The Most Beautiful Sounds Next to Silence

This is the third outing from Strønen’s all-acoustic group, Time Is A Blind Guide and continues the journey that began with the album from which they take their name released in 2015 and Lucus three years later.

From the initial septet line up with multiple percussionists on the debut album to the pared down quintet favoured since Lucus, the ensemble has established a unique sound that floats between a type of chamber music and more exploratory textures and grooves. Throughout the groups time together, Strønen has also managed to keep fairly stable personnel with the only change being Leo Svnsson Sander replacing Lucy Railton on cello, and this is just one of the aspects, a sense of group unity and purpose that helps define the music of Time Is A Blind Guide.

Encompassing a broad spectrum the delicate side of the quintet is expressed on ‘Season’ with its subtle shading and percussive introduction from Strønen and the lyrical theme beautifully played by violinist Håkon Aase, who also blends superbly with the cello. Equally lyrical is ‘Tuesday’ in which violin and piano come together to make a perfect partnership.

If the strings trio of violin, cello and the double bass of Ole Morten Vågan make a fine ensemble of their own, the other intriguing pairing is that of Strønen and Ayumin Tanaka. Their empathy has been apparent since pianist Tanaka joined the group and solidified still further on the wonderful Bayou album in a trio featuring Martha Lea on clarinet and vocals. Here we can hear how the relationship and mutual trust have flourished on the pensive ‘Fall’.

The quintet seeks to mix things up in the latter half of the album with ‘Cubism’ suggesting a fixed meter and ‘Dismissed’ promptly dispensing with the notion of a defined meter with a deliberate disturbing of the pulse, and the lyrical aspect of the earlier tracks disappears with some passionate collective improvising.

In this most engaging release Strønen acknowledges two of his influences in the opening ‘Memories of Paul’ dedicated to both Bley and Motian, and in the closing ‘In Awe of Stillness’ to Norwegian pianist and composer Jon Balke whose Oslo 13 orchestra had a big impact on the teenage Strønen when hearing them in concert.

Off Stillness however, is much more than a tribute to his musical heroes but continues Strønen’s own development as one of the most original drummers, and now increasingly a band leader and composer of note.

(https://jazzviews.net)