (their "Live In Coimbra" is full of fun and energy, an excellent parody on Jarrett-like boring arrogant chamber jazz). Irabagon's solo albums are more experimental, and as a rule are not such an easy listen.
To say the truth, I had a difficult time with "Absolute Zero". After the few first spins I felt like the music on this album is too monotonous, repetitive and sounds more like a blueprint, rather than a final product. The next CD in my player was the new excellent Danish sax player Lotte Anker's album "Birthmark" - featuring her new trio with two Portuguese musicians; pianist Rodrigo Pinheiro and double bassist Hernâni Faustino (both members of Red Trio). I was really impressed by their collaboration on this album and then I figured out that Irabagon's musical partners on "Absolute Zero" are the same double bassist Hernâni Faustino and third Red Trio member drummer Gabriel Ferrandini. Soon I returned back to listening to Irabagon's new work, and with every spin the album grew up in me.
Now, after many repetitive spins I feel I got what his music is and I enjoy it more and more.No way too complex, dissonant or too much "out", this album is kind of modern "Out To Lunch": hard-bop rooted free improvisation without melodic lines or tunes, but at the same time quite emotive, even lyrical in moments, a work of very impressionistic texture with lot of subtle rhythmic constructions and clever and intelligent sharp sax soloing. Not too noisy or screaming, this music is very progressive by its nature showing that there are so many different ways in modern non-conformist jazz. Most probably this album requires repetitive listening, but with every next spin it will grow in you!
Great music for your head and your heart.