PAPATAMUS REDUX

PINE EAGLE 016  (RELEASED OCTOBER 25, 2024)

If I was asked to write the definition of the word balance it might look something like this: an aesthetically pleasing integration of elements as in Rich Halley’s Dusk and Dawn. The elements on Halley’s 26^th recording as a leader include a combination of his own compositions and spontaneous improvisations delivered by a quartet of long-time musical partners  — trombonist Michael Vlatkovich, bassist Clyde Reed and drummer Carson Halley. Everything about this release is well-balanced. Consider the tunes, ranging from “Spherical Aberration,” with its Ornette Coleman inspired angularity to the slow and dreamy mood of “After Dawn” and ballad-like compositions such as “Retrograde” to the bluesy feel of “Hard Truth.” Halley and Vlatkovich are perfectly balanced as well. Halley, with his brawny, bold and impassioned sound, complements Vlatkovich’s more fluid and articulated playing. The rhythm section of Reed and Carson Halley intuitively adjust their approach to accentuate the subtle differences between Halley’s and Vlatkovich’s individual styles.  And then there are the arrangements — balanced with unison passages for Halley and Vlatkovich (as on the Monkish “Spatter’), conversations between the two players (as on “The Return”) and the supportive comping they provide for each other on “Retrograde.” Simply stated, Dusk and Dawn is the perfect balance between conventional and unconventional, but I would expect nothing less from Rich Halley and this quartet that has mastered the craft of listening to one another, exploring melodies and rhythms, conversing with one another and achieving an aesthetically pleasing integration of elements. In a word, balance!

BOTTOM LINE: A Cadillac dealer in my community built his reputation with the slogan, “Quietly doing things very well.” That’s exactly how Rich Halley has built his reputation as a saxophonist, bandleader and composer. Without tremendous recognition and hoopla from the major jazz media, Halley has been quietly building a catalog of recordings (26 to date). Dusk and Dawn is one of his best, and I will not keep quiet about that!