Peter Evans' Being and Becoming - Ars Ludica

The Free Jazz Collective 0

By Charlie Watkins 

Peter Evans is one of those tireless musicians whose projects are always dazzlingly original. His band Being and Becoming is no exception, and their newest release, Ars Ludicra, is a fantastic example of Evans’s creative ambition. Combining hip-hop grooves, avant-garde melodies and free improvisation, as well as a healthy dose of electronics, this record is vibrant, modern and infectiously groovy. It is also, it is worth saying, quite different from their previous release, Ars Memoria, which was much more stripped back in comparison to this album’s bold energy.

The band features Evans on trumpet(s), electronics and piano, Joel Ross on vibraphone, synth and percussion, Nick Jozwiak on bass and synth and Michael Shekwoaga Ode on drums. The above might imply that it is a heavily electronic album, but the electronics are mostly used for their tonal qualities. There is some inventive post-production, especially towards the end of Pulsar, which is done really nicely and lifts this album to a whole new level, marking a step forward from their previous release, which was perhaps more straightforwardly ‘jazz’ in its approach.

The album explodes open with Malibu, a furiously energetic composition driven by a simple repeated bass riff. This simple structure allows the whole band to really open out, especially Evans and Ode, whose powerful drumming appears to maintain its energy from the start to the end of the record. The second and third tracks, Pulsar and Hank’s, are characterised by similar riffs, again driven by Jozwiak’s pulsing bass. Throughout the record, it is Jozwiak’s playing that keeps everything grounded whilst the other musicians soar over the top. Evans is of course a true trumpet virtuoso, and he shows this off in impressive fashion on Pulsar. Like Malibu, Pulsar ends by moving into a hip-hip drum break accompanied by a detuned vibraphone riff, over which Evans continues to soar.

The third track, Hank’s, although still characterised by the same repeated bass lines, moves in a new direction. It has more harmonic space than the two preceding numbers, and a brighter energy. Evans is on pocket trumpet on this number, reaching even higher than previously, and he finds himself trading with Ross’s impressive vibraphone playing. Of the whole album, this track is perhaps the most conventional in structure and content, a somewhat typical contemporary jazz tune, although again the final minute transitions into a deep groove to conclude things.

My Sorrow is Luminous is a welcome respite on the record. This track, a cover of a song by the Russian folk-punk singer Yanka Dyagileva, is tender and subtle, yet without losing any of the energy of the first three tracks. Evans improvisation on this track is mind-blowing in its virtuosity, and Ode goes absolutely wild alongside him. The second half of the track is more spacious, although Ode continues to attack his drumset with an impressive force. I quite enjoyed the energy Ode brings to the record, but I can see that some people may find his approach a little on the heavy side – I note that he has now been replaced by Tyshawn Sorey, so it will be interesting to see how he affects the sound of the band.

The final track, Images, is the most symphonic of the set. It includes Alice Teyssier on various flutes to provide some rich harmony, and doesn’t feature any improvisations. It brings things to land in a way that is well needed after the relentless pace of the previous tracks, and rounds this short album off nicely.

All of the tracks are relatively short and fast-paced, which gives the album a good sense of direction; it certainly never feels like it’s dragging things out for too long. Each track follows a near identical structure, starting with a driving riff, moving into abstract, high energy solos, and finishing with a dance-style breakdown at the end, proving the maxim: if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it! The straightforward structure keeps things moving nicely, providing plenty of variety even during these short tracks. The use of bass and drums manages to successfully combine contemporary jazz with experimental hip-hop, providing an exciting space for Ross and Evans to work from, and pulsating with infectious energy without falling into cliché. Definitely worth your time.

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