Abstract improvisation and driving grooves – can the two coexist? The quartet Ahmed (Arabic: أحمد), led by British pianist Pat Thomas, manage this convergence in striking fashion. Their highly individual strain of free jazz is in no way streamlined or smoothed out by the momentum that develops across the four tracks. On the contrary, the pieces are full of productive detours and a spirit of joyful chaos.
That owes much to the fact that saxophonist Seymour Wright, bassist Joel Grip and Paris-based drummer Antonin Gerbal bring very different musical backgrounds into the project: from classic jazz moments à la Duke Ellington to dub and electronics, and on to an understanding of improvisation shaped by avant-garde figure Derek Bailey.
That such a wide range of influences flashes through these free-spirited, shapeshifting tracks is fitting for a band named after the US jazz musician Ahmed Abdul-Malik. After all, he was a pioneer of what would later be called world music. From the 1950s onwards, the former double bassist for Art Blakey and Thelonious Monk fused jazz with Arabic music. While the quartet’s previous three albums featured expansive interpretations of individual Abdul-Malik compositions, the approach this time is more compact and focused.
