Eric Revis, one of the most highly acclaimed bass players today, has just released a truly mesmerizing album entitled, Slip Knots through a Looking Glass. Full of hypnotic rhythms and sounds, the album truly puts the listener in a state of euphoria that he or she will want to experience again and again. It is the eighth album Revis has done as a leader, and truly continues to show the evolution of this gifted artist. A bassist and composer of the highest caliber, he has played with Betty Carter, McCoy Tyner, Lionel Hampton, Jason Moran, Kurt Rosenwinkel, Ralph Peterson, leads the enigmatic trio Tarbaby along with Orrin Evans and Nasheet Waits, and is most recognized for his tenure with Branford Marsalis since 1997. With a plethora of experience and knowledge gained from performing with so many genuine artists, it comes as little surprise that Revis has created yet another masterpiece for us to enjoy and revel at the complexities contained within it, all in the same moment. Joining him on this album are Kris Davis on piano, Darius Jones on alto saxophone, Bill McHenry tenor saxophone, Chad Taylor on drums and mbira, and Justin Faulkner plays drums on tracks 1 and 3.
The album opens up with “Baby Renfro” an unabashedly rhythmical vamp that leads into one of the funkiest bass lines that I’ve ever heard! And the genius of it is that the melody and harmonies that ensue on top of this bassline are what one would least expect. However, anyone who is a fan of this great composer will know he is no stranger to experimenting and diving into the unknown. This first track sets the stage for things to come, and what a first track it is! “SpÆ” again starts with a vamp that builds some very captivating sonorities with the Mbira and Revis’ bass. The pulsating drives that this group gets into at times is filled with so much tension that you almost can’t take the suspense of waiting for what’s going to come next, but you know it is going to be good… and so you DO wait! Earl and the three-fifths compromise has a haunting soulfulness to it, recalling a time in history where African-Americans were considered less via the constitution of the United States.
Now one can say with the state of things in the country today that some who cling to this type of ideology just come right out and show that they consider them less than human, paper or no paper. It’s my hope art like this work Revis has created continues to draw attention to these current issues. The title track of the album is split into three movements dispersed throughout the album, showcasing the virtuosity of Revis playing. There is language, there is history, but there’s also unadulterated freedom to try anything and truly express himself.
I really love the dialogue that Revis seems to have with himself with the bass going between the two channels…very great effect! “Shutter” is truly beyond categorization, and while words may fail me in trying to describe it I feel a mixture of punk rock, avant-garde jazz, and Schoenberg! My apologies to the great maestro if I am failing to characterize this track close to his intentions, but I guess one can say it’s a testament to the greatness of his art that the music can conjure a myriad of interpretations! I love the lyricism of “ProByte” and Revis’s contrapuntal writing adds another level of intellectual depth to this composition while still keeping the emotional effect intact, which is a hard feat for any composer to accomplish. “House of Leaves” is a wonderful conversational piece between the band. It’s a concept that continues to develop and goes in many directions, leaving the listener in a state of constant suspense and anticipation. Finally settling into a grove it truly is a masterful piece of tension and release. Among many other of the selections on this album “When I become nothing” seems like it could be the soundtrack to a movie most certainly. Evoking an atmosphere similar to Thelonious Monk’s Round Midnight, or Charles Mingus’ Goodbye Pork Pie Hat, the melody is very melancholic and grabs the listener’s ear immediately. It then transitions into a repeated vamp that dissipates into nothing.
“Vimen” is another prime example of the tasteful spontaneity this group is capable of as ideas are picked up and developed at the speed of light. If the listener becomes disengaged for even a split second the genius of the playing cannot be appreciated to its fullest. The melody played by the saxophonists doesn’t enter until almost four minutes in, and it is an energy-charged four minutes that lead up to it. Darius Jones propels the energy forward even more, with short emphatic statements, which build to an unimaginable climax. Bill McHenry contrasts Jone’s approach in building the tension with a more melodic approach that seems almost Webern-esque. This track really is a wonderful creative point in history that has luckily been documented!
I should actually close by saying that the WHOLE album is a wonderful creative experience that we should be privileged to listen to. Revis is an extraordinary artist with a vision that I believe will be emulated by many future bassists, composers, and musicians in general. While jazz is often just automatically associated with improvisation, Revis truly embodies the meaning of the word, if there was ever any word that could encapsulate the magnitude of this artist.
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A great album. Entirely agree with your summary! Definitely one to add to the music collection.