| Stop the presses! This is not only one record amongst thousands, it’s the very first with Tom Rainey’s name on the cover. Yes, what everybody wished for is finally happening: the drummer who piqued our common interest behind such a variey of artists as John Abercrombie, Ray Anderson, Jane Ira Bloom, Ted Curson, Tim Berne, Mark Helias, Fred Hersch, Andy Laster, Simon Nabatov, Joe Lovano, Carmen McRae, Tony Malaby, Matthias Schubert, and Ken Werner is leading his own band, and the music inside sounds nothing like anything recorded by Rainey as a sideman. “Pool School” confirms that there was always a composer handling the drumsticks: the music here may be organic, because that’s the nature of his playing, but it’s also surprisingly elaborate, elegant, even refined, if not in a way that can be imagined. Guitarist Mary Halvorson and saxophonist Ingrid Laubrock are both known, very much like Rainey himself, for their ability to avoid obvious choices for ones that suit their adventurous personalities. If that means sounding experimental or straight-ahead, jazz or rock-oriented - the music always benefits from it. Take note: in years to come, this CD will be considered a historic mark. |