Jazz review: Dawn of Midi's "Dysnomia" is daring,

By Bret Saunders, Special to The Denver Post
POSTED:   08/11/2013 12:01:00 AM MDT

There's one new recording I've been returning to for weeks. It's a single piece of continuous music, 46 minutes long, with a single tempo, performed by a traditional jazz piano trio. But what they play certainly isn't traditional or modern jazz. However, Dawn of Midi's "Dysnomia" (Thirsty Ear) reminds me of pianist Ahmad Jamal's famous space-between-the-notes respecting trio recordings, even if these guys have never heard a note of Jamal's music (I'd guess that they have).

It also recalls the earlier minimalist-styled compositions of Steve Reich and Philip Glass. Sure, "Dysnomia" feels repetitious on a casual first listen, but its subtle polyrhythmic shifts and deceptively simple pianistic turns are the stuff of which gripping musical storytelling is made. In other words, it's almost daringly not boring. I intend that as a huge compliment.

The story goes that this particular version of "Dysnomia" is thoroughly composed, and an earlier recording that had been mastered and readied for release in 2011 was "semi-improvised," but the members of the Brooklyn trio (bassist Aakaash Israni, pianist Amino Belyamani and drummer Qasim Naqvi) were unhappy with the results. They took to rehearsals and club performances to hone the piece until every performance became identical. This raises the question: Is there a point where this music ceased to be jazz?

From where I'm listening, there doesn't seem to be an easy answer. "Dysnomia" was made from the raw materials of the music, including the instrumentation, which you would expect to see in virtually any performance venue with "jazz" in its name. It was obviously conceived with multiple improvisations in mind. The tensions and developments throughout the piece recall the more exciting aspects of piano jazz, from Erroll Garner to Cecil Taylor. So if this isn't "jazz" in the accepted sense, Dawn of Midi has created something pointing in a new direction. And that's what's needed for any art form to thrive.

Read more: http://www.denverpost.com/music/ci_23824635/jazz-review-dawn-midis-dysnomia-is-daring?source=rss