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Various Artists: The Music of Eric von Essen, Volume III
ByThe ten tunes on Volume III appear in several different configurations, from duet to quintet. The opener, "Blues for Me," stands as a blatant homage to the early years when von Essen worked in a duo setting with Nels Cline. In this case, Ken Filiano takes over the bass and allows Cline freedom to roam birdlike up top. The hard-driving bop of "Valse Agite" offers a bold contrast and features wonderfully emphatic bass playing by Darek Oles. Finally, the last eleven minutes of the record (the trio piece "Flicker and Burn") evolve from the introduction's quiet, understated piano and bass drum playing into dramatic cycles of crescendo and decrescendo.
Von Essen certainly wrote some interesting tunes, and the ten-pack here amply illustrates that fact. As with any collection of musicians this size, it's inevitable that some will be less inspiring than others. Not surprisingly, the players who were closest to the composer appear to have the greatest insight into his music. For example, guitarist Nels Cline (who appears on three tracks) stands head and shoulders above both of the guitarists who follow. But taken as a whole, this compilation marks one of the high points of this year's crop of jazz releases. It's honest, unpretentious, and inspired. (But beware the dynamic range, which can travel from whisper to shout quite dramatically.)
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Track Listing
Blues for Me; Unresolved; Valse Agite; It's Just One Big Party; The Good Doctor; Norton's Last Words; Finska Flues; Another Moon; One Eye Laughs, One Eye Weeps; Flicker and Burn.
Personnel
Various Artists
variousNels Cline: guitars; Ken Filiano: bass; Jeff Gauthier: violin; Michael Elizondo: bass; Alex Cline: drums, percussion; Chuck Manning: tenor saxophone; Theo Saunders: piano; Darek Oles: bass; Ralph Penland: drums; David Witham: guitar; Joel Hamilton: bass; Jeff Colella: piano; Putter Smith: bass; Jerry Kalaf: drums; Stacy Rowles: trumpet, flugelhorn; Tom Garvin: piano; Larry Koonse: electric guitar; Tom Warrington: bass; Paul Kreibich: drums; Kate McGarry: voice; Karen Hammack: piano; Steve Cardenas: electric guitar; Scott Colley: bass; Kenny Wollesen: drums, percussion; Alan Pasqua: piano; Dave Carpenter: bass; Peter Erskine: drums.
Album information
Title: The Music of Eric von Essen, Volume III | Year Released: 2002 | Record Label: Cryptogramophone
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About Various Artists
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