Jazz Articles about PRISM Quartet

PRISM Quartet: Heritage/Evolution, Volume 1

by Maurizio Zerbo
August 24, 2015

Il quartetto di sassofoni PRISM, composto da Timothy McAllister, Zachary Shemon, Matthew Levy e Taimur Sullivan, ha assorbito nel tempo gli stimoli più fecondi del jazz contemporaneo fino ad ospitare i più fulgidi sassofonisti di oggi. Heritage/Evolution distilla questa esperienza in un progetto rigoroso sul piano compositivo e dell'organizzazione dello spazio sonoro. Camaleonticamente cangianti, le musiche proposte -composte da, e suonate con, ospiti della levatura di Steve Lehman, Dave Liebman, Rudresh Mahanthappa, Greg Osby, Tim Ries e Miguel Zenón--rivelano una ...

PRISM Quartet: Heritage/Evolution, Volume 1

by Karl Ackermann
February 5, 2015

Not quite as well-known as the World Saxophone Quartet or the Rova Saxophone Quartet, the PRISM Quartet practices a unique approach to this category of ensemble playing. In part, PRISM takes a more direct aim on improvisation as opposed to the more blended method of WSQ or the openly free style of Rova. More idiosyncratic is the evolution of the quartet over three decades. When tenor player Matthew Levy founded the group in Michigan, its original mission was specific to ...

PRISM Quartet: Real Standard Time

by AAJ Staff
March 1, 2001

The PRISM quartet offers a fresh update to the now long-standing tradition of saxophone quartet playing. The all-saxophone core rarely stands alone on Real Standard Time: instead, they draw upon an indie all-star cast of supporting players to round out their sound. When the group operates at its leanest, much of the material obeys formal arrangement and coordinated dynamics. However, as things develop, they break apart and segment into patterns of open improvisation and interplay.

As opposed to groups like ...