Alony - Unravelling (2005)

What kind of philosophy could be at the bottom of Alony's mysterious logo? Is it the voice that grows 'alone' in heaven? The answer is much simpler. Alony is a duo, consisting of the Berlin-based native of Haifa, Efrat Alony and pianist and arranger Mark Reinke. The two individualists first met at Berklee Collage in Boston and decided to show the Jazz police a thing or two. Even on the Efrat Alony Quartet's album, 'Merry Go Round', they translated the Jazz canon into their own body language, radiating warmth, dedication and the courage to follow new paths. On 'Unraveling' they go three steps further. In an era of easily digested statement, Alony forces one to listen. You won't find much of those things you know or thought to recognize. Efrat Alony's voice constructs itself so naked and unadorned in front of the listener's ear, that it is at first often a shock. The instrumentation of the pieces is so discreet that it supports the voice, emphasizes and accentuates it. Here a piano arabesque, there a bass groove or a patch of electronic sound, all so unassuming that you hear it only when you ear consciously seeks it. One will search in vain for solos, battles or jams on this album. Because Mark Reinke fulfills his roll as pianist, co-composer and co-arranger so discreetly, he reveals a mastery and noblesse that is seldom heard in Jazz circles. 'We are interested in sounds Efrat Alony explains. 'We look for sounds that are untypical for Jazz. We want to appeal to listeners who are not routinely involved in Jazz.' It is not only the efficient use of the sources of sound, harmony an rhythm and the monolithic character of the voice that separates 'Unravelling' from the masses of vocal Jazz albums, but more the unusual relationship between sung and played tones. 'We never made a conscious decision for sparseness,' claims Mark Reinke. 'At a time when we are constantly be stimulated from a thousand different directions, we simply wanted an affirmation of form. Each piece is based on a clear idea. You must be disciplined to be able to remain concentrated on the essential, but that's what counts.' Their melodies may not always be immediately memorable, but the urgency with which they are played is difficult to escape. Such discreet expressiveness or rather such an expressive understatement is heard only sporadically throughout musical history. Even if Alony is stylistically light years away from Miles Davis, the spiritual relationship to his 'Kind Of Blue' cannot be ignored. One of the roots of Efrat Alony's unadulterated approach to music can be attributed to the fact that she began her close involvement with music later than many. At 18, she began listening to Jazz, at 20 she began her music studies. Before that she couldn't even read notes. Ten years later, she communicates music in all that she says and does. Nevertheless, she has retained the awe that turns here songs into expeditions, on which the listener can accompany the voice into uncharted territory. Her voice touches you, physically and mentally. It would be foolhardy to tie Efrat Alony to one genre, and inappropriate to invent a new one for her. Comparisons to other singers would be misleading. Efrat Alony and Mark Reinke offer their listeners the unique pleasure of scouting new terrain. They create a garden with its own architecture, exotic fauna and flora. Preconceived aural expectations don't get one very far with this album. It may take a moment's effort to get into Alony, but when the song lets the senses float through the garden, one is rewarded at every turn. Reinke and Alony give their listeners plenty of space to expand their songs with his own associations. They make an offer, in the end art is born in the ear of the listener.

1.01 - Alony - Remedy (3:19)
1.02 - Alony - White on White (5:13)
1.03 - Alony - Free Fall (5:36)
1.04 - Alony - Stray Thoughts (4:04)
1.05 - Alony - Wild Is the Wind (4:54)
1.06 - Alony - She Can Still Recall (3:49)
1.07 - Alony - Reminiscence (4:53)
1.08 - Alony - Echoing (4:18)
1.09 - Alony - Cloudy (3:17)
1.10 - Alony - I'm All Smiles (3:37)
1.11 - Alony - Secrets (5:19)