Anderson / King / Taborn - Golden Valley Is Now [CD]

Golden Valley is Now is a sensational supergroup a quarter century in the making. The band unites Reid Anderson (electric bass, electronics) and Dave King (acoustic and electronic drums) who make up 2/3 of the band The Bad Plus - one of the most popular contemporary acts in jazz in the past decade - with the highly acclaimed Craig Taborn (synthesizers, electric and acoustic piano). Reid Anderson, Dave King, Craig Taborn: the start of this intimate fellowship, also a narrative showing the invaluable role of friendship in music that dates back to the early 80's. At the forefront are songs based on a pop sensibility, played live without sequencers and delivered by gifted improvisers and instrumentalists, avoiding the muscular gestures of soloist free-styling and improvisatory fireworks and thus making wisdom audible: the whole is greater than the sum of it's parts. They all put themselves in the service of compact songs in which the overall sound itself becomes the event. The power and magic of this musical statement lies in the modus operandi of the soloists' restraint and a precise finger-tip feeling for the textures and dynamics of the songs. The fusion of acoustic and electronic elements, resonating melodies and a punchy production aesthetic characterize the band's sound. Whether calmly fluid or eruptive, Golden Valley Is Now's finely tuned music is beautifully direct and is a declaration of love to the song.