Arc

According to Matthew Shipp, One is his last studio album. Yeah right, and Cher is retiring after her next farewell tour. Well, if this truly is our last dose of Shipp’s recording prowess, at least the intrepid pianist is going out with a bang. Listen as Shipp channels some cosmic energy and weaves a whole new universe in front of our ears. Chords, melodies, structures, dynamics, pitch, range…everything sounds interrelated here. Following Shipp’s head trip is a pleasure especially in tunes like the album’s opener “Arc.” With an undulating character, the piece unfolds with a relentless forward motion, perhaps unaware of its final destination—that is until it reaches its perfectly logical conclusion. Too bad if this One is indeed the last one.

—RN