Kris Davis' Diatom Ribbons: Live at the Village Vanguard
Pyroclastic Records

An artist intent on recording there might understandably be daunted by the Village Vanguard's history when some of the most lauded jazz albums of all time—those by John Coltrane and Bill Evans, for example—were captured there and helped turn the club into something of a shrine. Not so Kris Davis, who shows that the weight of the venue's storied history rests lightly on her shoulders: rather than play it safe, the pianist delivers a bold, forward-thinking statement by her Diatom Ribbons quintet, which features her with drummer Terri Lyne Carrington, turntablist Val Jeanty, bassist Trevor Dunn, and electric guitarist Julian Lage. Issued on her Pyroclastic Records imprint, the double-CD set arrives four years after the group's attention-getting debut.

While the leader augments her customary piano with prepared treatments and arturia microfreak synthesizer, the band's wild card is Jeanty, whose turntable effects and voice samples give the outfit a fresh vibe. It's something Davis herself acknowledges in noting that the addition of a DJ and electronics “throws a wrench in the traditional jazz quartet format.” It's impossible to predict where this adventurous music's going, which makes for a gripping listening experience. The impression created is of musicians inspired by the sense of discovery afforded them by collective music-making and compositional structures designed for individual expression. The recording happened at the end of the group's weeklong residency at the club, which meant some degree of familiarity with the material had crystallized and enabled the five to lean into the performances, spread across two nights in May 2022, with confidence.

The material ranges widely, but a common thread is Davis paying tribute to those who've influenced and inspired her. Covers of pieces by Ronald Shannon Jackson, Wayne Shorter, and Geri Allen appear, and voice samples of Sun Ra, Karlheinz Stockhausen, Olivier Messiaen, and Paul Bley surface in different places. References to pieces by Conlon Nancarrow (“Study No. 9 for Piano Player”) and Eric Dolphy (“Hat and Beard”) also find their way into the intensely atmospheric “Nine Hats,” and a three-part suite pays homage to Charlie Parker.

It's great to see Davis covering a Shannon Jackson composition (“Alice in the Congo”) and even better to see Lyne Carrington channeling the late Texan with one of his trademark shuffles. Diatom Ribbons ain't the Decoding Society (not that it should be), but his spirit is definitely present in her drumming. The leader and Lage also sound right at home swinging alongside turntable swirl and the funky groove. Using its striking theme as a springboard, the five work patiently through a bluesy, slow-motion reading of Allen's “The Dancer.” “Kingfisher,” the first part of the “Bird Suite” roars from the outset, with a throbbing rock pulse sprinkled with turntable swizzle, warbly voices, and piano splashes. “Bird Call Blues,” the jazzy central part, is arresting for the bird sounds chattering throughout and Bley's comments about Parker; the concluding part, “Parasitic Hunter,” is a particularly freewheeling affair. The band tackles Shorter's “Dolores” twice, both takes ferociously swinging treatments elevated by the rhythm section's muscular drive and Lage's spiky attack.

The guitarist isn't afraid to get wild and scrabbly in this context, and an overall loose feel informs the recording's 105 minutes. There's free playing, exploration, and soloing aplenty—see the no-holds-barred one Davis unleashes in the Shannon Jackson cover—but also scripted moments and cohesive structures. With many a track in the ten-minute vicinity, the group has ample room to maneuver. As much as Davis benefits from being part of the time-honoured tradition of the Village Vanguard's releases, she returns the favour by showing that the club isn't mired in the past but instead on board with new visions and concepts. The release is thus a canny move for both artist and venue.

October 2023