Creatures

Creatures presents a set of five duo improvisations between guitarist Joe Morris and drummer Luther Gray that, while retaining the fine textures that characterize much of the guitarist’s music over the past couple of decades, also enjoy a strong degree of athletic sparring. Morris has always put forth improvisations that while not “high volume” certainly present a searching quality, clarified through delicacy and control. Rhythmic repetition derived from the study of West African string music, explored through muted tones and circular motifs, imbue his playing on the opening “Creature Emotion,” abetted by Gray’s percussion work. Gray has gotten to be a very strong drummer, evoking at times forebears like Ed Blackwell and Denis Charles, or Sunny Murray. Without the other members of his regular quartet — saxophonist Jim Hobbs and bassist Timo Shanko — in the picture (great players though they are), one gets an unadorned view of Morris’ subtle and captivating pyrotechnics in open, excited conversation.