Tom Pierson Orchestra “Last Works”

(Auteur 2018)トム・ピアソン 『ラスト・ワークス』
Blue Lou Marini —saxophone, woodwinds
Mark Vinci —saxophone, woodwinds
Shu Enomoto —saxophone, woodwinds
Neil Johnson —saxophone, woodwinds
Michael Lutzeier —saxophone, woodwinds
Dominic Derasse —trumpet
Mike Ponella—trumpet
Tim Leopold—trumpet
Lew Soloff—trumpet
Ben Herrington —trombone
Robinson Khoury —trombone
Dan Levine —trombone
Jeff Nelson —trombone
Tom Pierson—piano
Kanoa Mendenhall —electric bass
Pheeroan Aklaff —drums 

Let’s hope “Last Works” is at least partially mis-titled. The work here speaks of such promise and power that another recording of this stellar big band is richly deserved. The compositions are tight, the playing loose, and the band primed. It’s rare to hear a CD where everything goes so right.

The music ranges from complex post-bop stylings to lushly layered harmonies to bouncy modals. The music is more complex than it sounds, but because it doesn’t sound complex, it’s even more interesting. As a composer, Pierson has a refined sense of how big bands create a dense and well-conceived sonic experience, but he combines that with a piano trio’s sense of forward momentum and immediacy.

The recording is very unified. Without trying to deliver one each of different types, Pierson has created a coherent set of tunes that explore widely while still fitting together. He wisely sticks to the atmosphere he wants, and lets the musicians work from deep inside that. You get a sense that the band had to study these charts beforehand, but once they did, and it all clicked, they enjoyed playing them immensely.

Part of that joyousness comes from the members’ professional experience, which would take another article just to list. Pierson is picky about his band members, and he chose amazingly well for this recording. Their solos add to the composition by shaping and forming the underlying structure in intriguing ways. The members clearly know what Pierson is doing, and help make it do even more. The members’ interaction is a large part of the fun here, and contributes to the depth of feeling. The energy flows in all directions, engaging the parts to become much more than a simple sum.

Pierson’s compositions edge toward the symphonic, with a rich palette of sounds, solos and textures. Yet, every time he does that, with rising, building momentum, he’s not afraid to resolve that into a delicate, pointed melody that is achingly beautiful. Or a bass and drum line that snakes into your ears. Or a crescendo that lifts you with its rising power. Or a rollicking, edgy solo that straightens your spine. It’s potent music.

Which tunes stand out? They all do. Everything Pierson puts into musical form comes out vibrant and intense, but in a long history of great works, this double CD of thirteen big band works is his most impressive accomplishment to date. 

(March 7, 2020)

Tom Pierson Homepagehttps://sites.google.com/site/tomcpierson/
Band Camphttps://tompierson.bandcamp.com/?fbclid=IwAR0Oz7xoGF0vWrMEefOVH2vN914xC6wYYnGALXb35iJTRvpznSW3-Re8HJY
Previous Live Review of Tom Pierson https://www.jazzinjapan.com/homepage/tom-pierson-the-trio/
Interview with Tom Pierson from 2014https://www.jazzinjapan.com/homepage/2008/12/05/tom-pierson/