Here we have the latest album by jazz collective Madre Vaca which is the third I have reviewed of theirs. The last was 2023’s ‘Knights of the Round Table’, which was written solely by drummer Benjamin Shorstein and there was a total of ten musicians involved as well as his sister Rebecca providing some vocals, mixing prog and modern classical with the jazz. This time around we are back to a standard quartet setting of Jarrett Carter (guitar), Jonah Pierre (piano and keyboards), Thomas Milovac (bass), and drummer Shorstein, but not only has the group been pared back but Shorstein has not provided any of the material which instead has been composed by the other band members (3, 3 and 2, so very evenly split).
This means that not only regarding the musicians involved, but the composers as well, this is a very different release indeed to the last one which is now firmly within the jazz spectrum. Fully instrumental, there are notes on the rear cover saying what each song is about. It kicks with the upbeat and swinging “Blue Bird” which is about the incredible Charlie Parker, who played the blues and maintained a turbulent lifestyle (which is one way of putting it, his biography is well worth reading). Much of this album reminds me of the jazz scene of the Sixties, with Milovac and Shorstein reading the room and providing just the right amount of support, sometimes delicate and at others frenetic, while Carter and Pierre share the melodic lead. I am guessing it was mostly recorded live as it was completed in just five days, and certainly has that feel about it, resulting in a vibrant and interesting release with a good sympathetic production.
Rating: 8/10
Links:
https://www.madrevaca.org/