We often dream of the deceased. Whether that’s in the immediate wake of their passing or perhaps many years down the line, our memories somehow hold an ability to encapsulate our grief; a phenomenon so universal, it can habitually transform itself over the course of its infamous ‘five stages’ from incredulous rage to passive serenity, if only we allow it.

It could be suggested that the more frequently our departed acquaintances revisit us, the closer we become to accepting the fact that they’re gone. Motéma Music have, in a way, achieved this end-goal with the release of A Lovesome Thing, a collaboration between pianist Geri Allen and guitarist Kurt Rosenwinkel, taken from a live performance at Paris' Philharmonie in 2012. Since the maestra’s untimely passing following a battle with cancer in 2017, her listeners, followers and the generations of pianists she taught and inspired have come to terms with the gaping creative hole she has left behind. But, thanks to the work of Michaela Bóková, label coordinator of Heartcore Records – Rosenwinkel’s own bespoke independent label which, in the same manner as Motéma, wears an ‘artist-first’ agenda on its sleeve – her memory is rekindled for an unforgettable audible experience lasting just shy of an hour on a recording that JazzNews calls “one of the most beautiful albums of the year.”

This performance marks the first and last time this exceptional partnership will grace our eardrums, in a document of their second ever musical outing together following a brief encounter in July of 2012. Allen’s wishes to record further had been stated but, sadly, were never to materialise. How fortunate we are then, dear listeners, to switch onto a perfectly-timed sample of technical perfection and emotional daring.

The performance’s paired-back scale allows its two musicians to climb the sonic high-wire for a feat that would otherwise terrify a plethora of other musicians, but one in which they find extreme comfort. In turn, listeners are encouraged to size up the enviable amount of rapport between the two. Knowingly curious, Allen supplies ample footing for the duo’s quest to commence. It has to be said that Rosenwinkel rides shotgun for the most part, imminently aware of when and when not to take the reins from his partner. On reflection, he is no way underused but rather coolly surveys the landscape, propped up by a plinth of magnanimous musical buttressing. These performers care deeply for each other; their empathy is expressed in every note they play. 

Even the choice of setlist from that evening shines light on the pair’s affection motivations. ‘Ruby, My Dear’, a Thelonious Monk-ballad which the kooky composer named after his childhood sweetheart (even if purely for pragmatic reasons of notation rather than mere nostalgia). By following the curvature of its signature chromatic meanderings, however, the pair effortlessly concoct their tower of unexplored memories. Herbie Hancock’s arrangement of Gershwin’s timeless ‘Embraceable You’, notable for its distinct lack of melody, is reworked into a dense canopy of subdued light and shade which the pair wade through with ease.

Not since Undercurrent, Bill Evans and Jim Hall’s transcendent 1962 collaboration, has a musical relationship between piano and guitar sounded so supportive and bold. But, much has changed in fifty years. Where the dusky counterpoint between the two golden age musicians was often more structured and overtly signposted within the confines of the studio environment, this more recent addition to the canon is remarkable in its open-ended approach and seeming disregard for a destination – it's’ the journey what counts! If anything, the absence of rehearsal in preparation for this performance is the key to its overall success. Free from judgement, Allen and Rosenwinkel approach each other not with head, but heart.

Even if this recording contains only five numbers interspersed with onstage patter and offstage ovations, it reminds up the impermanence of expression, of creativity, of life. Quite contrastingly, however, it also reminds of the everlasting presence of the soul, which, even though its existence is disputed, certainly receives a strong rebuttal via the sublime artistry captured here for eternity.

Barney Whittaker

from www.prestomusic.com