In 2024, alto saxophonist and composer Nicola Miller released her debut album, Living Things, which featured a killer lineup of Doug Tielli on trombone, Nicholas D’Amato on bass, Nick Fraser on drums and Miller’s mentor Frank Gratkowski on bass clarinet and alto saxophone. That record stretched the boundaries of jazz through wild, freeform solos and unique arrangements, while always keeping the traditional parameters of classic jazz combo arrangements at arm’s length. Not content to end the adventure with that impressive debut, Miller has reconvened the combo—now officially referred to as Nicola Miller’s Living Things—on a fascinating new album that builds on that earlier release.
SPIT! sees Miller and her fellow musicians continuing that same path of shattering perceptions while giving post-bop traditionalists something to enjoy. Three of the record’s six songs form a loose suite: “Telecommunications I,” “Telecommunications II”, and “Telecommunications III”. The album was composed with links to communication. Miller writes that communication through music is an abstract form of communication. “I find it very interesting to think about what is gained and lost in the transmission of a message in both technology and music. It could be observed that music is the opposite of these technological advances since the message is delivered in a spiritual and guttural manner.”
The title track opens with D’Amato on extended bass, evoking classic Charles Mingus recordings before the rest of the band comes in; Fraser’s earthy shuffle works with D’Amato, laying the groundwork for the ensemble to engage in intense, adventurous soloing. A cathartic alto sax solo in the middle of the song is initially unaccompanied, adding to the gravitas of Miller’s expert performance.
Meanwhile, the “Telecommunications” suite allows the band to shift gears to different dynamics and tempi, with the horn arrangements in particular taking on a majestic, composed feel. Solos still creep in and out, including an odd, almost underwater-sounding trombone solo from Tielli that embraces the group’s avant-garde sensibilities on “Telecommunications II” and some intense percussive clatter from Fraser on “Telecommunications III”. Still, these moments of mirthful musical anarchy are exciting avenues to travel, and no matter how off the rails the sound might get, Miller always manages to rein in the combo and never lose focus.
“Where’s the Line” is a more languid, deliberately paced number that provides beautiful moments of unhurried interplay and is highlighted by some truly inspired bass clarinet work from Gratkowski. “Drummers are Bad”, as its title cheekily implies, opens with an extended and refreshingly unconventional solo from Fraser before the rest of the band engage in both long-sustained notes and fiery bursts, bringing the free jazz New York scene populated by the likes of the Lounge Lizards to the wilds of Canada.
SPIT! is not just an exciting, boundary-smashing jazz experiment among five deeply talented musicians with an uncommon gift for musical telepathy; it’s also a great deal of fun. The combination of improvisational interplay and bold compositional passages is jaw-dropping in its execution. It also offers a listening experience that begs repeat listens and makes you cross your fingers that Nicola Miller’s Living Things will be around for a long, long time.