SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: KABIR DALAWARI – LAST CALL

KABIR DALAWARI
LAST CALL
SHIFTING PARADIGM RECORDS

Having made an impressive debut with 2022’s Awareness, Kabir Dalawari has returned with his second album. Featuring the performances of Dalawari on drums, Kyle Brooks on alto sax, Chris Maden on tenor sax, Joshua Achiron on guitar, Nicholas Olynciw on piano, and Stephen Parisi Jr. on bass, Last Call is a traditional approach to jazz that feels like it was pulled out of time from the golden age of the ‘50s.

Last Call opens on the gentle note tone of the title track. “Last Call” is an elegant and moving song that sounds as though it could be a jazz standard. The song shines for a slight push and pull dynamic between the A and B section, with the latter taking the softer, spacious soundscape of the former and rhythmically modulating it over a series of Latin inspired beats. This is done subtly and Dalawari’s drums are simply fantastic. Every embellishment, each fill is done with such a level of focused intent, making for a masterful delivery that makes exemplary use of dynamics, tone, and texture.

Dalawari has surrounded himself with a very strong ensemble. Their performance is very tight with a level of chemistry that allows for the group to play a supporting role under a soloist effortlessly. Brooks’ alto sax and Olynciw’s piano are particularly enjoyable to listen to within the changing contexts of Dalawari’s songwriting. On that note, the star of Last Call is the shifting arrangements and the classic yet distinctly modern style of songwriting that lends it self to jazz fusion of today as much of that of the standards of the ‘50s. From the brisk drum and bass influence of “Detached” to drunken stumble of “Conciousness” and the slow burner that is “Imposter Syndrome”, Last Call sees Dalawari soar as not only the drummer, but bandleader and songwriter.

Dalawari and his impressive band have delivered a strong collection of material that should define an ongoing movement within the jazz genre that feels as influenced by the fusion of the last decade as it is by the classics. In addition to a series of incredibly performed songs, the music across the album is brilliantly written, making Last Call an underground gem in the genre.

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