Precarious Towers: Ten Stories
Shifting Paradigm Records

The band name's the same, but in the time between the release of Precarious Towers' eponymous debut and its just-issued follow-up a dramatic transformation occurred. The project was initiated in 2020 by pianist Johannes Wallmann when he and four colleagues found their schedules reduced by pandemic-related shutdowns and, desperate for a creative outlet, gathered for a smattering of performances. Their chemistry was so obvious, plans were made to enter the studio, and the Midwestern group's first album, with Wallmann identified as leader and featuring his compositions, summarily appeared. But thereafter, the other members—alto saxophonist/flutist Sharel Cassity, vibraphonist Mitchell Shiner, bassist John Christensen, and drummer Devin Drobka—stepped forth with compositions to convert a Wallmann-led project into a full-fledged collaboration.

Laid down in early 2023 and featuring tunes by every member, Ten Stories is a band statement in the fullest sense. That it would be so makes sense: all five have distinguished themselves in one capacity or another. Wallmann has ten albums under his belt as a leader, including the well-received 2021 release Elegy for an Undiscovered Species. Cassity has been recognized perennially in Downbeat's "Rising Star Alto Saxophone" category, and the other three are accomplished bandleaders. With all five tightly connecting on the ten performances, these towers sound anything but precarious.

Much of the band identity derives from the arresting front-line of Cassity and Shiner, though the playing of the others commands attention too. She might have had an espionage or spy film soundtrack in mind while writing the brooding “Journeyer,” given the hint of danger shadowing the insistent 5/4 track. The two assert themselves with authority in their solos, but so too do Christensen and Drobka. She wrote “Tone Poem” while walking through the desert of Doha, Qatar in darkness and gazing at the moon and sky, and the reflective mood the experience induced is evident in the dreamlike character of the meditation and the overlapping dialogue between flute and vibes. Speaking of film noir, Christensen's “Purpley” also evokes the style, but this time its romantic side. Solos by the altoist, pianist, and vibraphonist intensify the atmosphere of allure and seduction, Christensen and a brushes-wielding Drobka smart to hold things down firmly in the background.

Drawing from Heraclitus's well-known saying “You can't step into the same river twice” to emphasize that no Precarious Towers performance ever sounds the same twice, Wallmann's soulful “Same River, Once” catches the ear first with its lilting, slightly Latin-tinged pulse and secondly the supple warmth of the breeze that blows in soon after. As shown by it and his gospel-tinged “Nice Day” the pianist has a knack for writing tunes of immediate appeal. Let's not overlook the fact, however, that key to their appeal is how splendidly they're presented by his partners. In the latter case, for example, Cassity's singing alto does much to bolster the impact of the composition.

Elsewhere, “Hutcherspired,” a Shiner rework of Bobby Hutcherson's “Montara,” blossoms from an unaccompanied vibes intro into a ponderous chant-like expression and ultimately an emphatic chamber-styled statement. Shiner's dramatic “Whistle in the Wind” is strong too, the piece in this case memorable for its soulful swing and interlacing of off-beat piano chords and melodic statements by Cassity and the vibraphonist. Inspired by his recent practice in Soto Zen Buddhism, Drobka's “Non-non” finds the drummer strutting his estimable stuff without losing any of the tune's driving momentum. Structurally, it might be the album's simplest piece, yet it affords ample space for the players to assert their personalities.

As strong as the individual expressions are, the group performances register as strongly. Everything about Ten Stories argues that it's a collective statement, not one by musicians who simply assembled to record together. Put these five together and compelling music can't help but materialize.

October 2023