Reflections (For Paul Horn) is the newest instrumental launch from famend solo and alto flute participant Invoice McBirnie and crafted as a homage to the well-known multi-instrumentalist, composer, and bandleader Paul Horn. Such albums invariably fall into three camps – artists overlaying their predecessor’s materials, imitations of the topic’s work, or they’re authentic compositions trying to seize a number of the topic’s spirit but focus equally on the performing artist’s skills. Reflections (For Paul Horn) lands within the third class. McBirnie invokes Horn’s affect all through the album’s eight tracks however emphatically stamps each with private creativity somewhat than aping Horn’s work. 

His personalized effect is audible from the outset. McBirnie’s manufacturing model for these songs is rife with intimate particulars. We hear him respiration, the recording captures the smallest particulars of each his solo and alto flute taking part in, and the sunshine ambiance he drapes over the taking part in by no means sounds affected. “Reflections” opens the album in grand model. McBirnie’s improvisational model doesn’t announce itself with suits and begins; if something, you’ll scarcely discover as “Reflections” and its successors sound absolutely organized.

Absolutely organized, nevertheless, by no means means overly rehearsed or in any other case inert. It implies that every of the album’s eight performances comes throughout like McBirnie started taking part in with a imaginative and prescient in thoughts for what he needs to perform. We hear that in cuts akin to “Masada Dawn”. The non secular implications behind the title bear fruit within the Center Japanese overtones working all through the efficiency. He follows a gentle trajectory, as properly, that speaks about how completely McBirnie is “within the second” with every of those performances. Phrases fail to explain the regular trajectory that McBirnie follows constructing items akin to this.

They don’t fail, nevertheless, when describing the pawing playfulness of tracks akin to “Kitten & Moth”. This efficiency works underneath your pores and skin in increments somewhat than impressing itself upon listeners with large motifs. It maintains a low-key demeanor all through its entirety. “Awakening” captures the freshness implied by its title, the sense of waking to face a brand new day. Alongside the best way, McBirnie treats listeners to his recurring tendency to carry key notes somewhat than counting on shorter phrases. The promise of discovery and renewal is among the themes repeatedly rising all through Reflections and finds one in every of its most evocative expressions with this observe. 

“Monk’s Strut” is a observe extra instantly accessible than a lot of its predecessors. This owes much more of a debt to jazzier influences than any of the opposite seven performances however but suits in properly at this slot within the album’s working order. It permits McBirnie to indicate off his virtuosic tendencies with out ever working the chance of overplaying. “Ode to Paul” concludes the album on a salutary be aware. It’s an affectionate and slowly developed piece that pays direct homage to Horn with out ever imitating McBirnie’s illustrious predecessor. Reflections (For Paul Horn) is an eclectic mixture of the energetic and sedate that even those that usually wouldn’t get pleasure from such fare will discover one thing of advantage in listening to.

Mindy McCall