This is Mr. Mat Walerian's fourth album as a leader, all on ESP-Disk'. He also appears in the Matthew Shipp Quartet on the album Sonic Fiction (ESPDISK 5018CD, 2018). Credits: Mat Walerian - alto saxophone, bass clarinet, soprano clarinet, flute; Matthew Shipp - piano; William Parker - double bass, shakuhachi; Hamid Drake - drums, percussion. Recorded May 21, 2018 at Parkwest Studios, Brooklyn, New York. Produced by Steve Holtje.
"Walerian is alternately introspective and fiery, and the passion of Jungle at times recalls David S. Ware's groups . . . They both soothe the soul and make the heart race . . . Walerian has obviously been studying Ware, Coltrane and their ilk . . . he's on his way to becoming a free-jazz force." --Steve Greenlee on the project Jungle, JazzTimes
"... jaunty and joyous, encapsulating the sound of two superior musicians for whom age and cultural differences mean nothing . . . At times they sound like youthful renegades breaking down barriers with the power of their sound. During others, they come across as wise elders..." -- Michael Roberts on The Uppercut, JAZZIZ
"Mat Walerian is one of those rare musicians whose approach seems to span several eras of jazz history, sometimes even within the same solo..." -- Mark Keresman on the project Jungle, The New York City Jazz Record
"Sort of the new sheriffs in town . . . The difficult task is to choose the highlights. There are so many..." --Mark Corroto on the project Jungle, All About Jazz
"The groans of Walerian's alto against the maelstrom of Drake's drums and Shipp's piano are like listening to a hurricane strain against the walls of an old wooden house . . . He evokes the mastery of John Coltrane in the epic 'One For,' as Shipp plays his most Tyner-esque block chords . . . Walerian interjects flute phrases that sound like tropical birds." --John Swenson, Stereophile"
Forced Exposure.
"Mr. Walerian's tone on alto sax is immensely mature sounding and closer to the way some of the elder statesmen of tenor play, lush and sublime . . . The music has a regal elegance, not too dark yet consistently enchanting. A true consistency of excellence!" --Bruce Lee Gallanter on the project The Uppercut, Downtown Music Gallery
