Blumenthal review, BABKAS, Ryles

Jazz Trio explores another Seattle Sound
By Bob Blumenthal, Globe Correspondent
Boston Globe. Saturday May 18, 1995

BABKAS is a trio that gets its name from lining up the initials of alto saxophonist Briggan Krauss, drummer Aaron Alexander, and guitarist Brad Shoeppach. Like Human Feel, which was based in Boston a few years back, BABKAS can trace its origins to the Seattle area but now operates out of New York. Both bands testify to the wealth of new music nurtured in the Pacific Northwest.

If BABKAS and Human Feel can be said to define a "Seattle style," it is a style that blends saxes and guitars without keyboards or bass, draws on a wide range of melodic and rhythmic source material, and stresses the ensemble over individual members. The BABKAS trio is particularly expert at group playing, delivering tightly argued performances that never fall into directionless athleticism.

Schoeppach’s "Friday," the opener in a Thursday night set at Ryles, that emphasized compositions from the trio’s to-be-released third album, was an indicative exploration. It began with broken rhythms in a stumbling kind of strut, with melodic phrases from the alto sax and guitar pulled into and then away from the steadier drums like magnets with shifting poles.

After the melody righted itself in a frisky summation, Krauss unfolded his improvisation in ascending layers, riding supportive guitar waves. Shoeppach’s tone gained focus as he took over with single lines, then turned hazy as mysterious octave patterns meshed with Alexander’s splintered accompaniment and subsiding echoes of alto sax.

Each member of BABKAS pays great attention to his partners, which allows the trio to effortlessly recast themes in different tempos and time signatures. As intesity grows the individual parts lock in more tightly around each other rather than flying free.

Alexander’s compact, no-nonsense drumming sustains a rhythmic touchpoint that serves as a reference for the others. Without electronic supplements, he pulls a broad range of colors from his kit, getting some of his best effects from the floor tom-tom that he has mounted horizontally in place of the usual bass drum. His use of brushes, which were dragged over the drum heads, added a proper tone of melancholy and menace too Krauss’ dirge "Rodeonitz," which found guitar and drums alternately holding patterns for each other before the composer thickened the mix with fluttering, precise harmonics.

This is a group with a refreshing lack of post-modern irony. It draws on diverse sources, including Balkan music, without a trace of the cynical distancing that many bands affect. The writing, divided equally among the three members, features vivid structures that are inevitably enhanced during solo passages.

An engineer recorded the Ryles performance, just in case some of the new pieces uncovered ideas beyond those reached during recent studio sessions. Given the commitment and responsiveness BABKAS demonstrated, it would not be surprising to find some of this music on the final album.

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	Jazz Trio explores another Seattle Sound By Bob Blumenthal, Globe Correspondent Boston Globe. Saturday May 18, 1995
	BABKAS is a trio that gets its name from lining up the initials of alto saxophonist Briggan Krauss, drummer Aaron Alexander, and guitarist Brad Shoeppach. Like Human Feel, which was based in Boston a few years back, BABKAS can trace its origins to the Seattle area but now operates out of New York. Both bands testify to the wealth of new music nurtured in the Pacific Northwest. If BABKAS and Human Feel can be said to define a "Seattle style," it is a style that blends saxes and guitars without keyboards or bass, draws on a wide range of melodic and rhythmic source material, and stresses the ensemble over individual members. The BABKAS trio is particularly expert at group playing, delivering tightly argued performances that never fall into directionless athleticism. Schoeppach’s "Friday," the opener in a Thursday night set at Ryles, that emphasized compositions from the trio’s to-be-released third album, was an indicative exploration. It began with broken rhythms in a stumbling kind of strut, with melodic phrases from the alto sax and guitar pulled into and then away from the steadier drums like magnets with shifting poles. After the melody righted itself in a frisky summation, Krauss unfolded his improvisation in ascending layers, riding supportive guitar waves. Shoeppach’s tone gained focus as he took over with single lines, then turned hazy as mysterious octave patterns meshed with Alexander’s splintered accompaniment and subsiding echoes of alto sax. Each member of BABKAS pays great attention to his partners, which allows the trio to effortlessly recast themes in different tempos and time signatures. As intesity grows the individual parts lock in more tightly around each other rather than flying free. Alexander’s compact, no-nonsense drumming sustains a rhythmic touchpoint that serves as a reference for the others. Without electronic supplements, he pulls a broad range of colors from his kit, getting some of his best effects from the floor tom-tom that he has mounted horizontally in place of the usual bass drum. His use of brushes, which were dragged over the drum heads, added a proper tone of melancholy and menace too Krauss’ dirge "Rodeonitz," which found guitar and drums alternately holding patterns for each other before the composer thickened the mix with fluttering, precise harmonics. This is a group with a refreshing lack of post-modern irony. It draws on diverse sources, including Balkan music, without a trace of the cynical distancing that many bands affect. The writing, divided equally among the three members, features vivid structures that are inevitably enhanced during solo passages. An engineer recorded the Ryles performance, just in case some of the new pieces uncovered ideas beyond those reached during recent studio sessions. Given the commitment and responsiveness BABKAS demonstrated, it would not be surprising to find some of this music on the final album.
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