Home » Jazz Articles » Album Review » Carter/Cook/Kowald/LaMaster: Principle Hope

Carter/Cook/Kowald/LaMaster: Principle Hope

By Richton Guy Thomas
March 12, 2003
Sign in to view read count

Free jazz, like bebop, is complex intense playing with an emphasis on momentum. This is a simple description of the music that occupies a portion of Principle Hope. The venue where this music was performed is Boston's Tremont Theatre, a regular home for no-holds-barred open-ended jazz. The essential component of any free jazz performance is strong communication between each member of the group, which ensures forward motion. The late Peter Kowald lends particularly keen vision to this ensemble, whose credits simply appear in alphabetical order.

These numbers have a softer context then what might normally be expected from such a high energy group. The opening number, "Awakening," is the prefect interpretation of free jazz's signature sound: very intense playing. While Kowald and multi-instrumentalist Daniel Carter trading notes, Laurence Cook pushes both men forward with his drumming. The unanticipated treat occurs when Jonathan LaMaster's violin drops in to thrust the improvisation to another level.

Daniel Carter is an established virtuoso on the New York downtown music scene. On the track “The Many and the Few,” Carter plays a muted trumpet while Kowald sprints through bass scales on top. This is not music marketed for the masses; it aims for listeners with an appreciation for extemporaneously creative improvisation.

Track Listing

I- Awakening (5:35) II- Spirit of Hope (4:44) III- New Flakes on Dirty Snow 4:02) IV- M.S. Darling (7:23) V- Danse de la Liberte (6:33) VI- Schone Tone (bass and clarinet duet (3:42) VII- The Many and the Few (5:12) VIII- Atlantis by Sine Wave (violent and drum duet (5:22) IX- Weight of the World (3:52) X- A Prayer in the Universal Language (7:39) XI- Live at the Tremont Theatre (4:07)

Personnel

Daniel Carter

saxophone

Daniel Carter - reeds. trumpet and flute; Laurence Cook - drums and electronic percussion; Peter Kowald - double bass; Jonathan LaMaster - acoustic violin, electric 6 string violin.

Album information

Title: Principle Hope | Year Released: 2003 | Record Label: Sublingual Records

< Previous
Luminous Axis

Next >
A Peep Into European Jazz

Comments

About Daniel Carter

Instrument: Saxophone

Tags

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.