Dangerous Vision - Michael Wolff & Impure Thoughts

Sep

1

Dangerous Vision - Michael Wolff & Impure Thoughts

≡ Category: 2000s, Essential, Jazz Funk, Latin Jazz, Post Bop, Reviews |
≅ Written by: Michael Kydonieus

JAZZBO NOTES ESSENTIAL RECORDING

Rating:

On Dangerous Vision, pianist Michael Wolff has figured out a way to put a unique spin on the piano trio. Basically, he has added two percussionists, and not just any two percussionists, but masters Badal Roy and Airto.

Appropriately enough, for an ensemble with three rhythm players, Michael Wolff’s improvisations are built from the groove on up.

The title cut, Dangerous Visions, starts out with a drone, which Wolff expands with large chord clusters on piano that orbit around the ostensible tonal center. Soon enough, the hip hop drums of Mike Clark kick in, while bassist John B. Williams maintains the drone. Wolff adds a three chord riff on Fender Rhodes and then experiments with some rhythmic ostinatos on piano that play off of the drums.

On Cannonball Adderly’s Work Song, Wolff is again working off of a pedal point, this time sustained by bassist John B. Williams, who increases interest by incorporating lots of slides into and around the pedal point.

By this time, Michael Wolff’s game plan is becoming obvious. Use plenty of pedal points, play off of the rhythms, harmonically dance around the pedal points, anchor the tunes with plenty of pentatonic, blues-based riffs, and incorporated hip hop rhythms whenever possible. It’s a potent formula.

The rest of the tunes on Dangerous Visions are essentially variations on this theme, but no less involving for that.

Michael Wolff uses the formula to put a unique spin on Coltrane’s A Love Supreme. Surprisingly, it works, giving this standard an urgency it doesn’t often possess. This Love Supreme takes place in the carnal world of the present, not in the spiritual one to come. One special touch is that John B. Williams’ bass seems to have fed through a wah wah pedal.

One of the benefits of this approach is that it leaves Wolff with maximum freedom for his explorations. With more elaborate structures, sometimes the tune is playing the musician as much as the musician is playing the tune. That’s certainly not the case here.

Dangerous Visions was recorded live in the studio, which seems to have created an electric atmosphere for the musicians. There’s a lot of energy in these performances. Technically, the sound is gorgeous. So, you get the spontaneity of a live performance with an immaculate studio sound.

For whatever reason, everything works on Dangerous Visions. All of the extensively reimagined covers, of which there are four, work as well as you could want. There aren’t any misguided duds like Wayne Shorter’s Witchhunt, from Wolff’s earlier release Intoxicate. Wolff plays with sensitivity and taste. He has a wonderful touch and an expansive, romantic sound. Master percussionists Airto and Badal Roy contribute mightily to the wonderfully exotic atmosphere. And to top it off, as innovate as Michael Wolff’s conception of the classic piano trio is, it’s utterly accessible.

Basically, Dangerous Vision is a complete triumph.