Jess Williams Review
Live at Bop Shop Records
All rules in music are meant to be toyed with. Kenny Foster designs his jazz compositions as if he were designing a game. And not the type of game that has a rigid structure and a thick rule book, but instead the ones that strike the right balance of limitations and freedom so that everyone can add in their own color. This debut self–titled project by the Kenny Foster Game Night Quartet is a play-by-play recount of five of these games that took place live at Bop Shop Records.
“Train Window #2” starts off the show with impeccable world building and exposition. There’s a danceable syncopated jazz fusion drum rhythm laid down by drummer Dave Maccarone, an infectious bass ostinato from Matt McNulty, and then Foster finally joins in on sax with some smooth melodies supported by Jon Tucker’s harmonic injections on the keys. But right when the song starts going, the group stops abruptly. Beat. Then they start again from the top. It’s only been 30 seconds and already the group is playing games and subverting expectations.
After they get going on this second round, they then playfully move through the composition, constantly shifting the dynamic intensity. The jazz fusion elements of the consistent bass pattern and driving drum groove help solidify the piece in its sonic world as the group color in a scene of looking out upon rolling landscapes through a train window. The sweeping sax soloing by Foster is elating, with evocative phrasings piecing together the narrative. Meanwhile, Tucker brushes the track up with unpredictable detours, whether that be soft staccato chord stabs over a more bare rhythm section, or even tagging out the bass to play out some less-chordally-centered low frequency melodies with a very unique, squelchy keyboard tone.
Just when it seems like the song has strayed far enough from its grounded rooting, the band fades away and stops again for a brief moment… before starting again with the same structure as the beginning.
This opening track is perfect setup for the performance, as it is built upon well crafted, versatile compositions, but defined by the quirks and explorations each member will follow during the piece.
The game night continues with “Clown Car,” which is decidedly circus-y. Both through the title, and also with the composition’s usage of the familiar melodic motif from “Entrance of the Gladiators,” which has now become colloquially known as the “clown song.” It is also, fittingly, the most playful of the bunch of tracks. With its unrelenting avant-jazz bassline running throughout, its jaunty sound, and its stark immediacy, the song breaks down the expected musical rules to become the ultimate playground.
Especially impressive is McNulty’s bass solo that pops in near the end of the piece, which launches off the 12-tone bass line into scattered and excited runs that exceed the limits of speed and melodic form. The uninhibited solo lands the track into its closing moment, which is as pleasantly brief and sporadic as its opening.
More delightfully unstructured moments land on “Push the Bagel,” which alternates between a klezmer-influenced dancey groove, and the heavily contrasting sections of free jazz. The ambiance created by these break spots show off the distinct personalities of the band and highlight how useful instability can be as a tool in performance.
“Feelin’ Lucky?” features an infectious bass-clarinet pattern that memorably swings through the song as Maccarone takes a deserved opportunity to pop off on the drums. He plays through these phrases constantly switching up drum grooves, using the full kit, dipping into strange rhythmic territories, all while sounding effortlessly natural, and most importantly, sounding like he’s having fun.
The live record ends with the credits roll moment of “In a Better Place.” It is a softer moment, taking the shape of a more melodically driven smooth jazz ballad. Its cinematic tone and nostalgic mood give a welcome break from the chaos, but it never inhibits the creative and impulsive spirit of the band. The slight improvisational quirks and regular switch-ups in vocal character between the instruments keeps this track interesting while grounded.
Kenny Foster’s Game Night Quartet clearly sets up the ethos of this group, making it a strong statement of a debut. Each musician in this quartet worked towards a common goal of experiencing a composition through the exploration of loose musical guidelines. Their method of preserving the spontaneity and conversational aspects of live music becomes a mission statement that reliably enraptures and invests the listener.