By John Murph | Published January 2021
Reflections Of The Eternal Line is more than an absorbing summit between saxophonist Greg Osby and drummer Florian Arbenz. It’s the result of a multidisciplinary work, one involving Stephan Spicher, known for his poignant, often abstract paintings and drawings.
Recorded at Spicher’s studio, the disc opens with “Wooden Lines,” Arbenz summoning evocative rhythms with a conventional kit, thumb piano, gong and other assorted percussion. Spicher responded (one of the results from that day serve as the album cover) to Arbenz’s protean rhythmic passages as Osby joins in, lending writhing improvisational lines that often originate from barbed melodic cells. Because of Arbenz’s dexterity and spatial awareness, Reflections forges a wider sonic scape that one might initially imagine. He knows how to build momentum, and imply funk and drum-and-bass grooves, as well as how to craft metallic textures. Osby’s unmistakable voice on alto drives much of the music’s narrative flow, moving among corkscrew passages, soaring cries and jabbing motifs. Indeed, Reflections consistently titillates listeners, only possibly shorting those who wished to take in a full multisensory collaboration.
Reflections Of The Eternal Line: Wooden Lines; Chant; Truth; Homenaje; Groove Conductor; The Passage Of Light; Please Stand By. (43:52)
Personnel: Florian Arbenz, drums, percussion; Greg Osby, alto saxophone, soprano saxophone.
