Free jazz and bebop are present throughout the album. The opening track, D’Angelo’s “Shooshabuster” is boisterous and rhythmically playful, drawing at first from a palette resembling Charlie Parker’s, and then lapsing into delighted screams and squeals. On John Lewis’ “Two Bass Hit,” Lederer swings with abandon, his ebullience manifested in melodic leaps and repeated gestures that bravely stray from the pulse.
Area Man is a driving rock song. The middle section consists of Lightcap’s deep-in-the-pocket solo, enveloped by the two saxophone players’ stretching of stark melodic material. The title track is a brief and yet intense harmolodic interlude, serving to shift gears after the preceding tune, “Lucky.” The cerebral mood of “Lucky” is a result of Lederer having asked his daughter Maya to choose 12 notes with which to construct a piece. Its atmospheric quality is enhanced by the of the dark and woody tones of D’Angelo’s bass clarinet and Lederer’s standard Bb Clarinet.
The lack of a chordal instrument in the Matt Wilson Quartet goes virtually unnoticed. The swath of colors that the saxophone duo provides is practically enough to fill the space that a guitar or piano normally would. It helps that every piece has a distinct mood. This makes it less likely that the listener will start to conflate tunes, having no strong sense of harmonic underpinning to rely on.
For fans of avant-garde jazz, That’s Gonna Leave a Mark is a must-own. But the album’s appeal isn’t limited to those with experience with the genre. One of Matt Wilson’s strengths is making easily relatable music that doesn’t sacrifice its integrity. Perhaps the best example on this CD is the final track, a version of War’s “Why Can’t We Be Friends.” The band’s humor and freedom remain as they present a familiar pop song.
Album Release Date:
July 7th, 2009 on Palmetto Records
Personnel:
- Matt Wilson – Drums
- Andrew D’Angelo – Alto Saxophone, Bass Clarinet
- Jeff Lederer – Tenor and Soprano Saxophone, Clarinet
- Chris Lightcap – Bass
Track List:
- Shooshabuster
- Arts and Crafts
- Rear Control
- Getting Friendly
- Two Bass Hit
- Area Man
- Lucky
- That’s Gonna Leave a Mark
- Celibate Oriole
- Come and Find the Quiet Center
- Why Can’t We Be Friends
