Glint by Drumheller

For the past five or so years, Drumheller have carved out an astonishing niche within Toronto jazz, blending the loose little-big-band interplay of Charles Mingus’ 1960s groups and the idiosyncratic harmonic adventures of Ornette Coleman. Drumheller’s third album, Glint, contains some of the band’s most memorable melodies (“Quilted Hands” and “Sketch #14”) as well as some serious soloing highlighted by guitarist Eric Chenaux’s lengthy workout on “Nifac63Charlie” and Brodie West’s skittering alto sax jaunt over the roiling drums of “Sketch #11.” “The Merignac Whistler” intertwines seasick polyrhythms while “Hunter” finds drummer Nick Fraser leading the band through 14 minutes of brooding post-rock that’s strangely reminiscent of Miles Davis’ “Nefertiti.” Drumheller’s devotion to space and open rhythms can be difficult to dig, but even their most confounding sonic risks pay off many times along the way, courtesy of players who continue to prove themselves to be among the city’s most inventive musicians. - Chris Bilton

Nick Fraser has been a drummer and composer in the Toronto new jazz and improvised music community for over twenty years. His quartet features saxophonist Tony Malaby, Andrew Downing and Rob Clutton. For ten years, he co-led the group Drumheller. Other projects that occupy him regularly are Peripheral Vision, Eucalyptus, Ugly Beauties and the Lina Allemano Four.

nickfraserthedrummer.com