Art Baden - LYDIALIEBMAN.COM

How Much Of It Is Real?
Release Date: August 16, 2024
Label: Rainy Days

A graduate of the Herbie Hancock Institute of Jazz and Berklee College of Music, Russian-born tenor saxophonist Art Baden presents his enthralling debut, How Much Of It Is Real?, reflecting on the surreal nature of modern events, contemporary cultural shifts, and the awe-inspiring reality of working with one’s idols and mentors. Collaborating with some of jazz’s great innovators, Baden brought this album to life with the musical contributions of Jay Anderson (bass), Jeff “Tain” Watts (drums), and Baden’s long-term mentor Joe Locke (vibraphone, keyboards). Featuring a lineup of all original compositions by Baden and one original by Locke, How Much Of It Is Real? is a masterfully curated statement of art and philosophy that causes listeners to look more closely at the mindsets and environments of day-to-day life.

This album, from inception to final composition and set list, was created while Baden was studying at the Herbie Hancock Institute, with the recording itself completed shortly after Baden graduated. A deeply transformative time in Baden’s life, this period was marked by the complexities of interpersonal relationships, a deeper longing for family, an awakening to the beauty of things beyond music, and the tumultuous shifting global landscape. Amidst all this, Baden also experienced loss on various levels, all of which affected his outlook and experience. Shortly before starting at the Herbie Hancock institute, he lost his cousin. Around the same time, a mentor and influence who greatly impacted him - Ralph Peterson and Wayne Shorter, respectively - passed away, a tremor that was felt within his heart and echoed within the jazz community.

With such a broad swathe of changes in such a short amount of time, Baden did what all artists do: he asked questions, explored ideas, and created. How Much Of It Is Real? summarizes the central question driving much of his journey through this two-year period. From the wake of internationally difficult experiences like COVID and the conflict in Baden’s home country, to the seemingly impossible reality of playing in-person alongside musicians who had only ever seemed to live in audio recordings and on screens, this question - “how much of it is real?” - became increasingly prevalent in both positive and negative lights.

How Much Of It Is Real? begins with Baden’s composition “4th Cycle”. Fitting for an opening statement, “4th Cycle” is the piece that Baden describes as best encompassing his current musical direction and acutely reflecting his persona as a soloist, evoking kaleidoscopic colors and landscapes in sound. Written for an assignment given by Herbie Hancock himself, the piece went through four revision cycles. By the end of it, the melody, the arrangement, and the title itself had been changed. Within the piece’s structure, the fourth section acts as a resolution to the various themes. Moreover, Baden finds the ideas of life cycles and reincarnation to be an intriguing inquiry. Around the time Baden was naming the piece in its final iteration, mentors and peers of his had discussed the significance within these belief systems of the fourth reincarnation, or “cycle”. For these reasons, it became fitting to entitle the piece “4th Cycle”. The second track on the album is the title piece, “How Much Of It Is Real?” This piece summarizes the overall themes of the album, as well as toying with the idea of matrix-style conspiracies. Baden finds these sort of simulation theories intriguing and mysterious, and the alignment with the album’s central question provided a further layer of inspiration for this composition.

The album continues with “Chaotic Neutral”, a modal composition whose title is a nod to the popular roleplaying game, Dungeons & Dragons. Within the oeuvre of the game, “Chaotic Neutral” refers to a character’s ethos and morality. This disposition suggests that a character values their own individuality and personal freedom foremost, with standards of good, evil, and the effects of their actions on others being subservient to their view of their own immediate wellbeing. Baden uses this reference as an allegorical metaphor. “I find this type of character to be representing quite a large percentage of humans, and maybe even representing humanity as a whole nowadays,” he says. “People often act on an impulse without concern for the consequences.” In contrast to the ideas of simulation and selfishness presented in the prior tracks, “Real People” is a waltz that reflects on those rare gems: individuals whose spirit is so illuminating that it shines a sense of greater reality upon everyone and everything around them. This piece is dedicated to the late great Wayne Shorter. As Baden says, “Wayne was an example of how to be real, and he was the creator of his own ‘game’.” Baden composed this piece in its entirety the day after Wayne Shorter passed and this work stands as an homage to his legacy.

Musically, Baden’s debut stands as a testament both to his evolving tastes and to the musicians who have most influenced him. Baden particularly acknowledges the influence of his direct mentors Ralph Peterson, George Garzone, and Herbie Hancock, as well as the role Wayne Shorter had upon him. Baden especially highlights the long-term musical and personal influence that Joe Locke has had on him as one who has walked alongside him since he was 17.

Baden expresses a profound gratitude to the musicians on this record. All of them mentors to him, veterans of the jazz scene, or a combination of both, each has a well-established legacy of how they have shaped the landscape of music today. Of Jeff “Tain” Watts, Baden boasts, “His ability to control the room and the music, and command the quartet like an orchestra while giving players all the freedom they need is truly remarkable and admirable.” Baden continues lauding his band members with his praise of Jay Anderson. “Jay’s extraordinary melodic sensibility and exceptional professionalism have greatly enriched the experience,” Baden says. “At all times during the recording session he shows his dedication and professionalism and it was an honor to have him give this music such vitality.” Joe Locke’s long standing mentorship of and personal camaraderie with Baden has made a profound impact on the young tenor player, in addition to his salient and tasteful presence on the album. “Beyond his immeasurably valuable musical contributions, I deeply appreciate Joe’s friendship and his passion for music.” Baden says. “His help and support throughout the years made this record a reality. His involvement, honesty, and sincerity are deeply valued.” Beyond his performance on the record, Locke also contributed the composition “Silky”, for which he used Baden’s “Real People” as the inspiration. The inclusion of this piece symbolizes the cyclical nature of the mentor-mentee relationship and the beauty that comes to fruition within that environment.

How Much Of It Is Real? is far more than a debut record; it is a philosophical inquiry with a thesis backed by art, observation, and professional mastery. A statement of the highest caliber, How Much Of It Is Real? is set to launch Baden forward into the annals of jazz history to come.