Sana Nagano - Smashing Humans
Avant Music News
Sat Mar 20 10:06:00 GMT 2021
The Free Jazz Collective 80
By Paul Acquaro
This sentiment is also carried by the album's cover image - a 16-bit image that possibly works the double entendre in the title. Just what is that ornery Orange about to do? Smash the people in the Jello mold into little tasty pulpy bits? Or is that just a bunch of “smashing” good humans? Hardly matters, but it is good fun added on top of the buzzing music.
And what fun music it is, played by a serious bunch of musicians. Joining Nagano is Peter Apfelbaum on tenor saxophone, Keisuke Matsuno on electric guitar, Ken Filiano contributing acoustic bass and Joe Hertenstein on drums. Long time readers of the blog and followers of the New York downtown music scene will know many of these players, but a newer name (at least to me) is Matsuno, whose intense approach and distorted tone adds texture, melody, and energy to mix. 'Loud Dinner Wanted' is a great example, his roll is both as agitator and a colorist, and his extended presence in tune adds quite a bit of thrust.
At the same time, the smaller interlocking pieces help make the music even more engaging. The noisiness is important, but the figures, like the violin/guitar moment somewhere in the beginning of the same track, keeps it interesting. During ‘Humans in Grey’ is another such moment, as the introductory phrase, a sinuous legato line from Nagano, wraps itself around defiant hits and forceful phrases. You can almost see where the tongue and groove joints are, but the music becomes so infectious, and seemingly complex, you can get lost in it. Then, half-way through the 10 minute track, the grooves give way and it becomes pure exploratory time … for a little while. Similar exploratory playing festoons 'Heavenly Evil Devil,' where is makes up the bulk of the tune.
Smashing Humans is an excellent debut album from the Nagano on the Brooklyn based 577 Records. Last year, the label released the debut from another group that Nagano is a part of "Asroturf Noise" - an avant bluegrass trio. Check 'em both out!
Smashing Humans by Sana Nagano