Josh Archiron: Climbing

Geof Bradfield, co-founder of Calligram Records along with Chad McCullough, introduces a compelling new voice from Chicago's ever-fertile jazz scene. Climbing, the debut recording by guitarist Joshua Archiron, pairs the young bandleader with a seasoned and deeply attuned rhythm section: Bradfield on tenor saxophone, bassist Clark Sommers and drummer Dana Hall.

Archiron's program, seven originals plus a well-chosen standard, unfolds with striking assurance. The quartet navigates the material with a supple, unforced cohesion that belies the guitarist's newcomer status. One would be forgiven for assuming this was Archiron's thirtieth session rather than his first.

"Troubles Become Triumphs" opens with a buoyant, groove-centered pulse from Sommers and Hall, over which Archiron channels a crisp, blues-inflected modernism reminiscent of John Scofield before pivoting into a taut, swinging refrain. On "The Papaya King," the guitarist deploys subtle textural effects that nod to Pat Metheny's tonal palette, creating a luminous backdrop for Bradfield's incisive tenor lines. These comparisons serve only as points of orientation: Archiron's voice is already distinct, shaped by study yet clearly moving toward its own expressive territory.

"The Only Way Is Through," a ballad, provides an ideal setting for Bradfield, whose tenor sound combines lyricism and structural clarity with an air of effortless elegance. Sommers steps into the foreground on the title track, his resonant bass tone establishing both harmonic depth and melodic warmth, while Archiron and Bradfield weave gently layered lines above. Hall's dynamic range comes sharply into focus on "Mean Machine," where shifting accents and rhythmic angles animate the performance without sacrificing forward momentum.

The quartet closes with a live rendition of "Take the Coltrane." In contrast to the studio-recorded originals, this twelve-minute performance radiates spontaneity and exuberance. The band stretches comfortably, balancing muscular swing with conversational interplay, and the audience's presence adds a palpable charge.

Climbing is an auspicious debut—confident, cohesive and musically generous. More importantly, it signals the arrival of a guitarist whose voice feels not merely promising, but already meaningfully formed.

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