Codebreaker

Description

An unexpected meditative interlude interrupts the pianist's multiple accomplishments. Although Cecil Taylor and Sun Ra, with their fractures, breaks, and other discontinuities, had been the reference models for his entire career for over thirty years, here Shipp focuses solely on the reigning melody, delving deep into his playing to string chords together like pearls rather than opposing or stretching them. Thus, on 'Codebreaker', Shipp evokes Bill Evans and Bud Powell instead. Ten tempered improvisations for which the pianist has deliberately revolutionized his habits and customs and broken his internal codes.