Vessel in Orbit

'Vessel in Orbit' presents the first new group music in over a decade from singular drummer-composer Whit Dickey, together with the impeccable improvisers Mat Maneri on viola and pianist Matthew Shipp. Each of these men have a lifetime commitment to creative music, and they share a musical relationship with one another that dates back decades. Dickey's wonderfully inviting compositional structures provide fruitful platforms for his esteemed colleagues and, par for his work as a leader, he cedes the spotlight to the collective as a whole. Wide-open listening and fluid expression abound here. Richly melodic and deeply focused, structural integrity and emotional resonance is paramount throughout. In the '90s, Whit Dickey was an elemental part of the groups of both David S. Ware and Matthew Shipp. His tremendous debut as a leader was 'Transonic' (1998, AUM005), followed by 'Life Cycle' (2001, AUM020). He re-joined Shipp's trio during 2007-12. This album also marks the welcome return of Mat Maneri to AUM Fidelity, who was previously featured on the sublime 'A Cloud of Black Birds' (AUM009) and 'Soul Search' (AUM014) together with guitarist Joe Morris. Since the mid-90s, Matthew Shipp has been perpetually proving his status as perhaps the most singularly compelling jazz pianist of the modern era. His work on AUM Fidelity dates to the label's inception; most recently he has been featured on 'The Darkseid Recital' (2014, AUM088), the second stellar duo with alto saxophonist Darius Jones; and in duo with David S. Ware on last year's 'Live in Sant'Anna Arresi, 2004' - the second installment in AUM's ongoing DSW Archive Series.