Formed in 2016, Artemis has just released its third album—Arboresque (Blue Note). The quintet is led by pianist Renee Rosnes and features Renee on piano and Fender Rhodes, Ingrid Jensen on trumpet, Nicole Glover on tenor saxophone, Noriko Ueda on bass and Allison Miller on drums. As with all things Renee, the album is an exciting adventure.
As you've noticed from the names, Artemis is an all-women group. But such a distinction is nonsense now. We don't preface ensembles with guys as all-men groups. Jazz is no longer a private club or off limits to women because club managers and fans aren't convinced they are physically or intellectually capable of creating excitement. Those days are long gone, hopefully. [Photo above, from the left, Allison Miller, Noriko Ueda, Renee Rosnes, Nicole Glover and Ingrid Jensen]
Today, jazz doesn't know from sex. You either can play the music with a highly intellectual, creative approach that grabs the soul and imagination or you can't. That's as true for men as it is for women. So let's look at this album exclusively as art, not art made by women.
As a jazz album, Arboresque's music, arrangements and soloists are exceptional. Driven by Renee's stirring piano, six of the eight selections are band originals while two are standards—Footprints and What the World Needs Now Is Love. All have a robust intensity that is both deep and cerebral in the Wayne Shorter-McCoy Tyner tradition.
The quintet plays together seamlessly, like hands with their fingers folded into each other. Songs have an ethereal, mystical quality with just the right amount of hard-bop and modal energy. Best of all, they spare us 10-minute solos and bombastic expression. Everything is elegantly done.
Renee's piano is firmly percussive and determined; Ingrid's trumpet has a terrific tone and her style is graciously insistent with just enough heat; Nicole has a take-charge approach that is deliciously sensitive; Noriko is so rich and chatty on bass that I wound up listening intently to where she was going on songs and how she was interacting with soloists; and Allison brings shimmering sheets of snare and cymbal, and knows how to let the polyrhythms fly.
The music here is deep and ferocious but there's a civilized, collaborative quality, too, that I so appreciate. When I listen to jazz like this, I want to be able to hear each of the instruments and I want contributions to be meaningful. When all of this gels, as it does on Arboresque, the result is proudly beautiful.
The tracks:
- The Smile of the Snake (Donald Brown/arr. Renee Rosnes)
- Komorebi (Noriko Ueda)
- Sights Unseen (Ingrid Jensen)
- Petrichor (Nicole Glover)
- Footprints (Wayne Shorter/arr. Renee Rosnes)
- Olive Branch (Renee Rosnes)
- What The World Needs Now Is Love (Burt Bacharach and Hal David/arr. Renee Rosnes)
- Little Cranberry (Allison Miller)
Renee is an astonishing pianist. As a leader, she knows how to get consensus and make each artist feel appreciated so their contribution matters. This kind of leadership pushes talent to work hard and do their very best to meet the expected standards. But you don't need me to tell you that. You can hear it in the music.
JazzWax tracks: You'll find Artemis's Arboresque (Blue Note) at all major streaming platforms and here.
Side note: the sound of the album is spectacular. As clear as mountain water with a big punch. I was momentarily stunned when I first put it on.
Hats off to James Farber, who recorded Artemis at Sear Studio in New York and mixed the tracks at New York's Reservoir Studios. Stunning sound.
JazzWax clips: Here's Nicole Glover's Petrichor...
Here's Wayne Shorter's Footprints...
And here's Burt Bacharach's What the World Needs Now Is Love...
Bonus: Here's an hour and a half with Artemis live in St. Louis five months ago...
