Tenor saxophonist Noah Preminger, formerly of Canton and the nationally-recognized Hall High jazz program in West Hartford, used his time during the pandemic like many jazz musicians – passing tracks back and forth with colleagues to create finished products.
Preminger brings his quartet to the Side Door Jazz Club in Old Lyme, Saturday, Sept. 23.
We get a good sampling of what the crew has to offer through Preminger’s collaboration with bassist Kim Cass, eight tunes created remotely and called “The Dank.”
Preminger said the idea was to blow the other’s minds. They both stretched beyond their primary instruments to add clarinet, flute, synthesizer, electric bass and guitar. The percussive approach of both players obviated the need for drums.
The duo met at the New England Conservatory of Music. Cass, a Bar Harbor, Maine native, has been studying and playing the bass since he was 10. Cass now lives in New York while Preminger calls Massachusetts home and teaches at the Longy School of Music of Bard College.
Their album begins with the warm blast of “Phatty Deucerama’s” frenetic first few measures. Preminger and Cass match each other note for note before moving to longer, more intricate polyrhythmic phrases.
A new theme emerges with “Spookytown Mexico” which lives up to its name by evoking a barren landscape devoid of life until spirits seem to awaken and begin their dance. As if to provide a brief respite, “Pizza Time” takes the listener to New York City with the sounds of the City slowly dissipating as night wears on until the only remaining tones are the taxi cabs in search of fares or perhaps pizza.
Another tune, “Chron dot com” is what one might expect. Imagine a telegraph operator busily sending an important message which perhaps is not urgent, and then awaiting a reply. Finally, Preminger and Cass take us to another dimension with “Daddy Likey,” a song which appears to have been born in outer space amid stars and planets as it makes its way to the nether reaches.
Joining Preminger and Cass at The Side Door will be Max Light on guitar and Dan Weiss on drums.