Album Review: Undeniable — Carlton / Macpherson / Pass / Valenti

On their first collaborative release, the four artists traverse challenging musical terrain with courage and sensitivity.

The striking cover art for Undeniable, painted by Aisha Valenti, depicts the flowers and seed pods of the Illawarra Flame Tree. This Australian native must shed its leaves before it can burst into scarlet bloom. A similar process of fluorescence through abscission is at work on this album. It’s not leaves that have been discarded here, but chords; or, at least, fully voiced chords played on a piano or guitar. Their absence in jazz is not new, but remains striking. When it coincides, as it does here, with music that uses static or non-functional harmony, the sonic landscape feels wide open; nothing but roots and branches. Jessica Carlton (trumpet), Alana Macpherson (alto saxophone, flute), Kate Pass (double bass), and Talya Valenti (drums) traverse this stark terrain with courage and sensitivity.

It’s a testament to the skill and taste of these artists that you’re unlikely to feel lost on the journey. The role of the rhythm section is important here. Pass and Valenti create dynamic grooves that provide an important anchor in the absence of a more conventional harmonic framework. They combine jazz interplay with firmly rooted rhythms which, although complex, provide a welcome point of reference for listeners more familiar with rock and hip-hop than free jazz. The horn players, for their part, don’t abuse their harmonic freedom. Carlton and Macpherson are more concerned with developing compelling ideas than indulging in empty dissonance or prolonged pyrotechnics. Crucially, despite the relative latitude that the four artists have allowed themselves, none of them ever loses sight of the others or the overall shape of each composition.

Pass has been a prominent figure in Perth jazz for several years and her skills as both a composer and instrumentalist are well-known. The “chordless” setting gives her additional space to display the depth of her sound and ideas. In her composition “Junction”, she balances a mysterious, abstract melody with a steady double-stop figure in the bass, setting up an evocative musical environment that spurs Carlton on to her most exciting and intuitive playing on the album.

“Junction” also features a simmering solo from Valenti. Her playing on Undeniable blends rock and broken beat influences with a jazz sensibility and serves a particularly important role in defining the quartet’s distinctive sound. Her writing contributions also mark her as an emerging composer to watch. “More Light” offers a beautiful melody and two of the album’s most poignant moments: Pass’ heartfelt solo over delicate horn backings and Carlton’s mournful half-valve cries.

Carlton and Macpherson, both accomplished composers, contribute the album’s strongest tracks. “Same Place Same Time” (Macpherson) and “Free the Five” (Carlton) each feature fresh and memorable melodies and strike an admirable balance between freedom and momentum in their harmony. The latter tune features a wonderful solo from Macpherson, who manages to be lyrical and logical without being predictable.

The two Carlton compositions on Undeniable, “Free the Five” and “Rice Bunny”, are inspired by the Chinese feminist movement. The first honours five activists arrested for handing out stickers on public transport to raise awareness about sexual harassment. The second shares the Chinese nickname for the #MeToo movement; to avoid censorship, Chinese women participated using the hashtag “Rice bunny” (米兔, pronounced as “mi tu”). It’s not hard to see how these stories of women finding ways to make their voices heard in a hostile environment might resonate with Carlton and her collaborators who, after all, work in the music industry.

This brings us back to the Illawarra Flame Tree. The essence of its flowers is said to have healing properties for those who feel rejected or apprehensive about new experiences. Perhaps these two feelings are linked; those who are alienated by convention may need to shed it in order to blossom. If you’ll let it, Undeniable will take you on an uncompromising but engaging journey down that unfrequented path.