The strengths of the Hyde Park Jazz Festival are highlighted by two poignant, inventive duos
September 15, 2017
One feature of the Hyde Park Jazz Fest that has quietly distinguished it over the last few years is the prevalence of dynamic duos, whether the pairings are new or seasoned, improvised or driven by tunes. Notable among this year’s terrific offerings is the first local performance by alto saxophonist Nick Mazzarella and cellist Tomeka Reid since the release of their superb debut album, Signaling (Nessa). The record opens with the soulful, melodic “Blues for Julius and Abdul,” a tender homage to one of improvised music’s most distinctive alto sax and cello duos, Hemphill and Wadud. From there the pair push into more abstract terrain, alternating between measured aggression—such as biting phrases of needling vibrato from Mazzarella on the title track while Reid toggles between bittersweet arco expression, and frenzied pizzicato—and hollowed-out delicateness, such as the tip-toe exchanges on “The Ancestors Speak.” On the surface it might appear that Mazzarella is running the game, but Reid’s elegant lines and gestures prod more than follow.