Grounded in a spiritual Coltranian sense in the undertow with spoken word poetry on top, black consciousness, meditational profundity is in significant Afrofurist quantity. Joining the core band of poet Camae Ayewa, bassist Luke Stewart, trumpeter Aquiles Navarro, saxophonist Keir Neuringer and drummer Tcheser Holmes are pianist Janice A. Lowe, cellist Lester St. Louis and vocalist Sovei. Irreversible Entanglements on this showing seem like an Art Ensemble of Chicago for our times and there is a deep sense of immersion virtually everwhere you listen here whether in sprawling group improvisation play dancing in and out of sonorous, serious, themes or when Ayewa becomes a compelling voice in the wilderness. It all certainly fits with the New Thing Impulse explorations of the 1960s and you get a sense of what goes around… comes around that will delight avant fans particularly. 'Our Land Back' is the pick of the tunes and one that again provides what this remarkable band do so very well: meaningful expression arrived at through group play and poetic intensity. One of the best albums this year.
The band return to play London this autumn appearing at the London Jazz Festival at Earth in Dalston on 15 November.
Irreversible Entanglements, photo: Piper Ferguson
Tags: reviews