Perfectly Spaced
Calligram Records 0006
Release Date: November 3, 2023

“Million’s tunes are every bit as appealing as the way he performs them. His approach to improvisation is not to embellish a melody, but rather to perpetually re-conceive it.” - Howard Reich, Chicago Tribune

Born in Missouri, pianist and composer Steve Million has made his home in Chicago since 1988, spearheading a multitude of projects including the sextet BakerzMillion, a two piano Thelonious Monk tribute, and Jazz Words, a showcase for his lyrics and arrangements with singer Sarah Marie Young. Perfectly Spaced is the latest vessel for Million’s prolific creativity and introduces a top-flight quartet with old friends Eric Hochberg (bass) and Bob Rummage (drums) alongside violin virtuoso Mark Feldman, a more recent addition to the Chicago scene.

Feldman and Million first met on the latter’s nightly trio gig at downtown restaurant Catch 35, where Million and Hochberg have held forth for over a decade with a rotating cast of guest artists. Million reached out to Feldman on the recommendation of his old Kansas City friend guitarist Steve Cardenas, and their musical connection was immediate. Feldman and Million started getting together for weekly duo sessions, and the fresh sound of violin and piano giving voice to his music inspired Million to assemble the quartet heard on Perfectly Spaced.

Hochberg was the obvious choice for the bass chair. He and Million have put their long run at Catch 35 to good use, honing their rapport and workshopping new music. Of Rummage, Million says, “I played with Bob a bit with [the late saxophonist] Mark Colby, and I always loved the way Eric and Bob played together. One thing about Bob- he’s one of the quietest drummers, and for a pianist it’s great to have someone who can always stay underneath you, especially when you’re playing acoustically.” The quartet debuted in January 2023 on the Anagram Series at Elastic Arts. Performances at the Green Mill and the Jazz Showcase followed, and, hearing the ensemble rapidly coalesce, Million knew it was time to go into the studio.

Perfectly Spaced opens with the title track, a challenging older tune Million revisited in his weekly sessions with Feldman. “When I played it with Mark it came alive, taking on a whole other thing with the violin,” comments Million. Million’s distinctive compositional voice, lyrical and expansive, is evident from the outset, and the quartet is as elegant as it is muscular. Hochberg shines whether walking or playing counterpoint a la Scott LaFarro, and the interplay between Million and the bassist speaks to countless nights on the bandstand together.

“Tortured Moon” follows, a mournful minor theme written in the aftermath of the Uvalde school shooting. After a stark introduction evocative of Schubert or Brahms, the tune morphs into a darkly swinging vehicle more reminiscent of Wayne Shorter’s 1960s work. Million is supple and deep in the pocket, and Feldman builds a stunning solo with the trio’s simpatico support.

“The Mirror” is a recent composition first written for BakerzMillion, which Million co-leads with trombonist Andy Baker. “It has a long form and goes a lot of different places,” remarks the pianist. One of those places is Argentina, the expressive vibrato of Feldman’s violin accentuating tango rhythms. Hochberg’s solo is eminently singable, while Feldman references everything from Shorter’s “Witch Hunt” to Carnatic music. Million revels in a long, slow build over an ascending bass figure and Rummage’s brushwork, culminating in a shout with multi-tracked violin before the brief denouement.

Catch 35’s regulars will likely recognize “Ditty Do Wah,” a frequent offering at the trio’s steady gig. Feldman’s pizzicato melody brings out the tongue-in-cheek character of the tune, and Rummage offers up some slick trading, quietly calling attention to his beautiful touch and nuanced phrasing.

“Necessaire” and “Idnit” are retooled from earlier works, while “Onjeeh” borrows bits of Joe Henderson’s language to construct a new theme based on the saxophonist’s “Inner Urge.” “I’m always inspired by how Wayne Shorter will take a piece of an older song and use it in a new one,” muses Million. “After a while, if you don’t use a tune it can become spare parts. It’s just a question of how much soul you can invest into it.”

Million has a great deal of soul invested in “River Wide.” In the midst of the pandemic in 2020, his Japanese father-in-law became gravely ill. Million’s wife returned to Japan to help her family, while Million stayed behind to care for their two young daughters for six months. “ It was a very difficult time,” the pianist remembers. “When he passed I watched the funeral, this beautiful Buddhist ceremony, on Zoom. I started researching Buddhist death mythology, which centers around the Sanzu-no-kawa River and is sort of like the River Styx in Greek myth.” The result is the lush, expansive “River Wide,” which feels almost like a Joni Mitchell song, and indeed has lyrics penned by the composer for yet another project.

Perfectly Spaced closes with Feldman and Million alone together on Bill Evans’ “Time Remembered,” appropriate considering that their weekly duo sessions were the impetus for the project. Longtime fans of Steve Million’s work and newcomers alike will find vast territories to explore in the diverse compositions and improvisational interplay of Perfectly Spaced and, given Million’s fertile imagination, can anticipate more to come.