MUSIC REVIEW BY Robert Iannapollo, Cadence
Saxophonist A.J. Kluth was originally based in the Chicago area but recently moved to New York City. But his group Aldric is a quintet comprised of players based around the Chicago area. It's a strong band with a frontline of sax, trumpet and guitar, all of whom dabble in electronic s. The music straddles the line between post-Coltrane, free (mostly on the intros) with a dose of fusion thrown in . With an electric bass and certain rhythms employed, there's a noticeable rock base to several of the tracks. Aldric has a nice sense of drama and how to create it but they do so subtly without hitting the listener over the head with it. The compositions are mostly by Kluth except for "Jerzy" (by trumpeter Davis) and "Twilight" (by bassist Thatcher). A frequent strategy is starting out with formlessness with thematic material coalescing gradually. Tempos change frequently within the compositions. But rather than coming off as clever or contrived, the changes seem natural. They're easily negotiated by the rhythm section. The frontline is well-matched. Kluth sports a big, meaty sound on tenor and it matches well with Davis' nimble trumpet. Kluth occasionally picks up the melodica and when he does, it gives the music a unique ambience. Summerfield is a versatile guitarist occasionally prone to rock star moments but thankfully they are brief and infrequent. All in all, a good group well-matched by their material. The one disappointment is that the titular instruments don't appear anywhere on the disc.
