Near Perfect: Ralph Alessi Quartet in Springfield

A rare confluence of sublime writing, stellar musicianship and well-rehearsed playing came together in the elegant Robyn Newhouse Hall at the Community Music School of Springfield on May 2, as the Ralph Alessi Quartet wowed 60 of us with a set of transcendent music. The concert, the 22nd of the year in Pioneer Valley Jazz Shares’ 14th season, featured trumpeter Ralph Alessi alongside Matt Mitchell (piano), John Hébert (bass) and Ches Smith (drums/vibes). The 70 minute set included music that was recorded by the Quartet last year, to be released on ECM Records this July.

The band just got back to the States seven days ago, after spending two weeks touring Europe. The music, full of idiosyncratic twists and complicated turns, felt lived in and as comfortable as a pair of broken in jeans. Alessi’s compositions ranged from high tempo bebop, to fractured funk, to melancholic ballads, and they contained logic, beauty and heart across many moods. When you put compositions that engage the ear in the hands of virtuoso instrumentalists, the results are thrilling. The forthcoming record, A Sun That Never Sets, will be Alessi’s 6th as a leader for ECM, and includes as special guest his brother Joseph Alessi on trombone.

To say that Ralph Alessi comes from a musical family is an understatement. His parents met as performers at the Metropolitan Opera: his mother, Maria Leone Alessi, sang in the chorus; his father, Joseph Alessi Sr., was principal trumpet for nearly 15 seasons. His older brother Joseph is principal trombone with the New York Philharmonic and an esteemed professor at Juilliard. Also classically trained (he performed with the San Francisco Symphony as a teen), Ralph made a detour to CalArts, where he studied with Charlie Haden and first met Ravi Coltrane, who has become a long-time collaborator.

To say that Ralph Alessi is technically proficient would also be understating it. His attack was crisp and articulate, with enough coloring outside the lines to keep it interesting. His tone was inviting and his ideas were fresh, and he kept our attention without needing to expand the instrument’s sound producing playbook.

Matt Mitchell and Ches Smith were each making their third Jazz Shares appearances of the season. These artists, both north of 50 years old, are among the most celebrated musicians on the planet, and in constant demand as leaders and sidemen. Mitchell, who performed with the Jon Irabagon Quintet (November) and in duet with Sara Serpa (December), possesses unlimited technique and creativity. The same can be said of Smith, who visited western Massachusetts in October leading his group Clone Row and in January as part of the Anna Webber Nonet.

A couple of piano interludes with Smith on vibes provided celestial palate cleansing, and his two drum solos confirmed for me that Smith is among the top percussionists in jazz. His sideman work with Marc Ribot, Tim Berne, Mary Halvorson, David Torn and John Zorn justify that conclusion, and in the last five years the records he’s produced under his own name (Path of Seven Colors, Interpret It Well, Laugh Ash and Clone Row) have solidified his stature as a first-rate composer/conceptualist. Those wanting to find out more about Mitchell are urged to check out his six Pi Recordings as a leader and his sideman work with Dave Douglas, Tim Berne, John Hollenbeck and Miles Okazaki.

I first met John Hébert in 2015 when he performed at the Magic Triangle Jazz Series with the Fred Hersch Trio, and again at UMass in 2018 as part of the Angelica Sanchez Nonet. He has a big, round sound, a robust imagination, a surplus of technique, and a thorough knowledge of jazz history. Since Hébert first came to prominence in the bands of Andrew Hill, with whom he played from 2001 until the pianist’s passing in 2007, the New Orleans native has become one of the most in-demand bassists in jazz. Along with the rest of the rhythm section, Hébert easily negotiated the shifting meters and tricky harmonies imbedded in the compositions, while adding a major dose of life energy.

Over 35 years, I’ve produced lots of concerts by some of the world’s most creative musicians. This one was special.