Arba

Chronique

It's often suggested that one of the most quintessential jazz albums of all time is Miles Davis' Kind of Blue, a recording that veritably oozes the shadowy, late-night romanticism and dark introspection one often associates with the genre. If you were to take that shadowy jazz style and combine it with the earthy, far-reaching harmonies of Middle Eastern maqam traditions, you'd get the vibrant sound that trumpeter Itamar Borochov conjures on his fourth album and debut for Dave Douglas' Greenleaf Music, 2023's Arba. Raised in Jaffa, Israel, Borochov grew up attending a Sephardic synagogue where he was exposed to a variety of traditional musical styles. He also became interested in jazz, embracing the work of artists like the aforementioned Davis, Kenny Dorham, John Coltrane, and others. He eventually relocated to the United States, where he studied jazz at New York's The New School. Since debuting with 2014's Outset, Borochov has endeavored to weave all of his influences together, marrying the Middle Eastern and North African maqamat traditions with exploratory modal post-bop. It's a boundary-crossing sound he brought to new heights on 2018's Blue Nights and which he pushes even higher here. Hebrew for "four," Arba once again finds the trumpeter backed by his adept small group featuring pianist Rob Clearfield, bassist Rick Rosato and drummer Jay Sawyer. Together, they play with a moody, exploratory vibe, digging into the whirling Middle Eastern grooves of "Abraham" and "Bayat Blues," songs that bring to mind the edgy style of Coltrane's classic quartet. There are also softer moments, as on the hushed ballad "What Broke You?," where Borochov's trumpet (a specially made four-valve quarter-tone instrument) takes on a breathy, vocal-like quality. That quality extends to the rest of the album, literally, as Borochov also sings for the first time on album. However, rather than crooning in a traditional jazz style, he embraces a visceral, primal aesthetic that has the raw energy of a gospel or folk performance. On "Ya Sahbi," he employs a mix of Arabic and Hebrew, attacking the minor-key anthem with a throaty resonance. Similarly, on "Wabisabi," he sings in wordless duet with Clearfield before the rest of the band rises up from beneath them. Yet more lyrical is "Who Shall Grant Me Flight," in which Borochov coos with a close-eyed intensity, pulling the listener ever closer with his lilting falsetto as Clearfield surrounds him with glassy piano arpeggios. What's particularly impressive about Borochov's work on Arba is how unified and distinctive it is -- a cogent blend of jazz harmonies and Arabic musical traditions all shaded in his own deep tone of blue.

© Matt Collar /TiVo