Tom Rainey with Ralph Alessi, Ingrid Laubrock, Kris Davis & Drew Gress - Obbligato (2014)

On the second CD on Intakt Records with his own band Tom Rainey surprises with standards like Dave Brubeck's «In Your Own Sweet Way», Thelonious Monk's «Reflections», Duke Ellington's «Prelude to a Kiss».

Tom Rainey has played in bands with Tim Berne and Craig Taborn, and his own trio with Ingrid Laubrock and Mary Halvorson. For this new ensemble he chose some of the finest players New York has to offer.

Kevin Whitehead writes in the liner notes: «Within those forms, it's all fluid: density, dynamics, the focus shifting from one player to another, without the others getting out of the way, exactly. The players are pretty scrupulous about minding those forms. Melodic variation is the heart of their method – they acknowledge the changes, but are very much playing the tune not just the frame, making five-way counterpoint coherent. Think of the collective improvisations as multiple obbligatos, responses to a silent theme.»

Ralph Alessi: Trumpet
Ingrid Laubrock: Saxophones
Kris Davis: Piano
Drew Gress: Bass
Tom Rainey: Drums