Mat Marucci—Markus Berger Ensemble Sounds

Arguably, jazz reached its pinnacle in the mid-1960s, but with Genesis, Mat Marucci-Markus Burger Ensemble Sounds moves jazz forward. Genesis is polyphonic self-examination, a surprising and seemingly random free-jazz exploration of the evolution of music. It evokes John Coltrane’s A Love Supreme (Ensemble Sounds features Coltrane protégé John Tchicai) and also incorporates classical music conventions with recurring melodic statements. The dramatic “Fractured” recalls Igor Stravinksy’s “The Rite of Spring.” But the emphasis is experimental jazz, established best on “Black Hole,” a piece that champions the space between the notes. The instruments simulate the often cacophonous human voices and man-made noise of the world.