Jazz Articles about East Axis

About East Axis

Album Review

Pianist Matthew Shipp, bassist Kevin Ray, and drummer Gerald Cleaver return for No Subject, the sophomore release from the quartet East Axis. One point on the axis has changed with the journeyman, multi-reedist Scott Robinson replacing saxophonist Allen Lowe. Robinson is a veteran of many prestigious and diverse groups including the Toshiko Akiyoshi Jazz Orchestra, Maria Schneider's orchestra, Ron Carter's Great Big Band, and the Joe Lovano Nonet. While not an obvious choice in the company of top-tier avant-gardists, Robinson ...

Album Review

East Axis: No Subject

Read "No Subject" reviewed by Mike Jurkovic

by Mike Jurkovic
February 28, 2023

As multi-reedist Scott Robinson, (Maria Schneider, Roscoe Mitchell) takes the horn chair from Allen Lowe, all is delivered and then some on No Subject, the second, reason-defying release from chameleonic improvisers pianist Matthew Shipp, bassist Kevin Ray, and drummer Gerald Cleaver. Turning to shorter forms and themes than the three lengthy group-thinks which determined 2021's restless narrative Cool With That (ESP), each member of East Axis integrally steers the protean charge to creation via his own curious instinct and will. ...

Radio & Podcasts

East Axis, Sebastiano Dessanay, Christoph Irniger & Andrew Cyrille

by Maurice Hogue
February 27, 2023

This episode gets down to the bass-ics. I've loaded up this show with tracks that feature some terrific bassists, like Kevin Ray with East Axis and 10-32 K, Italy's Sebastiano Dessanay, Billy Mohler, Joel Grip with Ouat, John Edwards from England, Argentina's Maximiliano Kirszner, and of course, William Parker. There are more. Also on the bill, master drummer Andrew Cyrille's new solo affair Music Delivery/Percussion, some Cory Smythe, Swiss saxophonist Christoph Irniger's Pilgrim, and lots of other interesting music.

Album Review

East Axis: Cool With That

Read "Cool With That" reviewed by Karl Ackermann

by Karl Ackermann
June 22, 2021

Free improvisation has a special place in a polarized world. It accepts and rejects jazz culture in an ebb and flow of unprompted ideas. On the album Cool With That we get the essence of the music's history from the inside, out. The quartet East Axis is new in name but the unit has been in place for several years and its members are well-known. Pianist Matthew Shipp, saxophonist Allen Lowe, bassist Kevin Ray and drummer Gerald Cleaver are at ...