Jakob Dreyer Quartet $25

Bassist-composer Jakob Dreyer Showcases a New Sound, a New Band and an Urge to Swing on his third album as a leader, Roots and Things While the versatile German-born, New York-based bassist Jakob Dreyer had already proven himself quite a prolific composer on two previous volumes of his Songs, Hymns and Ballads, he takes things up a notch on Roots and Things. Assembling a formidable crew in vibraphone sensation Sasha Berliner, acclaimed tenor saxophonist Tivon Pennicott and in-demand drummer Kenn Salters, Dreyer showcases 15 vibrant and persistently swinging original compositions along with one well-chosen cover on his third recording for the Barcelona-based Fresh Sound New Talent label. With its emphasis on urgent swingers, muscular grooves and thoughtful ballads, interspersed with brief interludes serving as kind of palette-cleansers for the listener, Roots and Things is a profound statement by the bassist-composer who has become a ubiquitous figure on the NYC jazz scene since moving to the Big Apple in 2014. “After my previous two albums, which featured piano (Jon Cowherd), I felt I wanted the next one to sound different,” said Dreyer. “So I was thinking what would be a good way to change it. And I thought of different instruments before settling on vibraphone. It just shapes the music so much, I think. And also, Dave Holland’s use of vibraphones on several of his records definitely was an influence in my decision.” And what Bay Area-born 27-year-old Sasha Berliner brings to the party is something wholly unique. Named one of “10 Rising Women Instrumentalists You Should Know” by SFJAZZ Magazine in 2018, she was described a “young mallet master” by JazzTimes while being cited as #1 Rising Star Vibraphonist in the 2020 Downbeat Critics Poll at age 21. She is joined on the frontline by Pennicott, one of the most fluent and engaging saxophonists on the scene today, and pushed by the propulsive rhythm tandem of Salters and Dreyer. Together they exude remarkable chemistry from track to track on Roots and Things. Regarding the title, Dreyer explained, “I thought it has several meanings, but for me it’s all about the bass, because that’s what I mostly do, play the root.” The album opens on a mesmerizing note with minimalist “The Fifth Floor,” underscored by Berliner’s hypnotic vibes ostinato and fueled by Salters’ crisp, power-precision drumming. “Constellation” is a freewheeling swinger with Pennicott’s bold tenor sax stating the opening motif before jumping off on a surging uptempo solo paced by the leader’s unerring, driving bass lines and fueled by Salter’s interactive attack on the kit. Berliner also contributes an invigorating bop-inspired solo here and Dreyer follows with a resounding solo rooted in his bass heroes Paul Chambers, Dave Holland, George Mraz and Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen. The angular “Follower” is a launching pad for some potent explorations by tenorist Pennicott and vibist Berliner. Drummer Salters is unleashed on the kit over a band ostinato on this intensely grooving number. Things settle into a mellower space on “June Tune,” a mysterious, harmonically rich tune providing abundant solo space for Berliner, Pennicott and Dreyer, whose deep-toned exploration here is a lyrical highlight. The burning interlude “Land of 1,000 Blues” is a brief (all of 20 seconds) but fiercely swinging take on Chris Kenner’s 1962 rock classic, “Land of 1,000 Dances,” subsequently made famous in hit single versions by Cannibal & the Headhunters and Wilson Pickett. It is the first of four such segues on Roots and Things. “I thought I could just use these interludes in between the main songs, just to reset your mood,” explained Dreyer. “So if you’re listening to the whole album all the way through, you come to these resets and you can enjoy the next song again.” The lone cover tune here, a modernist 5/4 take on the Rodgers & Hart show tune from 1929, “With a Song in My Heart,” is a showcase for some probing improvisations by Berliner, Pennicott and Dreyer. It is followed by another interlude, the loping mid-tempo “Bodega,” which fades after 32 seconds of insistent swing and walking bass. The dreamy ballad “Downtime,” underscored by Salters’ brushwork and Berliner’s resonant comping on vibes, reveals the leader’s instinct for contrapuntal playing. Berliner, Pennicott and Dreyer each offer brilliant, highly expressive solos on this poignant number. The burning “Fight or Flight,” an up-tempo romp with an intricate head and a riff reminiscent of Wayne Shorter’s “Yes or No,” uncorks some scintillating solos from Berliner and Pennicott, paced by Dreyer’s resolute walking bass lines. Vibes and sax engage in some rapid-fire exchanges with drummer Salters as the piece heats up. The 42-second interlude “MTA,” swings forcefully with some tightly synchronized hits along the way, then “Hold On” is a showcase for the leader’s contrapuntal playing and Salter’s highly interactive instincts on the kit. Pennicott and Dreyer each d