Drew Gress - 2008 - The Irrational Numbers (flac) -
The Irrational Numbers is a landmark 2008 post-bop and progressive jazz album by bassist , serving as a highly acclaimed follow-up to his 2005 work, 7 Black Butterflies . Released on Premonition Records , the album is celebrated for its intricate balance between rigorous composition and "inside-outside" improvisational freedom, often described as having a shifting "center of gravity". The Quintet (Personnel)
(1:48): A short, classical-minded introductory piece.
(12:38): A long-form piece with a center of jagged, angular free improvisation. Drew Gress - 2008 - The Irrational Numbers (FLAC)
(7:08): A surreal, haunting closer that pays homage to John Philip Sousa's "Stars and Stripes Forever". Summing Up Drew Gress' 'Irrational Numbers' - NPR
(8:20): Features an intense "heated argument" between Berne’s alto and Taborn’s piano. The Irrational Numbers is a landmark 2008 post-bop
: Producer (contributes tech-savvy, atmospheric production). Musical Style and Structure
The album features Gress leading the same powerhouse quintet that recorded his previous outing, a group noted for its deep internal history and uncanny chemistry: : Double bass, electronics. Ralph Alessi : Trumpet. Tim Berne : Alto saxophone. Craig Taborn : Piano. Tom Rainey : Drums. (12:38): A long-form piece with a center of
Gress utilizes "unpredictable" structures to sidestep traditional jazz head-solo-head formats. The music often employs "duo solos"—two players improvising simultaneously—and layers written lines over improvised sections to create a lush, sometimes surreal atmosphere. Critics highlight the album's range from "detailed writing" to "completely free improvisation". The album consists of ten Gress originals: