Jeremy Carlstedt, Anders Nilsson, Brian Settles
November 3, 2019 3:00pm
The Clemente, Room 203
107 Suffolk St, New York, NY 10002
Free Admission
Drummer Jeremy Carlstedt presents his group Sound Escapes, with saxophonist Brian Settles and guitarist Anders Nilsson on November 3 at the Clemente. These free performances are a great opportunity to introduce friends and family to improvisation!
Read a review of the group's forthcoming album from the New York City Jazz Record below.
This is an ensemble where Danton Boller’s acoustic bass can be the loudest instrument in the mix. And although tenor saxophonist Brian Settles can shout and wail, he is more likely to murmur and purr. Central to the group’s sound is Anders Nilsson’s guitar, but it is rarely amped much or electronically enhanced, relying largely on the resonance of its steel strings. Carlstedt eschews flashy drum gestures, favoring stately rolling toms to crashing cymbals. With the exception of the roughly hot minute of driving uptempo free improv titled “A Walk in Astoria Park”, Sound Escapes offers a series of moods and sonic experiments in variation. Bird songs intrude on “Moments of Harmony”, ironically titled, while dynamics are explored in “Starting From Today”, from shimmering guitar descents to rummaging saxophone whiffles before volume builds to guitar clusters and fluttering saxophone over increasing rhythmic chatter.
Two duets are highlights of this free jazz approach: “Duet (How Much Do You Change)”, between saxophone and drums, moves from a slow rumble and yearning tenor to a tense, speedy climax; and “The Preacher, The Teacher” has spare, finger-picked guitar creating patterns picked up and amplified by highly attuned drumming. One track, “Other Places”, suggests mid 20th century forays into free jazz by Sonny Rollins in Settles’ phrasing and the leader’s more vigorous drive. Closing the album is a surprise, an affectionately lyrical ballad/lullaby for Carlstedt’s infant daughter: “Lily’s Theme”. Her fetal heartbeats are heard earlier in his solo drum track “Baby Carlstedt”. - George Kanzler