TO BE CONTINUED
Carol Liebowitz, piano 
Claire de Brunner, bassoon
Daniel Carter, tenor, alto, soprano saxophones, flute, trumpet, clarinet 
Kevin Norton, vibraphone, drums, percussion

REVIEW OF POETRY FOR THE FUTURE

To Be Continued’s Poetry from the Future is a bit different. Norton heard the trio of Claire de Brunner (bassoon), Daniel Carter (tenor and soprano saxophones, trumpet, clarinet and flute) and Carol Liebowitz (piano) in performance and said he’d like to play with them. That eventually led to this recording. The chamber ensemble element is brought to the fore but derives from free improvisation. It’s a beautiful mesh of players. By dint of her instrument, de Brunner skews the music toward the classical side but she plays like an improviser and also brings out the unique melodic properties inherent in her instrument. Liebowitz (a protégée of the late pianist Connie Crothers) straddles the line between jazz and classical. The real surprise here is Carter, frequently characterized as a firebrand; many don’t pick up on the subtler aspects of his playing. The way he fashions his instruments vis-à-vis de Brunner’s bassoon makes for a surprising blend. Norton’s vibraphone frequently elevates the ethereal elements inherent in the music, all four musicians merging into a unique soundscape. “Ringing Circles” has the ideal mix: Carter on soprano saxophone dovetailing with bassoon and brittle vibraphone (in contrast with gauzy textures elsewhere) meshing with dense piano. What could have been a sonic mess turns into a high point.

Robert Iannapollo, The New York City Jazz Record
July, 2017