Home » Jazz Articles » Album Review » Chris Cody Coalition: Conscript

242

Chris Cody Coalition: Conscript

By

Sign in to view read count
Chris Cody Coalition: Conscript
Conscript, from expatriate Australian pianist/composer Chris Cody and his ensemble Coalition, is as politically correct as it could be.

A classically trained pianist, Cody's musical versatility has found expression in a wide variety of work situations, from theatrical music productions to television and jazz festivals, playing with top liners such as James Morrison and Don Burrows in Australia and with Antonio Hart, Herb Geller, Frank Lacy and Roy Hargrove in the USA.

Cody is well-recognized in Australian and French jazz music circles as a leader who can muster together a notable band of first call musicians. His past gigs at the Side on Café for the Sydney Improvised Music Association were inspirational, drawing high praise from the harshest of critics.

Conscript is smattered with arpeggio swirls as Cody delivers some of his finest compositional and improvisational work to date. You need not be a fan to appreciate the title track, which is an introduction to a band that performs, with military precision, the sometimes awkward and difficult extended thematic variations that Cody presents.

Glenn Ferris' distinctive trombone sound dominates and is a highlight of the album, but at times there is too much Ferris and not enough of Cody. Bruno Rousselet's bass is gentle and contemplative, while drummer Laurent Robin persistently impresses with an inherent understanding of what Cody has in his command.

Cody has assembled a band of Herbie Hancock proportions; one that is capable of conquering the toughest musical battlefield. So why does he live in Paris? A recording of this quality is possibly reason enough.

Track Listing

Conscript; Slippery; Chromotose; And Did She Follow?; Eternal Beginning; Mary Goes Round; Octave; Free Wheeling; Horizantal Tango; Thinking of Lacy; Your Touch.

Personnel

Chris Cody:piano; Glenn Ferris:trombone; Bruno Rousselet:bass; Laurent robin:drums.

Album information

Title: Conscript | Year Released: 2008 | Record Label: Nocturne

Comments

Tags


For the Love of Jazz
Get the Jazz Near You newsletter 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.

More

What Was Happening
Bobby Wellins Quartet
Laugh Ash
Ches Smith
A New Beat
Ulysses Owens, Jr. and Generation Y

Popular

Eagle's Point
Chris Potter
Light Streams
John Donegan - The Irish Sextet

Get more of a good thing!

Our weekly newsletter highlights our top stories, our special offers, and upcoming jazz events near you.