Tony Malaby's Paloma Xtra 4/19 NYC

[Steve Reynolds]

Malaby on tenor and soprano
Eivand Opsvik on bass
Ben Gerstein on trombone
Ben Monder on guitar
Dan Weiss and Billy Mintz on drums

Snapshot comments:

Malaby very focused, band tight and ethereal. Gerstein and Malaby are remarkable with both ensemble interplay and intense growling, sailing and wailing improvisations. And the two drummers with a combination of sticks, brushes and mallets - Lordy fucking Lordy.

First set as powerful a presentation of Malaby's vision as can be heard. They build towards his intricate and gorgeous compositional elements sometimes very slowly and organically. Space and dynamics were a theme. Second set more beatiful with a long balladic piece centering the set followed by the piece that opens the Novela record.


Before the last piece of the second set (each of the three compositions of the second set were between 17 to 25 minutes, I think), he tells the band to "take their time getting to it".

Fwiw first set was a hour straight through going through probably three compositions as well. I think they actually rehearsed yesterday which is pretty unusual and I think they also just recorded in the studio - one hopes that the sound guys can capture this very unique and difficult to pigeonhole ensemble to some effect somewhere or anywhere near what they sound like from a few feet away.

The take it slow and find one's way approach is fairly common method for Malaby's music where the material seems to morph out of nowhere and the resolutions are not always apparent or often may not happen but when they do, it can be magical and seemingly spontaneous. The music this band and a few others in NYC play are melding composition and improvisation in detailed and complex ways that really has never been done this successfully.

The band last night used restraint and a no hurry approach to great advantage as they are capable of playing knock down, soaring grooving jazz/free bop/post bop with two fine drummers - and they could come right out of the box and impress and please easily the majority of the crowd but they play for something way more than that - and as far as the two drummers I think maybe one great one in Billy Mintz (first time for me and he was a pleasure), but they resist the easy way. They then find excitement and tension in the small intense concentrated improv as well as the floating almost pretty melodic passages. And although the intense loud ripping music does happen, it doesn't come off as inevitable or rote.

There was a long section during the middle of the first set with Opsvik soloing (if you will with both drummers on brushes and this went on for a few minutes and it seemed subs a bit too long but by the time I caught myself it had morphed into something only made possible by the progression and the drummers played almost as one - as one if the guys said when they play with Nasheet, it is almost like two drummers - and when the two drummer guys were eventually going at it, it was a beast unleashed. And as Mintz said after the first set, they loved it when I asked him if it was fun. Loved it. Maybe more than me but tough to imagine that.

And as far as the leader, he looked nice with a buttoned blue shirt albeit untucked and for some and for me maybe most importantly he played his soprano and tenor saxophone as if possessed. He had it ALL going on. Cliche free, soft loud and a few sections with or without the mercurial Gerstein that had anyone there with a pulse stunned or maybe just amazed.

Giants Walk This Earth



Standing on a Whale Fishing for Minnows

[Ron Thorne]

Thanks so much for your passionate, informed, and always fun-to-read review, Steve.

What, no photos?

[Steve Reynolds]

Only a couple of pictures and not my best - and I'm no photo guy!!! - plus they are on my phone and me being the luddite that I am - I have not idea how to post them here.

If i did I have some good ones of a few past shows including Brotzmann, Mat Maneri, William Parker, Hamid Drake, Ray Anderson, Marty Ehrlich, Susie Ibarra, Darius Jones, etc.

Give me a pointer or two and I'll try to post a few here.

[pig pen]

Very nice review Steve. I envy you for the shows that you're able to get to.

[Ron Thorne]