Jazz Articles

Frank Rosaly: Milkwork

by Mark Corroto
March 21, 2010

The very in-demand Chicago drummer Frank Rosaly takes time out from his duties in over twenty bands--ranging from experimental sound, jazz, rock, and improvised music--to make a solo recording of drumming and electronics. Milkwork is a nine-song LP (also available as a digital download), pressed on white vinyl in a limited edition of 500.

Rosaly's approach to music synthesizes varying musical genres and draws from a broad and diverse range of sources. He can be heard playing duo ...

Pronto: All Is Golden

by John Dworkin
April 2, 2009

There's a new game in the music world: Six degrees of Wilco. Current Wilco keyboardist Mikael Jorgensen's band Pronto is the latest degree in a wide network of Wilco connections. All Is Golden is Pronto's debut and Jorgensen composed and sings all the material. The musical influences are varied: power pop; retro '70s funk; Chicago Transit Authority pop/jazz horns; and songwriter Americana like The Band or Randy Newman. The dilemma of deciding whether to be a jack of all trades ...

Pillars and Tongues: Protection

by John Dworkin
November 20, 2008

Pillars and Tongues Protection Contraphonic 2008

After listening through Pillars And Tongues' Protection, the listener may be left with the feeling of having attended a new style, post-religion Mass with liturgical forms composed by Tom Waits, John Fahey and Arvo Part. Old rituals are transformed and making art replaces the act of prayer. In fact, Protection was performed at South Union Arts (Gethsemane Baptist)--an old church in Chicago converted into an art ...

Never Enough Hope: The Gift Economy

by John Dworkin
October 19, 2008

Tobin Summerfield's Chicago ensemble Never Enough Hope is a modern musician's Noah's ark. The players come in pairs: two trumpets, two alto saxophones, two tenor saxophones, two lower range saxophones, two violins, two mid-range strings, two basses, two guitars, two vibraphones and two drum kits. The resemblance in instrumentation to a traditional jazz big band is this group's only similarity to that sonic world.The Gift Economy is a showcase for Summerfield's compositions. His music has the idiosyncrasy and ...

Frank Rosaly: Little Hell Volume 1 - Apathy of a Cow

by John Dworkin
September 12, 2008

Frank Rosaly Little Hell Volume 1 - Apathy of a Cow Contraphonic 2008

When looked at in its entirety, Chicago record label Contraphonic's Little Hell project can be seen in multiple lights: social activism, historical record, artist collective, creative electroacoustic improvisation, and/or dislocated sound art installation. Multi-instrumentalist Frank Rosaly's contribution, Apathy Of A Cow, represents the sound aspects and is the first of a series. For decades Chicago has had ...