James Brandon Lewis Quartet, Vortex Jazz Club review — power and pared-down rhythms shake the house

The inspirations for American saxophonist James Brandon Lewis’s explorations of circadian rhythms and 12-tone scales range from the molecular structures of DNA to the work of American painter/sculptor Jack Whitten. This high-octane gig, featuring his long-running quartet, revealed seemingly cerebral connections had earthy roots. The Lewis aesthetic warmed the phonics and fury of expressionist jazz with blues phrasing; the band’s power and pared-down rhythms shook the house.

Lewis’s approach to tenor sax pulls a spectrum of modern jazz influences into coherence. He twists the cleanly articulated lines of classic modern jazz into the split harmonics, low-register growls and iridescent squeals of free jazz, and soft-toned balladry gains a spiritual edge. The parts are easily identifiable, but the way Lewis reassembles them creates something personal and fresh. The first tune, “Empirical Perception”, one of two homages to Whitten, ghosted the contours of Ornette Coleman’s “Lonely Woman”. The plangency remained, but melodic decoration, rhythmic intricacy and overall thrust bore an authentic Lewis stamp.

The first-house set mostly drew on Lewis compositions from his quartet’s last two CDs. That opening piece was from his latest, Transfiguration. The two-chord vamp of “Resonance” came next, the title track of their previous release, then the boppish twists of “Helix”, from the earlier album Molecular. Each theme was clearly stated and had an identity of its own; the themes also launched an evolving narrative that advanced under the influence of the collective will.

In lesser hands, such an open-ended approach can meander and clutter. But at this gig, standout solos and strong personalities ensured lines were clear and emotional focus remained high. As the evening unfolded, the ballad “Élan Vital” delivered core harmonic movements and an anthemic theme, while the rhythmic cross-stitch of “Swerve” toyed with the tensions of avant-funk.

But it was the band’s sonics and mastery of tradition that were the meat of the gig and key to its success. Lewis, a forceful musical presence, needs the balance of drummer Chad Taylor’s hefty rimshot whacks and the off-kilter loose-skinned rolls that he delivers so powerfully. Brad Jones’s double bass resonance was a joy, whether riffing, strumming or walking at speed. Pianist Aruán Ortiz was equally adept at stretching Thelonious Monk-like angularities as he was placing chords artfully or spiralling up the keyboard at warp-factor speed.

“Transfiguration” bought the evening to a peak with multiple rhythms, complex time signatures and a mix of the sombre and bittersweet. Subsiding into quiet sax pentatonics over simple cymbal strokes, it eased into the finale, “Tessera”, a delicious blend of fugue-like lines, warm tones and Southern soul beats.

★★★★☆

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