Home » Jazz Articles » Album Review » Jason Moran: Facing Left

Jason Moran: Facing Left

By Jim Santella
August 1, 2000
Sign in to view read count

A creative artist, who espouses originality, Jason Moran has sidestepped the critics with his modern mainstream approach that blends in elements from all over the spectrum. The pianist and composer has been reviewed with eyes and ears that paint his melodies as unmemorable and academic. It’s possible that some of the criticism has been tempered by a natural dislike for advertising hype and a backlash against the "new young lion" tag. Some of the criticism is of the "technician versus emotion" variety. While both areas are subjective, many tend to disagree on what constitutes deep emotion or heartfelt expression in a performance.

Moran’s second album ignores the critics. Rather than display lingering, romantic melodies on his sleeve, the pianist has chosen to continue with what he does best. Like his early influence Thelonious Monk and his teachers Jaki Byard & Richard Muhal Abrams, Jason Moran applies a considerable amount of energy to each piece. That force tends to weave several lines at once, while involving his bassist and drummer in every aspect. Together, they explore and come up with unpredictable displays every time. The pianist’s own thoughts about this album are included on his web site , which includes MP3 excerpts of Taurus Mateen’s "Another One" and Moran’s "Thief Without Loot."

Duke Ellington’s "Wig Wise" and "Later" build from quiet, passionate beginnings to energetic adventures. Jaki Byard’s "Twelve" travels up-tempo and bright, while "Fragment of a Necklace" skips softly as a danceable ballad. Moran’s six compositions exude drama, interaction, variety of direction, and teamwork. Continuing along his own path, the pianist takes a winning team to bat without reliance on any kind of script.

Personnel

Jason Moran

piano

Album information

Title: Facing Left | Year Released: 2000 | Record Label: Blue Note Records

< Previous
Premonition

Next >
Producer Don Paul

Comments

About Jason Moran

Instrument: Piano

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.