By Don Phipps
The beauty found within the three improvisations of pianist Stephen Grew’ s
Fire feels submerged, discoverable by those willing to open its
treasure box of abstractions, blues, and modern classical idioms, a box that
weaves patterns every bit as free of representation as Pollock’s wild action
paintings of the mid-20 th century. The well-crafted
amalgamations emphasize Grew’s adept use of the pedal, which he relies on to
craft his stream of consciousness– that and the occasional tweak inside the
piano – like a dab of honey added to sweeten a strong tea.
“Fire 3” is the highlight of the three improvs. Here the music races along
until it hits a sudden slowing of velocity – not a full stop – but a place
where the mood changes to a more hallucinatory atmosphere, one more in than
out. There is the feeling that though the music is abstract, a reserved dark
and lingering intimacy resides within its phrases. To provide a literary
metaphor, think of the incurable Morgul-knife wound Frodo suffers in “Lord
of the Rings.” Even so, Grew can hop about with the best of them – creating
stirring rhythmic impulses that faintly recall Stravinsky’s “Rite of
Spring,” as well as flourishes that lead to complex and almost overwhelming
tonal clusters.
On “Fire 1,” after an abstract opening, Grew’s fingerings fashion a dance.
Even as the action reaches car-chase velocity, Grew refrains from pouncing
or gliding on the keys. Instead, he uses precise touches and the piano pedal
to create his movements and sonics. In one passage, his left hand creates a
rotating motif while his right hand dances lightly at the top of the key.
This process reverses soon thereafter, with the left hand creating lower
register splashes while the right hand creates a rotating motif at the top
of the keys. These kinds of inverse pivots keep the piece unsettled and
restless like a pinball propelled back and forth. And for those wishing for
fireworks, the opening of “Fire 2” fits the bill. Here the notes light up
under Grew’s chaotic attack. As the improv continues, the voicings he
employs are never timid. Rather, they have the feeling of assurance not
unlike a trapeze artist leaving a swing to do a flip mid-air knowing that
upon completion another swing will arrive just in time.
There is much to enjoy in these fascinating conversations – for that is what
this album is – a discussion between Grew and his listeners. What this
dialogue entails is something only a personal journey into these
improvisations can reveal. Enjoy.