| Jazz |
Michelle Medler, a composer hailing from the Pacific Northwest, is wholly devoted to music and art. A gifted multi-instrumentalist, she wears many hats. She is a dedicated teacher, offering private instruction in saxophone, flute, and clarinet, her schedule brimming with students—an endeavor she has pursued since the age of nineteen.
The tone is set from the very first track of this album. To open with such a sense of mystery, before delving into the heart of the music, is a mark of undeniable talent. Medler’s writing strikes a rare balance, offering an ideal platform for the musicians who accompany her on this artistic journey.
Michelle can also be heard with the saxophone quartet The Quadraphonnes, whose music features in the Oscar-nominated 2023 musical film The Holdovers. She plays hard-bop jazz with the Medler Sextet, 1920s–1940s swing with the Shanghai Woolies, and vibrant salsa with Melao de Cuba. Michelle is, quite literally, addicted to groove, harmony, and improvisation.
The album presents six original compositions that unfold like the chapters of a poetic novel, echoing both the urban and the picturesque. There is something Dalí-esque in these pieces—moments of elusive meaning, enigmatic and thought-provoking, like The Persistence of Memory’s melting clocks. And so, we let ourselves be carried away, we dream, we listen, and we play at detecting the masterful arrangements that provide such an enjoyable listening experience.
I refuse to speak here of Michelle’s musical influences. Rather, listen. Savor. Her style is her own. Like a writer or filmmaker, she invites us into a deeply personal narrative. Not knowing any of the musicians beforehand only added to the joy of discovery. Classical inspiration is perceptible throughout; inevitably so, for music this intricately written cannot be the product of chance.
Each performer brings surprise; not through grand gestures, but through a shared vision and a refined artistic beauty, audible in the timbre of their instruments and in the nuance of their interpretations.
Art demands a certain intransigence, an urgency, a necessity. Without these, one can quickly grow bored—but that is far from the case here. Michelle Medler, steeped in rich musical culture, shares her inspirations with remarkable delicacy. Over the course of the album, we come to understand what binds this ensemble so seamlessly. The saxophone, while prominent, stands in equal stature alongside the other instruments: a trumpet that is a joy to hear, a double bass that delights the ear, a pianist whose structured extravagance is both surprising and welcome, a drummer whose percussive finesse delivers small marvels, and a trombonist who too impresses.
To hear this group live would be a dream. I’ve always admired artists who shun flashy effects and focus instead on the very essence of music.
Here, we witness another kind of bridge between past and present. The acoustic format of this album renders it timeless. With astute production by Dennis Carter, who masterfully brings out the best in each element of the ensemble, ably supported by executive producers Ben and Michelle Medler; River Paths is sure to captivate, without ever succumbing to ease or cliché.
Thierry De Clemensat
USA correspondent for Paris-Move and ABS magazine
Editor in chief – Bayou Blue Radio, Bayou Blue News
PARIS-MOVE, April 7th 2025
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