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Tomeka Reid Quartet

Tomeka Reid has a strong claim to being the leading cellist in contemporary jazz. Rooted in Chicago’s influential avant-garde scene and the legendary Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians (AACM), she has become a central figure in modern improvised music. The New York Times has dubbed her a “New Jazz Power Source”, and in 2022 she was awarded the prestigious MacArthur Fellowship.

For her quartet, Reid brings together three musicians deeply embedded in the improvisation and avant-garde jazz scenes: guitarist Mary Halvorson, bassist Jason Roebke and drummer Tomas Fujiwara. Halvorson, Roebke and Fujiwara have been playing together for over a decade, and on the latest album, dance! skip! hop!, their interplay reaches new heights. The Guardian awarded the record its highest rating, calling it an early contender for “jazz album of the year”.

Cello and guitar weave melodies around each other as the rhythms shift beneath them. An apparently tranquil theme can suddenly erupt into fuzzed-out guitar noise or a swirling improvisation. Reid’s fluid phrases give way to a spontaneous dance of counter-melodies between her cello and Halvorson’s guitar. The music is playful yet razor-sharp, driven by a groove that keeps things moving even as the band ventures into freer territory. Echoes of string-jazz pioneers Billy Bang and Abdul Wadud can be heard alongside Julius Hemphill’s off-kilter swing and the open-ended approach to ensemble playing cultivated by the Art Ensemble of Chicago and Wadada Leo Smith.

LINEUP

Tomeka Reid – cello
Mary Halvorson – guitar
Jason Roebke – bass
Tomas Fujiwara – drums