The second offering from the
Kendrick Scott Oracle on Blue Note may be motivated by a different inspiration than its predecessor, 2015's wonderful
We Are the Drum, but shares its aesthetic. The "we" in the earlier album's title connects with
Scott's motivation on
A Wall Becomes a Bridge: his stated intention is to confront the fears and insecurities that hold us back individually and keep us from engaging collectively. In the run-up to the album,
Scott was initially frustrated, unsatisfied with the dearth of ideas he had for new music. Producer
Derrick Hodge, one of
Scott's oldest friends and collaborators, cannily suggested documenting that struggle musically, confronting the subterranean emotional issues by creating art in direct response to them.
A Wall Becomes a Bridge is a thematic record that traverses 12 stages on a path -- framing two compositions each in reverse progression. The
Oracle's personnel -- pianist
Taylor Eigsti,
John Ellis on reeds and winds, bassist
Joe Sanders, and guitarist
Mike Moreno -- have been together since 2013, and it shows in the manner of respect, deference, and support they provide one another. The addition of turntablist
DJ Jahi Sundance adds texture and ambience to half the set's cuts; he emphasizes and extrapolates on the sophisticated musical ideas displayed. First single "Mocean" is a stellar example of what
KSO is capable of. A lithe, slightly euphoric theme introduced by
Eigsti and
Moreno with
Scott's snares and cymbals underneath them flows through a series of notes and phrases, adding and subtracting from them as it unfolds, and the entire band becomes assertive. Over nearly six minutes,
Scott layers modal statements -- individually and in unison -- on top of one another to unveil the tender lyricism at its heart, outlined by fine solos from the pianist and
Ellis' serpentine soprano horn.
Hodge adds wordless vocals to the dignified and powerful "Voices." Introduced by
Scott and
Eigsti, its lyric phrase is delivered by
Ellis on bass clarinet, striking euphoric guitar figures are emphasized by
Scott's rolling tom-toms and cymbal washes, and
Eigsti,
Sanders, and
Ellis' bass clarinet assert the melody while
Sundance colors the margins with samples and ambient effects. "Catalyst" is melodic post-bop with
Scott double-timing the band on snare and dropping breaks as
Moreno delivers an elegant solo followed by the extrapolated, expansive chords of
Eigsti,
Ellis' tenor break, and a pulsing bassline. The set closes with "Archangel," one of the most strikingly beautiful tunes
Scott has ever penned.
Eigsti and
Moreno develop the graceful theme as
Sanders' and
Scott's rhythmic accents frame it. The drummer's wordless vocals duet with
Ellis' alto flute, culminating in a shift to airy Brazilian-flavored jazz that carries it out on a high note. This band understands
Scott's musical and philosophical personas; they open themselves to his struggles and questions and share their own inside the tunes, thereby illuminating them. As a result,
A Wall Becomes a Bridge is subtle yet quietly stunning. It is the sound of struggle transformed into beauty. ~ Thom Jurek