Tony Barba - Blue Plate Special (2021) Hi-Res

It’s impossible to tell the story of saxophonist Tony Barba’s new album without the conclusion of the tale of his previous full-length, Blood Moon (released on Shifting Paradigm records in April 2020). When Blood Moon was in its final stages of production, Barba was wondering how he would financially support physical production when his friend and artist Michael Finnegan proposed an idea: What if he (Michael) commissioned a composition based on the visual images from one of his digital drawings in exchange for album design work? Barba enthusiastically agreed, producing not one but six compositions reflecting Finnegan’s artwork (which is featured on the cover of Blue Plate Special). After sitting on the back-burner throughout the pandemic, these expansive (and occasionally aggressive) improvisations finally came to life in the spring of 2021 with Tony’s longtime Madison-based trio, featuring John Christensen on upright bass and Devin Drobka on drums and trigger pads. The result is music that gives a strong nod to the joyful freedom and playfulness in the work of Albert Ayler, Paul Motian, and of course one of Barba’s major influences throughout his career, Sonny Rollins.