snobb Oregon-born, Brooklyn-based trumpeter Nate Wooley is one (together with cornetist Kirk Knuffke) on the forefront of today's New York adventurous jazz scene. Prolifically documented, Wooley is known by series of very experimental recordings,where he plays using different parts of his disassembled horn,adds vocalization,noise,drones,amplification,etc. At the same time, he released some really accessible music, as "(Dance To) The Early Music",where he plays compositions of Wynton Marsalis.

Nate's new release "Argonautica" is of that category which modern jazz market really needed. For younger generation's numerous jazz fans, who's main listening is different forms of jazz fusion, and who is bored by predictability and limitations of that genre,"Argonautica" builds a bridge to more adventurous but still accessible areas of modern jazz.

The album contains one long composition, but there is no reason to afraid of continued noodling or free form abstract constructions. On "Argonautica" Wooley starts where early Miles Davis'(or very first Weather Report albums') creative fusion has been finished and carefully moves towards freer improvisation and more modern sound never loosing fusion ground under his legs.

Wooley's band is actually a double-trio here: two trumpeters, two pianists and two drummers.One trio is led by Wooley himself and the other - by veteran cornetist Ron Miles. Other band's members are Tyshawn Sorey trio's pianist Cory Smythe with Bureau Of Atomic Tourism's keyboardist Jozef Dumoulin on Rhodes plus drummers Devin Grey and Rudy Royston.

Differently from Miles early fusion, reeds don't fly over the band's sound, instead one can hear lot of fragmented snippets,short solos and variable sounds/noises, sometimes spiced with Dumoulin electronics. Drums and piano generate busy environment and Rhodes goes even funky.

"Argonautica", one almost forty-three minute long composition, is actually a kaleidoscope of all the time changing movements inside of the selected formula's frame. Balancing precisely between fusion and free, it represents fresh and never-boring accessible side of modern avant-garde jazz (or creative adventurous fusion - depending on listener's starting point).

snobb New York-based trumpeter Nate Wooley is one of the fastest rising new name in advanced jazz scene not only in US, but around the world as well. During last few years he built a strong reputation as extremely innovative artist in avant-garde jazz and even successfully stepped on mainstream ground with his last year's "(Dance To) The Early Music" (where "early music" is obviously a bop-based mainstream jazz).

Not many fans of Wooley's jazz side know that he has a long lasting experience experimenting with pure improvisation, sound textures,noise,etc,etc. "NCAT" (for (N)ate + (C). + (A)udrey + (T)odd) are one of Wooley collaborative work,demonstrating his interest in electro-acoustic music.

Recorded in Amsterdam's STEIM during Nate Wooley, violinist / vocalist C.Spenser and cellist/vocalist Audrey Chen residence, partially composed and mostly improvised material has been sent to fourth NCAT member Todd Carter (who is credited as pianist as well so possibly he added some own music in the mix as well)for mixing. In real life "the mixing" became serious deconstruction and reconstruction and final mix is as much a product of studio processing as initial live recording.

Sound of all instruments participated is difficult to recognize even if in moments there are obvious strings and processed trumpet traces. Added noises, analog modulators loops and clouds of electronic sounds are very organic, voices (from meditative to screaming) are almost unprocessed what gives to the music an unique balance between synthetic and organic.Some electronic noises even imitates birds voices (not those sleepy ones from esoteric ambient but scratchy crows screams over the city park in winter early evenings),police sirens somewhere on the background make music very realistic and urban. Human voices varies from wordless whispers to shaman moaning and all this changes fast never repeating.

In no way true jazz recording,NCAT is an interesting alternative listening for fans of electro-acoustic experimentation, noise improvs but can be recommended for brave searchers of new horizons, only symbolically related with jazz tradition.