courtesy of Dr. Jazz Operations
Mood is the title of the latest album from jazz flutist Gerald Beckett, and the timing could not be better. At a time when all news seems to be bad news, there is much to be gained from having music as a palliative. It may not solve any problems, but it may at least lead us to a frame of mind in which we feel more motivated to contribute what we can towards those solutions.
Ironically, the very title of the album refers to one of the tracks that has a dark twist. Bassist Ron Carter composed a tune that he called “Doom” during the time of his membership in what is now known as the second Miles Davis Quintet. However, when the piece was recorded with Miles, Miles added a melody of his own to the performance; and the title was changed to “Mood.” Beckett’s liner notes suggest that the title of the CD is a reflection of the anagram of the two titles. Listening to the track, one can detect a sense of synthesis of the connotations of the two respective nouns.
That explanation of the album title basically previews the premise that Beckett’s work as both interpreter and composer does not deserve casual listening. Across the album’s nine tracks there are no end of imaginative dispositional shapes, most of which involve complementary solo work by the other members of Beckett’s generously-sized band. (Full disclaimer: none of the names of those band members are familiar to me.) These are imaginative readings of equally imaginative tunes by major jazz musicians. Rather than offering a retreat from all of that bad news, they simply allow the mind to turn to reflection; and reflecting on the music may then engender clearer reflection on where one stands in the current state of affairs and what one can do about it.
This is music that can soothe the turmoil of the “savage breast;” but it can also allow the mind to focus on acting, rather than merely enduring.
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