
The quintet is comprised of Wardenski on guitar, Mercedes Beckman on alto sax, Jerry Ascione on piano, Amy Shook on bass, Frank Russo on drums, and Tamara Tucker on vocals. All of the nine tracks are composed by Wardenski himself and they are outstanding. The artists are brilliant in their undertaking of Wardenski’s highly theoretical and experiential arrangements. Tamara Tucker’s vocals are treated as another instrument that serves to transcend and overarch the instrumental contributions.
The rhythms are intricate and Shook and Russo anchor those rhythms with Ascione’s percussive piano. With Tucker’s vocals, Wardenski and Beckman layer on the melodic lines that cross from angular and discordant to lush and warm. Indeed, this is a theoretical Jazz exposition that captivates the mind and rewards the heart.
Trust, the title track, has those moments of warmth that include all of the artists concerned. Ascione’s piano is moving and Wardenski’s guitar with Tucker’s vocals are often touching and reflective.
Before Long, the opening track, is a fascinating introduction to the whole album. The rhythm section is intriguing. Listen closely to Russo and Shook. The layering effects on the whole album compelled me to visit Ian’s website (www.ianwardenski.com) in hopes of finding videos of the quintet performing these pieces from Trust. I was rewarded with videos of five of the nine tracks from the album. It only confirmed what I felt—that I want to see these artists in a live performance someday soon.
The album concludes with a triptych of Matching Energies Modalus I, II, and III. Russo’s drums get the honor of kicking it all off before being joined by everyone else. Ascione’s piano is some of the coolest stuff on the album before Wardenski’s guitar interlude that would make Robert Fripp proud. MEM II sees Wardenski’s guitar at its most lush and open, relying on warmth over precision. Mercedes Beckman also contributes one of her finest solos on the heels of Wardenski. This one also gets another fine solo from Ascione’s piano. Tucker and Russo close out II. The Tucker opens the finale. Once again, as throughout the album, Wardenski, Beckman, and Tucker are in lock step for an extended portion of the piece. Then comes a great trade between guitar and piano that is tight and cool. Beckman then gets an extended feature that takes us to the end before being rejoined by the quintet at large.
Trust by the Ian Wardenski Quintet is nothing if not fascinating. While tugging at the heart, Trust is a feast for the mind of Jazz listeners. The exploration of rhythms, melodies, and musical arrangement lead to rewards long hoped-for. Not ambient music, listen to Trust with intent.
~Travis Rogers, Jr. is The Jazz Owl