Weekend Intermission is our regular feature where we look at an artist or band not from the Nordic countries, just to mix things up a bit.
The trio of Pat Thomas and XT’s sprawling album, ‘Strata, Act (Joy Contemporary)*’ is a great place to visit and get your teeth into a valuable live jazz treat, an otherworldly experience if ever there was one. Don’t expect an easy or brief ride though; this is a multi-course meal, one to spread across several sittings.
From the mysterious blurred black rippled cover to the immensity, and scarcely believable intensity, of well over two hours of music across the release’s five tracks – recorded live in both London and Zurich in 2022 – it is a lot to take.
In fact, it is rather a gauntlet thrown down by the performers to both other musicians and naturally the listeners. Pianist Pat Thomas unites here with XT – the duo of Paul Abbott (drums) and Seymour Wright (saxophone) – and their union crackles with the kind of unexpected magic many would love to encounter when they make music with others.
From the very beginning of this treasure trove of playful experimental jazz, it seems as if anything is uncategorisable then this is probably that. Far from being the most listenable thing you will find all year – in fact, quite the opposite – its charms are puzzle-like, demanding attention rather than any passing curiosity.
What ‘Strata’ is, and what each act is meant to be is a story that might take time to piece together, if even possible. But the ‘joy’ and the ‘contemporary’ in the bracketed part of the title are evident throughout. There is much here to rejoice in, but it will take commitment to get to the heart of, a rewarding but not straightforward listen. The intensity does not keep up for the entirety – the drops in activity and sound necessary, the dynamics a great roller coaster.
Across the five tracks, live performances of great stature and character, we witness a playful and exploratory trio not afraid to try anything out. The accompanying electronics fit with the startling approach of ‘anything goes’ as the three men reach beyond their standard instruments of piano, drums and sax.
While each track is wild and fun, a sonic play chest opened, they are connected, related, united in their chaotic and unyielding spirit and fury. Pat Thomas and XT prove that thinking and exploring far beyond the box can bring about far beyond what the average mind can imagine.
Its music from another planet, with nothing pinning it down, utterly wild, it feels like the musical challenge everyone should take this year. Gauntlet thrown down? Don’t even bother. Nothing can come close to the mind-blowing madness herein.
This is fierce, uncompromising, and valiant music made by technical wizards of their fields. It’s one of the weirdest, coolest, and most shambolic and yet extraordinarily essential listens ever.
It might not be for everyone, and you might need a rest after each of its five tracks, but it is unlikely you will find a more challenging and well-executed piece of experimental music all year. There is also the accompanying sensation of curiosity to find out more about these musicians’ other work, for these men have built a castle here, it just doesn’t look like any castle that you or I have ever seen before. For genuine innovative architecture of sound, look no further than this bizarrely beautiful and extremely accomplished work.
(Continues after the Spotify link, below).
Members: Pat Thomas (piano/electronics), Seymour Wright (saxophone), and Paul Abbott (drums).
Find them on:
Facebook: see We Jazz Records: https://www.facebook.com/wejazz
Bandcamp: https://xxxxxxxxxttttttt.bandcamp.com/album/strata-act-joy-contemporary (EP)
