Tim Stine Quartet - Knots (2019)

When considering the Chicago jazz scene today (and other associated genres), we have to name the precious contribution of guitarist and composer Tim Stine. Stine’s contributions are brilliantly demonstrated in his new album, “Knots”, acoustic music resulting from sensible combinations of precise written scores (“the ink”, Stine says) and interactively improvised content by the members of his quartet (Nick Mazzarella, Matt Uluru and Quin Kitchener). All members of the quartet contributed to the general arrangements and also to the reconfigurations during the concert and studio sessions. With a background in classical music and bebop, and a loving appreciation for the free jazz played by the AACM associates, Stine uses elements of those origins (“they’re all music”, he justifies), in his pieces, sometimes combining two different meters or suddenly shifting from one form to another. Melodic fragmentation, bending of tonality, exhaustive exploration of motives, and changing the order in the parts of the tune are other operative strategies, always with his acoustic guitar as the axis. A must hear, must have recording…

Nick Mazzarella - alto saxophone
Tim Stine - guitar
Matt Ulery - bass
Quin Kirchner - drums