Innertextures live by Igor Lumpert

Igor Lumpert Trio: Innertextures Live


Sharon Mizrahi/ New york city jazz record
“Innertextures Live”(2012)-Clean Feed Records
October 1, 2012
Experiencing the Igor Lumpert trio’s Innertextures live; is like eating seven layered cake: each bite revels its own delectable flavor and texture, all uniting to form a intriguing whole. In this trio’s case, the flavors are more savory than soft-and when brought together to form this newest live release the resulting sound is creativity at its boldest.

Glen Astarita / All about jazz
Track review of “Open the Safe!”from “Innertextures Live”(2012)-Clean Feed Records
October 4, 2012
Slovenia-reared tenor saxophonist Igor Lumpert hurdles and leaps onto the progressive jazz radar with his inaugural solo effort for Portugal’s highly respected and progressive record label, Clean Feed Records. This live release, featuring a prominent New York City-based rhythm section, highlights the leader’s sophisticated outgrowths via the bustling frameworks, often designed with ascending cadences, brisk bop vamps, subtle explorations and linear progressions. With all-universe drummer Nasheet Waits and bassist Christopher Tordini often providing volcanic support, Lumpert gets a lot of mileage out of the core jazz trio format. Kinetic energy amid capacious hues and shades, meld with ballsy stylizations throughout. On “Open The Safe,” Lumpert conveys a host of intricacies with odd-metered rhythmic pacing and mesmeric variances in pitch. Cohesive, yet full of split-second surprises, the artist injects cunningly deceptive tactics. The band segues into hyper-mode bop, where the saxophonist takes his time building a new theme, yielding a bit of food for thought, as Tordini tempers the flow with a searching solo and takes matters down to a near whisper. The trio closes the piece with the complex primary motif, while producing the maximum level of entertainment along the way. Indeed, Lumpert communicates guile, patience, a broad jazz vernacular and a crafty sense of the dynamic.

Stephan Moore / JazzWrap
“Innertextures Live”(2012)-Clean Feed Records
October 16, 2012
Born in Slovenia but raised on the diverse traditions of both American and European Jazz, Igor Lumpert has a style that is both relaxed and complex. His training and performing with the likes of Reggie Workman, Buster Williams and Chico Hamilton to name a few probably has a lot to do it. But on Innertextures Live, Lumpert’s third release as leader, he begins to shape his voice, vision and destiny. Innertextures seems to be a revolving cast of musicians that each delicately and diversely interprets Lumpert’s richly molded compositions. This approach reminds me of a less cerebral approach to Chicago Underground, led by Rob Manzrek. But here, Lumpert is more concerned with taking the listener on a journey of colourful expressions and hard bop tonality. “Still Dreaming” gets things off to delightful start. Tordini’s slow infectious bassline is wrapped tightly by the always exciting Waits kit. Lumpert throws bold and muscular notes that intersect at various points with his bandmates but shows that this live outing is going modern but with a few twist and turns. “Perug” rips along in furious succession. Tordini and Waits are giving space to create some nice, big solos with lots of creative pace. Lumpert’s fury throughout this piece felt like mid-period Coltrane. Lumpert shows great skill and beauty on “This Is For Billy Holiday.” A lovely ballad with poise and passion. It’s heavy and introspective but filled with Lumpert taking a delicate and exact approach. This piece really shows the diversity in his performance and compositions on Innertextures Live.

Grego Applegate Edwards / Gapplegate music review
“Innertextures Live”(2012)-Clean Feed Records
October 15, 2012
Igor Lumpert’s well-conceived tenor improvisations, Christhopher Tordini’s virtuoso bass anchorage and Nasheet Wait’s fire-y and accomplished drum statements are on full display for their live at the 52nd Ljubljana Jazz Festival set in 2011, recorded and released as Innertextures Live (Clean Feed 257). It’s first-rate post-bop, seven Lumpert blowing vehicles that give the set a very contemporary slant. The three are most definitely inspired to do their best, a swinging, forward lurching six-legged improvisational creature of delight. Tordini and Waits meld into classic tight-loose propulsiveness and stay there throughout. Igor lets loose with inspired improvisations that show influences as diverse as Rollins and Rivers, yet grounded in pure Lumpert.

What, makes Igor’s music so unique is its complexity. There is a quality to his playing and compositions that has absorbed the rich traditions of jazz music in this country but has also added something new and unidentifiable. His compositions flow with the ease and vitality of odd time signatures that speaks to a wealth of understanding of Slovenian folk music.
Jane Ira Bloom

igorlumpert.com