Way Out Northwest, The White Spot

As I sit here writing up this review I realize that there are only about two weeks left of the socio-cultural summer season. I am glad of the weeks remaining but like a classic Twilight Zone episode I wish I had the ability to stop time now and again. I don't. In fact the older you get, the faster it all seems to go. But as if to counteract that we have at hand today an avant trio that plays in an a-temporal zone, a "classic" (probably shouldn't use that word, but I don't want to say "same old" because that doesn't work here) sound-against-sound free jazz outfit.

Who? Way Out Northwest and their CD The White Spot (Relative Pitch 1006). More specifically it is John Butcher on tenor and soprano, Torsten Muller, contrabass, and Dylan van der Schyff on drums.

This is full-out, hari-hair-standing-on-end screech-honk madness. Not always blowing the brains out madness, mind you, but consistently looking for that tone-into-sound grey area and consistently finding it. This isn't foot-patting groove, it has no bop roots, and it's isn't supposed to hearken back to anything. It's harmonics, multi-phonics, long-paragraphed freedom with room for all three players and the sense of space and pacing that keeps your ears from getting weary.

Everybody has their sonically expanded say, and they all have something to say. It perhaps sometimes sounds more European than New York New-Thingian. On the other hand there's more New-Thingian here than some European outfits. I like that just fine because they are good at it all. Jump in and get jumping! Defy time! Amaze your friends!