Joe Lovano ‘Homage’ LP/CD (ECM) 5/5

In a long and illustrious career Joe Lovano has made many remarkable albums. It’s a pleasure to be able to say that we can now add his latest release “Homage” to that formidable list. Together with Marcin Wasilewski Trio, one of ECM’s longest-standing piano-led trios, saxophonist/composer Lovano thrills and delights with a stunning performance that truly rolls back the years. There’s an interconnected spiritual energy throughout this recording, one which brings the best out of the ever-youthful Lovano, supported in no small way by this exceptional trio.

Lovano plays tenor saxophone, tárogató and gongs, with Marcin Wasilewski on piano, Slawomir Kurkiewicz on double bass and Michal Miskiewicz on drums. Together they are in an especially adventurous mood on their second joint endeavour for ECM. Building on the lyrical strengths that inhabited the group’s previous recording (Arctic Riff, 2020), on “Homage” the quartet investigates the type of free-flowing interplay and expansive passages of improvisation that have become a staple in Lovano’s ventures with his Trio Tapestry group, and elsewhere. The album was recorded at a studio session in the midst of the group’s Village Vanguard residency in late Autumn 2023, revealing some of the most immersive, compelling and creative music that a quartet of musicians could possibly express.

“The music throughout the week was unfolding every night in a very special way.” comments Lovano. “So when we went into the studio, we were able to capture an exceptional, concentrated five-hour moment.” Reigniting the spark in the studio was no difficult task for the quartet, as they’d toured extensively since their first album. “We connected with Joe right from the start,” the trio recalls. “It was natural. He’s the kind of musician who jumps into the moment and plays along with whatever he hears, which matches how we approach music. Touring together over the years only made this connection stronger, both on and off stage. His openness and spontaneity allowed real musical dialogue to happen.” And this is a sentiment that comes across very strongly on the recording, a natural flow of ideas between all of the musicians with an incredible understanding that allows the music to breathe, capturing a perfect moment in time.

The title track is one of the most exploratory pieces on the session. With its shifting, inquiring interplay, Lovano originally wrote “Homage” for the 2023 ECM celebration at the Elbphilharmonie in Hamburg, celebrating Manfred Eicher’s 80th birthday. “The piece is dedicated to Manfred and the label’s history.” says the composer. “I grew up listening to ECM recordings, because those were the cats that I wanted to play with, and it turned out to be the music that gave me a lot of direction.” The modal brilliance of “Golden Horn”, one of the two lengthier pieces, is a meditation that finds the tides shifting smoothly between the players. Even more spontaneity and freedom grace the twelve-minute cut “This Side – Catville”, as the quartet embarks on its captivating and expressive journey, flowing effortlessly through swinging bars and again modal harmonic shifts. The spontaneously performed “Love In The Garden” mesmerises with its affecting beauty. Lovano’s stunning tone here reminds me of the incredible album “Mostly Coltrane”, recorded in 2008 for ECM with Steve Kuhn Trio. The two improvised miniatures, “Giving Thanks” and “Projection” complete the set of tunes on this wonderful album. “Homage” will undoubtedly stand the test of time as a great recording, proving Wasilewski and his trio to be the ideal match for Lovano’s magical musings, the group’s flawless chemistry more apparent than ever before.

from https://ukvibe.org