Roundup by Simon Nabatov Quintet

Moment's Notice December 2010
The Russian-born, German-resident pianist Simon Nabatov has demonstrated tremendous breadth as a performer, from witty improvised duos with Han Bennink to earthy post-bop bands with Ray Anderson. He's added his own voice to the works of Herbie Nichols and crafted both vocal settings and tone poems on Russian literary works. Here Nabatov leads an international quintet in a series of pieces that testify to his sometimes startling imagination, for Nabatov is traditionally, even romantically, lyrical, and just as capable of developing machine-like power and collective frenzy. At times the lushly-set melodies here give the impression of a Gil Evans orchestra (shades of Ellington, Mingus and George Russell arise as well), making it all the more impressive that he's playing with a quintet, though a very special group of musicians - trombonist Nils Wogram (a frequent Nabatov collaborator), tenor saxophonist Matthias Schubert, cellist Ernst Reijseger and drummer Tom Rainey. It's a great band and a fine match for Nabatov's impulses, the opening "Sunrise, Twice" matching his music-box piano against Wogram's continuous drone and Rainey's at once sparse and lively snare drumming. As compelling as the opening is, though, it's Nabatov's ability, a matter of both technique and conception, to keep growing an idea beyond where you think it can go, developing lacy dissonances before the piece gently disappear into itself. There's even more movement in "Career Ladder", which grows from eerie dialogue to roller-coaster momentum. The contrasts of the opening pieces develop again and again here, as Nabatov's lyrical reflections give rise to dense exchanges and sudden theme statements. There's a brilliant collocation between composed structures and collective improvisation, resulting in a kind of structured turmoil. The musicians move in and out of Nabatov's overlapping patterns with both fierce energy and control, and you get the sense that each member of the group is simultaneously assuming several roles, as disciplined (and reading) sideman, empathetic member of a community, and independent improviser. This is highly distinctive and valuable work.

Stuart Broomer

Simon Nabatov, pianist and composer, was born in Moscow in 1959.
In 1979 he emigrated to the USA, spent in NY next 10 years and 1989 he moved to Germany.
Simon Nabatov played with the "who's who" of the jazz and improvised music community, gave concerts in over 60 countries, appeared on the numerous international festivals, received prizes and documented his music on 30 CD's under his own name.