Gauci, Stephen / Kirk Knuffke / Ken Filiano - Chasing Tales
SKU
RPR 1023
“By way of introduction, Gauci parades his easygoing burly tenor saxophone, blending emphatic motifs amid roller coaster lines in a limber double act with Filiano’s nimble-fingered stylings, which fuse melody with rhythmic attack on the opening ‘Epee’. That’s followed by a similarly involved pairing of cornet and bass at the outset of ‘Ghosting’, before Gauci joins to inaugurate a spirited three-way interaction. It’s immediately obvious that as a group they are fully formed, missing nothing, a feeling confirmed by charts extracting maximum impact from the resources at hand. Gauci’s jauntily contrapuntal ‘Boogaloo’ constitutes one of the early highlights with its vibrant interlocking parts.
But even within the tight arrangements there exists ample space for individual expression. Knuffke and Filiano enjoy a special rapport, as evinced by both their mercurial exchange of half-valve splutters and plosives and creaky bow work on ‘Probing For Places’ and subsequent reflective dialogue to close ‘Speaking Of You Gently’. However, Filiano’s title track is the standout piece, even among a consistently engaging set, and he excels throughout, whether in the dramatic contrast between his startling arco unisons with Gauci’s tenor and his full-toned pizzicato or his concluding solo, which splices gravitas, and urgency.”--John Sharpe / The New York City Jazz Record
- LabelRelative Pitch
- UPC616892189640