Home » Jazz Articles » Album Review » Ken Field: Pictures Of Motion

Ken Field: Pictures Of Motion

By AAJ Staff
June 1, 2000
Sign in to view read count

Ken Field has crafted thirteen sonic pictures of pure sax excellence. They range from introspectively dark or airy ambience to peppy, bopping bounces. This is a stroll down neon-lit alleyways of mod jazz hipness. Some pieces are somber, solo, alto saxophone, sometimes layered or effects-altered and others are amplified with drums, acoustic bass, fretless electric bass, drums and percussion. Best references for what is happening here are adventurous works by Dave Binney, Theo Travis, Gallery, Paul McCandless, and mellower Lost Tribe. I should also say Field’s compositional stylings on ambient tracks reminded me a great deal of Mark Isham’s writing for his new age trumpet works, as on Isham’s Vapor Drawings.

I admired and enjoyed every minute of this progressive jazz. Field has the fiery Jessica Lurie guesting on alto sax. She is the leading reed lady in the modern fusion jazz trio, Living Daylights. To close, I offer yet more adverbs to corral Field’s music – minimalist, chamber acid-jazz, drunkenly migrating geese being followed by interdimensional hornets offering tracts on transcendental meditation. (Translation: New music/ JIO ,JazzInOpposition)/Ambient jazz) Dig it!

Reprinted with the permission of John Collinge and Progression Magazine .

< Previous
Charles Gayle

Next >
Art Pepper

Comments

About Ken Field

Instrument: Saxophone

Concerts

Apr 23 Tue

The New Edge

WMBR 88.1 FM
Cambridge, MA

Apr 30 Tue

The New Edge

WMBR 88.1 FM
Cambridge, MA

May 7 Tue

The New Edge

WMBR 88.1 FM
Cambridge, MA

May 14 Tue

The New Edge

WMBR 88.1 FM
Cambridge, MA

May 21 Tue

The New Edge

WMBR 88.1 FM
Cambridge, MA

May 28 Tue

The New Edge

WMBR 88.1 FM
Cambridge, MA

Jun 4 Tue

The New Edge

WMBR 88.1 FM
Cambridge, MA

Jun 14 Fri

Revolutionary Snake Ensemble 35th Anniversary Party

Regattabar
Cambridge, MA

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.