Electric Pulse Beneath the Sax
Electric grooves and tenor saxophone collide into a restless, modern jazz record.
Casting for Gravity opens with a thick, mechanical groove, drums locking into synthesizer pulses while the tenor saxophone floats above like something caught in a current. The mood is restless and urban, more hypnotic than swinging, with long-breathed melodies that unfold slowly over a bed of electronic texture. It doesn't sound like a traditional acoustic jazz quartet, and it isn't trying to.
The band is built for this. Tim Lefebvre anchors things on bass guitar, Mark Guiliana drives the drums with a precise, muscular feel, Jason Lindner adds keyboard color, and David Binney contributes synthesizer. Donny McCaslin's saxophone sits at the center, playing with a warm, unhurried tone that keeps the electronics from feeling cold. The interplay between acoustic breath and programmed rhythm is the record's main idea, and the best moments come when the two seem to argue and agree at once.
This is one of McCaslin's more adventurous recordings, and it's a good place to hear where his work went after his more traditional albums. It is not the place to start if you want straight-ahead bop, but for listeners curious about jazz that borrows from rock and electronic music, it is a solid and engaging entry point.
Who's playing
Tim Lefebvrebass guitar
Donny McCaslintenor saxophone
David Binneysynthesizer
Mark Guilianadrums
Jason Lindnerkeyboard
