ViO: “Equanimity: A Futuristic Jazz Tale” (2021) CD Review

ViO is the project of Viktor Haraszti, a saxophone player and composer who was born in Hungary and is currently based in Holland. Equanimity: A Futuristic Jazz Tale, his debut full-length release, features all original material with music written by Viktor Haraszti and lyrics by Lisa Marie Simmons, who joins him on vocals for certain tracks. Also joining Viktor Haraszti on some of these tracks are Dave King on drums, and Marshall Curtly on drums and percussion. Otherwise, Viktor Haraszti plays all the instruments, including tenor saxophone, clarinet, flute, electronic wind instrument, bansuri, and keys, and provides some vocal work as well. The word “equanimity” is an interesting one to contemplate in these stressful days when millions of people seem completely out of their minds, both in our country and around the world. How do we reach such composure, such calmness of mind, such stability, in these crazy days? The music on this album reflects a personal journey in that direction. It is arranged in chapters, like a book, the tracks listed by chapter numbers.

The album opens with a short track simply titled “Intro,” which has a gentle vibe, featuring some moving work on saxophone, a single voice announcing its presence, its hopes, its needs. That’s followed by “Chapter One,” the first track to feature vocals. Here the lyrics are sparse, the vocalist functioning more like a narrator setting the scene. “To survive every new dawn/We need be steady, we need be strong.” And after a moment, she whispers “There’s an ebb,” and then “There’s a flow.” The instruments themselves tell the story, or act it out, the saxophone being the strongest voice or character, with other sounds seeming to pass by. At moments when the power builds, there is an unsettling effect. The track ends with Lisa Marie Simmons whispering, “Everything comes, everything goes.” Dave King plays drums on “Chapter Two.” There is an improvised feeling to this one, as we are introduced to a strange, unfamiliar world. There is an order at its core, but what lies around it feels just a bit unhinged. Then in the second half, a certain calm settles over the situation, and so helps us relax too.

“Chapter Three” eases in, calling to mind the opening moments of “Intro,” But rather than the saxophone immediately coming in, there is the sound coughing, a sound that is rather alarming during the pandemic. Some heavy breathing adds to the odd sense of discomfort, of trouble. We are in a darker land now, an electronic realm. Nearly halfway through, Lisa Marie Simmons comes in on vocals, and this time her presence is more central to the piece, as she describes the troubled times. “Our nature’s storms reminded us/Neglect might be our ruin, time to wake/A virus came, it detonated thus/A fear came here to nest within our hearts/A year came here to rival any past.” Interestingly, the music and her voice put us more at ease. And, even after she has finished her vocal part, the music contains a beauty. But then as the track is concluding, we again hear coughing and labored breathing, for no, the pandemic is far from over, even if there are moments when we are soothed.

“Chapter Four” features some good work by Marshall Curtly on percussion. Lisa Marie Simmons revisits some lines from “Chapter One,” but here expands upon them, giving them more context. “To survive each new dawn/We need be steady, we need be strong.” The lines are delivered as spoken word, as poetry, from a place of wisdom. “Like those branches/Bend with the wind/After calamity advances/Steady and strong because/There’s an ebb, there’s a flow/Everything comes, everything goes.” The lyrics are central to this piece, and in fact there is really no instrumental section to this one; the track ends moments after the lyrics reach their conclusion. This is the final track to feature Lisa Maria Simmons on vocals. There is more of a dance vibe to “Chapter Five,” as if approaching joy, or coaxing it into existence through willpower and movement. This is the last of the tracks to feature Marshall Curtly on percussion. In its final moments, the track’s tone changes, becoming more relaxed.

“Chapter Six” feels uncertain as it begins. It moves tentatively, like looking in on something unfamiliar and considering whether to join it. But soon there is a pretty aspect. Then “Chapter Seven” feels calm, relaxed, and features some vocal work by Viktor Haraszti, but no lyrics. That vocal work is soothing, even uplifting. After a minute and a half, the saxophone comes in, a stronger, more vibrant voice. And everything seems fine. Any uncertainty and fear seem to have faded. The album then concludes with a gentle piece titled “Epilogue,” featuring some wonderful work on saxophone. This track seems to tell us things are going to be all right. It is a track that speaks to us from the other side of trouble, and lets us know we can join it there.

CD Track List

1. Intro
2. Chapter One
3. Chapter Two
4. Chapter Three
5. Chapter Four
6. Chapter Five
7. Chapter Six
8. Chapter Seven
9. Epilogue

Equanimity: A Futuristic Jazz Tale was released on December 12, 2021.