Tarus Mateen’s ‘Arising Saints’

Tarus Mateen is best known as a member of Jason Moran’s famous Bandwagon trio, but his bass playing has graced records by a striking array of artists: Outkast, Christina Aguilera, Marc Cary, Betty Carter. Rough and rambunctious, Mateen’s attack on the fretless electric is constantly venturesome, but never sacrifices sturdiness or force. While jazz bassists often earn their keep by laying down sure foundations and staying out of their bandmates’ way, Mateen has a habit of constantly shifting the bedrock on which his fellow improvisers operate. From moment to moment, you’ll often get the sense that the floor underneath the band is rising, or tilting, or vanishing completely.

Arising SaintsA master agent provocateur in other people’s ensembles, Mateen has rarely been a bandleader. Perhaps that is changing. Arising Saints, his debut album as a leader, came out this year, and it shows how far-reaching Mateen’s conception is. The record features 13 original compositions, with Mateen playing nearly all the parts. (Moran plays Rhodes on a couple tracks, and Mateen’s brothers — a drummer and a saxophonist — appear on some others.)

With a few exceptions, Arising Saints is fully instrumental, and fully electrified. The influences range from hip-hop to West African mbalax to classic funk and soul. The bass carries most of the melodies, which tend to be buoyant and hypnotic and full of Mateen’s crooked poise.

“Go On” has the sound of puppy-love retro soul, but it’s given scuff and wrinkles by Mateen’s clacking lead lines. The rocking “Soundcheck,” featuring a verse from emcee Mondo Arbuckle, heaves with energy, but does not thrash.

With his low-slung momentum and roving bass lines, Mateen conveys a sagacious awareness—of how twisted the world can be, and how one might maintain peace amidst the madness. logo


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About Giovanni Russonello

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A co-founder of CapitalBop, Giovanni Russonello is also a music writer and critic for the New York Times. He also teaches writing as a lecturer at New York University's School of Professional Studies. He previously served as a contributor to the Washington Post, the FADER, JazzTimes, NPR Music and others, and hosted “On the Margin,” a books show on WPFW-FM. He graduated from Tufts University with a bachelor’s degree in history, with a focus on African-American history. Reach Giovanni at [email protected]. Read him at giovannirussonello.com or nytimes.com/by/giovanni-russonello. Follow him on Twitter at @giorussonello.

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