Wayne Smith Jr.

Be Still

Blue Collar

Drummer, composer, and educator Wayne Smith Jr. is a vital member of the Sun Ra Arkestra, stepping out here as a leader for one of the more calming albums we’ve heard recently.  Leading a quintet that includes trombonist Brent White, alto saxophonist Matthew Clayton, guitarist Ian Macaulay, and bassist Madison Rast, this unit creates ambient and ethereal soundscapes without the use of synths and many effects. As Smith says, “The album signifies tranquility…to relax, sit still, and be at peace.” These pieces were composed during the pandemic and is appropriately pensive and evocative as brooding pieces mix with more vibrant ones with an emphasis on harmonies and colors as the various instruments often echo one another in a gospel-like call and response as heard between the trombone and guitar on “Ephesus.”

The trombone begins with a clarion-like call on “Pico,” reaching deep across the registers as Smith’s drums and Macaulay’s resonating guitar provide accents extending into a soaring solo from altoist Clayton, later joined again by White in a tune written for the Danny Thompson, the late baritone saxophonist of the Arkestra. “Echoes” brings energy, playing to a grooving mid-tempo, a feature for Clayton and Macaulay. Arguably, the centerpiece track is “I-5” that follows the shape of Pacific coastline in California. White’s trombone evokes the majestic and awe-inspiring scenery and emotions Smith Jr. felt while Rast steps in with an emphatic bass solo. Smith keeps it steady with brushes, letting the melody breathe through cleanly. The cinematic quality continues into the standout “New Day,” as the horns and guitar create gorgeous harmonics and vibrant improvisations to the steady underpinning of the bass-drum tandem.

The title track flows gently, living up to its name. Contrary to the image of the boisterous, free-swinging Sun Ra Arkestra, tunes like these are ECM-like. This one, a bit more than some of the other introspective ones, though, alternates nicely between that mood and more animated ones. That said, the stomping, funky, free form “Surge” takes it up a notch into Arkestra territory while “To The Trade,” plants us squarely there in the spacey, more ethereal realms of that milieu. It’s an ode to a series of sessions Smith recorded where his peers would play endless hours of improvisation, continually trading instruments. This track represents his transcription of one of his favorite moments.

Smith and his quintet achieve his goal. This is the kind of music one can easily get lost in, relaxing, dreaming, admiring the colorful tonal palettes and interplay of the ensemble.

• Jim Hynes

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