Jon Irabagon – Server Farm

Irabbagast Records – Street Date : February 21, 2025
Jazz
Jon Irabagon - Server Farm

As always, I place the album into the CD player. The opening notes of the first track often set the tone for what follows, and I am immediately captivated. The energy evokes the glorious days of Weather Report—a music both loquacious and intelligent, masterfully structured. Yes, this musician intrigues me, compelling me to delve deeper. There are cultural roots here that I am unfamiliar with, and so I turn to his biography:

The American saxophonist of Filipino descent, Jon Irabagon (born in 1978 in Chicago), has been profoundly influenced by the philosophies of empowerment and individualism, as well as by the aesthetic of the AACM (Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians) and its great ensembles. He stands in the illustrious lineage of Chicago’s tenor saxophonists, as comfortable composing for the rising stars of contemporary music as he is navigating the most intricate landscapes of modern jazz. Irabagon builds upon this foundation, incorporating elements of modern classical music and the late period of John Coltrane, placing particular emphasis on mixed chamber ensembles that allow him to harness the voices and sensibilities of his chosen musicians.

Given the structural complexity of this album’s compositions, I am not surprised—only an artist of the highest caliber could craft such a sophisticated musical experience, seamlessly blending contemporary classical music, jazz, and world music. This is certainly not an album for the casual listener; it demands an audience of broad cultural awareness. Irabagon occupies a space akin to that of Médéric Collignon or Wadada Leo Smith—unyielding, uncompromising. He navigates between composition and improvisation with such fluidity that one cannot discern whether the written framework holds more significance than the aesthetic setting. What is certain, however, is that the material is forged in the heat of creation.

As a member of a minority community, Irabagon resists the marginalization of his voice through his compositions, fostering an open dialogue with his musicians to create a space of exchange and understanding. This interplay between the written score and improvisation is central to his artistic vision. As journalist Nate Chinen remarked in his “Top Performances of 2015,” Irabagon’s compositions are “drawn to the play of opposing forces, particularly in the abstraction of form.”

Few artistic endeavors could more powerfully represent a community than a work of this nature—one that demands a profound mastery of musical craft, where composition and arrangement adhere to an exacting standard.

The influence of the 1970s is ever-present, yet the compositions remain resolutely contemporary. This is music that requires effort from the listener, who will not be disappointed once they grasp its essence. As with all great works of art, it is a two-way process: the artist offers their vision with full creative force, and the audience must be willing to receive, to engage, to find their place within this sonic universe.

It is with great joy that I discover such an artist and share with you a work that, in my view, is of great significance. This remarkable album, consisting of only five tracks—only one of which is under ten minutes—clearly belongs on the stage. One can only hope for many live performances of such a project. And with this, the album earns its place among our “Indispensable” CDs of 2025.

Thierry De Clemensat
USA correspondent – Paris-Move and ABS magazine
Editor in chief Bayou Blue Radio, Bayou Blue News

PARIS-MOVE, February 3rd 2025

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