Marilyn Crispell Trio - Storyteller

[crawjo]

Storyteller

Marilyn Crispell - Piano
Mark Helias - Double Bass
Paul Motian - Drums

ECM

Prior to purchasing this cd, my previous experience with Crispell consisted of her work with Evan Parker. On many of those dates, I felt that I detected elements in her style that were reminiscent of Cecil Taylor. Storyteller, however, showed me an entirely different side to Crispell's playing. This disc would never be mistaken for a Cecil Taylor album.

The mood of this disc is soft and contemplative; the rewards are found in the details. This is music that requires the listener's full attention. The eleven tracks (8 of them written by either Helias or Motian, while three, including the memorable final number, "So Far, So Near" being Crispell compositions) are for the most part quietly stated. Motian relies almost entirely on the brush-sticks and the light touch of the cymbal, with the occasional accent of the snare drum; overall the percussion calls to mind the rustling of leaves; the soft feel of grass under bare feet.

Helias employs a similarly light touch on his instrument. He has two or three very interesting solos on the disc, with perhaps the best one coming on the final track, "So Far, So Near." For the most part, his bass-work acts as a kind of punctuation and commentary on what Crispell is doing.

Despite the rather quiet tone of the album, Crispell displays an impressive degree of melodic and harmonic invention in her playing. Again, overall the feeling is one of quiet contemplation, though occasionally Crispell lets loose with a burst of technical virtuosity that reminds the listener that she can play fast, too.

The recurring theme in this album is the encounter with nature, and I believe that is the "story" the music is sharing. Several of the tracks are explicitly concerned with nature: "Wild Rose", "Flight of the Bluejay", and "The Sunflower", while others suggest the kind of disposition necessary for the appreciation of nature: "Alone"; "Play"; "Cosmology" and "So Far, So Near."

For me, the best tracks were "So Far, So Near", "Harmonic Line" and "Flight of the Bluejay" all of which prominently feature Crispell's extraordinary craftsmanship. In particular, "Flight of the Bluejay" really connected with me, as the Bluejay is probably my favorite bird, and to my ears the melody perfectly captures the beauty of that bird in flight.



The music imparts the feeling of watching the blue jay move from treetop to treetop, with a very memorable and beautiful melody that is occasionally jarred by a sudden and dramatic interposition of ascending chords, which suggested to me the way a blue jay takes off and spreads its blue wings. The piece ends abruptly, with one of these interpositions, implying that the bird has taken off again and disappeared from view. Thus the story ends.

Ultimately, this is the achievement of "Storyteller." The music succeeds in capturing the beautiful yet transitory and elusive qualities of the world in which we live. To my ears, it is a remarkable achievement, and a wonderful record. I expect that I will be returning to it often, if nothing else than as a refuge from the chaotic and frightening world in which we now find ourselves. Four stars out of five. If I have one complaint, it is that the recording sounds a bit too "finished" to me; but I understand this is something of an ECM trademark, so in this respect it is probably like many of its sister recordings in the ECM catalogue.

I apologize for the "impressionistic" quality of this review. I'm afraid that I lack the musical expertise to describe in technical terms what these musicians have achieved.

[blawless]

Thanks for the review, Crawjo--sounds worth the time. I'm a huge Crispell fan and your comments reminded me of my own feelings about Amaryllis, her album on ECM with Motian and Peacock. Similarly gentle and utterly non-Tayloresque, but with an extreme quiet intensity all the same. Every time I put it on my wife, who expects some blast of noise every time I walk over to the CD player, looks at me and says, "I can't believe you like this. Even I like this."

[adh]

Some nice thoughts there,I'll take the "impressionistic" over the technical anyday.I was playing the set last night for the first time and was a little distracted for awhile by listening how Helias compared to Gary Peacock in this trio(they've done two previous sets-"Nothing Ever Was Anyway"(music of Annette Peacock)and "Amarylis",both on ECM)-I was soon focussing tho',he's a safe pair of hands.A lovely set...Motian continues to astound.I'd prefer Crispell in this setting(Gaia is an old favourite,however)reminding me on occassion of Paul Bley in a slightly warmer climate.
In a similar mode,check out Tethered Moon-Peacock and Motian again,with Masabumi Kikuchi.Their latest takes a spin on Puccini's Tosca.

[Pete C]

I haven't heard this yet, but I'm sure you'll like "Amaryllis" with Peacock & Motian. In recent years she's been showing a wonderfully lyrical side. Last night, with Henry Grimes & Andrew Cyrille at the Vision Festival she showed a combination of both sides, and it was phenomenal.

[jazzfiend]

Crawjo, thanks for the thoughtful review. I now feel justified in further depleting what's left of my bank account. While I'm at it, it appears that I should also pick up "Amaryllis".

[J.A.W.]

Excellent review, great album - and so is Amaryllis. Thanks.

[chuckyd4]

Thanks Crawjo - I think you really nailed the spirit of what this group is doing. No worries about the "impressionistic" stuff... the writing is clear and paints a good picture, seems as good to me as most of the stuff I read (including my own!). Haven't had time to hunt this one down yet, but will probably do so now.

EDIT: It just occurred to me that I've read posts where you said you were a writer... that probably has a lot to do with it.

[crawjo]

Thanks for the kind words, everybody. I will definitely have to get Amaryllis, because I've listened to Storyteller five times now, and every time I hear new dimensions in Crispell's playing. She really is a remarkable artist.

Chucky, yes I am a writer, but I'm still getting my feet wet. My first book, a biography of Joe DiMaggio (I used to work as a researcher at the Baseball Hall of Fame) is slated to be released on October 30th of this year. At least, that's what Amazon says on its web site. I've also written some historical articles for various publications.

Someday, I would like to be able to write about music, because it means a great deal to me. Currently I am reading Whitney Balliett's collected works ("A Journal of Jazz" I think is the title) and while I disagree with some of his opinions, I really admire his style, the way he is able to blend "impressionism" with a technical understanding of the art form. I need to read some books or take some classes or something so that I can get a good grasp of music and music theory. Or maybe I just need to pick up an instrument and play. But for some reason I've always been intimidated by instruments, which is probably why I admire musicians so much.

[john williams]

Nice review Crawjo and it makes me want to buy this CD immediately.

Fwiw, I understand "impressionistic" but not technical, so, I am much more likely to respond to your review than one couched in jargon.

I am mostly familiar with MC through After Appleby, which I love and been meaning to get some more of her work as I think she is a modern giant of the music.

[stonemonkts]

Thanks for the great review, Crawjo (and for your much too kind words to me on another thread).

I'll be picking this up soon.

Speaking of remarkable artists, I wanted to mention another pianist I'm fairly sure you would like: Irene Schweizer. Practically any of her Intakt recordings would be worth a listen. If I had to choose one to start, it would be her duo with Pierre Favre.

[J.A.W.]

Originally Posted by stonemonkts

Thanks for the great review, Crawjo (and for your much too kind words to me on another thread).

I'll be picking this up soon.

Speaking of remarkable artists, I wanted to mention another pianist I'm fairly sure you would like: Irene Schweizer. Practically any of her Intakt recordings would be worth a listen. If I had to choose one to start, it would be her duo with Pierre Favre.

I second that. I have several Schweizer Intakt albums, and I have yet to hear one that's less than outstanding. The duo with Favre is one of the best; the interplay between the two is amazing.

[gnhrtg]

Originally Posted by J.A.W.

The duo with Favre is one of the best; the interplay between the two is amazing.

They will appear as a duo, at the end of August, in Jazz a Mulhouse (a week long festival, here in France). I will start a thread on this later but the line-up this year looks very, very, promising. I will certainly be there.

[james harrigan]

Frank Kimbrough was telling me how much he likes this CD. It is on my list.

[Gordon B]

Originally Posted by J.A.W.

I second that. I have several Schweizer Intakt albums, and I have yet to hear one that's less than outstanding. The duo with Favre is one of the best; the interplay between the two is amazing.

There are two, the self-titled one and Ulrichsberg. Which one do you like better?

[AlexV]

I would be happy if I could manage to write one review half as well-written as this one. Well done, crawjo!

[Darryl G. Thomas]

crawjo,

I have the CD and your review was excellent.

Back in the Jazz Central days that some of us talk about (myself, Nagel, Sisco, DuPre, jazzoo) I had an oportunity to do some writing for the site. It is very difficult and I have to give serious props to guys who do it for a livng and do it well.

You write the way I wish I could. And you make me want to revisit the disk when I get home this evening.

Good job!

[crawjo]

Thanks guys. I really appreciate the kind remarks about the review, and am glad there are others who dig the disc as well.

[Cem]

I, finally, just stumbled on this. Excellent review! Exactly the kind of info I'd want, before I decide to hear or purchase a piece of music. I hope you continue to enjoy doing it & keep on writing about music...

[stonemonkts]

I thought I'd bring this thread up again. I am just listening to this recording for the first time. It is astonishingly beautiful. Motian is just amazing, I think he complements her even more than he does Paul Bley, if that's possible.

Pete - If you haven't heard this yet, I strongly recommend you pick it up.

Crawjo - I know you're on vacation, but I wanted to add my voice to those who praised your review. Nice job.

[Capt.W./TX.]

Just got a copy within the last week. A worthy follow-up to "Amaryllis", one of my favorite piano trio albums of recent years.

Mark Helias is one of the great bassists of our time; he fits in very well here. I didn't notice that dramatic a change in the overall sound and concept from the sessions with Gary Peacock; although the two bassists sound different from each other, both approach this type of musical situation very similarly.

On first listening I was drawn more to the musical interaction between Ms. Crispell and Paul Motian.

The two takes of "Cosmology" are most welcome. Crispell has a great talent for keeping a long, seemingly atonal yet melodically intriguing line going. She is totally in control of what seems to be music 'random walk', yet she has a sense of definiteness and inevitability few pianists today can match. And one of Motian's unique talents is his ability to keep a lively yet rhythmically diffuse pulse going. Sunny Murray is the only other drummer that comes to mind with this particular ability.

Aside from these cuts, Crispell handles the neo-Bley ballad abstractions in her own way. If anything, she is a tad more romantic in this genre than either Bley or Jarrett. It's hard to believe that she is also quite adept in the dense, aggressive Cecil Taylor developed, but she is-very much so! IMO. her stylistic diversity and command of the instrument within the realm of creative improvised music makes for some of the most compelling music to be heard
today.

I find myself automatically buying anything new Ms. Crispell records. That
should say quite a bit.

[Lois Gilbert]