Rachel Z

Sensual

Ozmosys Media Group/Dot Time Records.

The renowned, virtuoso pianist, keyboardist, composer, and electronic musician Rachel Z, one of the modern-day pillars of jazz fusion, surprises with Sensual. Yes, this writer, having seen her and drummer husband, Omar Hakim, perform at the 2022 Montclair Jazz Festival in a high energy jazz fusion performance had wrongly set expectations. Instead, she presents a gorgeously rendered acoustic piano trio record, performed with three different lineups. She creates on her custom Fazioli-F228 Acoustic, raging on the low end, and bubbling softer in the higher registers. Anything Rachel Z delivers in terms of electronica is relegated to just two tracks, subtly at that. Together with Hakim who anchors two of the trios, the two share as glowing a resume as just about any two genre-crossing musicians. Rachel Z has had longstanding careers with Wayne Shorter, Peter Gabriel, Mike Mainieri and Steps Ahead, and Stanley Clarke as well as 13 albums as a leader. Hakim has shared the studio and bandstand with Weather Report, Daft Punk, Miles Davis, John Scofield, Bruce Springsteen, D’Angelo, Sting, and Foo Fighters, among a countless list of others.

Rachel Z entitled the album as such, having lost both her parents as well as her major mentor, the great Wayne Shorter last year. She and maestro Shorter had collaborated for over a year to create the Grammy winning recording, Highlife. These events caused her to not only get deeper into her inner self through self-love and mediation but to experience a newfound beauty in many aspects of life, learning to gain more appreciation for kindness and gratitude. These are the kinds of emotions she pours into the record – simply the joy of being alive.

While there are three bassists and two drummers/percussionists involved in the session, there are mostly two primary trios – the first with percussionist Mino Cinelu (Miles Davis, Sting) and bassist Matt Penman (Joshua Redman, Kurt Rosenwinkel), who play on four tracks, the second with Hakim and emerging bassist Jonathan Toscano. Bassist Tony Levin (Peter Gabriel, King Crimson) appears on the title track alongside Hakim.

The soothing opener “Save My Soul” features Cinelu on percussion and Penman on bass with a poignant solo as Rachel Z sets the tone for this glistening, gorgeous album. The husband-and-wife team join with Toscano on the serious, pensive “What I Fear” and again on the spiritually inspired, buoyant “Bodhisattva.” The latter was perhaps inspired by Shorter, who was a devout Buddhist, and is derived from the Buddhist tradition of one who helps others attain enlightenment. The expressive “Forgive Me” has Rachel Z playing deliberately in a series of emphatic chords and shimmering runs, accenting the contrition implied in the title. She uses space expertly here. You’ll hear orchestral effects via Rachel Z’s electronica input on the Hakim/Penman supported standout “What About the Kids,” intended to be a social commentary on how younger musicians are being squeezed financially, yet there’s a triumphant, optimistic glow to the piece that shifts into calmer, more introspective tones mid-piece. The individual voices of the bassist and drummer are quite prevalent and take the piece to churning, aggressive levels in the second half.

Cinelu’s touch imbues the Latin-tinged “Inamorata” with Penman delivering an outstanding, muscular pizzicato run.  The cute, exclamation point ending fits perfectly.  This same trio delivers sublime lyricism on the minimalist “Shephard’s Lullaby,” another example of Rachel Z’s unhurried rendering and acute use of space.

The title track stands apart as it begins with an orchestral backdrop and with Hakim on drums and Levin on bass navigates through a few sections. The opening groove devolves into a break-out improvisational section over intentionally challenging harmony, yet the piece keeps inching forward with this trio especially locked in. Hakim’s kit work, especially his cymbal flourishes impress, while Levin’s bass reverberates fully with his robust attack.

The lone cover comes with the final track, a cover of the Foo Fighters’ iconic “These Days.” This was a ‘must add” to the album due to Hakim’s time spent playing with the Foo Fighters, accented more so by the passing of their drummer, Taylor Hawkins. Rachel Z altered the time signatures from 15/8 to 7/4 while maintaining the integrity of the original melody and flow. Rachel says. “This is a musical jam exploration of Dave Grohl’s storytelling that culminates in an explosive, emotional drum solo by Omar Hakim, which is itself a tribute to the late great Taylor Hawkins.”

Rachel Z delivers a heartfelt album rife with glowing pianism and trio interplay. Whether you had simply pigeonholed her in the jazz-fusion camp or not, you’re in for a richly rewarding listen.

• Jim Hynes