Conceptually, this is a very well thought album. Guitarist Roger Lin has crafted a record featuring two separate quartets (different bass players and drummers, and a pianist in one and a saxophonist in the other one). The unifying thread is his role as the composer and guitarist for both quartets.
Exploitation Suite Part I: They’d Like to Support begins the very compositional mood. It’s elegant music with restraint and perhaps some repressed anger (based on the title and theme of the record)
Shore On The Other Side Intro begins with a meditative atmosphere before going into main piece (Shore On The Other Side) begins with a meditative atmosphere before going into main piece which in some ways is very Maria Schneider-ish. There are hints of Mick Goodrick-isms with Roger Lin’s pickup into his solo. The chordwork and dynamics are sublime. They are not afraid of leaving space for the music to breathe. The group playing is really conversational. There is also a return to the intro with the chorale-like section augmented by textural drum fills.
Moving into Exploitation Suite Part II: At Mount Stupid, At the Bottom of a Well, I am reminded of one of my favorite Maria Schneider’s Hang Gliding with the piano accompaniment. As the piece develops, the solos alternate between the piano and guitar in an organically flowing trading section. I really do enjoy through-composed pieces with well planned improvisation sections so this piece is a highlight for me in the record. The second part of the trading solo section is more upbeat and builds up into the end. Moshe Elmakias’s piano playing on this is brilliant by the way!
Next up, Sneaky Bastards gives a more traditional vibe with a medium swing groove. This piece features Chaz Martineau’s killing saxophone solo – it has all the things you would wanna hear: nice faster lines, lyrical swinging ideas and a strong rhythmic feel. Going into the guitar solo, Roger Lin alternates initially between chords and relaxed single note lines. Bebop language, 3 over 4 phrases – I love all this. Going back into the theme the polyrhythmic phrases are exquisite.
Exploitation Suite Part III: Resilience Against is the third part of the Exploitation Suite and brings back the contemporary spacious vibe with the nice melodic phrases from sometimes two-part phrases from the bass and guitar, and later piano and guitar. The feel changes a few times hinting at different grooves but still overall maintains the spacious feel. The guitar solo is again more contemporary with a mix of legato phrases, some angular intervallic ideas and nice phrases punctuated with chords. I really enjoy hearing Roger Lin mix all this in his solo before the piece goes into the theme again. The counterpoint between the four instrumentalist is busy but in a nice way. It’s a little bit like walking into a conversation between four friends at a dinner party. There’s a lot of things happening, but it’s not chaotic. I understanding the track sequencing for the record, placing other pieces in between the Suite… but I believe I would enjoy watching a live performance of the Suite itself as part of a set. At over 22 minutes, there’s a lot to like.
Track 7 – Aliens in Capitalized Societies makes me wonder whether the Alien is by the imigration status of a person in a foreign country or whether Roger meant literal Aliens from another planet. The theme of the record does probably imply the former… and it is interesting to hear this piece which is very ECM-like. I am a fan of these kind of pieces, so I do like how everyone plays on this.
The penultimate piece in the album is Etude 1 Ambitious and Ugly. As a guitarist, I immediately wanted to transcribe at least some parts of it. As a listener, this is a nice contrast to the previous quartet pieces.
Closing the album is Strengths and Insecurities, again featuring a great solo by saxophonist Chaz Martineau. Roger Lin’s comping is tasteful, again in the ECM Mick Goodrick – John Aebercrombie vein. And before I forget, I have to say that the mix on this record is amazing. Kudos to the great work by Michael Perez Cisneros mixing and mastering the album.
It’s hard to usually say a record is perfect… after all perfection is an ideal, a moving target that we chase… however with Exploitation Suite, Roger Lin has managed to record and release something that is worth listening to and talking about. A real work of art. It’s one album that I wanted to listen to again right after I finished listening to it… and that is special.
Rating 5/5
Find out about Roger Lin’s work and upcoming performances on his website: https://www.rogerlinmusic.com/
I received a complimentary copy of this album courtesy of Liam of Jazzfuel. Thank you for the CD.
About Roger Lin:
New York holds the reputation for being the Jazz capital of the world, and is often looked upon with awe and envy by musicians all around the globe. Brooklyn based guitarist/composer Roger Lin’s new record aims to encapsulate a realistic image of the city’s scene, exploring the dichotomy between the talent and hard work, but equally the exploitation, pretension, and ignorance he’s experienced.
His sophomore album ‘Exploitation Suite’ is set to release on the 6th of December.
Born and raised in Taipei, Lin’s musical journey started on the piano at the age of five before gravitating to the guitar at age 14. Since then, he’s gone on to become a regular at iconic Taiwanese venues including Blue Note, Sappho Live Jazz and Jazzhead, touring the U.S and Taiwan with a number of ensembles, studying at Berklee College of Music under legends like Mick Goodrick, and was even nominated for two Golden Indie Awards for his 2020 debut – Taiwan’s highest prestige for Jazz in the country.
Inspired by Aaron Parks’ Little Big and Little Big II, Keith Jarret’s live interpretations of Bach, and influential contemporary jazz guitar icons Bill Frisell and Ben Monder, the album features Lin’s compositions performed by two different rhythm sections in a variety of ensemble choices – a solo guitar piece, a three part suite for guitar/piano quartet, and a selection of pieces for saxophone/guitar quartet.
Folk-tinged melodies, rich contemporary harmony, and dynamic arrangements create an intimate, emotive, and contemplative musical framework for Lin’s lush guitar sound and the nuanced interactivity of his ensembles to shine. The record ebbs and flows between intricate writing and creative improvisations in a style often attributed to New York’s modern scene. The shifts between contrasting ensemble choices offers the listener a wide reaching view on Lin’s voice as a composer, improviser and bandleader, and is an apt musical reflection of his complex feelings towards the city he now calls home.
Roger Lin | Guitar & Composition
Chaz Martineau | Saxophone
Moshe Elmakias | Piano
Isaac Levien | Bass (Track 2, 3, 5, 7, 9)
Simón Willson | Bass (Track 1, 4, 6)
Quinton Cain | Drums (Track 2, 3, 5, 7, 9)
Willis Edmundson | Drums (Track 1, 4, 6)
Leave a Reply