JAZZ : NEW RELEASES : Muhal Richard Abrams: Livin’ Large

MUHAL RICHARD ABRAMS

“Blu Blu Blu”

Black Saint

* * * *

Abrams’ previous large-ensemble recordings have tended toward daunting severity. Here, the pianist-composer doesn’t temper his approach; he just takes better advantage of the multiple textural, rhythmic and melodic possibilities of his 15-piece ensemble to create demanding but still vibrant music.

Venerable traditions are saluted in “Bloodlines,” a 15-minute homage to swing bandleaders, and the title track--a down-home blues dedicated to Muddy Waters that pits Davide Fluczynski’s Delta-style slide guitar against lush horn riffing. “Stretch Time” mines a more modern vein, with Abrams’ piano solo ultimately exploding in Cecil Taylor-esque flurries, while “Petsrof” is a strikingly atmospheric piece for lower-register horns topped by Abrams’ eerie bells and synthesizer.

The soloing is succinct and substantial; more important is how organically these improvisations unfold within Abrams’ ensemble conception. His savvy use of orchestral voicings to color the contrapuntal melodies and cross-rhythms sparks arrangements that achieve maximum density without unnecessary clutter. A masterful work.

New albums are rated on a scale of one star (poor) to four (excellent). A rating of five stars is reserved for classic reissues or retrospectives.