Jim Hobbs and Timo Shanko - The Depression Tapes (Relative Pitch Records, 2025) *****

By Don Phipps

When one thinks of great sax-bass collaborations, a few albums stand out:

• 1977’s Soapsuds, Soapsuds, an amazing duet between the late sax and composer extraordinaire Ornette Coleman and the late bassist and composer extraordinaire Charlie Haden.
  
  
• The two volume 1976 recordings on Improvising Artists (Dave Holland/Sam Rivers Vol 1 and Sam Rivers/Dave Holland Vol 2) showcasing the late great tenor sax and flautist Sam Rivers and the dynamic bass and cellist Dave Holland.
  
  
• Then there’s last year’s Parlour Games, a 1991 live recording of the incredible Tim Berne on alto and baritone sax and the equally unreal Michael Formanek on bass.

And now, The Depression Tapes, where the talent and mastery of Jim Hobbs and Timo Shanko are on full display. Hobbs alternates between Lee Konitz cool, Ornette bluesy wails, and his own personal gritty style – a style that uses delicate riffs to produce piercing lines that feel contained and open at the same time. Shanko provides Hobbs with a rollicky foundation that encourages exploration while laying down his own monstrous roller coaster runs and hard bop plucks, revealing a technical virtuosity at the highest level.

One need look no further than the improvisatory masterpiece “Trials and Temptations” to grasp the excellence of this album. Here the sound of Shanko’s bass – meaty, wooden Hadenesque - shines through. As the number progresses, Shanko attacks the strings of his instrument with extreme precision. And towards the end, he is constantly on the move up and down the neck, playing inside and outside – his fingers always moving. Hobbs lets Shanko carry the piece, choosing to play above the raging river of Shanko’s sound. However, Hobbs’ wailing phrases, while melancholy, embody grace. Together, the two musicians create stunning musical poetry.

Another cut that deserves the label masterpiece is “Departure.” The sorrow expressed suggests loss – the loss of a friendship, the death of a loved one, or other goodbyes that stick in one’s gut as much as one’s head. Sorrowful in mood, Hobbs’ notes blend beautifully above Shanko’s bowing, almost like a wounded bird. The improv possesses a dignity - a perseverance despite the odds. Hobbs takes it out towards the end – an overwhelming wail of anguish. This is surely a lament for the ages.

In 1989, Hobbs and Shanko helped form the Fully Celebrated Orchestra, but this is their first duo record. The album provides a testament to their long-lived collaboration. Engaging with the present – seeing the complete and utter lunacy that governs our current world – the madness - it’s important for one’s sanity to have the music of The Depression Tapes . The duo proves that there is always a creative spark – a subtle but distinct light - in the darkness. Highly recommended.