A bold reinterpretation of
John Coltrane's classic 1965 album of the same name,
the Mattson 2's
A Love Supreme finds the sibling duo of guitarist Jared Mattson and drummer Jonathan Mattson applying their psych-jazz chops to the spiritual masterwork. Graduates of the jazz studies program at the University of California San Diego,
the Mattson 2 play an expansive, improvisatory brand of instrumental music that touches upon '60s modal jazz, electric blues, and psychedelic rock. While the idea of exploring such an influential and revered album as
Coltrane's
A Love Supreme could imply a staid, academic exercise,
the Mattson 2's
A Love Supreme is anything but that. While they clearly evince a love and respect for
Coltrane's music, their aim is more maverick than mainstream. They dive headlong into the saxophonist's meditative compositions, giving them their own expansive, garage rock jazz twist. Though in no way a surf rock band,
the Mattson 2's twangy, tube-rich brand of instrumentalism does bring to mind an outré update on the kitschy style of '60s groups like
the Ventures and
the Shadows, as well as more adventurous international outfits like Los Holy's and
Los Destellos. What's particularly impressive is how, while being just a duo, they are able to create such a full-band sound. Part of this is due to Jared's knack for overdubbing his bass and guitar parts. Live, he is also known to play a Japanese Telestar double-neck guitar that allows him to play both six-string leads and four-string basslines at the same time, a technique that comes to mind while listening to
A Love Supreme. He has a warm, searing tone that rubs nicely against his rounded, rubber-ball basslines. Similarly, drummer Jonathan has a loose, swinging feel that's more compact than
Coltrane's longtime drummer
Elvin Jones, but equally explosive when needed. It's also pleasing to hear
the Mattson 2's correctly nail the main melodies of
Coltrane's music, as Jared's guitar perfectly invokes the drama and urgency of saxophonist's tone. When they finally let loose and start soloing, as they do half-way through the opening "Acknowledgement," the results are equally compelling, with Jared straddling the line between harmonically nuanced arpeggiations, and fiery free-jazz squelch. It's a dynamic sound that unfathomably works to bridge the aesthetic gap between guitarist
Larry Coryell's acid-drench '70s jazz and the invective-laden '90s jazz-punk of
Nation of Ulysses. By pushing beyond the boundaries of a reverent jazz homage to
Coltrane,
the Mattson 2 have crafted an album that reframes
A Love Supreme as both devout celebration and shock of the new. ~ Matt Collar