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| New Video! Alex LoRe's New Tribute to Lee Konitz - I Remember You An object in motion stays in motion, as Newton eloquently explained. Thus we have the link connecting one enterprising artist to another. With Motivity, his fifth album to date, saxophonist Alex LoRe draws a direct line from his chordless trio approach to that of his mentor, the late Lee Konitz, on Motion (Verve, 1961). Working with two of the finest rhythm modernists on today's scene—bassist Thomas Morgan and drummer Johnathan Blake—LoRe upholds his reputation as an inveterate creative, presenting a thoughtfully constructed program highlighting his love for melody, communion and pure improvisation as they relate to both the source material and his own search for meaning in music. When Konitz helmed his classic trio sessions more than six decades ago, an impromptu approach to standards was the order of the day. Working with bassist Sonny Dallas and drummer Elvin Jones, the altoist wedded spontaneity and sophistication like no other could. The result—one of Konitz's most critically-acclaimed releases—would eventually come to fuel and focus LoRe: "I first encountered that album at a pivotal time in my musical development. It was during my undergraduate years at the New England Conservatory, and when I started to sit down with that record it really pulled me in. I was taken with the absolute inventiveness—the true improvisation and the subtlety—not to mention Lee's sound." Within a year of that initial meeting with Motion, LoRe connected with the man behind it, performing a contrafact on "I Remember You" for Konitz during a master class. And several years later, once ensconced in the real world, he came to know that icon as a teacher and friend. Their relationship, which grew over time and lasted until Konitz's passing in April of 2020, helped strengthen and affirm LoRe's desire to deliver a concentrated tribute to being and body of work; and with support provided through a Chamber Music America grant, he was able to bring that vision to fruition. Motivity's eight tracks offer artfully laid trails of breadcrumbs leading to their inspiration(s) while standing apart with their own ingenuity and successes. Opening on the fractured swing of "I Remember You, " LoRe winks to the piece's matching pole position on Motion and his initial brush with the master. Hipping Morgan and Blake to the "what" without the "when"—two key changes, time and place to be determined on the fly with tape rolling—he created a wonderful opportunity charged with a touch of uncertainty. Ingeniously-crafted original "Like-Lee, " with a melody built from fragments of eight Konitz compositions (including "Ice Cream Konitz, " "Tautology, " and "Subconscious-Lee"), is the first of several numbers to showcase the strong bond between LoRe and Blake. And "A Weaver of Dreams, " following that weaving of themes, finds LoRe lightly comping behind Morgan's second solo chorus—à la Konitz supporting Dallas on "Foolin' Myself"—and saluting Sonny Rollins, who included the tune in his trio repertoire in that era. Using solo saxophone as a bridge into Konitz's "Thingin, '" LoRe leans on a favored unbound format of the honoree and acknowledges their shared love of the Jerome Kern and Oscar Hammerstein II classic that inspired the composition. "'Tis Autumn, " providing contrast and beauty in balladry, recalls Konitz's embrace of that gem on Tenorlee (Choice, 1978). Then "Free"—a collectively improvised endeavor—serves as a release valve with its off-script standing: "I just felt a breath of fresh air in that scenario, not necessarily feeling beholden to anything and just seeing where the trio could go beyond playing standards." Returning to form for a stylish farewell, LoRe and company tackle "Overly Sentimental"—a contrafact on "I'm Getting Sentimental over You" that appears on the outtakes-enhanced edition of Motion. Nodding to Konitz's musical relationship with fellow horn heavy Warne Marsh, LoRe overdubbed himself on C melody saxophone and, in doing so, created a rapture in reeds. Incredibly rich in substance and nuance, Motivity underscores LoRe's brilliant embrace of the micro and macro while revealing what initially grabbed and continues to hold his attention in Motion: "What's captivating for me is finding something new within a song or a record every time I listen to it. Lee's playing came with all of this subtlety, and that was just magnified with Elvin and Sonny in there. I just really took to his aspect of through-composed improvising, without repeating things or playing clichés or doing things for kitsch value. Those three were just really focused—in the moment, on the music—and they operated in the most honest of ways. That resonates with me on an incredibly deep level and that was one of the records that changed my idea of what was possible and how I wanted to approach music and what was important to me. That's something I put forward on my first recording for trio—Dream House (Inner Circle, 2014)—and it all really comes through on Motivity." NYC RELEASE SHOW: October 5, 2024 at the Jazz Gallery (with Ben Street and Johnathan Blake) MOTIVITY RELEASE DATE: October 18, 2024 write your comments about the article :: © 2024 Jazz News :: home page |