ELEMENTAL QUARTET

A Small Patch of Earth is trumpeter and composer Paul Dietrich’s fifth album as a leader, but his Elemental Quartet is the smallest group he’s ever recorded. After two quintet albums (in 2014 and 2017) were followed by one for a full-size 18-piece jazz ensemble (2019’s Forward) and another for a nine-piece quintet-plus-string-quartet (2023’s 5+4), Dietrich wanted to get back to basics. This drove the formation of this group, which moved to a more intimate sonic landscape, a folk-inspired sound, and simpler musical forms, with an emphasis on interaction and improvisation rather than the more controlled nature of his recent large-ensemble work.

To make it happen, Dietrich turned to three longtime collaborators. Chicago guitarist Matt Gold’s diverse musical background and his experience in a variety of different styles made him the perfect fit for this type of project. Dietrich and bassist Brian Courage (also from Chicago) have been making music together since their college days at Lawrence University all the way back in 2007. Drummer Devin Drobka, hailing from Milwaukee, is one of the more thoughtful and interactive drummers in the Midwest, and also brought a mindset that set the tone for the group.

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