Chad McCullough - In These Hills, Beyond (2024) [Hi-Res]

Reflecting on IN THESE HILLS, BEYOND, trumpeter and composer Chad McCullough says “this album is a celebration of life, but it wasn’t planned that way. I just wanted to play great music with my friends, as lofty a goal as I have most of the time. However, the recent passing of my grandfather just before the tour added more weight to everything.” On the road with his quintet last year, McCullough realized midway through the second concert that it was his grandfather’s birthday. “It brought home the importance of being surrounded by good friends and family both to grieve and to celebrate life.” In these hills, beyond documents the band’s last two nights of the run at the North Street Cabaret in Madison, Wisconsin, capturing a level of musical communication and camaraderie that can only develop through a band playing night after night on the road.

While the quintet heard here is new, all the individuals are long-time associates of McCullough’s. Belgian pianist Bram Weijters and the bandleader first met at the Banff jazz workshop under the direction of Dave Douglas, resulting in a long and fruitful collaboration. “I’ve played with Bram for 15 years and something like 150 concerts, which is a lot considering we live 5000 miles apart,” says McCullough. “We’ve made 5 albums together, and I wanted to bring him in for some concerts with my Midwest bandmates.” His relationship with drummer Kobie Watkins, renowned for his work with Sonny Rollins and Bobby Broom, dates back even further. “In the last 20 years we’ve shared a lot of time on the road; he’s one of the most musical drummers I’ve ever heard.” McCullough started playing with guitarist Dave Miller and bassist John Christensen shortly after moving to Chicago from his hometown of Seattle 11 years ago. When the group came together the chemistry was immediately palpable. “We rehearsed for 6 hours before the first concert, and it was the first time we’d ever all been in the same room together. It worked out great, as I knew it would.”

IN THESE HILLS, BEYOND delivers on this promise. The opener, McCullough’s aptly named “Fellowship,” showcases the band chemistry through a wide variety of moods. Composed specifically for each player, the solo sections range from Americana to melancholy chamber music to ambient minimalism before coalescing into a final triumphant ensemble statement. “Imaginary Folk Song” dates to the early days of McCullough and Weijters’ catalogue; indeed, it was the first track on the first album they made together (Imaginary Sketches, 2010 Origin Records). “We did it in one take and wore it out on the road,” recalls the trumpeter. “I thought it’d be fun to revisit it for this tour.” Christensen states the melody on bass with warm sound and precise execution, followed by a spirited, soaring foray from McCullough and a more introspective one from Weijters reminiscent of Brad Mehldau in its dark harmonies and two-handed virtuosity.

“Balance Wheel,” a reference to the time-keeping device in a mechanical watch, again taps into McCullough’s affinity for lyrical Americana. “It’s almost a country-western vibe. Almost. I wrote it for my grandpa; I don’t think he cared much for jazz. He had all of my records, and we found them still in the wrapping after he passed away… so here I tried to write something he might have enjoyed.”

McCullough’s other tunes reveal contrasting views of McCullough as composer and spotlight the quintet’s versatility. An attractive, shifting 5/4 melody, “Waterway” feels familiar yet is full of twists and turns, the harmonies unsettled. The composer describes “Handwritten as “a fun burnout tune [loosely structured and fast] based on Messiaenic modes,” referring French composer Olivier Messiaen. Closing the set is “Forgotten Dreams,” a dark tone poem inspired by a stanza from Alfred, Lord Tennyson’s “The Two Voices:”

“Moreover, something is or seems,
That touches me with mystic gleams,
Like glimpses of forgotten dreams”

A prolific composer, Weijters contributes two original tunes to the program. On “Detour” Dave Miller seamlessly blends bebop, psychedelic rock, and the blues while Watkins, ever an intuitive and supportive accompanist, brings the track to a climax with an epic drum solo. “Another Monster” often opens the band’s live shows, the initial haunting, rubato trumpet melody morphing into a sinister piano ostinato over a driving groove. Miller mines that darker vein, while McCullough returns to the wistful tone of the introduction.

“Magic Music Man,” the only other non-McCullough piece here, was written in tribute to Kenny Wheeler by Australian trumpet virtuoso Scott Tinkler. “I’ve been a huge fan of Scott’s work for years and thought this tune fit the vibe of the ensemble wonderfully.” The lovely, singable melody definitely evokes Wheeler, and the subtle play of polyrhythm is signature Tinkler, but the muscular lyricism of the performance is pure Chad McCullough.

CHAD MCCULLOUGH trumpet
BRAM WEJTERS piano, keyboard
DAVE MILLER guitar
JOHN CHRISTENSEN bass
KOBIE WATKINS drums