Reverso: The Melodic Line
Out Note Records

By titling their debut Reverso album Suite Ravel, American trombonist Ryan Keberle and French pianist Frank Woeste stressed the critical role classical music plays in their hybrid jazz/classical project. That was one of the reasons why they formed the group in the first place, the idea being to explore the cross-pollination between the styles and fashion a chamber-styled form that would organically and indissolubly blend the two. Among the things that makes the result so compelling is that at no time does a performance slot itself into one or the other camp; instead, both are simultaneously alive, such that even when an improvised passage arises, a classical connection is still evident.

The group's sophomore release parts company from the debut in two ways: first, while it's still firmly in place, the classical dimension is less overtly referenced; more critically, whereas drummer Jeff Ballard and French cellist Vincent Courtois joined Reverso on Suite Ravel, The Melodic Line features Keberle, Woeste, and Courtois only, a move that brings the group's sound closer to chamber music. Of course, the cello, with its vocal-like tone, makes for a beautiful partner for the other instruments when their timbres are so distinct. When Keberle and Courtois voice unison lines in “Exemplar,” for example, the clear separation between them makes for an exquisite result.

The French connection established by the debut carried over to the sequel, with Keberle and Woeste writing compositions inspired by the music of ‘Les Six,' an early twentieth-century collective of French composers whose members included Darius Milhaud, Francis Poulenc, Arthur Honneger, and Germaine Tailleferre. One reason their works appealed to the duo is because of the jazz-related dimension exemplified by certain 'Les Six' works; Milhaud's 1923 ballet La création du monde, for instance, suggests ties to Chicago-style jazz. For his part, Woeste was intrigued by a suite of Brazilian folk-influenced piano pieces Milhaud wrote called Saudades do Brasil; even a cursory listen to The Melodic Line reveals a similar influence in some of its nine pieces.

The swinging rhythm that propels “Blue Feather” certainly has more to do with jazz, but the elegance with which the three execute their parts is very much in the spirit of chamber classical. It's one of those tracks where the Brazilian influence is strongly present, the feel amplified by the inclusion of handclaps to deepen the grooving feel. Indicative also of the album is the stirring theme warmly voiced by Keberle, and the clarity with which the three instruments resonate. Already evocative in its title, “Montparnasse” proves even more so when a haunting two-note figure punctuates the interactions unfolding at the forefront. As funky as “Blue Feather” is the bluesy “Absinthe,” which, similar to “Montparnasse,” distinguishes itself from the others in weaving what sounds like a whistling element into its arrangement. In contrast to such driving rhythm-based pieces, “Sisters of Mine” opts for a sultry dreaminess that's in its own way as potent, whereas “Clara” takes the release out splendidly with a deeply lyrical expression.

The absence of bass and drums puts extra pressure on the three to sustain regulated flow on their own; at the same time, the omission proves liberating in the way it allows the trio to contract and elongate the songs' rhythms at will, and in featuring three voices only, the playing context also grants each ample room to maneuver. The compositions, five by the pianist and four by his co-leader, provide wonderful showcases for Courtois's vibrato-rich expressions, Woeste's eloquent delivery, and Keberle's burnished tone. If Suite Ravel was the perfect title choice for the debut, The Melodic Line turns out to be strong too when melody is so pivotal to its impact. As exceptional as the playing of the three musicians is, it's equaled by the calibre of the material Keberle and Woeste prepared for the release.

March 2020