The Fuse Is Lit – Andrea Callahan

The Fuse Is Lit, the third endeavor of Russian jazz pianist
Eugene Maslov on Mack Avenue Records, has all the hallmarks of
traditional jazz, but with a very different flavor. There are
wonderful improvised sections; the tempo and swing are all there.
But Maslov also includes elaborate melodies such as one might
expect in classical music, and a feeling of a story in each song.
“Baba Yaga” is exceptionally fanciful, and the lack of vocals in no
way impairs the musician’s ability to tell a story.

Maslov is an excellent composer.
The Fuse Is Lit contains a good selection of thoughtful
music, such as “Dream of Dreams” and “Django.” Other songs on the
album, such as “Entente” and “To My Teacher / To My Friend,” are
very upbeat. Maslov’s compositions play to the strengths of the
instruments that are featured in the solos. In “Dream of Dreams,”
transitions between the piano solos and the flute solos are
immediate, seamless, and feature a complete change in style which
highlights the sound of the instrument. This leads to a very real
sound of voices, with each instrument being a participant in a
play. Each participant has a role that they are well accommodated
to play.

Some of the finest flute playing that I’ve heard is performed by
Hubert Laws on three of the nine tracks. Boris Kozlov performs on
bass, Pete Christlieb on tenor sax, while drum duty is shared by
Joe LaBarbera and Vinnie Colaiuta. These players are each allowed a
chance in the spotlight, playing solos while all other instruments
maintain a faint rhythm section behind them. Perhaps too faint; I
find that when a solo is taking place, it becomes difficult to hear
any other instrument. This minor flaw in engineering is my one big
gripe. After all, much of jazz improvisation is about the soloist’s
skill in weaving with the existing melody and rhythm behind
them.

I’m not sure that I would recommend Maslov to someone that was a
fan of big band jazz or early foot-tapping small-band jazz.
The Fuse Is Lit still makes your foot tap, but more
importantly it engages your mind and emotions, distracting you from
anything else in hand to become completely absorbed by the story of
the song. No track on the album contains just one mood or one
simple melody. Every song evolves from beginning to end, creating a
rich, organic, and truly mesmerizing album.