Confluence

The Ancia Saxophone Quartet, i.e. Matthew Sintchak (soprano), David Milne (tenor), Joan Hutton (alto), and Angela Wyatt (baritone), have been widening their saxophone arsenal for over 30 years now, and here they flesh out 5 in depth pieces with incredible attention to detail. Piazzolla’s “Tango Suite” opens the listen with 3 very animated and dynamic segments that are as unpredictable as they are exciting, and Larsen’s “Confluence” follows with a stirring, emotive presence, where each player’s respective strengths shine in the sometimes bare, other times firm appeal that is quite cinematic. “Dervish” arrives at the halfway point, and quivers with a charming intimacy that builds into a tense display, while “Three Jazz Settings For Saxophone Quartet” unfolds with 3 very distinct chapters of haunting, playful and thriving jazz bursts in the Ricker composition. “Thank you”, by Dodgion, exits the listen, and it’s a soulful, precise and delightfully stylish and memorable closer that truly showcases the chemistry between the quartet. A very artistic delivery that involves much technique, timbral presence and focus, there is a great deal of balance between sophistication and adventurousness to be found and appreciated here. …The presentation is thoroughly professional and artistically convincing. Ancia plays with clear timbres, expressive personality, superb technique, and terrific balance, blend, and teamwork; and the ensemble executes a staggering variety of contrasting styles with expertise and panache. The Larsen alone is a remarkable challenge, requiring aesthetic awareness, polished lyricism, and some hair-raising multiphonics; and the Ricker is a rollicking piece of sophisticated jazz that calls for a level of capability and virtuosity above the norm for the genre. In addition, the Piazzolla and the Rutkowski are substantial works in vastly different folk idioms—a programming choice that will stretch any group. But this release is more than just a repertoire seminar; it is a brilliantly played concert.