Mike Clark : Kuon Ganjo

Although he employs a quintet format featuring saxophone and trumpet, Mike Clark does not entirely ground his new album in the hard bop aesthetic, which has experienced a significant resurgence in recent decades. And the title track is proof of this, as it is a sort of collective improvisation without a melodic theme that illustrates the CD’s subtitle: the Buddhist concept of “time without a beginning.” Here, the quintet takes an approach based on the interplay of the two wind instruments’ raw sounds, while the drums punctuate the whole without setting a regular tempo and the piano weaves together melodic lines and random chords. While the rest of the repertoire consists largely of themes from the ’60s and ’70s—by Sonny Rollins, Herbie Hancock, or Wayne Shorter—Clark and his bandmates bring a particularly contemporary perspective to them. The drummer’s playing, in this regard, is rich in both melody and percussion, and Clark supports the soloists with impressive vigor, often producing a sort of parallel solo to those of his bandmates. These musicians are all people with whom he has collaborated in the past, and they thus form a sort of brotherhood rather than a group of stars assembled for the occasion. Craig Handy—whom we don’t hear enough of these days, in my opinion—reminds us that he is a first-rate improviser and possesses a remarkable tenor sound. Eddie Henderson—whom Clark has known since their time together in Herbie Hancock’s Mwandishi band—also deserves to be brought back into the spotlight, and his luminous tone is beautifully showcased here. Patrice Rushen—who has rarely been heard playing acoustic piano in a jazz context in recent years—demonstrates that she is an accomplished musician, both through her chord and arpeggio playing in support of the horn section and through her inspired solos. As for Essiet Okon Essiet, he is a versatile double bassist whose economical yet powerful playing is perfectly suited to this type of ensemble. Mike Clark thus proves here that, in addition to being a major drummer, he is also a first-rate bandleader who knows how to surround himself with carefully chosen musicians to deliver exhilarating music that should delight any lover of timeless, vibrant jazz.

Line up:

Mike Clark: drums

Craig Handy: tenor saxophone

Eddie Henderson: trumpet

Patrice Rushen: piano

Essiet Okon Essiet: double bass