WOLFGANG MUTHSPIEL — Wolfgang Muthspiel, Scott Colley & Brian Blade : Dance of the Elders (review)

WOLFGANG MUTHSPIEL — Wolfgang Muthspiel, Scott Colley & Brian Blade : Dance of the Elders album cover

Album · 2023 · Post-Fusion Contemporary

4/5 · 2023-10-06
Carmel

Class is in session, but forget the lecture hall; today's syllabus takes us straight into the musical sandbox of Wolfgang Muthspiel's “Dance of the Elders.” Now, if you haven't jammed to Muthspiel before, here's the 411: this Austrian guitarist is a jazz maven, and he's got the creds to prove it. Teaming up with Scott Colley on bass and Brian Blade on drums, this is more than a trio—it's a microcosm of musical evolution.

Context, my friends, context! Think of this album as a sonic seminar where each track is a guest lecture from a different department. We've got cameos from the world of classical music, nods to folk traditions, and a heavy dose of jazz improvisation. It's like attending a conference where Bach and Joni Mitchell share the stage with Brad Mehldau—and they're all jamming together.

Track-by-track, or should I say, lecture-by-lecture, we will explore “Dance of the Elders.” Starting with "Invocation." Picture walking into a cathedral of sound; this track lays the foundation for the album with its meditative, quasi-spiritual vibes. Muthspiel himself calls the "endless loop" a "vast landscape." Think of it as musical mindfulness.

"Prelude to Bach" is your Music History 101 recap, but with a twist. The trio takes a Bach classic and improvises around it, reminding us that the Baroque era was the OG jam session. Next on the syllabus is "Dance of the Elders." This is where ethnomusicology meets polyrhythms. The track incorporates global influences, offering a musical melting pot or, if you will, a 'World Music 101' in under 10 minutes.

Here's where the curriculum gets more interdisciplinary. "Liebeslied," folks, isn't just a waltz that's made its way into the jazz canon. Oh no, this tune has roots that reach deep into the socio-political tapestry of Weimar Germany. We're talking Bertolt Brecht and Kurt Weill, the Lennon and McCartney of political theater, if you will. Now, when Muthspiel's trio takes on this gem, what we're witnessing is not just a musical performance but a nuanced cultural commentary—jazz as the literature of the oppressed, so to speak.

Alright, art majors, let's pivot to "Folksong." This tune is a masterclass in 'less is more.' Muthspiel's guitar sets the canvas with broad harmonic strokes, while Colley's bass adds fine, textured lines. Blade's drumming? Think Jackson Pollock meets Monet—rhythmic splatters bound by subtle finesse. They navigate a folk melody over evolving chords, layering sonic hues like a painting that demands a double-take. Simple yet deep—just like the best art.

How about we let "Cantus Bradus" speak for itself in the language of virtuosity? Influenced by the work of Brad Mehldau, this track showcases harmonic genius and rhythmic acumen. Muthspiel's guitar weaves intricate textures, intricacies met in full by Colley's bass and Blade's drumming. This trio's conversation here isn't casual banter; it's a series of eloquent monologues, responding to and building upon each other. For those of you looking to dissect layers, this is your analytic playground. It's practically a master's thesis in rhythm and harmony, all within the span of a few minutes.

"Amelia," the denouement. It's like the trio took a seminar on Joni Mitchell and aced the final exam. It pays homage while adding fresh academic footnotes.

You see, my scholarly compatriots, “Dance of the Elders,” isn't just a jazz album; it's a multidisciplinary research project. The trio pushes the boundaries, not only of what jazz can be but also of what music, in a holistic sense, has the potential to communicate. So, as we journey from the ethereal to the earthly, from the complex to the accessible, we're reminded that, in the end, it's all part of the more excellent academic discourse—a musical one, in this case.

So if you're looking for a musical text that requires, nay, demands multiple readings—or listenings, in this case—"Dance of the Elders” is your seminar's required listening.