Canada Day IV (Unmastered Edition)

Eisenstadt's writing for the unit continues to expand upon post-modern jazz traditions in intriguing ways....The band stretches out considerably on its fourth album, deriving extended variations from malleable forms that were road tested during multiple tours and residencies over the previous year. Underpinned by tuneful melodies, Eisenstadt's memorable themes demonstrate great interpretive resilience, even during episodes of wilful deconstruction, such as the heated collective climax of "What Can Be Set to the Side." Supporting and embellishing the horn players' animated discourse with a dreamy cinematic ambience, Dingman's luminescent accents and evocative flourishes are among Canada Day's most distinctive features. Bauder and Wooley interpret the leader's sonorous motifs with mercurial invention; Bauder's robust tenor elicits a multiplicity of approaches, from breathy impressionism to multiphonic tonal distortions—but Wooley commands the most attention. The trumpeter's uncanny ability to seamlessly transition from dulcet lyricism to coruscating abstraction in a single phrase provides the band with its most fascinatingly unpredictable element, especially on "Life's Hurtling Passage Onward," which spotlights his singular artistry at its most exposed.

Eisenstadt is a magnanimous but engaging bandleader; he rarely solos, but offers persistent percussive commentary throughout the proceedings, providing rhythmic ballast to Niggenkemper's probing harmonic gambits. With their keen ability to transform notated material into adventurous but accessible variations, these five artists manage to balance convention with experimentation in a manner that remains palatable to mainstream sensibilities. Building on an already strong discography, Canada Day IV is far more exceptional than its unremarkable title suggests.

Eisenstadt's horn writing is marked more by counterpoint and wide and weaving intervals than simple unison, giving the band a distinctive and often unsettled flavor...his orchestration for the full band is particularly ambitious and well wrought....On the drums, Eisenstadt conveys a sense of deceptive ease, loose yet disciplined feel and great overall sound. His music isn't drum-centric yet his playing stands out consistently, propelling and shaping these severn original pieces in every way.

...the ever-tuneful music seems to breathe, its blend of composition and improvisation feeling organic, even inevitable....[Eisenstadt] takes full advantage of the instrumental tones and improvisational tempers of his players, whether it's the smoky exhalations of Bauder or the keening vocalisms of Wooley. 'After Several Snowstorms' makes for a striking opener to this beautifully recorded album, with its deep bass line and silvery lace of vibes, the sequence of solos enveloping....Eisenstadt rarely spotlights his own instrument, opting to heighten dynamics and emphasize the whole.