Known for his intense sound on bari sax Charles Papasoff took some time off producing at Nisapa Productions to record some of his own music on Stoner Jazz. Joined by long-time collaborators Martin Auguste on drums, George Mitchell on bass and relatively new bandmember, Jocelyn Tellier on guitar, Stoner Jazz was recorded live and in studio between July 2002 and March 2003. This partly explains the disparate styles heard on this CD. The other part of that explanation is that half of the compositions on this CD with the exception of “Equinox,” a John Coltrane original, are a compilation of commissioned works revisited. The other half is the result of in studio improvisations.

The compositions range from the frenetic grooves of “Morholt” and “Proie” to the sonic chill trips of “Any Truth Left?” and “Nymphéa”. The quartet is at its best when it settles down and sits on a groove laid out by Mitchell and Auguste, as in the opening track “Rambour.” Heightening the interaction between the musicians, particularly Mitchell and Auguste, is the jam band vibe of these tunes. For the most part these are modal compositions which opens the door for experimentation. True, jams are a good way to discover and explore ideas, but they often stretch out without any direction or purpose. This is the case in the improv sections of “Morholt” and “Proie”. Make no mistake though, Tellier’s unique lines and colorist approach mixed in with some aggressive stoner rock guitar riffs on “Morholt” are great.

The most successful tune is “Le Tango de L’Homme Filigrane”, a composition commissioned by choreographer Myriam Naisy. Mitchell starts things off, accompanied by Tellier, creating an abstract dreamscape. It then segues nicely into a hypnotic groove that picks up momentum and features some of Papasoff’s best work on this CD.