Joe Lovano and his Polish conspirators from the Marcin Wasilewski trio are endowed with an especially adventurous spirit on their second joint endeavour for ECM. Building on the lyrical strengths that inhabited the group’s previous recording (Arctic Riff, 2020), on Homage the quartet moreover investigates the type of free-flowing interplay and expansive passages of improvisation that have become a staple in Lovano’s ventures with his trio tapestry.

Clocking in at over ten minutes each, two long-form compositions and the title track “Homage” – all Lovano originals – make up the bedrock of the album and find the players at their most exploratory, with Joe frequently swapping out his tenor and tárogató for a variety of percussion instruments.

The group’s pass at “Love In The Garden”, a composition by the Polish violin virtuoso Zbigniew Seifert, embellishes the evocative melody with fluid harmonies, wrapped in haunting rubato tides. Improvised miniatures complete a program that proves Wasilewski and his trio cohorts to be the ideal match for Lovano’s singular musings and the group’s seamless chemistry is more apparent than ever on Homage.

1. Love In The Garden (Zbigniew Seifert) (4:13)
2. Golden Horn (Joe Lovano) (10:20)
3. Homage (Joe Lovano) (8:00)
4. Giving Thanks (Joe Lovano) (2:25)
5. This Side - Catville (Joe Lovano) (12:00)
6. Projection (Joe Lovano) (2:03)

With the album having been expertly produced by Manfred Eicher, they open the new recording on the impressively breathy ballad Love In The Garden and the smoothly warming, ten minute opus Golden Horn, and they are in turn backed seamlessly by the freely evolving title track Homage, the all-embracing Giving Thanks, the set rounding out on the melodious, sturdily grooved 12 minute This Side - Catville, closing on the percussion-hued, improvisationally sculpted Projection.

Musicians:
Joe Lovano - Tenor Saxophone
Marcin Wasilewski - Piano
Slawomir Kurkiewicz - Double Bass
Michal Miskiewicz - Drums

Joe Lovano - Golden Horn [Official Video]

Official Purchase Link

www.joelovano.com