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Maya Dunietz / John Edwards / Steve Noble: Cousin It

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Maya Dunietz / John Edwards / Steve Noble: Cousin It
This freely improvised meeting brings together Israeli pianist Maya Dunietz and British master free players, bassist John Edwards and Steve Noble—an experienced and powerful rhythm section. The trio celebrated the release of this recording at a live concert at Cafe OTO in London in December, 2011.

Dunietz is one of the leading voices on the Israeli alternative scene, capable of freely improvising on piano and many other instruments, playing in art-rock outfits, and singing and leading choirs. She is also gifted with a sharp sense of dadaist humor; it is clear that this humor and her affinity to invent and test boundaries are characteristic of her playing in this format, but such fast and responsive collaborators as Edwards and Noble demand even greater challenges. They can both expand and reflect immediately with a broad and varied sonic vocabulary, turning it upside down and taking it down many other avenues.

Edwards and Noble keep Dunietz on her toes, pushing her to the edge of inventive creativity without leaving a second to rest. It's clear that Dunietz sounds more assured when Edwards and Noble lock in on a certain groove or relax and swing for short segments, as on "Number Five" and "I call you to order and a little bit of chin chin Jidwin," but elsewhere, on "Goose" and "Soleri," they push for a more adventurous, in-the-moment stream of ideas. Here, the musical language of Edwards and Noble sounds much more creative and sophisticated—often, even, more elegant.

A promising beginning for such a unique trio.

Track Listing

Blond Red Head; And Under; Srabesgue; Goose; Number five; Soleri; I call you to order and a little bit of chin chin Jidwin; Could ba clam .

Personnel

John Edwards
bass, acoustic

Maya Dunietz: piano; John Edwards: bass; Steve Noble: drums.

Album information

Title: Cousin It | Year Released: 2012 | Record Label: Hopscotch Records

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