The Bennie Maupin Ensemble - Penumbra (2006)

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The Bennie Maupin Ensemble - Penumbra (2006)

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Here is an interesting and not paradoxical combination: Bennie Maupin on Cryptogramophone. Maupin hasn't been heard from as a leader since 1998 on his fine, funky, Driving While Black. That doesn't mean he hasn't been busy; he's played on records by Chick Corea, the Headhunters, George Cables, Victor Bailey, David Arnay, Mike Clark, and others. He was also part of DJ and producer Carl Craig's revolutionary Detroit Experiment. Penumbra is all his, however, and aside from Jewel in the Lotus, it may be the finest outing in his catalog as a leader. Maupin plays his usual array of instruments – tenor, soprano, flute, bass clarinet, and piano. He is joined by the excellent bassist Darek Oleszkiewicz (also known as "Oles"), drummer Michael Stephans, and Darryl "Munyungo" Jackson on percussion. Rhythm is the key here, as all of these 14 compositions are rhythmically propelled. Maupin's compositional frame has been informed by all of his teachers, most notably John Coltrane, Sonny Rollins, and Yusef Lateef. Modal motifs can be heard in most pieces, and Maupin's playing around and through the rhythm makes for infectious and quietly dramatic listening. Restraint is a key element of all the tracks on this set. Tunes don't "swing" per se, but they are excellent examples of the deep interplay of the ensemble. The contrapuntal dialogue between Maupin and "Oles" on "Neophilia," "Message to Prez," and "The 12th Day," on which Maupin plays bass clarinet and tenor, respectively, is almost symbiotic. The skittish soprano workout on "See the Positive" also involves a fine contrapuntal exchange between the two, with a funky groove underlying the entire proceeding. The angular "Level Three" begins in abstraction but ever transforms itself into melodic composition and improvisational fire all within three minutes. There are two solo pieces on the set, "Blinkers," for tenor, and "One for Dolphy," for bass clarinet, that are beautifully understated and refined. The duet "Mirror Image" for flute and bowed bass is a soft, lyrical wonder. A true standout here is "Walter Bishop Jr.," where the open drone mode dictates an intense Eastern-tinged melodic workout from Maupin's tenor. As it picks up steam, the ensemble gels, but space and air are given free rein. Everywhere the tension builds, albeit slowly, but when the piece reaches its bluesy end – reminiscent of Lateef's work on Eastern Sounds – it whispers to a close letting the air out of the bag gently, surely, and melodically. This is a magical, labyrinthine outing for Maupin. His band is top-flight intuitive, practicing a kind of restraint that never forsakes lyric for mere energy and dynamic. This takes not only discipline, but taste, and Maupin and band are positively beatific in their subtlety.

Review by Thom Jurek, Allmusic.com

Bennie Maupin, whose bass clarinet work helped define Miles Davis' classic Bitches Brew (Columbia, 1969), was an equally key contributor to Herbie Hancock's 1970s Mwandishi and Headhunters groups. In light of this, it's hard to believe that he has released only six albums as a leader during his lengthy career. One bona fide classic, The Jewel in the Lotus (ECM, 1974), sadly awaits issue on CD, and another disc comes very close: Driving While Black (Intuition, 1997).

But while both of these records had clear precedence in Mwandishi and electric Miles, Penumbra is an all-acoustic affair, featuring long-time associate Daryl Munyungo Jackson on percussion, drummer Michael Stephans and bassist Darek "Oles" Oleszkiewicz. Chordless groups aren't particularly unusual, but by focusing on bass clarinet and using two percussionists instead of the more conventional two horns/bass/drums lineup, this quartet occupies a darker, earthier space. The grooves range from the fiery swing of "Vapors," featuring Maupin on soprano, to the 6/8 funk of "Tapping Things," where Maupin's bass clarinet delivers the elliptical theme in unison with Oles, before opening up into a more interactive conversation. There's little here to jar the senses.

Still, this may be Maupin's freest session. "Walter Bishop Jr.," featuring Maupin on tenor saxophone, is the kind of modal music that Coltrane might have made if his vision had been less intense. Rather than creating sheets of sound, Maupin concerns himself with space, allowing every note to breathe. Every now and then a flurry of notes evidences his instrumental facility, but he's more concerned with a tranquil sense of the spiritual—close, at times, to Charles Lloyd's more meditative work.

Oles has only emerged on the Los Angeles scene in the past few years, and his debut as a leader, Like a Dream (Cryptogramophone, 2004), demonstrated an equal marriage of technique and spare economy. The bassist proves to be a remarkable listener here. On the free-ish but clearly form-based "Level Three" he manages, along with Stephans' astute brushwork, to anticipate Maupin's every move. Jackson is sometimes so subtle as to be almost invisible, meshing seamlessly with Stephans on the guarded ebullience of "Message to Prez," but more up front on "See the Positive" and "The 12th Day"—the two most uplifting tracks on Penumbra.

Maupin contributes rich alto flute to the African-tinged title track and blends European classicism with American concerns on the closing ballad, "Equal Justice," proving himself a capable pianist. But the bass clarinet is his main axe, and the solo "One for Eric Dolphy" is both an homage and statement of individual intent. Penumbra may surprise listeners expecting Maupin to carry on the electric vibe of The Jewel in the Lotus and Driving While Black, but in many ways the looser organic nature of this effort makes it his most personal and satisfying record to date.

Review by John Kelman, AllAboutJazz.com

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The Bennie Maupin Ensemble - Penumbra (2006)

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The Bennie Maupin Ensemble - Penumbra (2006)

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The Bennie Maupin Ensemble - Penumbra (2006)

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