Pulsivity III - Nov 2018 Jazz Gallery

Ask Me Now (Monk) Nov 2018 Jazz Gallery live

The Jazz Gallery, NYC, Nov 9, 2018 (live, premiere)  
Total time: 7:55 (excerpt)

Hafez Modirzadeh – tenor saxophone
Leo Genovese – re-tuned piano

“Pulsivity III” (0:00-4:00) is the third piece of a suite which develops – in a reflective manner within flexible 5/4 and 7/4 phrases – a refined interrelating of selected tempered pitches; at the top, the subtle rubbing of G natural with G ½ sharp is particularly effective (0:00-1:30), preparing the ear for the extended chord resonances introduced at the piece’s end (2:30-4:00), in all bridged by a release of traditional harmony in bars 9-13 (1:30-2:30). 

This segues into Thelonious Monk’s “Ask Me Now” (4:00-7:55), where Persian-tempered modality in the right-hand is superimposed over the original melody played in the left-hand; here, the balance of tonal and modal gravity marks an effective approach for other tunes as well.