The prolific New York-based American tenor sax player Ivo Perelman (and visual artist and jewelry designer) likes to explore the duo format with favorite musicians over a long period, as evidenced by his countless duo albums with pianist Matthew Shipp can testify. However, most of Perelman’s duo sessions root themselves in the African-American, Aylerian school of free jazz, stressing his tendency to sketch instant, melodic textures that reflect his Brazilian roots, although they are free improvisations.
Perelman’s debut duo album with British soprano and tenor sax player John Butcher (who recorded three albums with Shipp) is different, but quite inspiring. It was recorded in London in November 2024, not at Perelman’s home base, Parkwest studios in Brooklyn. The album was released on Perelman’s label, Ibeji.
Perelman has great respect for Butcher and knew that Butcher’s idiosyncratic approach to sound and space would challenge him. And, indeed, already on the first piece, Butcher’s succinct bird calls forced Perelman to alter his immediate, free-associative flow and raw phrasing. These highly experienced improvisers conversed in completely different, strong-minded languages, and often sounding as though they were having insightful, labyrinthine arguments.
Perelman seeks powerful, intuitive, and colorful strokes on a musical canvas, attempting to find a compatible, intuitive lyrical harmony and cohesive structure. Butcher’s aesthetic is more radical yet methodical, focusing on exploring subtle, resonant timbres, often channeled into quite abstract sounds, expanding his sonic palette with extended breathing techniques and open-ended textures. But this stimulating tension kept feeding this fascinating session, and on the seventh piece, Perelman already found a way to engage Butcher in his instant, expressive melodies.
Duologues 5, Perelman’s duo album with master trumpeter Wadada Leo Smith (b.1941), is another debut. It was recorded at Perelman’s home base, at Parkwest studios in Brooklyn, by Perelman’s favorite sound engineer, Jim Clouse, who also mixed and mastered the album. This album, too, was released by Perelman’s label, Ibeji, and with a modest cover that radiates that only its music matters, and nothing else.
Perelman and Smith play seven gentle, reserved, and conversational free improvised duets. Often, Perelman suggests a brief melodic theme or a playful idea, and Smith takes it further and deeper, transforming it into a profound, instantly composed, common spiritual statement. Tension exists only on the second and sixth duets, but it is a stimulating tension between these experienced and resourceful improvisers. Most of the time, Perelman and Smith’s dynamics are patient and respectful, focusing on serving the lyrical, deeply emotional, and simply beautiful music. They sound like two old friends enjoying listening to each other’s insightful thoughts and comments, as if they could never get enough. Looking forward to more Duologues with the great Smith.
Eyal Hareuveni
Ivo Perelman (tenor saxophone), John Butcher (soprano saxophone, tenor saxophone), Wadada Leo Smith (trumpet)
