Ted Poor
You Already Know
New Deal/Impulse!
A patient and reflective ear is needed to fully appreciate all that Seattle-based drummer and Assistant Professor of Jazz Studies at the University of Washington, Ted Poor, offers in his most recent release, You Already Know. Collaborating with saxophonist Andrew D’Angelo, and featuring guest appearances by multi-instrumentalists Andrew Bird and Rob Moose, You Already Know is an exploration of texture and atmosphere.
Gentle toms and cymbals spell out the name of the opening track, “Emilia.” Working with subtle keys and saxophone in a contemplative manifestation of desire, of longing, of closeness, and of distance, “Emilia” discusses the myriad complexities of emotion. “Only You” follows with a driving, mesmerizing statement whose repetition builds upon itself, growing and folding and changing textures without straying from its original phrase—indeed, the more it changes, the more it stays the same. “To Rome,” which features Andrew Bird, displays a variation on Middle Eastern rhythms and chord structure: its hypnotic percussion, sparse keys, and droning strings would not be out of place on any sun-caked road toward Caput Mundi.
The defining feature of You Already Know is space: what is found between the notes is just as important as what is played. Ted Poor’s hypnotic and trance-like atmosphere provides a deep expanse, inviting the listener to find that which was once hidden is already known.
–Grant Grays
