Jimmy Halperin: Psalm

There is an unusual feel to this CD. One has the sense that Jimmy Halperin, an accomplished tenor saxophonist, is playing a recital with a mentor who has guided the composition of the pieces being performed. This sense comes in part from the format of this session-a 49-minute, uninterrupted duet with pianist Sal Mosca; it may also be a tribute to Halperin’s evident empathic links with Mosca, or it may reflect a certain academic quality in the compositions themselves. The base material is a set of seven lines written by Halperin on standard changes: his is a rather vertical style, draping the chords in arpeggiation and flutter. Each theme is stated in turn, after which the duo returns to improvise on six of the seven lines. The organization of the material makes the session a sort of loosely structured suite: recurring changes and melodic fragments, contribute to a sense of a larger conception, though melodic strength and emotional substance are sometimes lacking.

Originally Published June 1, 1998