Home » Jazz Articles » Album Review » Matthew Shipp: One
Matthew Shipp: One
This particular example of the genre largely avoids such hazards, despite the fact that in places the spirits of both Mal Walrdron and Cecil Taylor stalk the ground. They are, however, a welcome change from the mannerisms of McCoy Tyner, out of which some contemporary pianists make a living.
Despite this, the old truism about a musician being his own man or her own woman is especially pertinent in Shipp's case. There isn't a single idea here that outstays its welcome, and on the likes of "A Rose Is A Rose" Shipp proves himself to be a musical explorer who is unafraid of taking his time, a point which more or less guarantees the absence of pyrotechnical flash. Instead, Shipp's approach is a far more personal one that is not at all dependent on such staples.
The very quality of sparseness might amount to the debt he owes to someone like Waldron, and this is most evident here on "Patmos," where Shipp patiently sets about the task of constructing the kind of stasis that was a hallmark of Waldron's mature work. At times like this, it's as though Shipp is more concerned with the sonic qualities of the piano as such, as opposed to any more musically conventional concerns.
Such comparisons do however run the risk of deflecting attention away from Shipp's individuality, which is the very thing that makes this programme so worthwhile. This is especially the case with a piece like "Gamma Ray," where the nature of his work is evocative at the same time as it's entirely his own.
If indeed it is the case that the solo piano recital is fraught with potential hazards, then Shipp manages to avoid them through the simple expedient of writing his own rulebook. In that respect, at least, he moves in select company.
Track Listing
Arc; Patmos; Gamma Ray; Milky Way; Blue In Orion; Electro Magnetism; The Encounter; The Rose Is A Rose; Ieou; Abyss Code; Zero; Module.
Personnel
Matthew Shipp
pianoMatthew Shipp: piano.
Album information
Title: One | Year Released: 2005 | Record Label: Thirsty Ear Recordings
About Matthew Shipp
Tags
PREVIOUS / NEXT
Become a Sustaining Member
Since 1995, All About Jazz has championed jazz as an art form and supported the musicians who create it. Over three decades, it has grown into one of the world's leading jazz resources, serving hundreds of thousands of readers, musicians, presenters and industry professionals each month.
Help Build the Future of All About Jazz
Your support helps us continue building All About Jazz for the next generation—expanding our editorial coverage, preserving jazz history, developing new community features and creating better ways to discover the music and the people behind it.
Become a sustaining member for as little as $20 per year and you'll immediately enjoy an ad-free experience along with access to subscriber features and future articles for a full year.
Together, we're not simply sustaining All About Jazz—we're building its future. Thank you for being part of the journey.
