ENRIQUE HANEINE

CONCEIVABLE DIRECTIONS

Elegant Walk Records

Enrique Haneine, drums/cymbals/tambourine/composer/arranger; Jay Anderson, acoustic bass; Christof Knoche, bass clarinet; Kirk Knuffke, cornet; Thomas Heberer, trumpet.

Enrique Haneine is influenced by his travels and his cultures.  He was raised in Mexico, so the Latin rhythms are stitched throughout his music.  However, he currently resides in New York City, with his cultural roots being Lebanese.  Consequently, his percussive talents span cultures and countries.  His music becomes a conglomeration of improvised soundscapes with his quintet.

“The way we nourish our minds, based on the input we receive, as well as the different paths our lives can take, is not only determined by the decisions we make but also by what contributes to them.  What we consume and feed our minds with, starts shaping our thoughts, how we feel, our emotions and actions, as well as our beliefs and attitudes.  It lends to defining our identity.  If we allow it, we begin seeing life through that lens, and that becomes our reality.  The variety of options we encounter will direct how we continue to evolve, and as a result, this translates into our musical approach and conversation, influences that will eventually be contagious to our inner voice,” Enrique Haneine shares in his press package.

This music is quite experimental.  The one thing I notice right away is how melodic Enrique Haneine is on his trap drums.  His rhythm patterns sing many of the melodies along with the ensemble’s melody makers.  For example, on Track #2 (New Notion) he plays right along with the opening line of Christof Knoche on bass clarinet.  As the other horns join in, Haneline plays his drums in unison with the predominant melodic line, before stretching into a more expected drum groove. Haneine has composed and arranged all the music on this album. During this arrangement, the horns each take off in their own direction, exploring space and notes, sometimes as if flying in separate directions.

With only horns and an acoustic bass to join grooves with this drummer, I found myself wishing for a guitar or piano to help establish a lusher, more grounded soundscape.  At times, it felt like all the soloists were floating singularly, like astronauts in space. They were all on the same spaceship but floating individually on their own trip.

Track 4, titled “Unique Array of Swirls” settles the production down, using acoustic bass, with Thomas Heberer on trumpet beginning the piece.  A third of the way in, the cornet of Kirk Knuffke joins, adding complimentary harmonies along with Knoche’s bass clarinet.  This time the tune seems more arranged, and the musicians intrigue and engage me. Jay Anderson grounds this piece with his acoustic bass. Henrique uses mallets to support this arrangement.

On “Perpetual Insights” the quintet uses a slow swing to introduce us to the catchy melody. Henrique Haneine offers a shuffle beat to support this tune, sometimes veering off to sing the melody line on his trap drums with the horn section.  He skips, taps and flashes his drum sticks to propel the piece forward.   This is an experience of significant experimentation and musical freedom. Perhaps their closing tune says it all: “Nuances of Intuition.”

Reviewed by Dee Dee McNeil

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