Raf Vertessen, Brooklyn-born drummer, composer, and percussionist, is a wise veteran. He’s only 27 years old. Vertessen quickly rose to prominence in New York City’s improvised scene. He counts avant-garde giants Joe Morris, Joe McPhee and Ingrid Laubrock as mentors. The influence of those luminaries–particularly Smith–resounds on LOI, Vertessen’s standout debut as a bandleader. The loose-jointed Belgian is able to sing his own tune with tempo shifts and mathy fury, giving the listener whiplash. Vertessen can be very skilled at artistic nuance but he is constantly in your face during the nine tracks on LOI. He thwacks and thumps his drum kit like a mad beat scientist. from https://jazztimes.com
