By Don Phipps
The beauty found within the three improvisations of pianist Stephen Grew’ s Fire feels submerged, discoverable by those willing to open its treasure box of abstractions, blues, and modern classical idioms, a box that weaves patterns every bit as free of representation as Pollock’s wild action paintings of the mid-20 th century. The well-crafted amalgamations emphasize Grew’s adept use of the pedal, which he relies on to craft his stream of consciousness– that and the occasional tweak inside the piano – like a dab of honey added to sweeten a strong tea.
“Fire 3” is the highlight of the three improvs. Here the music races along until it hits a sudden slowing of velocity – not a full stop – but a place where the mood changes to a more hallucinatory atmosphere, one more in than out. There is the feeling that though the music is abstract, a reserved dark and lingering intimacy resides within its phrases. To provide a literary metaphor, think of the incurable Morgul-knife wound Frodo suffers in “Lord of the Rings.” Even so, Grew can hop about with the best of them – creating stirring rhythmic impulses that faintly recall Stravinsky’s “Rite of Spring,” as well as flourishes that lead to complex and almost overwhelming tonal clusters.
On “Fire 1,” after an abstract opening, Grew’s fingerings fashion a dance. Even as the action reaches car-chase velocity, Grew refrains from pouncing or gliding on the keys. Instead, he uses precise touches and the piano pedal to create his movements and sonics. In one passage, his left hand creates a rotating motif while his right hand dances lightly at the top of the key. This process reverses soon thereafter, with the left hand creating lower register splashes while the right hand creates a rotating motif at the top of the keys. These kinds of inverse pivots keep the piece unsettled and restless like a pinball propelled back and forth. And for those wishing for fireworks, the opening of “Fire 2” fits the bill. Here the notes light up under Grew’s chaotic attack. As the improv continues, the voicings he employs are never timid. Rather, they have the feeling of assurance not unlike a trapeze artist leaving a swing to do a flip mid-air knowing that upon completion another swing will arrive just in time.
There is much to enjoy in these fascinating conversations – for that is what this album is – a discussion between Grew and his listeners. What this dialogue entails is something only a personal journey into these improvisations can reveal. Enjoy.
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