Wisdom of Uncertainty
Through the '90s, Ware and Co. brought the sound of Coltrane's classic Quartet back to life, then shattered it into a thousand new possibilities. Ware's group has shaped an ocean of sound into outsized, abrasive, soulful jazz. This record again features the talents of the band's newish drummer, the subtle, chatty Susie Ibarra. But even taking into account her smaller, more compact additions to the dialogue, the quartet's sound only got bigger. Ware is in blast-off mode throughout, his tenor squawking its way to unbelievable heights, then rising higher. With Ibarra and bassist William Parker pulsing quietly and briskly below, it's left to pianist Matthew Shipp to fill up the center. He does so in a variety of ways: with hammering density, monkish knottiness, and wide, gently undulating rivers of notes. He's the perfect launching pad for Ware, and the lyrical heart of this brilliant music.--D. Strauss