JAZZ REVIEW | "Twin Talk Live" Twin Talk by Jeff Cebulski

Twin Talk.

Twin Talk Live

Shifting Paradigm Records, 2024

By Jeff Cebulski | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Dustin Laurenzi, tenor saxophone

Katie Ernst, bass and voice Andrew Green, drums and percussion.

The delightfully angular trio Twin Talk is the brainchild of saxophonist and multi-instrumentalist Dustin Laurenzi, the rising bassist and vocalist Katie Ernst, and drummer Andrew Green. For the past dozen years this trio has produced elastic compositions that place Ernst squarely in the middle of the swirling Laurenzi and Green, playing music that has its roots in the progressive tradition of Jimmy Giuffre and (to these ears) the trio work of saxophonist Chris Speed, but with the beguiling vocal instrument of Ernst added.

The concept behind their new album Twin Talk Live is to provide the listener with a firmer idea of how the trio sounds during a live performance. The album was recorded in two ‘live’ sessions on the same day. So, while one can hear marks of composition, one also hears how these musicians respond to each other in a near-telepathic fashion.

Laurenzi has not only the chops to succeed but also the wisdom to create context and space for his chosen teammates (also demonstrated on albums with his other band, Natural Language). His partnership with Ernst, whose talent has been recognized by many others (including pianist Jason Moran), goes beyond this trio; the pair created an “alt-folk” duo called Edith Judith that recently released a new record, Bones & Structure, on which Laurenzi plays other instruments while Ernst maintains her central bass and vocal presence. Their synchronicity energizes both albums.

While the whole Live album entices, a good sample would be “Tricks,” where Ernst establishes the rhythmic and melodic focal point while Laurenzi dances around and with it as Green playfully pounds a funky accompaniment. Eventually the three meet in glorious, repetitive tandem. The following cut, “Ulerian,” a tribute to Chicago bassist and jazz provocateur Matt Ulery, works in a contrarian way, with Laurenzi playing an elliptical, backwards-sounding refrain that arrives in the vicinity of an Ellingtonian ballad as Ernst and Green slow down the pace to create a solid ground that the saxophonist lands on successfully.

The back-and-forth between oblique, modal expression on top of Green’s constantly restless drumming and the group’s more abstract notions is tied together nicely by Ernst’s lilting, wordless entries, including a scat moment on “Seconds,” which changes into a chamber duet while Green adds his own commentary.

Four albums in, Twin Talk has established itself as a marker of postmodern jazz creativity, where composition and improvisation, coated with Ernst’s entrancing vocal contributions, meet in resounding and refreshing ways. Their live concerts, where nothing is planned ahead of time, promise a moment when both musician and audience participate in the exciting world of discovery.

Twin Talk. Twin Talk Live,

Shifting Paradigm Records, 2024

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Dustin Laurenzi - tenor saxophone

Katie Ernst - bass and voice

Andrew Green - drums and percussion

About Jeff Cebulski

Jeff Cebulski, who lives in Chicago, is a retired English educator (both secondary and collegiate) and longtime jazz aficionado. His career in jazz includes radio programs at two stations in southeast Wisconsin, an online show on Kennesaw State’s (GA) Owl Radio from 2007 until 2015, and review/feature writing for Chicago Jazz Magazine since 2016, including his column "Jazz With Mr. C". He has interviewed many jazz artists, including Joshua Redman, Charles Lloyd, Dave Holland, John Beasley, and Chris Brubeck, as well as several Chicago-based players. Jeff is a member of the Jazz Journalists Association. Contact Jeff at jeff@chicagojazz.com