In the throes of winter, I received a couple new tracks from the budding new Twin Cities group, Society of Chemists. One of the standout tracks was “By Candlelight,” a three-minute tune that captures a great spectrum of emotions. The not-so-secret weapon of Society of Chemists is the writing of their saxophonist Stephanie Wieseler. My favorite part about her writing is the tangible inspiration. There are plenty of very competent jazz writers in our scene, but the number grows vanishingly small if you are looking for writers whose work communicates an urge to connect and draw emotions out of listeners.
In her own description of the song, Stephanie Wieseler says that “By Candlelight” aims to evoke “what a dimly-lit room, illuminated only by candlelight, feels like.” Mission accomplished! Pianist Jack Barrett opens the tune and the candle vibes really coming through as bassist Charlie Bruber and tenor saxophonist Wieseler navigate the cozy melody. Wieseler elongates the mood on her solo and hints at the way our minds can wander to unexpected places when enjoying the solitude of a dimly lit room. “By Candlelight” might fit in the playlist the next time the goal is to create that warm peace that only appears when there is music on in the dimly lit room of your choice.
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