DOT BOOK: Luke Titus at The Echo

Some performances can leave you with the realization of being tired after the show ends and the music stops. Your immersion can break when you step outside and you pick up where you left off then walk to your car. That was not the case with Luke Titus's show.

When the last song was announced you could feel hearts break a little. When the band waved goodbye, you were left wanting more. Walking out of The Echo's doors and back on to the main street, we weren't thinking about how we wanted to call it a night. We wanted to look up the projects by the artists we just witnessed to chase the feeling born in that room.

The night opened up with Lionmilk (@lionmilk_) who was on stage with one injured hand and yet delivered an incredible performance by wielding his keys and SP404, and Ale Araya (@alejanji) who managed to grab the attention of the entire venue with her telephone vocals, loop machine, and incredibly tapped in band supporting her the entire way. Between performances, the house music had gems like songs from the Whiplash soundtrack which was kind of immersive in both an intense and slightly light way that set the tone for what was to come.

The entire show was designed around the celebration and release of Luke Titus's newest collaborative project titled "Three Songs." On stage and in studio, Luke was joined by his quintet Lenard Simpson (saxophone), Brian Sanborn (guitar), Julius Tucker (keys), and Parker Grogan (bass). As both a longtime collaborator accross genres and an artist continually pushing the boundaries of contemporary jazz, Luke's work feels equally rooted in tradition and forward-thinking experimentation.

When it was time to be on the mic, he not only made sure to give flowers to the artists that shared the stage with him, but also those that pioneered their art of the evening. Luke took the time to shed light on one of his inspirational figures Squarepusher - an English electronic musician, producer, beatmaker, and multi-instrumentalist who's music spans several genres including drum and bass, IDM, acid techno, jazz fusion, and electroacoustic. The project starts strong with their ode Currents / Squarepusher Theme.

This three song project was beyond dynamic. The quintet's communication, care and individual strengths could be felt from the crowd whether you were trying to trace the trading of who's lead with your eyes scanning the stage or if your eyes were closed and your chest was your antenea. The four showcased their understanding of how space and silence is also a tool with their second song titled Lotus Leaf. Pockets of soft and held out notes were met with grand rises into the climax of the song allowing the listener to feel like time slowed down and picked back up when the band decided it could.

A perfect intro for the closer, Luke Titus played a mesmerizing 3+ minute drum solo that made me hold my breath (breaking the fourth wall as the writer to tell you that solo had me jaw dropped). Luke lead into the finale by assigning every part of his body a role. Wrists loose, shoulders forward, head banging and eyes closed, the show closed with their third song of the project titled Naima. This song felt like the perfect combination of the first two tracks, but even without comparison - it was another excellent display of not only Luke's abilities but also the chemistry of the band that shared the stage.

Luke's music has a way of pulling some of the most talented and seasoned players this city holds and also invites those that have a curiosity for what's possible when you fuse all your influences into a project just as a fan and lover of music. Always trust a Luke Titus lineup.

DOT BOOK is a field notes series by JIJI's Jazz Club, covering what's happening in the live music scene and community today. Shows, collectives, artist meet ups, and more.