The Strato Ensemble- Drawn Straws
(Fateless 2007)
The Strato Ensemble- Drawn Straws
(Fateless 2007)
From Aural Innovations #37 (Sep 2007)
L.A.’s Strato Ensemble specializes in extended improvisational pieces
rooted in jazz but encompassing elements of fusion and ambient styles. There’s
an insistent ECM-ish feel to much of the material on Drawn Straws and a predilection
for the muted voicings of 70s European jazz artists such as Terje Rypdal, Eberhard
Weber and Klaus Doldinger, the primary difference being that the group’s
sense of melody and rhythm is clearly derived from such American fusion ensembles
as Weather Report and Return to Forever. The sprawling opening track, “Empowering
Gamesake,” is punctuated by some fiery bass lines, maniacal drumming and
dreamy synth pads, with lots of space given over to expert soloing by guitarist
Takeshi Nishimoto and keyboardist Dean De Benedictus. But the constantly shifting
tempos and numerous breaks allow each player ample room for stretching out to
infinity on this 24-minute opus. Nor is the group afraid to experiment with
various textures and timbres, as on the chamber-esque “Trenches”
and the neo-jazztronica of “Galaxing,” which nearly comes across
as a hybrid of The Orb and Stomu Yamash’ta circa his innovative Go projects
of the mid and late 70’s. the amusingly titled “On Thundering Sky
Larker’s Likeness” is perhaps the closest the Strato Ensemble comes
to a bona fide Weather Report knock-off (for those who care about such things),
but even here the disarming freshness of the group’s approach to 21st
century jazz ultimately rescues it from any reliance on models. The Strato Ensemble
is definitely for those searching for new directions in post-jazz.
For more information you can visit the band’s web site at: http://www.thestratoensemble.com
Reviewed by Charles Van de Kree