American double bassist Harish Raghavan belongs to a highly virtuosic, creative and confident group of jazz artists. He has played on records by many colleagues such as
Ambrose Akinmusire,
Marquis Hill and
Walter Smith III. In Tense is his second album as a bandleader after
Calls For Action(2019). Right away on opener AMA, a slow and transparent composition, he shows what he has to say with a
… confident solo. But not only him: his band can be called a real supergroup, including the much sought-after drummer Eric Harland and genius vibraphonist Joel Ross. All know how to interpret Raghavan's virtuoso compositions in a personal way, but certainly Ross' solos stand out. It is extremely tasteful jazz of the highest order, in which the focus of the musicians, accompanying or soloing, does not sink in for a moment. Moreover, the high level that the relatively young musicians have already reached promises a great future for each of them. (JV)more
