Just last week, the accomplished bassist Anna Butterss unveiled her latest solo offering, "Ninths," further cementing her reputation as a prolific and innovative force in contemporary music. Now, Butterss is poised to introduce a new collaborative venture, joining forces with acclaimed jazz trumpeter John Raymond and the multi-talented drummer, audio engineer, mixer, and producer Ben Lumsdaine. This newly formed trio is today announcing their debut album, Beginningless, slated for release on November 13th via Northern Spy Records. The announcement arrives alongside the unveiling of the album’s lead single and title track, providing an initial glimpse into the trio’s unique sonic landscape.
Anna Butterss: A Prolific Voice in Modern Jazz and Improvised Music
Anna Butterss, an Australian-born, Los Angeles-based bassist and composer, has rapidly become one of the most sought-after musicians in the contemporary jazz and improvised music scenes. Her distinct style, characterized by a profound melodic sensibility, harmonic sophistication, and an unshakeable rhythmic foundation, has earned her widespread critical acclaim. Prior to the formation of this new trio, Butterss released her highly anticipated debut solo album, Activities, which showcased her compositional prowess and individual voice. Her resume boasts an impressive list of collaborations with luminaries across various genres, including Jeff Parker, Makaya McCraven, Chris Speed, and Aimee Mann, underscoring her versatility and deep musicality. The recent release of "Ninths" served as a reminder of her ongoing creative output and her capacity to explore diverse musical textures and moods as a solo artist. This continuous flow of creative work from Butterss highlights her commitment to pushing boundaries and engaging in meaningful musical dialogue, making her involvement in a new trio a highly anticipated development.
The Collaborative Architects: John Raymond and Ben Lumsdaine
The formation of this trio is not merely a convergence of individual talents but a thoughtful assembly of musicians whose respective artistic philosophies align to create a singular collective sound.
John Raymond, a New York-based jazz trumpeter and educator, brings to the ensemble a distinctive lyrical and expressive voice. Raymond is celebrated for his nuanced approach to the trumpet, often prioritizing melody and spaciousness in his compositions and improvisations. His projects, such as Real Feels, have garnered praise for their innovative blending of jazz improvisation with folk and Americana influences, demonstrating his ability to craft music that is both deeply personal and universally resonant. In the context of the Beginningless trio, Raymond’s trumpet is anticipated to serve as a primary melodic voice, weaving intricate lines through the rhythmic and harmonic tapestry established by Butterss and Lumsdaine, while also contributing rich textural elements. His presence promises to add layers of subtlety and emotional depth to the trio’s sonic explorations.
Completing the trio is Ben Lumsdaine, whose multifaceted talents extend beyond drumming to encompass audio engineering, mixing, and production. Lumsdaine’s diverse skill set is a critical component of the trio’s identity, allowing for an integrated approach to sound creation that blurs the lines between performance and post-production. As a drummer, Lumsdaine is known for his inventive rhythmic sensibilities, often employing understated yet deeply supportive patterns that contribute significantly to the overall texture and flow of the music. His understanding of sound at a granular level, derived from his engineering background, enables him to sculpt the sonic environment with precision, ensuring clarity and dynamic range within the trio’s improvisational framework. This holistic approach to music-making, where the rhythmic engine is also a key architect of the sound itself, positions Lumsdaine as an indispensable force in shaping the album’s unique aesthetic.
The Genesis of Beginningless: A Spontaneous Creation
The album Beginningless represents a confluence of these three distinct yet complementary artistic voices. The trio’s formation is understood to stem from a shared artistic sensibility and a mutual desire to explore new territories within the realm of improvised and contemporary music. The vibrant jazz and experimental music scene in Los Angeles, where Butterss resides and Lumsdaine operates, likely served as a fertile ground for such a collaboration to blossom, fostering connections between like-minded musicians seeking innovative avenues for expression.
The recording process for Beginningless was characterized by a deliberate embrace of spontaneity and live interaction. The LP was captured over two intensive days in a Los Angeles studio, a decision that profoundly influenced the album’s character. Recording live, as opposed to piecemeal tracking, emphasizes the raw energy, intuitive interplay, and immediate responsiveness inherent in the trio’s dynamic. This approach minimizes overdubs and post-production manipulations, prioritizing the authentic capture of the musicians’ real-time communication. The choice of a specific Los Angeles studio would also have played a role, with its acoustics and equipment contributing to the album’s overall sonic signature, aiming to translate the intimate and dynamic live performance into a meticulously crafted studio recording. This method underscores the trio’s commitment to capturing the essence of collective improvisation and the organic evolution of musical ideas.
Artistic Vision and Influences: A Tapestry of Sound
Anna Butterss offers a profound insight into the album’s conceptual framework, articulating a vision that transcends conventional musical boundaries. "Beginningless feels like a window into an underlying stream of music that is always around us," Butterss states. This evocative description suggests an album that seeks to tap into universal, timeless musical currents, rather than adhering to rigid structures or predefined narratives. It speaks to a sense of discovery and uncovering, positioning the music as a natural emanation rather than a constructed artifact.
She further elaborates on the album’s atmospheric qualities: "The loping bass and drums usher in a trumpet melody, which quietly floats through the rustling landscape. There’s a sense of unhurried tranquility, a gentle amble, as the counterpoint between bass and trumpet shifts, and the atmosphere gradually thickens. Ghostly trumpet undertones and bubbling drums build to a peak while the bass carries steadily on, giving the impression that the journey might continue on long after the song has ended." This detailed description paints a vivid picture of the album’s sonic architecture: a meditative pace, a nuanced interplay between instruments where roles are fluid, and a sense of enduring momentum that suggests the music exists beyond the finite confines of a track. The "rustling landscape" implies a textural richness, while "ghostly trumpet undertones" and "bubbling drums" point to subtle, atmospheric elements that contribute to the overall mood rather than simply serving a rhythmic or melodic function.
The trio explicitly cites two significant influences for Beginningless: Jon Hassell and Fly. These references provide crucial context for understanding the album’s aesthetic ambitions.
Jon Hassell and the "Fourth World" Concept: Jon Hassell, the visionary trumpeter and composer, pioneered the "Fourth World" sound, a revolutionary concept that blended indigenous musical traditions, electronic processing, and jazz improvisation to create atmospheric, often spiritual soundscapes. Hassell’s work emphasized texture, sustained drones, and the creation of immersive sonic environments, often utilizing delay and reverb to extend the natural sound of his trumpet into ethereal realms. The influence of Hassell on Beginningless could manifest in the trio’s approach to creating dense, yet spacious, sonic layers; their potential use of subtle electronic enhancements or processing to augment acoustic sounds; and a shared emphasis on mood and ambience over overt virtuosity. This connection suggests an album that prioritizes an overarching atmosphere and textural depth, where individual instrumental voices contribute to a larger, unified sonic experience.
Fly: A Model of Democratic Interplay: The jazz trio Fly, comprising bassist Larry Grenadier, drummer Jeff Ballard, and saxophonist Mark Turner, is celebrated for its highly democratic and interactive approach to the piano-less trio format. Fly’s music is characterized by intricate rhythmic and harmonic dialogue, where each member contributes equally to the compositional and improvisational fabric, often blurring traditional roles. Their emphasis on collective improvisation and a shared musical language, rather than a hierarchical structure, has made them a benchmark for contemporary small ensemble jazz. The influence of Fly on Butterss, Raymond, and Lumsdaine is likely evident in their dynamic interplay: Butterss’s bass potentially assuming more melodic and harmonic responsibilities beyond traditional accompaniment; Raymond’s trumpet engaging in complex counterpoint rather than merely stating themes; and Lumsdaine’s drums providing not just rhythmic impetus but also textural embellishment and harmonic suggestion. This influence points towards an album rich in spontaneous communication and a profound sense of musical trust among the three artists.
Beginningless: A Sonic Journey and Tracklist Exploration
The lead single and title track, "Beginningless," serves as an initial auditory manifestation of these stated influences and conceptual frameworks. While requiring a listen to fully grasp its nuances, the description provided by Butterss suggests a piece that unfolds gradually, prioritizing atmosphere and subtle shifts in texture over abrupt changes. The "loping bass and drums" are expected to provide a consistent, yet fluid, pulse, allowing Raymond’s trumpet to "float" above, exploring melodic contours that might feel unhurried and introspective. The track is likely to exemplify the trio’s commitment to creating an immersive sonic experience that invites listeners into a contemplative space, where the music feels less like a performance and more like an unfolding natural phenomenon.
The full tracklist for Beginningless further hints at the album’s diverse sonic explorations:
01 "Faced Round"
02 "Very Large Numbers"
03 "From The Corners"
04 "Parallax"
05 "Serene"
06 "Beginningless"
07 "Pacific"
08 "Open Wide The Big Arms"
09 "Sideways"
The intriguing titles themselves suggest a narrative or thematic arc that moves through various states of being and perception. Titles like "Faced Round," "Parallax," and "Sideways" might imply shifts in perspective or orientation, while "Very Large Numbers" could suggest expansive, perhaps abstract, musical ideas. "Serene" and "Pacific" clearly point to moments of tranquility and vastness, reinforcing the album’s overarching theme of unhurried contemplation. "Open Wide The Big Arms" evokes a sense of embrace or expansiveness, potentially indicating a track with a more outward-looking or climactic feel within the album’s journey. Collectively, these titles promise an album that is thoughtfully structured, guiding the listener through a rich tapestry of moods and sonic landscapes.
The Northern Spy Imprint and Broader Implications
Beginningless is set for release on November 13th via Northern Spy Records. Northern Spy has established itself as a reputable independent label known for its adventurous and boundary-pushing catalog, often featuring artists who operate at the intersection of jazz, improvisation, experimental music, and various global influences. Their commitment to supporting artists who challenge conventional genre definitions makes them an ideal home for the Butterss, Raymond, Lumsdaine trio. The label’s curation suggests that Beginningless will find its place among a roster of critically acclaimed works that prioritize artistic integrity and innovation.
The release of Beginningless holds significant implications for the landscape of contemporary jazz and improvised music. It further solidifies Anna Butterss’s position as a leading voice, not only as a solo artist but also as a compelling collaborator. For John Raymond, it presents an opportunity to showcase his lyrical trumpet in a new and dynamic context, expanding his artistic reach. For Ben Lumsdaine, the album highlights his integral role as both a performer and a sonic architect, underscoring the increasing importance of multi-hyphenate artists in shaping modern soundscapes.
The album’s explicit embrace of influences like Jon Hassell and Fly, combined with the trio’s unique chemistry, positions Beginningless as a significant contribution to the ongoing evolution of the piano-less trio format and the broader discourse surrounding ambient, textural, and improvisational music. It is poised to be recognized as a thoughtful, meditative, and sonically rich offering that invites listeners to engage with music as an enduring, "beginningless" journey.
Pre-orders for Beginningless are currently available, inviting audiences to prepare for an immersive musical experience that promises to resonate long after its initial listening.
