María Grand - Reciprocity (2021) Hi Res

Following up her highly acclaimed 2018 Biophilia Records debut ​Magdalena​ (“a constant flow of ideas, serene and deftly paced” — ​New York Times​), tenor saxophonist, composer and vocalist ​María Grand​ returns with a bold second outing for Biophilia, ​Reciprocity.​ It presents music that Grand wrote and recorded at a pivotal time in her life, in early 2020 when she was five and a half months pregnant with her son, Ayní.

On one level, ​Reciprocity​ speaks to the mother-child bond, something Grand felt already forming as she set out with her indispensable trio mates, bassist ​Kanoa Mendenhall​ and drummer ​Savannah Harris​. No doubt, Reciprocity​ also pertains to the vibrant rapport of these players as they delve into Grand’s music, so rich in melodic expression, complex kinetic rhythm and cagey formal logic.

“On tour while I was pregnant he would dance when we played with Savannah and Kanoa,” Grand recalls of Ayní in her liner notes. “He would kick and jump around and we became a quartet for a while. It makes me smile to think of the many times he was onstage inside my womb while we were both transforming and growing.” That loving, welcoming energy pervades the recording session as well.