None of pianist and composer Micah Thomas’ previous albums prepared us for this ambitious, deeply explorative large ensemble work, Mountains. It’s a live album encompassing four sets of performances at NYC’s Jazz Gallery in June of 2023 as a result of a residency commission. The range of influences draws on Thomas’ classical training, his love for the large ensemble music of Charles Mingus and Alice Coltrane, and a wide swath of orchestral inspirations from contemporary classical composers – Mahler, Stravinsky, and Prokofiev.
Let’s be clear, though. There are no string sections or the trappings one finds in orchestral music. The concept of a large ensemble is even a bit deceiving as Mountains is rendered entirely by an acoustic septet, two members of which are Thomas’ bandmates in Immanuel Wilkins’ quartet – the alto saxophonist and drummer Kweku Sumbry. Joining them are bassist Kanoa Mendenhall, trumpeter Adam O’Farrill, tenor saxophonist Nicole Glover, and trombonist Caleb Smith, the latter three, with Wilkins, forming a formidable four-horn front line.
Twelve extensive tracks, comprising 71 minutes of music, may suggest a fastidious, almost overwhelming amount of composing. Still, Thomas claims to have taken an organic approach, writing at the moment with the specific musicians in mind and letting one section naturally lead to the next. Along the way, he strove to mirror the complexity of life’s emotions in an unpredictable storytelling that avoids cliches and shuns usual structures.
A quick view of the track listing doesn’t immediately emphasize the four distinct sections, but they are delineated by those pieces that begin with a capital letter instead of lowercase. Thus, we have “Life,” a grand overture encapsulating the diversity of organic structures; “Processing,” the varying paths of managing grief; “Hide,” and “The Mountain,” intensely emotional, using the physical journey metaphorically and “Encounter,” spiritual discovery inspired by Alice Coltrane’s music.
“Life” is rife with striking ensemble passages, expressive voices of each front liner, especially around the eight-minute mark, and several brimming piano excursions from Thomas in both smooth and jagged sequences, most occurring in the first half. Toward the end, he gradually deconstructs his ostinato, decelerating to a calm finale.
On the other hand, “Processing,” a rather manic ensemble piece, runs within two minutes, while its successor, “Lament,” is a plodding, most low register piece punctuated by brighter moments that more closely associates with the concept of grief as in mourning. “libre” again provides a stark contrast with a groove and melody that suggests limitless freedom. It was inspired by the duo recordings of Paco de Lucía and Camarón de la Isla from the late ’60s and early ’70s. The uneven nature of the punchy, stark improvisations traces to Thomas splicing together in post-production clips from all four sets of the Jazz Gallery performances. The lengthy ”no answer’ presents repetitive and shifting patterns at slower or mid-tempos. Except for Wilkins’ reaching solo around the six-minute mark, it’s as if a NOLA brass band meant to play at 45 rpm is mired in 33 rpm speed instead.
“Hide” drifts introspectively, with the horns engaged in more sustained passages individually and as a unit over Thomas’ brooding pianism. “The Mountain” offers haunting, droning sonics spiked with exciting statements from the horns and throbbing, push-forward rhythms from the bass-drum tandem, with Sumbry soloing extensively. “Nomad” appropriately presents a cautious, explorative posture while “Collapse” again has the ensemble playing ‘out’ in rather frenzied attack mode.
Thomas and his ensemble traverse such a wide range of rhythms, sonics, and emotions in this complex tapestry. Mountains is a masterful work, elevating Thomas to the highest ranks of contemporary boundaryless composers.
