Tyshawn Sorey - Alloy (2014)

Alloy is the highly anticipated new release from drummer/composer Tyshawn Sorey, his first as a leader since his Oblique-I topped multiple critics polls as one of the best releases of 2011. Named one of 'Five Drummers Whose Time is Now' by The New York Times, Sorey, in addition to being one of the most in-demand drummers on the scene playing with the likes of Vijay Iyer, Steve Coleman, Steve Lehman and Myra Melford, also holds a masters from Wesleyan University and is currently in the doctoral program at Columbia University. As a sideman, Sorey is known for his impossibly virtuosic technique, mixing rapid-fire playing with power and tumultuous eruptions. He is also well-known among musicians for his mind-boggling ability to effortlessly master the most difficult written scores. One might expect Sorey s compositions to mirror the vigor of his drum playing, but instead, they more often evince a pensive beauty, with the feeling of wading into waters in search of a mystery deep below its surface. On Alloy, Sorey takes on the classic jazz piano trio tradition and extends the continuum to include compositional influences from classical music such as Morton Feldman and Claude Debussy. He is joined on Alloy by pianist Cory Smythe and bassist Chris Tordini, who play an egalitarian role in shaping the music. Both have long histories performing Sorey s music, with Smythe appearing onThat / Not (2007), Sorey s acclaimed debut as a leader, and Tordini on Oblique-I. With Alloy, Sorey continues to stake new musical ground and help bring together formal classical composition and improvisation.