Home » Jazz Articles » Album Review » Caroline Davis: Doors: Chicago Storylines

5

Caroline Davis: Doors: Chicago Storylines

By

Sign in to view read count
Caroline Davis: Doors: Chicago Storylines
Doors: Chicago Storylines is altoist Caroline Davis' unique take on oral history. Interweaving original compositions with area musicians' narratives Davis reconstructs the history of Chicago jazz in a uniquely engaging and articulate style.

On "Chicago Sound?" for instance, after a discussion on the type of jazz played in various neighborhoods, Davis plays soulfully with a cool swagger and embellishes it with clever and soulful ornamentations. Guitarist Mike Allemana follows with a blues drenched earthy improvisation.

Allemana weaves stimulating lines into an eloquent and evocative spontaneous soliloquy on "Rounds: For The Horses." His elegant performance matches Davis' passionate and intricate phraseology as her saxophone rises and falls gracefully and with charm. The music is interspersed with anecdotes about saxophonist Von Freeman.

The pieces, all penned by Davis, are delightfully intricate and impressionistic. The cinematic "Fields" contrasts trumpeter Russ Johnson's warm poetic solo with Allemana's crisp and angular one. Bassist Matt Ferguson takes his turn in the spotlight with superb lyricism. Davis' yearning extemporization is laced with a mystical sense especially during her intriguing exchange with drummer Jeremy Cunningham.

The opener, "Golden Era" sets the dramatic ambience with overlapping conversations fading into Davis' haunting vocalese and cellist Katinka Kleijn undulating expressive bowing. Davis overdubs her wordless singing and her emotive alto stylings to hypnotic effect on "Lin." Dedicated to the tenorist Lin Halliday, the tune opens with spoken remembrance followed by a sublime and melancholic melody that flows over pianist Ron Perillo's thick, resonant chords.

This captivating disc closes with the title track, an effervescent and buoyant ballad with a romantic edge. Sounds of the "L" train serve as an apt conclusion.

This enjoyable and alluring album certainly holds significant interest for Chicago jazz scene enthusiasts. Its charisma and its inventiveness, however, go beyond regional categorization and satisfy any fan of creative musical expression.

Personnel

Caroline Davis
saxophone

Album information

Title: Doors: Chicago Storylines | Year Released: 2015 | Record Label: ears&eyes Records

Comments

Tags

Concerts


For the Love of Jazz
Get the Jazz Near You newsletter All About Jazz has been a pillar of jazz since 1995, championing it as an art form and, more importantly, supporting the musicians who create it. Our enduring commitment has made "AAJ" one of the most culturally important websites of its kind, read by hundreds of thousands of fans, musicians and industry figures every month.

You Can Help
To expand our coverage even further and develop new means to foster jazz discovery and connectivity we need your help. You can become a sustaining member for a modest $20 and in return, we'll immediately hide those pesky ads plus provide access to future articles for a full year. This winning combination will vastly improve your AAJ experience and allow us to vigorously build on the pioneering work we first started in 1995. So enjoy an ad-free AAJ experience and help us remain a positive beacon for jazz by making a donation today.
View events near New York City
Jazz Near New York City
Events Guide | Venue Guide | Local Businesses | More...

More

What Was Happening
Bobby Wellins Quartet
Laugh Ash
Ches Smith
A New Beat
Ulysses Owens, Jr. and Generation Y

Popular

Eagle's Point
Chris Potter
Light Streams
John Donegan - The Irish Sextet

Get more of a good thing!

Our weekly newsletter highlights our top stories, our special offers, and upcoming jazz events near you.