Dickey, Parker, Shipp: Village Mothership — free improvisation with strong moods

The village of Village Mothership is New York’s East Village, a creative melting pot of free jazz, political activism and avant-rock in the 1980s. Bassist William Parker was an established figure, and pianist Matthew Shipp and drummer Whit Dickey were newly arrived. Within a few years they had recorded Shipp’s first trio album, Circular Temple, backed tenor saxophonist David Ware and become one of the standout rhythm sections in free jazz.

Although they frequently collaborate, this album is their first trio recording since those early years. Each of the six pieces is through-improvised, the playing is fresh and contemporary, and, despite the gloomy track titles, outgoing and warm-hearted. Shipp combines jazz expressionism with impressionist moods, Parker and Dickey are intuitive melodic improvisers and all three delve into the past with a playful touch.

The trio’s singular approach to free improvisation combines strong moods with a captivating sense of risk. As each track develops, tempi change, roles are swapped and ghosts of the past resonate in hi-hat figures, bass riffs and hints of Monk, gospel and stride. But the overwhelming effect is the headlong thrust of three strong individuals merging into one.

The album opens with the rhythmic twists of “A Thing and Nothing”, conjured from an elliptic drum figure running from bass drum to snare. Shipp enters with a clump of chords and the track unfolds as a spiritual quest.

“Nothingness” comes next, an abstract romp of ambiguous harmonies and pulsating skitters that firm into a deconstructed funky pulse. And then “Down Void Way” and “Whirling in the Void”, two probing investigations of placement and space; the first hints briefly at a village dance, the second morphs into walking bass and nods occasionally to the blues.

Five numbers in, the fiery title track resonates with harsh chords played four to the bar, swishy cymbals and scratchy bowed bass. The set closes with the ebb and flow of “Nothing and a Thing” launched by sparse piano doodles resonating in space.

★★★★☆

‘Village Mothership’ is released by Tao Forms