Through Improvisation, Music Producer Creates Unconventional Mashups
Craig Hartley makes unexpected juxtapositions, including Bach with a Miles Davis overlay, and a John Lennon with a Bill Evans backdrop, on his new album, "Books on Tape Vol. II — Standard Edition."
HARTLEY: My new album is "Books On Tape Vol. II - Standard Edition." "Standard Edition" is covering standards - so, like, the American Songbook but also standards like John Lennon and the Beatles and Bach - so a variety of standards from multiple influences and genres.
I kind of go along with this theme of books on tapes. There's a "Books On Tape Vol. I."
There's actually a precursor to that, which is just "Books On Tape." They're sort of, like, stories. You know, these are stories and books - audio books, really - that I'm writing of my life and my experiences expressed through song.
SIMON: Pianist, producer and composer Craig Hartley.
Auditório da FEUP (Porto) Quinta, 6 Outubro - 21h30 Pedro Neves Trio Lançamento CD Carimbo Porta-Jazz 05:21
Pedro Neves - piano Miguel Ângelo - contrabaixo Leandro Leonet - bateria
Depois do álbum de estreia “Ausente“, lançado pelo Carimbo Porta-Jazz em 2013 com grande aceitação pela crítica especializada e com distribuição internacional no Japão, Pedro Neves apresenta o seu novo repertório original gravado em Março de 2016 e reunido neste disco.
05:21 descreve o primeiro momento do amanhecer. A narrativa do álbum sugere o percurso de alguém que atravessa esta hora do dia recorrentemente, enfrentando um turbilhão de pensamentos e sensações que o levam numa viagem alucinante que apenas termina quando por fim consegue adormecer.
Esta é uma história escrita pela mão do pianista e compositor Pedro Neves, ilustrada por Miguel Ângelo e Leandro Leonet.
The Wee Trio, James Westfall (vibes), Dan Loomis (bass) + Jared Schonig (drums), proudly announce the September 30, 2016 release of their fifth recording, Wee + 3, recorded at Systems Two in Brooklyn, NY, and featuring three musicians who are near and dear to the members of the Trio; the legendary trumpeter/composer Nicholas Payton (tracks 4, 5 & 6), guitarist/composer Nir Felder (tracks 1, 10 & 11), and pianist/composer Fabian Almazán (tracks 2, 3 & 9). Inviting guests to join this established, working group was born out of the band’s collective love of collaboration.
Wee + 3 is an album about relationships. Dan Loomis is from Middle America, Jared Schonig is from the West Coast and James Westfall is from the South. Together they have traveled to every corner of the country and the songs on this album celebrate their individual roots and their travels together. The bonds that The Wee Trio formed as a band happened very soon after they all moved to New York City and has strengthened over the years. In short, musically and personally, they are thick as thieves, and their camaraderie is fully explored and realized on the band’s previous four recordings, Capitol Diner Vol. 1 (2008), Capitol Diner Vol. 2 – Animal Style (2010), Ashes To Ashes – A David Bowie Intraspective (2012) and Live at The Bistro (2013). With Wee + 3, the fans are bearing witness to the first expansion of the trio as they welcome in three critically acclaimed, world-class musicians to the fold. Each guest artist has a unique personal relationship with the individual members of the band and all of the music on this record was composed for each of these guest artists, creating a stylistic spectrum that takes the listener through three different worlds, but all within the galaxy of The Wee Trio.
The guest artists also represent three distinct narrative points in the history of the band. Dan Loomis explains further, “Nicholas Payton is the prelude to our story as a band. We say that the trio connects so well because we had listened to so many of the same records. Mr. Payton’s music was definitely an important part of all our lives. His playing, his intention as a bandleader, and his compositions were important building blocks for all of our own musical conceptions and development. Nir Felder is the present tense in the story of the band. We all met Nir very soon after we moved to the city and played with him a lot in our first years here. Our encounter with Fabian Almazán is a look to the future. Jared has known Fabian for a several years, but James and I just started playing with him for this project. Fabian plays with relentless creativity that really brings out the best side of the band. We love to play familiar material and take a lot of risks with it – push it to see what new options we can find hidden in it. With Fabian we got a chance to expand that approach to a quartet setting and bring it some new material that we wrote especially for him. We think the results are magical!” In drummer Jared Schonig’s words, this record was, “really a dream for us to make, both compositionally and musically. We had many long discussions over two years, deciding who our guests would be, and we feel that we made such great choices. To add a fourth musical voice was like taking cake and putting more frosting on it just for the fun of it.”
More about the music on WEE + 3: “R T 3” (feat. Nir Felder) – This song is the sound of the ocean as nearly as bassist Dan Loomis can capture it. You can hear the seagull cry in the intro. “My mother grew up in California and spent a lot time exploring the Pacific coast. I was born in Redwood City but raised in the Midwest. I always loved my trips back to California and I never feel right visiting without at least one visit to the ocean,” said Loomis.
“Titan UP” (feat. Fabian Almazán) – Westfall grew up in Houston, Texas and was an avid Houston Oilers fan. In the mid 1990’s the Oilers packed their bags and relocated to Tennessee changing their name to the Titans. Since Westfall’s recent arrival to his new home in Nashville, he has re-adopted the NFL franchise that moved away from him.
“Climb” (feat Fabian Almazán) – An epic composition written by Schonig to feature both Almazán’s creativity and Loomis’ strength moving around the bass. The title represents the climb to the top that we all inevitably face daily in life.
“Sabotage” (feat. Nicholas Payton) – One of the nation’s best venues is in St. Louis, MO (Loomis’ hometown), Jazz at the Bistro. The Wee Trio played there many times and even spent a weekend recording a live album there (Live at The Bistro from 2013). Loomis explains, “The second night of the recording we went to play our first set only to discover (mid-song!!) that the microphone cables had been cut!! We never found the culprit but clearly someone set out to sabotage the band! Thus Jared had a title for his new song.”
“No Justice” (feat. Nicholas Payton) – This song is a tribute to Loomis’ hometown, St. Louis, and particularly the suburb of Ferguson. “We have all been angered and saddened by the senseless violence by police against so many black youth across our country. But these events take on another dimension when they happen close to home. In the aftermath of tragic events like these, one thing that we can do is come together to make our voices heard against a culture that allows such actions. My partner and young boys have been to many demonstrations protesting these events and my kids’ favorite chant at these demonstrations is ‘No Justice, No Peace!’” said Loomis.
“Belle Femme De Voodoo” (feat. Nicholas Payton) – “As a former resident of New Orleans, this piece was written as a homage to the city. I spent the better part of 15 years living there and the city’s influence will always be burned in my personality. One of the city’s biggest musical influences today is Nicholas Payton. I’ve had the privilege of sharing the stage with him about a dozen times while living there and each of those gigs was a huge learning experience that I never took for granted. Having him be a part of this record was an honor. It was only fitting that Nicholas would be featured on a song written for New Orleans. Nicholas’ style is the perfect blend of Old New Orleans and New World,” said James Westfall.
“Lola” – This is a composition by Meshell Ndegeocello that Schonig arranged for the band. Schonig says “The band originally decided against having covers on this recording, but made an exception for an exceptional artist that we all admire.”
“Sound Evidence” – The lone original trio composition comes from Schonig after he sought out to write something both rhythmically interesting yet open enough for the harmonic instruments to have complete freedom while improvising. The title comes from Schonig’s brother, who made an astute observation during a game of ping-pong with the band to prove a certain shot had hit the table!
“Redwood” (feat. Fabian Almazán) – This is a tribute to Redwood groves in Northern California. “Walking through them you can have a feeling in an endless horizontal and vertical space. This song tries capture that expansiveness,” said Loomis.
“Gibbs Street” (feat. Nir Felder) – Schonig and Loomis met at Eastman School of Music in downtown Rochester, NY. This piece by Schonig is a homage to his experience there, balancing all that life is throwing at you. “Sometimes college can seem incredibly chill and then one moment chaos can ensue; whether it be with schoolwork, gigs, relationships- I tried to encapsulate all of that in this piece,” said Schonig.
“Apparition” (feat. Nir Felder) – “Nir is one of our favorite guitarists because, like The Wee Trio, he’s not afraid to rock out. Performing the song quartet gave us the opportunity for me to personify a wraith during the melody. The composition’s simplicity gave the trio enough room to stylistically take the direction in a more organic world that is true to our influences. The composition is one big launching pad for a shredding Nir Felder solo meant to kick ass and melt faces,” said Westfall.
01. RT3 6:31 02. Titan Up 3:15 03. Climb 6:30 04. Sabotage 4:58 05. No Justice 7:20 06. Belle femme de voodoo 5:23 07. Lola 3:51 08. Sound Evidence 4:16 09. Redwood 6:31 10. Gibbs Street 6:10 11. Apparition 7:53
Una fórmula especialmente querida por muchos aficionados desde los tríos de Bill Evans. Ya nos advierte la historia de la música que un buen trío es un solo instrumentista que suena como tres…en este caso piano-bajo-batería, pero les hay gloriosos con saxo o guitarras. No solo en el jazz, claro. Compuesto por el saxo alto malagueño Ernesto Aurignac, el menorquín –pianista- Marco Mezquida y el percusionista catalán Ramón Prats firman un glorioso cd de jazz que abarca desde el mencionado Evans hasta Fernández (Agustí) librepensador y libreimprovisador al que se aprecia más fuera que dentro de España. Jóvenes pero ya establemente instalados en los circuitos, clubes, festivales y premios del jazz en España.
Sabía de su existencia por conversaciones con Mario Benso (Dial Jazz, Músicas Creativas Valladolid) pero no había tenido acceso al cd hasta ahora.
De disciplina ornetiana se basan más en la creación de riffs melódicos que permitan improvisar y alterar intensidad y volumen que en estudiadas y complejas – que también las hay- progresiones de acordes, a esta idea responden temas como Armando Rampas que abre el cd y Discusión, perfecto en su fraseado e intenciones hasta el acuerdo final.
No eluden el lirismo y las melodías con mucho espacio entre notas – U– que avanza lenta, casi obsesivamente a la cumbre de sonido final…Keith Jarrett usa estas evoluciones, el King Crimson más metal también ¿Inspiraciones? Puede…al menos serán referencias…un tema que quedará en los anales de registros de jazz en España.
Descienden a la tierra en Salt (Girona, claro) para romper el climax obsesivo, jugar con notas y elementos percusivos, tema al que sigue otro de sonoridad clásica, Coral, muy apropiado por la perfecta armonización de sonidos…como en un coro.
Gloriosos e inspirados en las improvisaciones colectivas –MAP1 y MAP 2 con un cierto microtonalismo final- y van cerrando el cd con temas como Obituario, con la pesadez inicial del dolor por “lo perdido” la gravedad de la situación marcada por los graves del bombo de la batería…un dechado de dramatismo con crisis final.
El cierre viene con la toma alternativa del tema Conan-canon, quizá la jazzy de todas las composiciones del cd…pero tienen en el pensamiento a Steve Coleman claro, y es que los cuarenta y cincuenta nos quedan ya muy lejos…impresionantes pasajes free que hacen de contrapunto a una melodía y medidas endiabladas.
Uff..una tarde gloriosa de escucha (doble) después de haberlo intentado en situaciones nada apropiadas: coche, tareas domésticas…exige mucha demanda de atención y la recompensa merece la pena.
¿Disco de jazz del año? ¿Abrimos porra? Corran a una de las pocas tiendas de disco que queden en su ciudad o pidan por internet a la propia web de los músicos: www.mezquida-aurignac-prats.com. No se arrepentirán. Si además viven en Soria o alrededores pueden verles el 11 de noviembre en Envibop…suertudos son! Miguel Ángel Pérez Martín / docenotas.com
01. Armando Rampas 3:42 02. Conan-Canon 2:32 03. Map 1 2:51 04. El Sueño de Oniria 3:05 05. Atlántida 1:55 06. Discusión 4:26 07. U 7:44 08. Salt 1:21 09. Coral 3:37 10. Map 2 3:20 11. Obituario 3:22 12. Conan-Canon Alt. Take 2:13
"You can feel the love and passion they have for each other and the music. I’m inspired as well. Bravo!!! “ (Joe Lovano)
“I appreciate this music … A wonderful album … Listen to it." (Kenny Werner)
Award winning drummer Marcello Pellitteri has produced his second album dedicated to the memory of his daughter, Veronica Pellitteri (1991-2014). Profits from CD sales will go to the Veronica Pellitteri Memorial Fund. This fund will FOREVER give a scholarship to a talented graduating student from the Fiorello LaGuardia Performing Arts high school in NYC, where Veronica graduated from in 2009.
This album includes some of the best musicians in the international jazz music scene.
All the compositions are originals except for two cover songs by Stevie Wonder and Alicia Keys.
Produced by Marcello Pellitteri Recorded between Jan/Mar 2016 at: Tac Recording Studio, Canicattini Bagni (SR), Italy Studio 1141, Brooklyn, NY Flying Frog Studio, Boston, MA
Recording engineers: Rino Cirinnà, JB Boclé, A. Mallet Mixed and mastered by Robert L. Smith at Defy Recordings, NYC
Front cover “Self Portrait” by Veronica Pellitteri Graphic Art by Fabio Baldanello
Tracks list: 01) Chasin' The Zone (M. Pellitteri) 02) Longing (M. Pellitteri) 03) Aquarius Woman (M. Pellitteri) poem "Greetings Of Hope" by Murtiningrum 04) Remind To Live (S. Bonafede) 05) Villeneuve (S. Bonafede) 06) Prelude to If I Ain't Got You (G. Bevilacqua) 07) If I Ain't Got You (A. Keys) 08) Twenty Three (M. Pellitteri) 09) Colors On Your Face (G. Bevilacqua - L. Campisi) 10) Absolute Beginner (S. Bonafefde) 11) Saxando (O. Maugeri) 12) Ribbon In The Sky (S. Wonder) 13) Strange Light (M.Todaro - G. Bevilacqua - M. Pellitteri) poem "Luce Strana" by Marcello Todaro
Total Time 54:47
Personnel: Marcello Pellitteri - drums, percussions (plays Istanbul Mehmet cymbals, Regal Tip sticks, PM snare drum) Orazio Maugeri - alto sax (plays Yamaha Saxophone and CG Mouthpiece) Salvatore Bonafede - acoustic piano, electric piano Gabrio Bevilacqua - acoustic bass
Special guests: George Garzone - tenor sax on track 1 Veronica Pellitteri - spoken words on track 3 Nedelka Prescod - vocals on track 7 Rino Cirinnà - tenor sax on track 11 Lauren Kinhan - vocals on track 12 Yvonnick Prene - harmonica on track 12 Marcello Todaro - electric guitar and spoken words on track 13 "I want to thank all the musicians, engineers for their amazing contribution to this project which also includes two poems. The first, Greetings Of Hope written by Murtiningrum, an Indonesian Gerwani woman who, along with other women, was kept prisoner, tortured and abused for 14 years in Indonesia for political reasons.
The second, Luce Strana, written by the legendary guitar player Marcello Todaro, one of the original members of the Italian progressive rock band Banco del Mutuo Soccorso.
I also want to thank: Fabio Baldanello for his art. My mother and Tina Sebastiani for their patience, love and support. Veronica for being the source of my inspiration not just in music, but also in life."Marcello Pellitteri
“Há momentos em que o jazz nos remete para bem longe do romantismo de lareira: momentos em que um artista e o seu interlocutor não pertencem sequer ao mesmo universo quântico; momentos em que a vida quase faz sentido, no seu senso distorcido.
Momentos como o rito: aqui tudo se conjuga de um modo altamente heterogéneo e friccionado e a verosimilhança para com a crua realidade é desconcertante e em simultâneo difícil de captar. O rito é uma passagem entre a vontade de agarrar na cadeira e ouvir e o apelo ao escapismo.
Que cache ce titre singulier ? Une invitation à la peinture religieuse? Non, même s’il sera question de spirituel dans l’art. Et de peinture, on le verra un peu plus loin. Visitation est tout simplement le titre du nouveau CD du guitariste aixois Cyril Achard (www.cyrilachard.com) invitant la saxophoniste alto Géraldine Laurent (www.geraldinelaurent.com) pour un duo autour de ses compositions et de quelques standards judicieusement choisis. Un duo épatant, « vintage » au meilleur sens du mot… Read more in Jazz Magazine
As jazz slowly becomes a more gender-neutral job market, it’s of great value to have talented women looking not just forward, but back as well. Saxophonist Silke Eberhard and pianist Aki Takase are prime examples of the latter, as they seem determined to help feminize the drunk-on-testosterone history of jazz.
They’ve each done albums of Eric Dolphy’s music and, as a duo, recorded two discs’ worth of Ornette Coleman compositions. Takase’s 2013 solo session, My Ellington, remains one of the most strikingly personal interpretations of the Duke’s songbook, and now Eberhard has taken on one of the most macho of bandleaders, Charles Mingus.
Together and separately, their projects have demonstrated a boldness in approach and interpretation, and that’s every bit as true for Mingus Mingus Mingus, the new disc by Eberhard’s trio, which takes the great man’s sentiment, “I am three,” as a band name. The music is stripped down to an unlikely trio of sax, trumpet (Nikolaus Neuser) and drums (Christian Marien), leaving Mingus’ two instruments (bass and piano) by the wayside.
It’s only by virtue of their economically crafty arrangements that the re-workings never seem thin or hollow. So confident are they in their approach that by “Jelly Roll,” the ninth of 12 tracks on this CD, they begin to dampen melodic sections as if to underscore how full the rest of the album sounds.
That's only after a round of successes, of course. The trio marches through Better Get Hit In Yo’ Soul,” does a pounding rendition of “Moanin’” and plays a wonderfully lyrical “Self-Portrait In Three Colors” (underscoring again Mingus’s trifurcated personality).
“Fables Of Faubus” is filled out by some exceptional mute-work by Neuser, and throughout the session Marien capably fills the lower register with bass and toms. The group’s “Orange Was The Color Of Her Dress, Then Blue Silk” uses the dual linearity of the two front line instruments to great advantage, making it dance.
Mingus looms all too large in progressive jazz of the last century to ever be forgotten. He’s too enigmatic a figure to replicate. To varying degrees, such diverse figures as Jean Derome, Joni Mitchell and Hal Willner—not to mention the standing Mingus Big Band and Mingus Orchestra—have attempted to fit into his shoes. This German double-horn trio stands up with the best of them.
01. Better Get Hit In Yo' Soul 02.Fables Of Faubus 03.Oh Lord, Don't Let Them Drop That Atomic Bomb On Me 04- Opus Four 05. Goodbye Pork Pie Hat 06. Moanin’ 07. Self-Portrait In Three Colors 08. Eclipse 09. Jelly Roll 10. In Other Words 11. Orange Was the Color Of Her Dress, Then Blue Silk 12. Canon
Silke Eberhard, saxophone Nikolaus Neuser, trumpet Christian Marien, drums
"This is post-music. Some jazz, some folk, some pop-rock, some minimalism, some of this influence and more of that influence—and all of it is one step ahead of the current day. It’s the Music of Tomorrow, now.”Dave Sumner, Bandcamp
"Forging headlong into uncharted territory on the cusp of its twentieth anniversary, The Claudia Quintet continues to adapt aspects from multiple genres and styles for its melodically harmonious grooves, making Super Petite one of the Quintet’s most engaging and enjoyable releases to date."Troy Collins, Point of Departure
"Super Petite is like savoring a long and lingering feast. There is much to enjoy, concentrate on, uncover and sample. The ten tracks each offer a morsel, and the full repast is oh so delicious."Doug Simpson, Audiophile Audition
Pens Rich, Complex Tunes for an Era of Short Attention Spans
on THE CLAUDIA QUINTET's 8th album
- SUPER PETITE -
a Potent Package that Condenses Virtuoso Playing
and a Wealth of Ideas into Ten Compact Songs
“Rigorously executed but earthily grooving, dauntingly precise but flecked with hearty and intriguing improvised solos, the quintet’s set buzzed with freshness and vitality from start to finish. … For all the obvious effort and intelligence to Hollenbeck’s work, his songs could ultimately be straightforwardly emotional and moving.”- Peter Hum, Ottawa Citizen
“The bottom line? Every member of Claudia Quintet is a virtuoso; and while that may be true, the beauty of Claudia Quintet is that it's a collection of five outstanding players whose focus is on the music, not unnecessary displays of pyrotechnics...though there was certainly more than a few sparks flying during their Back Stage appearance.”- John Kelman, All About Jazz
"Claudia Quintet alludes to everything from Argentine tango to Pakistani qawwali music. [Hollenbeck’s] music thrives on unique harmonies, appealing melodies, and innovative blends of percussion…The Claudia Quintet deftly covers a large amount of musical territory and…is helping to define jazz today." - Martin Johnson, The Wall Street Journal
Short doesn't necessarily mean simple. Drummer-composer John Hollenbeck acrobatically explores the dichotomy between brevity and complexity on Super Petite, the eighth release by the critically acclaimed, proudly eccentric Claudia Quintet. The oxymoronic title of the band's newest album on Cuneiform Records captures the essence of its ten new compositions, which pack all of the wit and virtuosity that listeners have come to expect from the Claudia Quintet into the time frame of radio-friendly pop songs.
As always, Hollenbeck's uncategorizable music - which bridges the worlds of modern jazz and new music in surprising and inventive ways - is realized by Claudia's longstanding line-up: clarinetist/tenor saxophonist Chris Speed, vibraphonist Matt Moran, bassist Drew Gress, and accordionist Red Wierenga. Over the course of 19 years and 8 albums, the band has forged an astounding chemistry and become expert at juggling mind-boggling dexterity with inviting emotion and spirit.
Like the band's name, the title Super Petite originated as an affectionate nickname for one of the band's fans. "I thought that was a funny juxtaposition," Hollenbeck recalls, "but it also became a good frame for the album because the tunes are short but can also be grand in a way - just not in length."
The concept was both a personal challenge for Hollenbeck as a composer always dealing with a wealth of ideas, but also a reaction to a tendency in modern music toward the epic. "I'm feeling things in the opposite direction," the composer explains. "When tunes are longer, there tend to be moments when not a whole lot is happening. If you have a really short tune, the whole thing has to be compelling."
Nowhere is that principle better exemplified than in “Pure Poem” which clocks in at under two minutes but is the most difficult piece the quintet has ever recorded. It was inspired by “Pure Poem 1007-1103” by Japanese poet Shigeru Matsui, which consists solely of sequences of Roman numerals and was used by controversial poet Kenneth Goldsmith to illustrate his theory of “Uncreative Writing.”
Hollenbeck draws inspiration from a number of diverse sources throughout Super Petite, including two unrecognizable interpretations of classic jazz – which, in its earliest years, demanded short songs due to the limitations of the day’s recording media. The mesmerizing “Nightbreak,” which opens the album, is built upon a slowed-down translation of Charlie Parker’s famous break in “Night of Tunisia,” while “Philly” transforms an infamous Philly Joe Jones lick into an exercise in bebop deconstruction.
Two variations on the same theme, “JFK Beagle” and “Newark Beagle”, were sparked by the contraband-sniffing dogs that patrol the international baggage claim area of airports. They are the living embodiment of Super Petite – utterly adorable but all business. “My problem is I want to pet the beagles but they’re so focused on that one thing,” Hollenbeck laments. “That piece began as a portrait, a combination of being really cute but staying focused. I don't know exactly what that would sound like musically, but that’s the challenge. In the end it doesn’t really matter to me if it happens or not, because it still leads me into a certain world.” In this case, the idea of international travel inspired Hollenbeck to use his passport number as a series of pitches that formed the basis for the pieces.
Similarly, “If You Seek a Fox” began life as a dig at the composer’s least favorite 24-hour cable news network, then morphed into an aural description of the eponymous animal. “A-List” began with an even more fantastical scenario, imagining the Claudia Quintet walking the red carpet. (“Think Entourage meets the Geek Squad,” as Hollenbeck wryly puts it in his liner notes.) If the tune’s urgent pulse is unlikely to attract the paparazzi, it’s nonetheless a compelling mood piece that Hollenbeck insists “feels almost like a Led Zeppelin tune in our heads.”
“Peterborough” was written in the titular New Hampshire town, where Hollenbeck spent six idyllic weeks in the fall of 2014 as a resident artist at the famed MacDowell Colony. It was there that Aaron Copland composed his Pulitzer-winning “Appalachian Spring,” which inspired the hint of Coplandesque American optimism in Hollenbeck’s combination of clarinet and vibes. The residency also provided the opportunity to explore the work of master Senegalese drummer/composer Doudou N’Diaye Rose, whose “Rose Rhythm” forms the basis for Hollenbeck’s “Rose-Colored Rhythm.”
Hollenbeck describes the MacDowell Colony as “a beautiful space where you can do whatever you want all day and no one bothers you. You can work hard all day on something, but you can also get out and ride a bike or run if you want. Then in the evening you see all these other people from different disciplines who have been doing the same thing as you, talk about what they’re doing, go to bed and do it all again the next day.”
The album concludes with “Mangolds,” a mood piece built from a slow, elongated melody line named for Hollenbeck’s favorite vegetarian restaurant in Graz, Austria, where he worked with the renowned Jazz Bigband Graz on his 2006 release Joys and Desires.
"The Claudia Quintet...is one of the most exciting groups in contemporary jazz. ...Each of the discs comes at you with the force of a manifesto: this band knows exactly what it is about, and the compositions charge forward with inevitability. ... the band now sounds so thoroughly integrated and seamless that you'd think it was a tenor-trumpet quintet or a 16-piece big band. ...The Claudia Quintet, inimitable, deserves to inspire."- Will Layman, PopMatters
On the heels of his critically-acclaimed Criss Cross debut, Mythology (Criss 1373 CD), bassist Matt Brewer presents an inspired quintet recording, convening tenor saxophonist Ben Wendel, pianist Aaron Parks, guitarist Charles Altura, and drummer Tyshawn Sorey -- all top-of-the-pyramid under-40 improvisers and consequential composers in their own right -- to perform a nine-tune program that includes seven Brewer originals, and reimagined versions of Bill Frisell's "Twenty Years" and Charlie Parker's "Cheryl". Having garnered wide acclaim as a sideman playing the challenging music of such major figures as Gonzalo Rubalcaba, Greg Osby, Steve Coleman and Vijay Iyer, among others, Brewer displays not only his lyric gifts and virtuoso instrumental prowess, but his ability to convey his intentions by allowing his bandmates freedom to express their perspectives within the flow of his ideas.
01. Juno (Matt Brewer) 4:41
02. Unspoken (Matt Brewer) 6:53
03. Twenty Years (Bill Frisell) 4:03
04. Lunar (Matt Brewer) 9:08
05. Evil Song (Matt Brewer) 3:00
06. Cheryl (Charlie Parker) 8:06
07. Anthem (Matt Brewer) 6:10
08. Aspiring To Normalcy (Matt Brewer) 8:38
09. Tesuque (Matt Brewer) 5:27
Matt Brewer, bass
Ben Wendel, tenor sax
Charles Altura, guitar
Aaron Parks, piano
Tyshawn Sorey, drums
Total Time: 56:25
Recorded February 19, 2016 in Brooklyn, NY, USA by Joe Marciano
