Karl Silveira - A Porta Aperta (2022)

Toronto-based trombonist Karl Silveira opens his debut recording, A Porta Aperta, with no ego at all. The disc spins into life with "Nymark Plaza," featuring an arrangement which allows the rhythm section—pianist Chris Pruden, bassist Dan Fortin, with Nico Dann on drums—a good deal of room to stretch out after a brief beginning of understated harmony from the leader, and alto saxophonist Allison Au. The piano, bass and drums ease into an off-center, Andrew Hill-like rumination before the leader re-enters with a bold statement, as Au blows subtle and intricate lines around him.

Silveira boasts a fifteen-year career as a freelance trombonist. So why the wait for the debut? And does it matter? No, of course not, especially since he has come up with a beautiful and distinctive group sound, the saxophones and trombone pairings reminiscent of late period Sonny Rollins. Juno Award Winner Au on alto saxophone rotates in and out of the line-up on seven of the nine "sax tunes" presented here. David French plays tenor saxophone when Au steps out. The curse of many debut recordings—wavering focus and lack of continuity of mood and sound—are avoided via Silveira's always engaging and unorthodox compositional style and his superb arrangements. He does not claim Herbie Hancock's pen as an influence, but the veteran pianist/composer's Speak Like A Child (Blue Note, 1968) occasionally comes to mind as A Porta Aperta spins, and J.J. Johnson's Blue Trombone (Columbia, 1957) does the same when Silveira goes with the quartet line-up on a couple of numbers.