Cath Roberts and Olie Brice - Setpieces (Relative Pitch, 2026)

By Hrayr Attarian

English saxophonist Cath Roberts is an innovative improviser and composer, a graphic artist, organizer, and educator. Roberts’ frequent collaborator and compatriot, bassist Olie Brice, is equally imaginative as his music blurs the line between pre-written and spontaneously created. The pair shares sublime camaraderie, and their professional relationship enhances the brilliance of their individual expressions. All this is fully displayed on their 2026 duo release the provocative Setpieces.

The album starts on a riotous note with “Tensile”. Roberts’ fiery refrains spar with Brice’s angular, con arco lines. The delightfully dissonant dialogue seamlessly goes from a passionate, extroverted repartee to parallel introspective musings. Robert’s reverberating baritone complements Brice’s darkly hued bass as their respective improvisations elegantly waver between converging and going their separate ways.

This stimulating conversation continues on “Cascades”. Both Roberts and Brice, individually and together, channel more boppish sensibilities without limiting the freedom of their performances. Roberts’ alto has an incandescent, lyrical edge, while Brice creates a dynamic framework with his resonant tones. He plays increasingly complex melodic fragments, to which Roberts responds with agile, muscular phrases.

The two musicians mirror one another with clever and inventive ways to make their duets more than the addition of two separate solos. On the melancholic “Anthills”, for instance, Roberts’ pops match Brice’s plucked note

s while the saxophonist’s pensive undulations complement the bassist’s dramatic drones. The track grows more wistful as it progresses to its conclusion, and the captivating tension keeps the mood expectant.

The poetic sense and intriguing ambiance crystallize on “Shadow Puppets”. Both musicians echo each other with long, mournful soliloquies. Then, as the tune evolves, Roberts’ elegiac extemporization weaves a complex path through Brice’s intricate rhythmic tapestry. The discourse is laced with mysticism, especially as Brice’s dark, percussive passages intermix with Roberts’ warm, yearning ones.

This stimulating work showcases the imaginative creativity of two improvisational masters. It is also a perfect example of a sublime balance between individualism and collaborative teamwork. The result is one of the best releases of 2026 so far.