HOPIUM

By Mariam Jibril

Listening to modern jazz compositions that reward the attentive listener with Hopium is a great choice for Dayna Stephens' latest album Hopium. This composition features Stephens on both the alto and tenor saxophones, supported by Aaron Parks on the piano, Ben Street on the bass, and Greg Hutchinson on the drums. This composition is not about the individual; rather, it is about the communication and restraint of the performers. This is a performance of the highest quality for the instruments themselves, along with a magical atmosphere. There are many elements that create a sophisticated instrument, but not at the expense of emotion, thus enhancing the enjoyment level of both accomplished jazz fans and those who appreciate listening to thoughtful (but not too complex) music.

This composition draws you in due to the simple nature of the musical structure itself. These musicians create a spacious environment, allowing the melodies to grow. The overall atmosphere of this composition is created by Parks' intentional and simplistic use of the piano. He uses an approach of leaving blank space in the composition and, at times, leaving single phrases unanswered. The space gives the composition an introspective quality, and Street's bass line provides a warm foundation in an almost vocal presence. The percussion of Hutchinson is equally important, using control and subtlety to direct the form of the composition without compromising the space of the quieter moments. The overall production leaves space so that the individual voices can truly be heard and appreciated for their combination and chemistry.

Stephens can be found in the center of the track with a saxophone that expresses a large portion of the track’s emotion. His phrasing is searching and avoids coziness. He uses the correct moments to let a note linger, and he pushes the phrase with the appropriate amount of force to produce a sense of conversation over a traditional call and response. He has a sound that can be descriptive, but has a contemporary edge that keeps the performance grounded in the modern. He also uses sound to help paint the picture. Joe Stephens’ saxophone is truly the soul of the performance.

Parks’ piano plays spaciously, and Street’s bass and Hutchinson’s drumming provide a strong but subtle foundation that complements Stephens’ saxophone to produce a hopeful but melancholy and introspective mood. With the focus being mainly on instruments, the performers allow the audience to focus on their experiences over space rather than words or a lyrical narrative. This special kind of performance is done best without telling the audience how to feel. Hopium intends to convey to the audience the importance of optimism, but the performers understand that the audience doesn't necessarily need to be told that.

What makes Hopium stand out in music today is its use of subtlety. Modern music, to grab the listeners’ attention, uses a combination of a lot of elements: fast, flashy patterns, heavy production, and oversaturated hooks. Stephens takes the opposite route. Stephens trusts his musicianship, and so does the audience. The quartet has incredible chemistry that creates a natural sense of life to even the most reserved musical passages. Each musician has their part to play and maintains the delicacy of the musical balance. There is almost a talking/thinking style to the performance. Hopium is able to have a conversational style of performance and keep company with others without the aid of complex production techniques. Hopium provides a space where the hope of the listeners is not answered for them through the performers, but is something personal for the listeners to answer for themselves. Hopeful optimism is a great antidote to cynicism.

Dayna Stephens and his quartet give this take on sophisticated, atmospheric, and industry-defining emotional depth a spin with patience and fancy line communication. To a broad demographic, this jazz is art without gaudy prosthetics. For listeners who resonate most deeply with this style of jazz, Hopium is a showcase of Stephens’ newest creativity. This track is a perfect example of why you should choose to ignore all distractions and spend some quality time with it.