AMN Reviews: Travis Reuter – Quintet Music (2024; Bandcamp)

In an album that sounds very “New York”, Switzerland-based guitarist Travis Retuer literally gives us Quintet Music. He is accompanied by Mark Shim on sax, Peter Schlamb on vibes, Harish Raghavan on bass, and Tyshawn Sorey on drums.

While Reuter and Shim handle the majority of the leads (with Schlamb also taking his turns), this offering comes across as an effort to avoid falling into traditional forms. The guitar and sax bring strong melodic voices to the fore, usually one at a time but also joining in counterpoint. The short #8 D@z is a prime example of their dense sophistication. The vibes fluidly switch between melodic and harmonic roles, adding an ethereal layer to the mix. With all of this activity, the bass and drum lines could get away with being comparatively straight. But they are not, and instead shape the musical flow through convoluted tempos and dynamics.

Thus, the solos are knotty and the rhythms complex. Indeed, Raghavan and Sorey are downright scary in their ability to keep the tracks moving along even with staggered timings.

Quintet Music was released on April 19, 2024. For purposes of comparison, if you like the last decade’s worth of recordings from Steve Lehman, do not hesitate to engage with this one.