TOMAJAZZ Review (Madrid, Spain) - translated to English from Spanish
Published: September 1, 2006

Jason Rigby - Translucent Space

Musicians: Jason Rigby (saxos soprano, stop and low tenor, clarinete and flauta), Mike Holober (piano and electrical piano), Cameron Brown (under) and Mark Ferber (battery); with the collaboration of Rich Johnson (trompeta), Lauren Riley (chelo), Soo-Kyung Park (flauta), Sam Sadigursky and Jason Gillenwater (clarinetes).

Fresh Sound New Talent 254

Commentary: Two Fresh Sound New Talent previous notified of the existence of Jason Rigby, the CD of presentation of the pianista Kris Davis and Overseas de Eivind Opsvik. Its opening as leader materializes itself in Translucent Space, an album that thanks to its energetic touch and at the level of answer reached about the band does not get to succumb to that anxiety characteristic of many first discs that are the one to want to cover much land at the cost of their unit. Like wanting to make clear that there is no trick in him, Rigby reunites a collection of pieces in whom the material is reduced little to good, sustaining it everything in its own instrumental voice, its capacity improvisatoria and - we insisted an excellent joint work. It does not hide either this student of the serious tenor of Ernie Krivda and of the logical Spartan of Rich Perry its influences: from “the Next” opening of the track of the Coltrane of the Atlantic period he is well perceivable, although tending to the time It impels! in “Backandforthedness” - understood this one as the strong plate of the album in its ten minutes of push and two meditativas ballads as they are “Atmospheric” and “Green of Greens”. In the briosa “Turquoise Turkish”, one of the subjects more obtained of the disc, with Rigby this one time to the stop, shade-guides is the one of Ornette, as she is it the one of Wayne Shorter in the melancholic “Christopher”. It would be an error to reduce to Rigby only to his influences because it is the abundance of ideas and the consistency of his tone which along with maintains to its speech the fluidity obtained by its group, with a Mike very kind Holober to the piano and notabilísimo Mark Ferber who does not confuse the replaced one with hyperactivity. Rigby knows what persecutes combining the immediacy of the brief material of its subjects filled by the conductivo of the joint touch and the asertividad of his own one, with the well-taken care of programming of the cuts in the album (a center in a piece of resistance, two brief but substantial intervals, and the subjects equipped with located adjustments to the beginning and end), a consistent picture, laid the foundations well and attractively. A calling card, well argued and better defendant, than convinces.

Ángel Gómez Aparicio

TOMAJAZZ Review - original in Spanish

Jason Rigby - Translucent Space

Músicos: Jason Rigby (saxos soprano, alto y tenor, clarinete bajo y flauta), Mike Holober (piano y piano eléctrico), Cameron Brown (bajo) y Mark Ferber (batería); con la colaboración de Rich Johnson (trompeta), Lauren Riley (chelo), Soo-Kyung Park (flauta), Sam Sadigursky y Jason Gillenwater (clarinetes).

Fresh Sound New Talent 254

Comentario: Dos Fresh Sound New Talent previos daban noticia de la existencia de Jason Rigby, el CD de presentación de la pianista Kris Davis y Overseas de Eivind Opsvik. Su estreno como líder se materializa en Translucent Space, un álbum que gracias a su enérgico toque y al nivel de respuesta alcanzado por la banda no llega a sucumbir a esa ansiedad característica de muchos primeros discos que es la de querer cubrir mucho terreno a costa de su unidad. Como queriendo dejar claro que no hay truco en él, Rigby reúne una colección de piezas en las que el material se reduce a bien poco, sustentándolo todo en su propia voz instrumental, su capacidad improvisatoria y –insistimos– un excelente trabajo conjunto. No esconde tampoco este alumno del tenor grave de Ernie Krivda y de la espartana lógica de Rich Perry sus influencias: desde la apertura de “Próximo” la huella del Coltrane del período Atlantic es bien perceptible, aunque más tendente a la época Impulse! en “Backandforthedness” –entendido éste como el plato fuerte del álbum en sus diez minutos de empuje– y en dos baladas meditativas como son “Atmospheric” y “Green of Greens”. En la briosa “Turquoise Turkish”, uno de los temas más conseguidos del disco, con Rigby ésta vez al alto, la sombra-guía es la de Ornette, como lo es la de Wayne Shorter en la melancólica “Christopher”. Sería un error reducir a Rigby sólo a sus influencias pues es la abundancia de ideas y la consistencia de su tono lo que sostiene su discurso junto con la fluidez obtenida por su grupo, con un Mike Holober muy atento al piano y un notabilísimo Mark Ferber que no confunde la repuesta con hiperactividad. Rigby sabe lo que persigue combinando la inmediatez del breve material de sus temas llenados por lo conductivo del toque conjunto y la asertividad del suyo propio, con la cuidada programación de los cortes en el álbum (un centro en una pieza de resistencia, dos breves pero jugosos intermedios, y los temas dotados de arreglos situados al inicio y final), un retrato consistente, bien y atractivamente cimentado. Una tarjeta de visita, bien argumentada y mejor defendida, que convence.

Ángel Gómez Aparicio