David Tamura + Toadal Package - "Final Entrance" (2023)

 

Toadal Package is the most rocking free improvisation combo I've encountered in recent memory. I heard the depth of dialogue immediately and knew these individuals have honed their group craft to an uncommonly sharp edge possessing a sound which forces the cessation of any surrounding activity to a reverent halt. 

"Final Entrance" is a substantial document in terms of the sheer length of the statements coming in just shy of 50 minutes. It is sadly the final recording featuring David Tamura who passed away just before the release. I confess to not being previously familiar with his work but he displays a great, soulful and intense tone throughout that inspires a deep and serious awe. Tamura begins the album on "Draco Jazz Death" alone and sounding an emphatic clarion call like an overture to what shortly follows. There is a trend throughout of individuals getting to stretch out at the top of each piece. 

Guitarist Cosmo Gallaro has modern technical chops in spades but manage to still have a naked, completely articulate sound that no compressor in the world could or should tame. Gallaro begins the next track "Instantaneous Shutdown" with an approach that reminded me of how some early SST tracks start but  as much more extended solos. You feel as if someone if going to burst in at any moment with drums, words or something else but Cosmo just holds us in limbo, peering in to the match from a parallel dimension. Eventually he starts shouting "hey! over here!!!" with hs guitar and the others quickly rush to the frontline. 

This continues with "Pig Iron" which starts with bassist Brenna Rey's best dungeon rumblings. After a spell of this, Cosmo and David respond from separate viewpoints of an unspecified game. This is somewhat akin to sportscasting but much more compelling to as a compositional strategy here. Rey's playing oscillates between doom-laden and searing to more fluid, chorus-drenched runs that remind me of some of my favorite bassists of all time in Eva Lawitts, Bill Laswell and John Entwhistle.

James Paul Nadien, named after Paul McCartney, displays a similarly versatile splendor on the drums. "Kdzefghlej" blearily appears thru Nadien puttering to life in the confused manner of a 2 foot man stumbling thru an attic, consistently bumping into every surrounding surface but with only a tiny force that raises above an annoyed din for the first few minutes. Think of that spaceman from the classic Twilight Zone episode "The Invaders". For my money, Nadien is the T-1000 of currently active NYC Avant drummers; capable of assuming any form flawlessly and dedicated in total to the mission of killing whatever piece of music he happens to have in front of him. What's even more remarkable is that he does this while maintaining an overall vibe that is immediately unique and recognizable as his alone. If that wasn't enough, Final Entrance is the inaugural release for James' new imprint JPN. These gents are nothing if not productive!

The album moves along with the riotous "Bullshitters, Fakers, and Phonies" which felt like the group collectively poking fun at playing it cool like one of those awful casual gigs weary musicians privately refer to. Cosmo's wah here is a highlight. By the time things become heavier, the listener begins to actually enjoy feeling trapped in such a bland context. "Vicolo Della Grotte" boasts some truly incredible interplay with striking sounds across the board. The most vivid thought I had was of a team of spelunkers writing songs behind the foreman's back. Closing things out, "Fucked Up and Beautiful" begins with Tamura playing deeply emotional, cascading piano but the track doesn't repose for very long as the rest of the band quickly lures the piano into a more game-like, interactive headspace that short circuits the album to a close.

The diversity, focus, camaraderie and eclectic, informed vocabularies of Toadal Package as a whole (pun lightly intended) and as individuals is an asset that most bands dream of having. Such care and attention promotes likewise active listening and allows the pure intention of the music to shine thru free of obstacles. I'm grateful for this band and this album.