Chicago-based Texan Eli Winter has a habit of starting an album with an extra-long track. His excellent second set Unbecoming saw the whole first side occupied by a twenty-three-minute solo acoustic piece, and now, A Trick of the Light, his third effort (after the also ace Eli Winter) sees things kick off with an intense electric guitar jazz not jazz workout cover of Don Cherry and Ed Blackwell’s Arabian Nightingale.
Fully in band leader mode now, with Sam Wagster providing pedal steel, Tyler Damon on drums and Andrew Scott Young playing bass, this song is a masterpiece of ebb and flow, with the flow being in parts demented electric guitar muscle duelling with Gerrit Hatcher’s incredible tenor saxophone. The ebbs, like the beautiful, spacious electric notes around the thirteen-minute mark, give breathing space and beautifully balance the music.
The other cover here is a shimmering take on Carla Bley’s immense jazz number, Ida Lupino. Apparently Eli’s trio have performed this one live before, so it makes sense to keep this one stripped back, with drums and pedal steel joining Eli’s electric. It has to be said, though, that Young’s bass adds plenty to this song, with thick, elastic notes bringing plenty to a quite wonderful arrangement.
Elsewhere, For a Fallen Rocket uses pedal steel and some more sax to frame a lovely acoustic guitar refrain, while Cracking the Jaw brings in a more tentative electric guitar part, with spare percussion creating slight unease, before the players kick in and the jaw cracks. This one is pretty short at three minutes and a sturdy band song that would be killer to experience live, especially when the overdrive kicks in later on.
The title track takes its time to develop, with distorted guitar coupled with clean string bends and a busier percussion line. That overdriven guitar comes in like a train again in the second half, this time courtesy of David Grubbs, contradicting sparse piano notes and blending with Luke Sutherland’s violin. Kaboom.
Man, this is a good album, it really is. Eli has never put out a bad record, but his music seems to grow in confidence and prowess with each release. A Trick of the Light is a barnstormer, a real I don’t give a fuck, this is me and my band set of songs that are sharp, vital and pretty damn thrilling. Oh yes.
A Trick of the Light (May 2nd, 2025) Three Lobed Recordings
Dates
May 31st: Chicago, IL @ The Hideout – Eli Winter Album Release with Feller and Zander Raymond