2010 · Album
Saturnian (Solo Saxophones, Volume 1)
Recorded 2009 · AUM Fidelity · Produced by Not specified
One Man, Three Reeds, Infinite Space
Ware expands his arsenal beyond the tenor to reveal facets of his vision rarely heard in quartet settings.
David S. Ware had built his reputation on the power of ensemble play — his quartet was the vehicle most listeners knew. Saturnian arrived as a necessary correction to that image. All About Jazz recognized immediately what was happening: Ware moving through three instruments in sequence, each one opening a different room in his sound. The saxello first, breathy and intimate, then the stritch with its urgent rasp, finally the tenor sax in full voice. Three extended pieces, one musician, no safety net.
This is not a record about technical mastery or showing off range, though Ware has both. It's about what happens when you strip away the drums, the bass, the other voices — when you're alone with the air and the instrument and whatever you need to say. The saxello passages have a singing quality, almost vocal, where you hear him thinking through the melody in real time. The stritch work gets tense, almost abrasive, pushing the reed to uncomfortable places. When the tenor finally enters, it feels earned, like he's been building to this moment across the whole album.
Recorded live in 2009 and released on AUM Fidelity, Saturnian revealed that Ware's imagination extends far beyond what his working quartet could accommodate. This is not an easy listen — there's no groove to grab, no rhythm section to anchor you. But if you've wondered what drives him as a musician when the external structures fall away, this answers it. Not a place to start with Ware, but essential if you want to understand him fully.
Who's playing
David S. Waresaxophone
