Saxman Gerry Hebert finds constructive interference
In jazz music interference can be a good thing. Take saxman Gerry Hebert’s newest CD The Beat Niq Sessions Volume 2: Constructive Interference. Turns out the title is a perfect description of Hebert’s new quartet.
“Constructive interference as a theory and as a practice has to do with how waves compound into other waves” Hebert explains. “It’s sort of like the sum of the four is greater than the individuals.”
The CD title came from Hebert’s designer for this project Scott Shymko and the name stuck. After listening to the quartet’s music Shymko suggested a CD cover that features four merging pools of colour. “That was a neat idea” Hebert says. “I wanted to keep the visuals kind of questioning and it’s also why I made the packaging with very little text on it. [The colours show] the equality of the four of us which I really do feel even if it’s my name in front.”
This name is also appropriate since Hebert’s new quartet is such a radical departure from the one featured in his first CD in 2003. This group “interferes” with the traditional definition of a quartet — it’s anything but three guys plus a bandleader.
“It has been a completely different experience” Hebert confirms. “Not in any way that the [quartet for the first CD] wasn’t good but this one is much more transcendent. The chemistry is way more natural. We are still as interested and excited about performing together and writing together as we were from the first time we played. It’s been quite a remarkable couple of years playing with these guys — much more organic.”
So here we have a quartet that can be described as organic transcendent and equal. In jazz circles this usually leads to the word “collective.” Hebert laughs when asked if that term applies though. “Yeah I think so” he says. “I mean I would say that. I don’t know if the others would all say that. It’s just a lot of fun playing and hanging with these guys and everybody is really themselves. I think we bring out the best in each other and there’s no question that we challenge each other and we force each other to engage musically. There’s no freeloading because one of the other guys is going to start pushing buttons. It seems to be interesting how that happens so I think there’s a very collective energy to us.”
