Neta Raanan: Unforseen Blossom (sic)

GIANT STEPS GSA 12 (RECORDED APRIL 2023)

There is no question that saxophonist Neta Raanan, vibraphonist Joel Ross, bassist Simon Willson and drummer Kayvon Gordon are exceptional players. However, as evidenced by Unforseen Blossom (sic), they are simply not good editors. As I remember from my days in advertising copywriting classes, editing helps you hit the right tone and eradicate the dead wood. The tone is not an issue on this initial session for Raanan. Her airy and oblique sound is fresh and appealing while Ross’ fluid and shimmering playing is the perfect partner for her angular approach. Willson’s strong bass lines and Gordon’s shifting rhythms are the glue that hold it all together. The problem is the “dead wood.” The tunes, all composed by Raanan, vary in length from eight-and-a-half minutes to twelve-and-a-half minutes. Normally, that is not a problem for jazz, but without judicious editing tunes tend to meander through various melodies and rhythm changes. Listening to Unforseen Blossom (sic), I am reminded of comments I received on my first few attempts at writing ads — “Watch the run-on sentences!” … “Too many disjointed thoughts!” … “Don’t show off your use of the language, show off your ability to communicate!” … “Get to the point!” Fortunately, Raanan and the group do get to the point on “CY,” a perfectly executed and edited ballad that concludes the session. The excitement of their first recording, and a live one at that, may have contributed to their exuberance. I made the same mistake as I started my advertising career. Fortunately, people gave me a second chance, and I will do the same for this ensemble that shows promise. One final comment about editing — although unforeseen is spelled correctly on the track listing, it is spelled incorrectly on the cover!

BOTTOM LINE: It’s always exciting to hear a new voice on the scene, and Neta Raanan is
just that. A fresh voice on the tenor sax, Raanan leads a quartet featuring vibraphonist Joel Ross through seven original compositions. Recorded live at Brooklyn’s Bar Bayeux, I keep waiting for Unforseen Blossom (sic) to do just that — blossom.