MICHAEL EATON’S  INDIVIDUATION

THE PHENOMENAL

Mother Brain Records

Michael Eaton, tenor & soprano saxophones; Brad Whiteley, piano/synthesizer; Daniel Ori, bass; Shareef Taher, drums; Tim Hagans & Dave Scott, trumpets; Judi Silvano, voice.

Bandleader, Michael Eaton, has assembled a group called, Individuation.  Drummer, Shareef Taher is the star of the first song titled “Folk Song.”  At the very beginning, he takes an inspired and long drum solo, after the horns establish the melody. Once the piano, saxophone and trumpet lay down the melody, the entire band drops out. The focus now is only on the spotlighted drummer.  About a third of the way through the solo drum explosion, the horns re-enter, along with Brad Whiteley on piano and Daniel Ori on upright bass. Two thirds into the song, the sweet horn improvisation of composer, Michael Eaton joins the party. He brings fresh innovation and beauty to the project on saxophone. The woodwind player has composed all the music for this project.

Many of these compositions sing with dissonance.  That’s very evident during the opening bars of “Multiple Worlds.” The song unfolds into a blues-based tune featuring Eaton on the tenor sax. I enjoy his tenor tone and the wild exploration of these chords.  He flies above the rhythm section like an anxious bird. The trumpet joins him in flight.  They dip and dive across space during their freedom dance.

The modern jazz and experimentation continue with a tune called, “Imagination and Understanding.”  Alterpiece No. 1 adds the haunting vocals of Judi Silvano, singing wordlessly a melody, like a human horn. Eaton takes a horn solo briefly, then invites bassist, Daniel Ori, to join him. They are all tangled together harmonically, intertwined with voice, soprano saxophone, piano and bass. Judi Silvano’s voice is an important part of this recorded arrangement. She brings beauty and warmth to the experiment.

The composer is the saxophonist, bandleader and artist, Michael Eaton.  Some of his music sounds quite experimental. This project was recorded after eight years and three tours by Individuation. Their final tune is titled “Blues and the Phenomenal Truth.”

This is a band and a composer who are reaching organically for a sound of their own.

Reviewed by Dee Dee McNeil

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