Painter of the Invisible

Album review

Born in 1978 in Philadelphia, saxophonist Jaleel Shaw—after having studied under such saxophone greats as Billy Pierce and George Garzone, and cutting his teeth in Count Basie and Charles Mingus’ big bands—has gradually established himself as one of the most brilliant saxophonists of his generation. A longtime member of drum legend Roy Haynes’s quartet, and now a sought-after sideman endorsed by the jazz elite (he is currently part of bassist Dave Holland’s new trio and quartet), Shaw has also pursued his own career as a leader since Perspective in 2005, bringing together key players like Mark Turner and Robert Glasper in his ensembles. With his new record Painter of the Invisible, this ever-stylish master of speed and musicality presents perhaps his most ambitious project to date, placing his compositional talents in the service of a narrative both reflective and political.

At the helm of a brand-new quartet featuring Lawrence Fields on piano and Fender Rhodes, Ben Street on double bass, and Joe Dyson on drums, the alto and soprano saxophonist crafts a powerfully lyrical and modernist post-bop sound. The addition of Sasha Berliner’s vibraphone on one track and Lage Lund’s refined guitar on two others expands his orchestral palette. Throughout the album, Shaw pays tribute to figures like the iconic James Baldwin ("Baldwin Blues") and Tamir Rice ("Tamir"), the young African-American boy killed by police in Cleveland in 2014. The music is direct, swinging, and energetic, rooted in deep tradition yet elevated by Shaw’s ever inventive idiolect. With his tangy tone and fluid, articulate phrasing—blending Jackie McLean’s lyrical generosity with the harmonic inventiveness of Wayne Shorter—Shaw delivers the finest album of his career with true artistic maturity. © Stéphane Ollivier/Qobuz