James Ilgenfritz - Loss and Gain (2021) Hi-Res

The improvising trio of bassist James Ilgenfritz, drummer Brian Chase, and esoteric woodwind specialist Robbie Lee present a 40-minute set of diverse, meditative, and often overtly expressive improvised performances. Centered on the Just Intonation experiments of Brian Chase’s “happening” and James Ilgenfritz’s unique Just Intonation scordatura on “no answer,” the album constantly fulfills and thwarts expectation. The trio’s collective vocabularies blend lowercase abstraction, contemplative jazz musings, and contemporary classical chamber music: A freedom that readily embraces clear allusions to the familiar.

In addition to the members’ diverse work as solo artists and in various groups, the trio has performed around New York City at venues like The Stone, as well as Rhizome in Washington, DC and the Mattress Factory in Pittsburgh (where the group also lectured to composition graduate students at Carnegie Mellon University. In December the group will present a hybrid live/virtual concert for the third semi-annual Infrequent Seams Streamfest.