Music is magic by another name. A well constructed musical motif can instantly materialise you into a different plain of existence. Its influence over us can cause us to literally pause life, as it pulls all focus on itself. This is what happened when I first heard Music For Saxofone & Bass Guitar by Sam Gendel and Sam Wilkes.
Heavy words, but true.
This short seven track album is a meditative contemporary jazz masterclass, demonstrating what musicians can do when they are in full control of their instruments. The LA duo took the opportunity to make their album a tasteful sandpit of organic and electronic experimentation that never feels like a raucous jam session. With flourishes of hip hop, traditional jazz and sweeping soundscapes, this is a cohesive piece of work with clever musical editing and tasteful production. The result is an album with the aforementioned magic.
Key to the magic is the artist’s abilities as both players and editors.
Saxophonist Sam Gendel makes his ‘saxofone’ speak in different languages (and yes, that is how they spell it on the album). At times it is breathy and timid. At others it’s creating loop motifs that give momentum and drive to the music. Sometimes the sax doesn’t even sound like a sax. Sam balances all this with more traditional melodic passages that drift and meander around his fellow player. This continuous morphing from technique to technique keeps the saxophone fresh and in focus across the whole album.
Bassist Sam Wilkes is also a chameleon, making his bass perform several functions throughout the album. Each track has thick, lush chords that come across like a synthesizer. Then he’ll take a moment to step centre stage with short outbursts of plucky syncopated solos and counter rhythms. The constant shifting of the bass in the composition fills each track with sound, so the absence of other instruments is never truly felt.
The duo’s technical skills are grounded with gentle electronic production. The correct measure of reverb, looping and foreign sounds mean each track is neither jazz nor electronic, but rather a divine mix of both. The track “GREETINGS TO IDRIS” is an excellent demonstration of the electric/organic mix, by starting with simple beatboxing which is slowly layered on itself, forming a hypnotic loop that continuously tumbles through the track. The result is a beat that sounds increasingly complex and synthetic. This is the closest the album comes to having drums, and it’s the better for it.
All this is not to say that it is a passive and easy listen. An interesting album should always challenge, but not completely alienate. The Sams manage to walk this line perfectly, providing both risk and reward. At very specific points in the album such as the track “THEEM AND VARIATIONS”, there are motifs that offer some friction and dissonance, but it never outstays its welcome. As a listener, this means the album is always providing me points of interest along the way, pulling my attention. It reminds the audience this is not an album of cafe music – it wants you to be present with the music.
Gendel and Wilkes wanted to create an album with a different musical vocabulary. Undoubtedly, they have done so. I’m late to the party, but Music For Saxofone & Bass Guitar is a contemporary jazz classic, filled with whimsy, experimentation and craftsmanship, all of which transport you somewhere else entirely, and back again.
Top 3 Tracks
“BOA”
“TRACK ONE”
“IRISH”
Released June 15, 2018
Sam Gendel plays Alto Saxofone and electronics
Sam Wilkes plays Bass Guitar and electronics
Performed, recorded, mixed and produced by Sam Gendel & Sam Wilkes
Mastered by Matthew McQueen
Late to the Party – reviews of older music that you may not have heard.
EDITOR’S NOTE: artist stylises their name, album, and/or songs in lower/upper case letters
