Assembling Red 5

The impetus for Red 5 came as Bates reflected on “a vague continuity between the past and the now,” leading him to consider only musicians with whom he was not actively playing and to avoid a chordal instrument “in order to free up the bass role… since I play in so many situations with guitarists and pianists.” First on his list of bandmates was brother JT, with whom he had not collaborated on a project “of our own design” since the demise of the Motion Poets. He then identified artists to form the strong horn section “who could blend and intonate without the support of a chordal instrument,” essential ingredients to his writing under the influences of Dave Holland and Ornette Coleman, with additional inspiration from the music of the African diaspora. Soon he had his crew finalized with Twin Cities’ saxophonists Brandon Wozniak and Chris Thomson, and trumpeter Zack Lozier.

Bates went to work on new compositions for the ensemble, testing them out at various stages through a three-part series of “Open Sessions,” held in front of a live audience at Jazz Central in Minneapolis in February and March. “I wanted an opportunity to hear my music played and then make edits and adjustments,” Chris noted after the first session. “I like the idea of exposing the process to people because there is something special that happens when a group gels at the beginning. Each tune finds a place within the musicians’ brains as they dissect and familiarize themselves with new material.” A few weeks after the final “open session,” Red 5 laid down the tracks for New Hope at Near North Studios in Minneapolis.

 

New Hope (Technicore)

If New Hope was a long time coming (Bates’ first recording as leader), it nevertheless reflects his years of experience working in diverse contexts with a wide array of talents. Eight of the nine compositions were written by Chris for the album, and specifically with this band in mind, with another contributed by Brandon Wozniak. Consequently there’s a constant feeling of discovery, not only for the listener but also for the designated main characters.

Red 5 opens with “This Is Tonight,” Chris Bates’ reworking of an old tune with “a little bit of the 80s Dave Holland and a dash of Mingus.” And there is some Mingus-y feel to the melody and harmonic interplay as if working off a big band chart. “Dark Matters” begins as the title suggests with Chris’ bowed solo, evolving with a North African/Middle East vibe where Thomson plays snake charmer while the Bates brothers keep the fire stoked.  “251 Stomp” is  named for the Bates family street address and phone number (the number, notes Chris, is in the bassline). Lozier adds a bit of New Orleans trumpeting to the circus-like groove of bass and drum. Chris notes that “The Jape” is a Medieval word for a practical joke, and the joke here is the seriousness of the beginning passages (medieval electric bass!) that gets overturned by the jagged give and take of the horns—a playful, sometimes taunting, exchange among daring collaborators that ultimately bursts into a free-for-all prank; Chris Bates has the last word, a punchline double-time solo.

 

The title track is a hymn with lush horn harmonies, an aural ode to hope with prayerful, cello-like basslines, while Wozniak’s “Mood Ring” switches gears entirely. Pared down to a trio, the zany track finds bass, sax, and drums whining and stretching, the Bates team maneuvering around multiple rhythmic patterns and acoustic sound effects while Wozniak simply has a lot of fun. The composition is dedicated to Chris's and Brandon’s daughters, hence the child-like playfulness of this delightful track. Inspired by Malian guitarist Ali Farka Toure, Chris’s “Maliapolis” offers one of the most engaging melodic and rhythmic themes of the album, sounded by electric bass and then Lozier’s trumpet, answered by the saxes as in an African call and response. There’s an angular, clickety sway to the rhythm as JT clatters sticks on rims (or sticks on sticks?), and the bass adds to the trance-inducing vibe. The horns play off each other, creating a festive Cape Town spirit, Lozier recapitulating the opening call. This is a tune that will crawl into your head—you might find yourself waking up to the infections melody.

Another tune influenced by offspring, Chris notes that “My Leg Is Bouncy” was inspired by his son “and his sense of humor.” Another trio track, here Chris Thomson handles the melodic lead, and soon it is easy to envision the musicians joyfully bouncing up an down as they play through the tune. When Chris Bates solos about halfway in, that bounce becomes even more prominent—and if you have seen him play, you know he is bouncing vertically and horizontally, the acoustic bass his dance partner. JT, of course, never stays seated on the drum stool for long.

 

The final track, “We’re Going In (Dusted),” presents striking horn harmonies –- orchestral and slightly off register--against a Bad Plus-like bass and drum groove that almost suggests a Rhodes. The energy rises then falls as the Bates brothers lay down a somber foundation for Brandon’s tenor solo, which “makes life worthwhile,” says Chris.  And which provides a resurgence of tension. Again the tide flows out, and the closing hornography provides a glorious finale to a gloriously rich and delightfully provocative set.

Red 5 is an adventurous and intriguing ensemble, a welcome addition to the Twin Cities jazz scene, and this new direction for Chris Bates as composer and bandleader assures us that there’s a lot more excitement to come.

 

See Pamela Espeland's interview with Chris Bates on Jazz Police. Poet/blogger Jeff Hanson shares poems inspired by New Hope on his Altered Scale site.