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John Ellis & Double-Wide: Puppet Mischief
ByEllis is a selfless front man, spotlighting the substantial skills of his sidemen and guests as soloists, almost to the point of subjugating his own instrumental voice to a secondary rolea tactic that makes the gutsy sound of his horn that much more compelling when it does come to the fore. Yet it is the reedman's considerable capabilities as a composer (at times recalling the work of Carla Bley and Henry Threadgill, as well as Kurt Weill and Charles Ives) that are most impressive. His ability to paint vibrant musical pictures with the seemingly limited tonal palette of the band's odd instrumentation is simply astonishing.
Perrine is tireless in providing the pulsating foundation at the heart of the music and Marsalis is at his rhythmical best, playing with a freewheeling confidence that contributes greatly to the exuberance of pieces like the second-lining "Fauxfessor" and Spanish-tinged "Héroes de Acción." Maret is nothing short of remarkable in the emotional breadth he elicits from his diminutive instrument, brooding deeply on "Carousel" and "Chorale" and swinging bluesy (as do Coogan and Ferber) on the title track and elsewhere. In the spirit of New Orleans, this album is a truly cooperative endeavor, one that effectively comes to life due to the genius of puppet master Ellis.
Track Listing
Okra & Tomatoes; Fauxfessor; Dewey Dah; Puppet Mischief; Carousel; Dubinland Carnival; Chorale; Héroes De Acción; This Too Shall Pass.
Personnel
John Ellis
saxophone, tenorJohn Ellis: tenor saxophone, bass clarinet; Matt Perrine: sousaphone; Brian Coogan: organ; Jason Marsalis: drums; Alan Ferber: trombone; Gregoire Maret: harmonica.
Album information
Title: Puppet Mischief | Year Released: 2010 | Record Label: ObliqSound
Comments
About John Ellis
Instrument: Saxophone, tenor
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