Parlour Game by Jenny Scheinman & Allison Miller's Parlour Game

When two of the indie-jazz scene’s foremost artists unite for their debut collaboration that intermingles panoramic Americana-infused arrangements with a Brooklyn jazz pocket, the result is as ambitious as only violinist Jenny Scheinman and drummer Allison Miller could envision. Parlour Game features a compositional sisterhood of two innovators redefining American music. Along with pianist Carmen Staaf and bassist Tony Scherr, the quartet prevails as a respite from the daily chaos of the modern world. This is social music that celebrates hopefulness, humor, and the art of the game. Collectively, the three leading women jazz artists and Scherr send out a calling card for listeners to take a deep breath, and wholeheartedly enter their sonic haven for a moment of joy and solace.

Parlour Game opens with a hospitable greeting that uplifts the spirit on “Play Money.” A simple reference to board games played amongst friends and family, the track sets the album’s jubilant pace. “116th & Congress” is a salute to the diversity of freshman in the country’s new Congress. A sum of all its parts, the stunning rhythmic interplay is undeniable with Scheinman’s entropic shimmer leading to Staaf’s commanding solo. “The Right Fit” is all about that sexy, emotive mid-tempo groove that this rhythm section plays so well, and a melody that will stay with us long after the song has ended.

“Michigan,” co-written by Scheinman and Miller, represents a sense of urgency and forward motion, a cycle that could easily repeat for infinity. “Fake Weather,” a band favorite, is perhaps the most referential of hip-hop, combining a two measure 12-tone bass vamp with an almost-blues melody, subtle studio effects, dropped snare beats, and improvised piano reharmonizations that blow over the whole thing with the indifference of a weather pattern.

“Lead With Love” is the love song on the album; compassionate and emblematic of flowers continuously opening. “Beans & Rice” honors Miller’s straight ahead swing upbringing and her admiration of Thelonious Monk. “Top Shelf” alludes to the ridiculousness of getting drunk from expensive liquor. A nod to Cannonball Adderley and Lyndsey Battle (who met several times, though only in dreams), the funk groove of “Miss Battle’s Cannonball” references Go-go music which influenced Miller as a young aspiring musician coming up in Washington DC.

The album’s closer “Sleep Rider” refers to Scheinman’s childhood horse rides home from school, during which, especially in the winter months, she routinely fell asleep. It is a flying dream with a steady pulse, and leaves us in a state of mystical reflection, suggesting that our imaginations make anything possible.

At its core, Parlour Game delivers songs that bind. It celebrates American musical traditions at a moment when the country is being torn at the seams. Unapologetically beautiful, Scheinman and Miller provide an aural gathering place where all are welcome—a contemporary parlor where people can reflect and reenergize. In times like these, it’s music that’s vital.