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Kerry Politzer, piano, vocals; Eric Rasmussen, alto and soprano saxophones;
Pete Smith, guitar; Howard Britz, bass; Andrea Valentini, drums.
Technical mastery of rhythm, particularly the concept of pulse, is a hallmark
of the next generation of improvising musicians. Ms. Kerry Politzer certainly
belongs among them. This new music is all about motion and forward thrust,
and as in many modern Jazz groups, certain techniques derived from European
classical music, including rubato, are entirely absent.
Ms. Politzer is a rigorous composer and pianist with Chick Corea-like dexterity,
especially in the use of single note lines. Her eleven original charts,
based largely on definable chords and tending to favor a two-beat pulse,
are reasonably predictive as to the direction of the group's improvisations.
The whimsically titled "Aardvark" provides the best moment in
the session, where the mathematical inclinations give way to more abstract
and intuitive creations.
This is a very good quintet recording session.
By James D. Armstrong, Jr.
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