Since moving to Madison in 1999, bassist John Christensen has become known as a prolific player, collaborating with just about every jazz musician in the area. But for decades he’s held off on recording any of his own compositions, opting to wait until he felt his writing had achieved a “personal voice.”
“Really I’m just a late bloomer, musically speaking,” he tells Isthmus.
On June 15, Christensen will release his long-awaited debut album "Dear Friend" on the Minneapolis-based jazz label Shifting Paradigm Records. The seven-track recording features local standout Johannes Wallmann on piano and Chicagoans Dave Miller on guitar and Andrew Green on drums. All compositions and arrangements are by Christensen, who proves a master at crafting accessible, yet charmingly idiosyncratic, songs.
At first listen, you might not guess that the bass player wrote this album — Christensen’s nimble, resonant playing is always there, but it’s not necessarily the focus. He’s egalitarian, writing with his talented ensemble in mind, and he excels in effortlessly passing melodic lines among voices. The album’s sound shifts from the soft, almost indie-influenced sentimentality of the opening title track to the driving jams of “Hay-De Hoedown” and the raucously joyful, wonderfully named “Smells Are Awesome.”
On the quirky “Something Said In Passing,” delicate contrapuntal melodies between bass and piano are accented by Miller’s sharp-yet-ethereal guitar. Virtuosic solos shine on the sultry “Spooky Action At A Distance,” and shifting tempos add interest to the waltzing “Prairie Grass Suite.” The accompanying press release describes “Slate Icicles On Trees” as a dutiful palate cleanser, but I found it to be a beautiful meditation with a melody that was unexpectedly memorable — almost like a note to a dear friend.
The quartet will perform an album release show at the North Street Cabaret on June 18 at 8 p.m.
