IndieMonkey: Joel Futterman & Ike Levin - The Present Gift/Lifeline

Joel Futterman & Ike Levin - The Present Gift/Lifeline (with Kash Killion)
Roman St. James

I think it safe to say that avant-garde or 'free' jazz is an acquired taste. Unlike most other forms of jazz in which the soloists follow prescribed chord changes, avant-garde music is largely devoid of any structure at all. To the majority of casual listeners, the sound produced is a cacophonous noise that hardly qualifies as music at all. However, to the initiated, quality avant-garde jazz is the ultimate expression of musical freedom, a sound ripe with emotional impact and immediacy; a style of playing that only the most talented musicians can successfully execute.
Joel Futterman and Ike Levin are two such talented musicians as is evidenced on their two latest recordings, the duo release The Present Gift (2001) and the trio release Lifeline (2002). On these recordings Futterman plays piano, curved soprano saxophone and wooden Indian flute, while Levin plays tenor saxophone, bass clarinet and Brazilian Kalimba - a type of 'thumb' piano that originated in Africa. On Lifeline the duo becomes a trio when they are joined by Kash Killion on cello and African wooden flute.
Anyone that takes the time to really listen to their recordings cannot help but marvel at their mastery of the craft. Take for example the song "Pathway" from Present Gift on which at one point Futterman plays a bass line on the piano with his left hand while simultaneously playing a one-handed soprano solo with his right. It's absolutely amazing! The other aspect of these recordings that deserves high praise is the fact that they are all original compositions that were created spontaneously by the musicians during the recording session. This is the epitome of the phrase 'in the moment' and serves as further proof of what a grand accomplishment these two CDs are. The songs run the gamut from wild and intense to soothing and meditative. "Eternal" from Present Gift is almost romantic in the nostalgic picture that it paints, while "Dream" from the same album has an exotic sound more reminiscent of world music than avant-garde jazz.
Each of these compositions seems to have taken on a life of their own. On some of the tunes the group improvises simultaneously while on others they present a call-and-respond format, but they all contain an organic earthiness that makes the whole seem greater than the sum of its parts. Ranging from 55 seconds to over 26 minutes in length each song tells a story using elements of blues, classical and even Middle Eastern music as its vocabulary. Killion's cello works very well with the Futterman/Levin duo, bringing additional depth to the dimension of their sound. He neither underplays nor overplays, either of which would have lessened his impact on the music.
If you've acquired the taste for free jazz, you should find these two CDs very satisfying additions to your collection. If you haven't, maybe it's time to be a little adventurous and find out what you've been missing.

Band Website | Contact Band | Give Us Feedback on Review