Saxophonist Steve Lehman is still a mystery even though we know so much about him. An accomplished composer, improviser, and educator who did his doctoral studies with Tristan Murail, George Lewis, Fabien Lévy, and Fred Lerdahl, he combines jazz, classical, open improv, electroacoustic music, and even hip-hop. Listening to a new Steve Lehman album is like unwrapping a birthday present from an old friend – you aren’t quite sure what you are going to get but you anticipate the outcome regardless.
Ex Machina was recorded with longtime collaborators Jonathan Finlayson on trumpet and Chris Dingman on vibraphone. Both had previously joined Lehman on his excellent Mise en Abîme octet recording from 2014. Fifteen members of France’s Orchestre National de Jazz (ONJ) are also credited, with drummer Rafaël Koerner and bassist Sarah Murcia of that group making notable contributions. But one look at the ONJ lineup gives you a sense of where Ex Machina might be going, with three members providing electronics (including one on “IRCAM electronics” and another employing generative AI programs). All of this is in addition to flutes, clarinets, saxes, trumpets, trombones, tubas, pianos, and so on.
In this “big band” setting, Lehman is informed by his work with Anthony Braxton – in particular, Braxton’s ability to create involved music structures that can be played by large groups. There are also some surface-level similarities between Ex Machina and Dan Weiss’s woefully underrated Fourteen. In short, Lehman and crew can tie your brain in knots with multi-dimensional complexities. Not just in the melodic or harmonic sense, but also in terms of texture, color, and dynamics.
Case in point, Alchimie is a 3-minute burst of energy that briefly features electronics before breaking out into a densely-constructed rhythm with massive waves of horns moving in and out of focus. Lehman is known for adopting aspects of Murail’s spectralism, which is embodied by the shimmering and pulsing horn patterns as coupled with the vibes. An assertive piano line is present as well.
Jeux d’Anches takes on only a slightly more conventional approach, with a dominant two-note pattern that serves as the basis for rapid-fire sax and vibe soloing. Toward the end of the track, the pattern morphs into a labyrinthine staccato theme punctuated with blasts from the horns and other instruments.
Speed-Freeze (part 2) employs a rock-oriented drum pattern, vibes that are both brisk and slow-moving, and a catchy sax melody. However, a sense of unease permeates the piece, perhaps due to Lehman’s sophisticated use of discordance. Eventually, this evolves into an unconventional vamp over which Lehman solos. In the background, two or three other lines proceed in a contrapuntal fashion.
The remaining tracks head in different directions, with fluttering drones, jagged passages, and judicious use of extended techniques. Each instrument gets its moment in the sun. Some pieces are more improvisational, loosely structured, or sparse.
Needless to say, Ex Machina is a standout release in a year of remarkable recordings. If this is not an album of the year candidate, nothing is. Bravo.
Avant Music News 