Parker William&Drake Hamid featuring Trio,Beger Albert paradiseThe of Taste
On the verge of noise - Evolving Silence, Vol.1

review by: Ben Shalev's - Ha'aretz








Albert Beger’s superb new album “Evolving Silence, Vol.1” reveals the underlying principles that drive all of the saxophonist’s work. It consists of two primary directives: Every new album that Beger produces has a distinctly different character than the one that preceded it – and is consistently better.

On his previous outing, Beger bolstered his basic trio format with a guitarist and an additional saxophonist, creating a group interplay with extremely high energy levels. On this latest offering, he returns to the trio format – or more accurately – the super trio format. Bassist William Parker and drummer Hamid Drake form a virtually unsurpassable rhythm section. On the day before the recording, the two laid down a firm foundation for trumpeter Roy Campbell during his performance at the Tel Aviv Cinemateque, creating the most powerful groove that this reviewer has ever heard. Beger was a guest artist at this gig, and although he performed extremely well, was unable to navigate the storm of sound that the two created. It is, however, immediately evident upon first listening to this album, that in the recording session that followed the next day there prevailed an impressive balance among the three. As the session’s proclaimed leader, Beger even attains and sustains a status of “first-among-equals” throughout.


The first track, “Naked Truth”, is characterized by a dynamic that free-jazz musicians love to embrace: It opens with a short, simply stated (and very beautiful) melody, which quickly erupts into a musical volcano – Beger’s fire-and-brimstone saxophone riding over a torrential attack of bass and drums.

For those of you who prefer free jazz in small doses, the second cut on the album, “Duo #1”, is a welcome respite. It presents a decidedly different musical milieu than the preceding track, and we begin to see the justification for the album’s name: If “Naked Truth” serves as an exorcism of all the players’ demons – an eruption that swells up to approach the very borders of noise – the second track ensues from silence. Only two musicians perform on this fully-improvised piece: Parker plays a tense rhythmic mantra that repeats itself consistently with only slight variation; Beger trades his sax for alto flute and the occasional vocal declaration, wrapping the rhythmic skeleton in gentle and meditative ruminations. The deep mutual listening that ensues between the two is underscored as Beger punctuates his playing by tapping on his flute and Parker responds in kind on the bass.


The 42 minutes of Evolving Silence are divided into four pillars, each presenting Beger in a different form. The opening piece, “Naked Truth,” is a head-on volcanic eruption.
Beger pushes through the upper registers of the tenor sax, flying on the powerful rhythms that Parker and Drake constantly deliver. Six minutes into the piece, Beger leaves Parker and Drake to build and dismantle grooves, and then he ignites his sax again and leads into an uncompromising coda.

“Duo #2”, the album’s third track, is also an improvised duet from start to finish, this time offering interplay between Beger (returning to tenor sax) and Drake. Once again, we are witness to a whole new musical environment, one that contains elements of playfulness and humor. If the previous tracks were deep conversations, this duet is about two friends speaking informally with one another, all the while delighting in making the other laugh and enjoying the occasional friendly jibe. And Beger, who typically draws inspiration from the endless well of John Coltrane’s legacy, sounds here like the student of another exemplary player – Sonny Rollins.


“Rain is Coming” is an appropriate final track. The journey that Beger and his band mates have embarked upon for us has clear milestones: It begins with a great cry, continues with self-introspection, segues into playful interaction, and concludes with a sense of release. Parker trades his bass for an African hunter’s harp, Drake abandons the drums in favor of percussion instruments, and Beger leads with a clean and emotive melody line. The entire piece sounds like a selfless declaration of musicians who are willing to give up on their individual egos and merge with some greater, abstract presence – a magical voyage from start to finish.


Beger performs next Wednesday with his quintet in Tel Aviv’s ArtSpace club, followed by a gig at Milestone in Binyamina on Thursday. At the end of August, they are bound for South Africa where they are invited to perform at the Johannesburg Jazz Festival. At a time when patrons of the Red Sea Jazz Festival in Eilat will have to make due with a somewhat mediocre offering of local talent, Jazz fans in South Africa will be treated to the wonderful music of an individual who is steadily establishing his reputation as the premier jazz artist in the country.