SimplyJazzTalk

Malta born saxophonist Carlo Muscat is a critically acclaimed composer, bandleader, and improviser. He brings an uncompromising approach to contemporary instrumental and improvised music, consistently charting new territories of artistic expression. With a coveted four-star rating from DownBeat Magazine for his album Hymns, and a placement on their definitive Best Albums of 2023 list, he has established an authoritative international presence spanning eight albums as a leader.

That’s About It is a collection of original compositions recorded in Kyiv under wartime conditions. On his eighth release as a leader, saxophonist Carlo Muscat brings together an ensemble of Ukrainian musicians to present a repertoire focused largely on ballads, with an emphasis on lyricism, space, and measured interaction. The recording took place in the capital during a period of air-raid sirens, curfews, and intermittent power outages, with the performances recorded live under these conditions.

Carlo Muscat Bandcamp page

The album’s opening track is a very good indication of what That’s About It! is about: contemporary jazz structured around spacious melodies that allows for dialogue between band members. This is a track (and as it transpires an album) of restraint, of musical conversation and exchanges of improvised ideas within an overarching framework that draws on the ballad tradition. I particularly like the interplay between Muscat and guitarist Oleksandr Mashovets: two contrasting sound textures that work very well together.

Johatsu is introduced by the bass of Yehor Abramov with support from Mashovets on guitar before Muscat adds a beautiful melodic line on the sax. As with earlier tracks this about allowing the sound to envelop you as a listener and seeing where it takes you. Sparrow Song is one of the album’s highlights for me: I like the light melody, the relaxed energy, great bass lines and deftness of touch from drummer Pavlo Halytskyi.

I have no idea what the inspiration for Walking Woman is but it is a beautiful melody played with a genuine sounding feel by Muscat accompanied by nuanced backing from the rest of the band. This is one of those tunes that will provoke many different responses each time it is heard and I like tunes like that! Portrait/Tell Me When is a track that is very easy to imagine being played as a last set number of an intimate show late in the evening: slow, gorgeous tones, sumptuous resonant bass lines with wonderful accompanying guitar notes – a exquisite way to end an album.

I very much like jazz albums like That About It!, the way it is structured, played: the way it sounds and how the notes not played are as important as those that are. Carlo Muscat is clearly a gifted composer, as well as a first class saxophonist, who has surrounded himself with three other very talented musicians who know what it is required of their playing to produce such a captivating set of tunes.

Tracklist: 01 – Lull (for Mama); 02 – Miyagi; 03 – The Green Expanse; 04 – Johatsu; 05 – Sparrow Song; 06 – Fly (for Barney); 07 – Night Owl; 08 – For The Walking Woman; 09 – Medley: Portrait/Tell Me When.

All compositions by Carlo Muscat except Tell Me When by Charles Mingus

Musicians: Carlo Muscat (saxophone), Oleksandr Mashovets (guitar), Yehor Abramov (bass), Pavlo Halytskyi (drums).