Joshua Achiron: Climbing
Calligram Records

It's not unusual for young solo artists making their debuts to surround themselves with experienced musicians to help guide them through the process. One might imagine such a scenario applies in the case of guitarist Joshua Achiron, who's joined on his debut by tenor saxophonist Geof Bradfield, acoustic bassist Clark Sommers, and drummer Dana Hall, all three mature, Chicago-based players with decades of live and studio experience between them. Yet there's nothing tentative about Achiron's playing on the date, and he asserts himself as strongly in the writing department when seven of the eight pieces are by him. His partners impose themselves on the session with authority, but the guitarist shows himself to be their equal in that regard.

The seed for the project was planted on a July 2023 evening when Achiron played with Bradfield's group at the Jazz Showcase, which ultimately led to the recording session at Chicago's ProMusica with Clark Sommers in the producer's chair. Climbing is an apt choice of title for intimating that the album statement is but one rung on a ladder with many above; the evidence suggests, however, that he's not at the ladder's bottom but already on his way up. It's important to note too that while titles such as “Troubles Become Triumphs” and “The Only Way Is Through” allude to personal trials, the focus is on resilience and overcoming adversity, climbing itself associated with ascension.

While the eight pieces form a cohesive whole, Climbing doesn't lack for diversity and contrast. There are uptempo pieces—the album-closing live take of Duke Ellington's “Take the Coltrane” roars for twelve incendiary minutes, for example—but blues and ballads also. Certainly the bond that Bradfield, Sommers, and Hall have formed in their many sessions helps give the music authority and enhance the chemistry the quartet exhibits throughout. Achiron's persona and stylistic approach already feel well-formed on the release, and the single-note lines he favours thread their way through many a performance. That his playing rarely if ever calls to mind another guitarist's testifies to the personality he's already developed. Bradfield complements him splendidly with his confident presence and attack, while Sommers and Hall provide imaginative and responsive support without being overly dominant.

The opening “Troubles Become Triumphs” engages with a funky bass line paving the way for unison front-line statements before the performance segues into solos, Achiron up first with a scalding, blues-inflected one and Bradfield second with a prototypically assured and voluble statement. Following fast on its heels, “The Papaya King” enters surreptitiously with a funky chordal figure laying an ostinato ground before the mood turns bluesy and swinging. An effects-tinged solo by a fleet-fingered Achiron raises the intensity level and calls forth equally fiery playing from Hall. Having shown its aptitude for hard-hitting material, the quartet dials things down for the intimate ballad “The Only Way Is Through,” the tune providing the leader a good opportunity to reveal his sensitive side. Achiron and Bradfield partner beautifully as they chart their way through the peaceful setting, their partners enhancing the mood with brushed drums and cymbals and a supportive bass foundation.

A relaxed feel characterizes much of the playing—the title track, for instance—but that tone more reflects the confident ease with which the four play together and the spontaneity with which they respond in the moment. One hears that openness in the lyrical ballad “The Pain That Hurts” and the probing, adventurous solos from Bradfield and the leader that distinguish it. Its partner, “The Pain That Alters,” engages with sinuous melodic lines and lulling rhythms that lend the performance a soothing vibe. The tunes aren't without hooks, the keening phrase Bradfield voices in “Mean Machine” a case in point. While the piece features a fluid and adventurous solo from the guitarist, it was actually created with Hall in mind as Achiron wrote it in dedication to his drummer father.

In being a cover and a live take prompting applause, “Take the Coltrane” is a bit of an outlier, but it's no less satisfying for being so. The quartet's bluesy rendition of the Ellington composition is inspired and effervescent, and while it's considerably longer than the other pieces it never feels drawn out when it swings so royally. The tune's inclusion helps make Climbing another strong addition to the Calligram Records discography; the set also testifies to the ongoing vitality of Chicago's jazz scene. And as the label's co-founders, Bradfield and Chad McCullough deserve credit for giving an up-and-comer like Achiron a showcase for his talents.

April 2026