By John McDonough | Published March 2020
Project-K is a procession of Korean cultural references processed through the performance prisms of Jim Snidero and Dave Douglas. Such inside stuff likely will be lost on listeners unfamiliar with the source material. But works like these are understood in the larger world on other terms, no different from Ellington’s Far East Suite or Brubeck’s various Impressions recordings. In this case, the principal splash of local color comes from the occasional twang of the native zither-like gayageum. Beyond that, the music roams freely and welcomes all inferences.
Korea is not necessarily a pretty place, and neither are some of Snidero’s tone pieces. “DMZ” tries in musical terms to represent the dissonance that hovers at the point where North and South Korea meet. The two horns shadow each other at first in close formation, then shout back and forth in short bursts that collapse into incoherent discord. Another distinctive piece is “Mother.” Whatever its reference might be, its main thematic material carries a sense of profound uncertainty and looming danger, with percussive stings suggesting a Bernard Herrmann score for Hitchcock. Snidero and Douglas solo plaintively with pianist Orrin Evans’ menacing undercurrent. It’s the most interesting composition here.
Snidero’s alto provides a steady lead through some spiky moments, and Douglas offers the level ballast of a sensitive alter-ego. The echo of their interaction on “Seoulful” has an almost classical precision and balance. “Goofy” is a relatively traditional jam session, bookended by some ascending scales. Douglas confines himself mostly to low- and middle-register warmth and fluency. Overall, a good date anchored by some moments of smart composition.
Project-K: Han; DMZ; Jeju; Mother; Jenga; Seoulful; Goofy; Han O Bak Nuyn. (53:40)
Personnel: Jim Snidero, alto saxophone; Dave Douglas, trumpet; Orrin Evans, piano; Linda May Han Oh, bass; Rudy Royston, drums; Do Yeon Kim, gayageum.
