Home » Jazz Articles » Album Review » Either/Orchestra: Afro-Cubism
Either/Orchestra: Afro-Cubism
Seventeen years, eight recordings later, although the lineups have changed they still have something valuable to say. Russ Gershon continues to draw upon the jazz rich Boston area for upcoming musicians, as new talent replaces past stars. Gone are the likes of John Medeski, Matt Wilson, Andrew D’Angelo, and Curtis Hasselbring. They are replaced by tomorrow’s jazz leaders in the making.
The constant force here, besides Gershon’s presence, is baritone saxophonist Charlie Kohlhase and trumpeter Tom Halter. As new members join this band the music takes new directions. This disc, like the previous More Beautiful Than Death (2000) is informed by Afro-Cuban rhythms. Afro-Cubism continues Gershon’s interest in Ethiopian Latin jazz. The E/O plays Gershon’s arrangement of the 1970 Teshome Meteku composition “Yezamed Yebaed” that sums up the connection between Ethiopian and Latin music, a sort of clave meets processional music. Trombonist Joel Yennior lays down a smoking solo before Gershon slows the pace with a blues take on the theme.
This disc is part of a 2-CD session where the label split the Afro-Cuban music into this disc and plans to release a “jazz” companion entitled Neo-Modernism in March 2003. Focusing solely on Afro-Latin rhythm here keeps the music bundled into one coherent theme as the compositions and soloists take center stage.
The new members of the orchestra, heard on the previous record, are percussionists Harvey Wirht from Surinam and Vicente Lebron from the Dominican Republic. Whether it was the chicken or the egg, the Afro-Latin groove has certainly influenced Russ Gershon’s writing. His tenor is countered by the multi-tracked flute of Jeremy Udder on “Soul Song,” all of which is under the infectious spell of the percussionists and a swift Rhodes piano solo by Gregory Burk. Elsewhere, Charlie Kohlhase’s baritone has never sounded better than on “Blue Attitude.”
This may not be a new direction for the Either/Orchestra as much as an expansion of their jazz vocabulary.
Track Listing
Harvey's Entrance, Blue Attitude, Soul Song, Look to the Lion, Yezamed Yebaed, Don't Bother Me/No Me Molesta
Personnel
Either/Orchestra
band / ensemble / orchestraTom Halter, trumpet; Colin Fisher, trumpet; Joel Yennior, trombone; Jeremy Udder, alto sax, flute; Russ Gershon, tenor sax; Charlie Kolhase, baritone sax; Gregory Burke, piano; Rick McLaughlin, bass; Harvey Wirht, drums, cymbals, cowbells; Vincente Lebron, congas, bongos, timbales
Album information
Title: Afro-Cubism | Year Released: 2002 | Record Label: Accurate Records
< Previous
Old Man Jazz
Next >
Higher Ground
Comments
About Either/Orchestra
Instrument: Band / ensemble / orchestra
Related Articles | Concerts | Albums | Photos | Similar ToTags
For the Love of Jazz
All About Jazz has been a pillar of jazz since 1995, championing it as an art form and, more importantly, supporting the musicians who create it. Our enduring commitment has made "AAJ" one of the most culturally important websites of its kind, read by hundreds of thousands of fans, musicians and industry figures every month.
You Can Help
To expand our coverage even further and develop new means to foster jazz discovery and connectivity we need your help. You can become a sustaining member for a modest $20 and in return, we'll immediately hide those pesky ads plus provide access to future articles for a full year. This winning combination will vastly improve your AAJ experience and allow us to vigorously build on the pioneering work we first started in 1995. So enjoy an ad-free AAJ experience and help us remain a positive beacon for jazz by making a donation today.
Giveaway
Days remaining: 11
