Album Review – MaiGroup Metamorphosis
Article by Eric Larson, © Copyright 2019 FretlessBass.com
noun, plural met·a·mor·pho·ses [met-uh-mawr-fuh-seez] “a profound change in form from one stage to the next in the life history of an organism”.
MaiGroup is indeed evolving and growing, revealed in their latest 2019 release Metamorphosis. Formed by Estonian bassist and composer Mai Leisz almost a decade ago, MaiGroup has just released their third studio album, a well thought out and wonderfully told story, that keeps the album concept alive and well. This is not just another thrown together compilation that can be all too common in a content driven world. This is a well crafted project, beautifully written and arranged, with attention to detail and subtleties – a true band performance, where the power comes for the whole, not the individuals. The album features amazing musicians, the core consisting of Mai Leisz on fretted and fretless bass and background vocals, Björn Arkö on sax, Simon Berggren on piano, Calle Stålenbring on guitar and Jonathan Lundberg on drums. Guest musicians include three musical legends, David Crosby, Bill Frisell, and Mai’s husband Greg Leisz. Produced by Mai and Greg, this release is one that needs to be listened to in its entirety several times through to expose its true brilliance – the sign of any great album.
The album starts right away with beautiful fretless bass featured on “Monarch”. I was struck by the low end bass walks downs, which are featured throughout the album and can be very difficult and rare on fretless. Beautiful piano leads the way to a gorgeous fretless solo with amazing tone, melodic and gentle, displaying simultaneous command of the instrument and a beautiful “voice”. Mai’s bass technique is stunning. Her use of solos include a nice variety of melody, dynamics, range, and rhythm, all while being appropriate for the song and not indulgent. On the upper end I hear what sounds like high octave bass slides, more evidence of variety and skill. The band is rock solid and cohesive – beautiful piano, subtle guitar, gorgeous saxophone, and tasteful drums. The unexpected and refreshing presence of pedal steel guitar, along with piano and saxophone solos perfectly compliment the story of the song and the ongoing theme of metamorphosis.
On “Jacksons Front Yard”, the use of bass chords and scales reminds me of the way one might approach a piano line – very impressive technique. This is a soft and gentle track, all instruments on the same melodic page, weaving and dancing throughout the journey, gradually pulling the listener deeper in.
“Palos Verde Blue” is one of my favorite tracks on the album. The fretless bass hits you right away. The energy of this track from the entire band is perfectly placed in the story. The drumming in particular is outstanding. Once again the low end bass grabs your attention. The fast low end walk down featured here is gorgeous. The difficulty is most likely not evident to the average listener because Mai’s tone is so clear and it growls perfectly. This particular spot also highlights the talent level of the engineers involved and the quality of the equipment to capture these frequencies so perfectly. Then comes a very Pino-esque fill at 0:52, followed by parallel lines of fretless and saxophone – one of my favorite moments. The intonation in such a complex piece like this is spot on. It highlights Mai’s command of the fretless and her years of study and hard work, appearing to already master the instrument, yet continually improving. Amazing sax work at the end brings this piece to the end section that leaves you expecting a dynamic fade. When you least expect it the guitar rips back in and brings the piece to a climactic conclusion, all band members hitting their stride, perfectly in sync. A somewhat unresolved gentle ending leads beautifully into the next track and keeps the story of the album evolving and the listener engaged.
Originally recorded on Crosby’s Sky Trails album, Mai specifically included “Here It’s Almost Sunset” featuring the legendary David Crosby, with a new twist. Precise drumming ability holds the whole piece together, supported by bass that perfectly compliments the song with well thought out musical interaction. Classic vocals from Crosby’s legendary voice grace this tune, supported by background vocals by Mai and Greg. A brilliant guitar solo and the whispers of lap steel show the depth of this band and the significance of the contribution of all members. Some may call it arrangement, but to me it seems almost choreographed.
The next chapter is a beautiful fretless bass and guitar duet “Gregory” featuring Bill Frisell (guitarist and composer of more than four decades). The guitar work is full of emotion and experience, masterful and melodic. The fretless bass is sad, beautiful and hopeful all at the same time. Brilliantly kept as a duet, the format leaves space for the listener to really appreciate the melodies, the dynamics, and the mood. It is raw, exposed, vulnerable, and beautiful – exactly what this whole story is about.
“Three Nights” featuring Charles Lloyd on tenor sax, a gentle more jazzy piece, picks right up where “Gregory” left off. Tenor saxophone shines on this track and leads the song down a beautiful and peaceful path – brilliance at work. Lite swishing drum brush work and singing piano lines flow over classic bass that provides a secure foundation.
“Planted, Not Buried” is a wonderfully varied piece, nodding to classic jazz that leads to sections with seemingly disparate rhythms that work beautifully together. Straight and steady, then bouncing and chaotic, escorting the listener to a new chapter and experience in the story.
“Metamorphosis” provides a perfect ending to the story, starting with gorgeous fretless bass, and a melody that is one of my favorite on the album. The contrasting fast, low bass walk-downs and beautifully placed high fretless slides and melodies make this a track I want to replay over and over again. Mai’s fretless voice sings beautifully throughout the piece. The guitar work is simply exceptional. The sax work is stunning and the drumming is a joy to listen to. The whole band is at their peak for the conclusion of this album. The song has already captured the listener…and then in comes the pedal steel guitar. An unexpected turn, bookending the album story. The fretless and pedal steel beautifully compliment and follow one another – a hard task to orchestrate and arrange with duel fretless instruments. In this case they seamlessly dance along side one another. Almost like a mini-medley the band supports this piece in a way that only can be accomplished when everyone plays an integral part. This piece truly solidifies the commitment to the journey, and the conclusion of a beautiful story of transformation.
But for MaiGroup this is still only the beginning of what we can hope is a long and successful contribution to music for listeners all around the world.
Full album info and credits: www.discogs.com/Maigroup-Metamorphosis-/release/13585028
www.maileisz.com
www.maileisz.com/store-1/maigroup-metamorphosis-cd
maileisz.bandcamp.com/album/metamorphosis
www.facebook.com/maileisz
www.twitter.com/maileisz
www.instagram.com/maileisz
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mai_Leisz
davidcrosby.com
billfrisell.com
allmusic.com/artist/greg-leisz-mn0000154702
