Ralph Alessi Quartet – It’s Always Now

Description

Ralph Alessis fourth appearance as a leader for the label follows a singular album run thats been met with nothing but praise from The New York Times to The Guardian. The latter lauded Ralphs previous recording Imaginary Friends (2019) for its elegant balance of poignant, playful original compositions and gracefully probing improv and declared it his best album yet. Its Always Now however brims with arguments that there is a new contender for that title. On his new album, Alessis unique tone is as limber, piercing and present as ever, enveloped by a fresh quartet line-up pianist Florian Weber, Bnz Oester on bass and drummer Gerry Hemingway that navigates through the trumpeters idiosyncratically swinging compositions with a sixth sense. The album is not only a continuation of the leaders work but also records Florians evolution on the label, this being his fourth album with ECM to date. His distinctive harmonic approach on keys is as evident in leader settings as in the role of a sideman, and his deep sensibility for Alessis pulse enhances this session, which was produced by Manfred Eicher.

Tracklist

1 Hypnagogic
2 Old Baby
3 Migratory Party
4 Residue
5 The Shadow Side
6 It’s Always Now
7 Diagonal Lady
8 His Hopes, His Fears, His Tears
9 Everything Mirrors Everything
10 Portion Control
11 Ire
12 Hanging By A Thread
13 Tumbleweed