Roots Propaganda
The Paul Carlon Octet
Deep Tone Records
Before a jazz composer decides exactly what they will write, they need to decide whom they are writing for. Some composers will structure their compositions to suit their own needs, developing a series of pieces that serve as drills or exercises. Other composers write for their audience, shaping their music to fit a pre-defined sound, easily consumable by their fans. The unique composer writes for the moment, crafting their work around the strengths and individual talents of their musicians. These composers need to know more than music theory, stylistic boundaries, or even their own personalities; they need to be intimately familiar with the limits of their musicians. The contexts that they create must not only say something about themselves, but they must represent the best qualities of every musician in their band. They must inspire the passions of their peers, push the limits of their musicianship, and allow each member of the band to become equal partners in the art of composition. Once a composer pushes their ideas outward towards their band members, their concept encompasses a variety of voices, defining their sound. Saxophonist and composer Paul Carlon leads his Octet through a series of original pieces that emphasize his band member’s strengths on Roots Propaganda.

Drawing Upon The Strength of His Musicians
Carlon creates a series of original Latin Jazz compositions, drawing upon the individual strengths of his band members. Pianist John Stenger establishes a sparse vamp over William “Beaver” Bausch’s embellished drum beat on “Backstory” until bassist Edward Perez weaves improvised phrases between a horn line. The melody leads directly into a high-energy trumpet solo from Dave Smith until the band quiets to a whisper behind a combination of lyrics and improvised scatting from vocalist Christelle Durandy. Trombonist Ryan Keberle starts his statement with short, quiet phrases that play off the energy of the rhythm section to build into a driving and aggressive idea. A series of richly harmonized sax and trombone lines float over the rubato introduction to “New Life” until the rhythm section enters to support an interesting melody that winds through several time signatures. Abrupt band hits make space for solidly developed ideas from Perez who ingeniously weaves percussive melodies through the colorful chord changes. Smith assertively explores the changes with quick lines that charge through lush comping, rhythmic breaks, and cleverly written background lines. Stenger carefully develops an unassuming solo introduction to “The Most Beautiful Thing,” which smoothly transitions into a reflective melody over a rumba. Alto saxophonist Anton Denner spins catchy lines full of bebop flair that evolve into long phrases based on running notes. The band sharply attacks several breaks, introducing a pleasantly tasteful solo from Bausch, who draws upon some of the unique colors in his kit to paint a distinctly different picture. The wind players push the groove forward on “Roots Propaganda” with a rhythmic melody that interlocks with the rhythm section’s funky mix of cumbia and reggae. Carlon draws an uncharacteristically dirty tone from his soprano saxophone, giving a noticeable edge to his short but potent solo. There’s a traditional feeling as Denner takes a short flute improvisation, leading into an assertive statement from Bausch. Carlon’s compositions show more than just a mastery of musical elements, he reveals a potent insight into his musicians and their current musical context.

Extending His Concepts to Arrangements
Carlon demonstrates his ability to extend his finely tuned writing skills to compositions from various artists with a set of interesting arrangements. Keberle adds a bluesy feeling over a funky backbeat on Jimmy Cox’s “Nobody Know You When You’re Down and Out,” mixing improvised lines into the finely written supporting parts. He continues to capture the band’s attention with a whispering start to his solo before he explodes into a swaggering statement that calls upon the main melody. Stenger finds a small moment to insert improvised ideas that relate to blues, hard bop, and gospel musical elements. Tightly arranged ideas between trombones, percussion, and piano provide a foundation for a soulful melodic reading from Carlon on Baden Powell and Vinicius de Morales’ “Canto de Xangó.” Carlon’s soprano sax freely phrases the melody over a varying background, building interest and tension with improvised flourishes. As Carlon moves into an expressive improvisation, he recalls images of Wayne Shorter with his sharp tone, rhythmic phrasing, and fluid ideas. The group creates a rowdy blues feel with muted trombones, growling tenor sax, and bent trumpet notes on Nehemiah “Skip” James’ “Hard Times Killin’ Floor Blues.” Trombonist Mike Fahie coyly takes his time with sparsely phrased ideas over a light texture. As the band move into a laid-back swing feel, Fahie picks up his pace, using his bluesy ideas to push the rhythm section into a strong forward motion. Carlon shows that his ability to write around his band members extends into the arranging world, as he smartly showcases several members of the Octet on these pieces.

Integrating Several Guest Artists
Carlon integrates a variety of guest artists into the Octet, still managing to write around their specific talents. Max Pollak’s drum like vocal beat-boxing wraps around Carlon’s overdubbed saxes and flute on “Mambo pa’ Kanoa,” moving into high-gear as Pollak adds percussive tap dancing. Carlon jumps into several funky syncopated lines that provide the opportunity for Pollak to spontaneously improvise tapped fills, claps, and body slaps. Pollak solos through several breaks, ending a fantastic display of creativity, interplay, and ingenuity. Bausch provides a march-like rhythm on the snare drum as the wind players provide a simple introduction to “Morô Omim Má,” leading into a smartly arranged framing of Durandy’s deep vocals. The rhythm section falls into a more traditional groove behind Carlon’s contemplatively expressive and rhythmic solo. As Durandy returns to the forefront, she cleverly alters the melody with rhythmic accents and slight displacements. Carlon boldly provides a soulful and unaccompanied statement before a wall of overdubbed woodwinds and Pollak’s tap enter “Ochun.” Pollak sings the traditional melody over the thick and pulsating structure, trading phrases with Carlon. The interplay between the various tap recordings and layered saxes make this track an extreme listening experience, as the patterns begin to closely resemble traditional bata rhythms. The horns and piano engage each other with intertwining lines over a 6/8 groove on “Yorubonics” before Durandy joins the mix with a traditional vocal. Guitarist Pete Smith builds a smart improvisation that begins with short and careful phrases before growing into a wave of blues ideas and rhythmic syncopations. Smith’s clean yet edgy tone adds a rough tone to the song, providing an interesting contrast to the rich tone of Durandy’s voice and Carlon’s smart harmonizations. Carlon remains aware of the artistic atmosphere even as guest artists join the group, writing pieces that both honor those musicians’ talents and make a strong statement.

A Contagious Inspiration Between Composer and Performer
Carlon creates an unmistakably unique sound on Roots Propaganda, wisely writing inspiring musical scenarios around his band members. The writing provides a clearly defined structure, but it never places creative limitations upon his musicians. Carlon understands the sonic possibilities inherent in each instrument and writes with a deep insight reminiscent of Duke Ellington and Charles Mingus. His structures draw upon tradition, but reflect a distinctly modern ideal that shows through each band member. The musical context obviously inspires the Octet’s members, as they play with power, conviction, and passion throughout the album. Keberle and Smith each arise as resourceful soloists and the rhythm section provides undying support for both the individual players and the songs themselves. The inclusion of Pollak, Durandy, and Pete Smith thicken the impact of the ensemble and reflect Carlon’s ability to keep his writing concept consistent among different players. His intricate arrangements with Pollak bring a whole new level of creativity to the music, and stand out as album highlights. Roots Propaganda reveals Carlon to be an important and insightful composer whose Octet matches his concept with ferocious musicality; there’s a contagious inspiration between composer and performers that unavoidably spreads to the listener.

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