Notes on Jazz: Loren Stillmans' "Winter Fruits" :Dry Ice in an Alto http://notesonjazz.blogspot.com/2009/10/loren-stillmans-winter-...

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Notes on Jazz
A forum for discussion of jazz music, the musicians,reviews of recent and historical releases and
almost anything I find of interest. by Ralph A. Miriello

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RALPH A. MIRIELLO
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Notes on Jazz: Loren Stillmans' "Winter Fruits" :Dry Ice in an Alto http://notesonjazz.blogspot.com/2009/10/loren-stillmans-winter-...

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SATURDAY, OCTOBER 24, 2009

Loren Stillmans' "Winter Fruits" :Dry Ice in an Alto

Loren Stillman is a London born alto

saxophonist who is now residing in
Brooklyn, NY.
In 2002 he was a semi-finalist in the
Theolonius Monk Saxophone
Competition. He has played with a
myriad of master jazz musicians
including Charlie Haden, Paul Motian,
John Abercrombie and has studied with
Lee Konitz and Dave Liebman.

Loren Stillman’s new release “Winter Fruits” is a compilation of eight

songs that together demonstrate a modernist approach to improvisational
music, where melody and chord changes are for the most part abandoned.
In lieu of such traditional forms, the music uses a combination of
orchestrated and free journeys into the creation of a musical atmosphere
where the artist interaction create a flowing, unpredictable conversation
with the listener more or less along for the ride. For this effort Stillman
brings together the skills of organ master Gary Versace, guitarist Nate
Radley and drummer/composer Ted Poor, collectively known as Bad
Touch.

In promotional material sent by his publicist, I was struck by a comment

attributed to the guitarist John Abercrombie. Supposedly Abercrombie
compared the young Stillman, his band mate in the group Jackalope, to a
young Lee Konitz on steroids. Certainly Stillman’s chilled delivery, lack of
vibrato and deliberative cadence are derivative of Konitz’s cool sound.
Abercrombie is another obvious influential force in this music. The album
is reminiscent of some of the ethereal collaborations that Abercrombie has
done with the British multi-instrumentalist John Surman.

The entire album flows in an enjoyable manner that seems organically

connected with the voices of Stillman, Radley, Poor and Versace darting in
and out in a precise but relaxed manner. The album is best listened to as a
suite in one sitting. Stillman’s use of long, deliberate, laid-back lines of
improvisation are quite effective. His tone is pure and never abrasive. He
rarely uses screeches or harsh accents., although there is sometimes a hint
of breathiness in his delivery. When he does emphasis a passage it is
usually with a overflowing continuity of thought which pours from his alto
like the dense white clouds of condensation that pour from melting dry ice.

The precision of the group is most

2 of 2 impressive on “Muted Dreams” with its 12/6/09 10:57 AM
delicate and exquisitely executed