Jazz Articles

Barry Romberg's Random Access: The Gods Must Be Smiling

by Jerry D'Souza
October 17, 2010

Over the last 10 years, Random Access has seen changes in its lineup. The concept of the band came from drummer Barry Romberg, who began with home experiments in 2001. His object was to play music spontaneously and, with that idea in mind, the first incarnation of the band came into being. The seven-piece unit consisted of two guitars, trumpet, saxophone, bass, drums and percussion, though the guitars and percussion were eliminated when the group pared down to a quartet. ...

Random Access: was, shall, why, because

by Jerry D'Souza
January 16, 2010

Multi-instrumentalist Barry Romberg brings his band of fellow adventurers, Random Access, on another musical journey that is filled with generous dollops of invention, surprise and just plain old darn good music. Romberg retains his trademark sense of humor, a trait that washes into his fellow cohorts. The underlining feature, however, is the way in which they can spin ideas into compelling tales of adventure on was, shall, why, because.

Romberg uses a sextet for “Suite for the Wolfman," ...

Random Access Large Ensemble: Existential Detective

by Jerry D'Souza
July 16, 2008

Barry Romberg (drums, percussion, electric percussion, synthesizer) is constantly looking for the new and unusual. The music that he evokes, and finds a voice with through his bands, has firm construction and heady improvisation. These two attributes are integral components, as is his sense of fun which adds immeasurably to the music. The Romberg catalogue includes four CDs with Random Access, the count beginning with Random Access 3 (Romhog Records, 2004). Where his band once consisted of three members, there ...

Barry Romberg's Random Access: Big Giant Head

by Jerry D'Souza
July 29, 2007

Barry Romberg's Random Access marches on to part six of its musical journey, called Big Giant Head. With all the accolades that have greeted earlier efforts, the size of the head is not surprising.

Romberg says that this recording and the previous one, Accidental Beef, (Romhog Records, 2006), involve the most structure the band has had while keeping to the concept of an open harmonic format. This works well as each player opens up the composition to invention and brings ...

Barry Romberg's Random Access: Accidental Beef

by Jerry D'Souza
November 11, 2006

Barry Romberg's Random access continues its musical adventures with some Accidental Beef that was put together at the Rex Hotel in Toronto. It was a good night: the band exudes a raw, intense urgency that has been captured in all its glory. The music balances improvisation with a basic structure, providing a perfect base for the musicians to take off on a trajectory or play in consonance. As they have done on past recordings, they do so once again, with ...

Barry Romberg's Random Access: Accidental Beef

by Dan McClenaghan
October 6, 2006

Canadian drummer Barry Romberg's Random Access, with four previous studio recordings to its credit, has made its name with a carefully crafted electronic sound, owing much to Miles Davis' late-'60s/early-'70s recordings. With Accidental Beef, part five in the Random Access series, he takes the group outside the tighter confines of the studio for an excellent live recording that proves itself his most compelling work to date.With a mix of spontaneity and and tight grooves, this sound churns with ...

Barry Romberg: No Soap Radio

by Paul Olson
January 1, 2006

Toronto drummer/Romhog Records factotum Barry Romberg probably needs to go out and get some sun and fresh air. Fortunately for us, however, he can't be bothered; he's too busy toiling in the bowels of his Romhog Digital studio making recordings like No Soap Radio, the fourth in his Random Access series. The Random Access formula's simple enough. First Romberg improvises in the studio with mainstays like guitarist Geoff Young and violinist Hugh Marsh--no preconceived notions, no rules. Then it's time ...

Barry Romberg: No Soap Radio

by Jerry D'Souza
December 16, 2005

One of the first things that is apparent when looking at this CD is that Barry Romberg has a sense of humour, evident not only in the titles of his compositions, but also the text of the liner notes, particularly a question and the relevant answer. The crackerjack band he has includes some of the finest improvisers who can take a melody, lay it open, and make it whole again. That they have played together before makes their empathy all ...

3 Sisters: Village

by Paul Olson
May 30, 2005

Two guitars, an electric bassist, and a drummer. That's actually a surprisingly uncommon jazz lineup nowadays, and that novelty provides a great deal of the initial pleasure in hearing Village, an album the Canadian quartet 3 Sisters recorded in Toronto in 2002, only now seeing release on drummer Barry Romberg's Romhog label. Romberg, guitarists Geoff Young and Daryl Jahnke, and bassist Chris Tarry play good old-fashioned fusion music--at least “fusion in the 1970 definition of any jazz music with electric ...

Barry Romberg: Random Access Part 3

by Elliott Simon
March 25, 2005

Canadian drummer Barry Romberg (who played last month as the drive behind the large ensemble NOJO at Jazz Standard) has released the third part of his Random Access series. As with previous installments, he has gathered together a noteworthy cadre of his friends that include some of Canada's top jazz musicians to present a percussively led paradise of sound. In this case, nine musicians join Romberg in various combinations for a completely original program.There is a definite fusion ...