Like Silver, Like Song

AMG Review of Like Silver, Like Song

Ken Dryden
All Music Guide

Jane Ira Bloom has been one of the more adventurous soprano saxophonists who straddles the edge of straight-ahead jazz without ever losing sight of great melody. Like Silver, Like Song is a quartet session (with keyboardist Jamie Saft, bassist Mark Dresser, and drummer Bobby Previte) that should appeal to mainstream fans who are usually suspicious of the presence of electronic effects. The 14 tracks segue into one another as a continuous suite. Bloom's lyricism is complemented by judicious use of a digital delay in the introduction ("Dreaming in the Present Tense"), while "Singing in Stripes" (which is reprised at the conclusion of the CD) has a march-like cadence but gradually intensifies into a spirited performance. "White Light" leans more toward avant-garde, though Bloom's solo never appears to wander aimlessly. The eerie "Dark Knowledge" doesn't feature her soprano sax at all, focusing exclusively on Dresser and Previte, with a minimal amount of electronics in the background. It is followed by the bittersweet allad "I Have Dreamed," a showcase for Bloom's sax, with a belated entrance by Dresser (who alternates between strumming and bowing). This limited-edition CD, available exclusively through www.artistshare.net, should be considered one of Jane Ira Bloom's essential CDs.