I get sent albums all the time for this little blog but rarely does one grab me by the ears so immediately like this one did. Jimmy Bennington and Phil Hunger have this damn fine Chicago avant-jazz project called Svobodni, with The Return to Catalhoyuk being the third in their release series. Along side Matt Jennings, Brian Seyler, and Daniel Thatcher, these gentlemen create an aural landscape of unpredictable psychedelic improvisational beauty. I’ve spend countless hours digesting this record over the past few months and still hear things that stir my imagination with every new listen. This could have easily been released on ECM Records, as it is quite unique and highly original sounding. It took me three months to write this review because I kept listening and absorbing without taking notesI This music continually took me on a mental journey.

It opens with a natural soundscape/spoken word piece, “Delicious Fishes“, orated by the Reverend Franklin Lee, which leads right into the piano and percussive meditational “Friends Come and Gone“, in it’s patient Eastern ritualist percussive glory. The cinematic “A Borrowed Mule Soon Gets A Broken Back” slowly fades in like opening credits to an art film that goes shuffling by as strings, choir voices, jazz kit, and synths join in on the aural cinemagic. That leads to the sinister “He Who Calls The Piper Calls The Tune” in it’s dark glory, washes of cymbals, wondering melodics, perfect pauses, short sharp stabs, classic patches, and building suspense. “Even The God Of Spring Doesn’t Know” with it’s beguiling synth pads as well as spacious vacuum of sonics culls aural archetypes to spill across the landscape, the toms and cymbals cueing their dance movements. The anthem that is “Anshan” is a musical treasure to behold in it’s perfect 12 minutes of beauty, with touchstones of Eno as well as Stephen Micus. The opening two minutes of saxophone on “Ignominy: The Return To Catalhoyuk” languidly give way to a full jazz quintet walking gloriously between the lines of free, ambient, and avant-garde stylistics. Mesmerizing! A Dave Leibman cover follows, “Earth Jones“, from the Elvin Jones 1982 album of the same name. Jimmie spent a lot of time with Elvin, and this rendition shows the fruition behind his years with the master himself. Fantastic playing throughout by Jimmie on kit and Brian Seyler on horn. “One Sunday In Letoon” reminds me of Soft Machine circa 1970 with it’s psychedelic tension and release of long tones, notes, and Terry Riley builds. This wonderful record ends with the sublime “Across The Water“, again with the prose, natural surroundings and the elements of a perfect bookend. Absolute magic.

Highly recommended!

https://jimmybenningtoncolourandsound.bandcamp.com/album/svobodni-iii-the-return-to-catalhoyuk

https://music.apple.com/us/artist/svobodni/1520631994