| Jazz |
At a moment when contemporary jazz continues to wrestle with its own definitions, caught between institutional recognition and underground reinvention, this album arrives as both a provocation and a statement of intent. Amid the steady stream of CDs landing on my desk in recent weeks, one cover immediately caught my eye. Its graphic design, whether deliberately or not, echoes the visual language long associated with Germany’s ACT label. That resemblance alone was enough to move it to the top of my listening pile, accompanied by a mild sense of embarrassment: how had I managed not to know this musician already, given that he has released several albums to date?
From the very first listen, it becomes evident that Shawn Lovato possesses a fully formed compositional voice. He plunges headfirst into structures of considerable complexity, without hesitation or apology. This is not an album designed for immediate gratification, nor will it appeal to every listener. Its rewards are cumulative, revealing themselves not through melodic comfort but through sustained attention. Yet for those seeking musicians with a strong, unmistakable identity, and a commitment to resolutely modern forms of expression, the experience proves deeply compelling.
Raised on the outskirts of New York City, Lovato was profoundly shaped by the city’s underground scenes, particularly hip-hop, metal, and punk rock. These marginal but formative influences continue to inform his openness to a wide spectrum of musical approaches, guiding a trajectory that has taken him from CBGB to The Stone, and onward to the Lincoln Center. Here, the city is not merely a backdrop but an active force, functioning almost as an instrument in its own right. Lovato draws a kind of urban poetics from the rhythmic flow of pedestrians, the friction of bodies and sounds moving through public space, translating metropolitan motion into musical architecture.
The trio itself operates as a kind of laborator, one in which traditional hierarchies are deliberately blurred. Roles shift, expectations are undermined, and listening becomes a shared responsibility. It is impossible not to single out, once again, the work of Ingrid Laubrock. Writing last August in DownBeat about her album Purposing the Air, I observed: “The result is an album of rare coherence, driven by emotion and executed with grace.” That assessment applies just as convincingly here. Laubrock remains endlessly inventive and unpredictable, ultimately emerging as the most immediately recognizable voice within the ensemble. And yet she integrates herself seamlessly into Lovato’s compositional universe, shaping the music while allowing herself to be shaped by it in return.
Lovato’s own playing on double bass is strikingly forceful, anchoring the music with physical presence and tonal authority. Drummer Henry Memmer matches that intensity with a similarly powerful approach, at times recalling the bodily engagement of a percussionist rather than a conventional jazz drummer. Crucially, however, this power never becomes oppressive. Memmer introduces a flexibility, a vital elasticity, that allows the music to breathe, preventing density from tipping into rigidity.
I have a particular affection for projects of this nature, those that challenge the intellect while, more importantly, making the listener feel the weight and clarity of artistic intention. Here, that intention unfolds with remarkable freedom, guided by a sophisticated awareness of what composition can enable when it leaves space for arrangements in which every detail matters. Nothing feels incidental. Each gesture appears considered, yet never overdetermined.
Much of what allows musicians to push themselves this far seems rooted in the way Lovato understands his own work. He does not hesitate to immerse himself in the creative worlds of others, among them Ingrid Laubrock, Tony Malaby, Tom Rainey, Anna Webber, Jacob Sacks, DoYeon Kim, Brandon Seabrook, and many more. These encounters inevitably feed his writing, expanding his vocabulary and compelling him to exceed his own previous boundaries.
Laubrock, like an actress in the mold of Helen Mirren, is more regal than ever in her interpretations, commanding respect and admiration without resorting to excess. Once again, she confirms her status as one of the most significant artists working today, the consistency and quality of her output speaking eloquently on her behalf. Here, the bassist-composer lays the groundwork for a project that thrives on tension: between structure and spontaneity, density and openness, individual voice and collective momentum. The result is an immersive soundscape, demanding, rigorous, and ultimately rewarding for those willing to meet it on its own terms.
Thierry De Clemensat
Member at Jazz Journalists Association
USA correspondent for Paris-Move and ABS magazine
Editor in chief – Bayou Blue Radio, Bayou Blue News
PARIS-MOVE, January 15th 2026
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Musicians :
Shawn Lovato – bass
Ingrid Laubrock – tenor saxophone
Henry Mermer – drums
Track Listing:
Spling
Frequent Flyer
One Step From Anything Easy
Patience And Hydration
Inexorable
Dirt Doesn’t Burn
Parachute Bloom
Produced by Shawn Lovato
Recorded by Ryan Streber at Oktaven Audio, Mt. Vernon, NY, November 2024
Mixed and edited by Ryan Streber at Oktaven Audio, May 2025
Mastered by Scott Hull at Masterdisk, Peekskill, NY
Artwork and Design by Shrenik Ganatra
All Compositions by Shawn Lovato ©2025 BMI
Thank you to Kevin Sun, Ryan Streber, and Shakira Croce, and immeasurable gratitude to Henry and Ingrid for their dedication to the music and inspired playing.
The realization of this work was made possible in part by a generous grant from Hofstra University for faculty research and development.