Jazz Articles

Harris Eisenstadt / Achim Kaufmann / Mark Dresser: Starmelodics

by John Sharpe
May 15, 2009

Canadian drummer and composer Harris Eisenstadt spans a broad spectrum. He has written for large ensemble, octets and small groups, in styles ranging from chamber to Senegalese pop. Though particularly enamored of African drum rhythms he also works readily in totally improvised settings, so his name on the sleeve rarely betokens an expected outcome. On Starmelodics, the drummer in conjunction with German pianist Achim Kaufmann and bass virtuoso Mark Dresser takes a slightly sideways look at the ...

Denman Maroney/Ned Rothenberg/ Reuben Radding/Michael Sarin: Gaga

by Marc Medwin
October 12, 2008

Denman Maroney is one of the most exciting pianists around today, just as Nuscope is one of the finest labels for creative music. The pairing is an excellent one on this offering from Maroney, reed player Ned Rothenberg, bassist Reuben Radding and drummer Michael Sarin, all musicians in top form in the service of some stellar compositions.Gaga presents the free flow of innovative composition that still somehow manages to groove. Rhythmic propulsion is a bit less ...

Mat Maneri / Denman Maroney: Distich

by Nic Jones
August 10, 2007

Distich is a duo testing the limitations of its instrumentation. Mat Maneri brings his 5-string viola to bear and Denman Maroney his piano, on music that to all intents and purposes is concerned largely with new sonic possibilities.

This is especially pertinent in view of what might be called Maroney's extended use of the piano, through which he utilizes other elements of the instrument apart from the keyboard itself. The end result is a program of music as soundscape, in ...

Guillermo Gregorio/Pandelis Karayorgis/Nate McBride: Chicago Approach

by Nic Jones
August 9, 2007

The obvious precedent for any trio consisting of clarinet, piano and bass is the group that clarinetist Jimmy Giuffre once had with pianist Paul Bley and bassist Steve Swallow. But once that point has been made it serves no purpose in the discussion of this music, which is work that has to be dealt with on its own terms. And not least because of Guillermo Gregorio's clarinet playing, which is unlike anything in the jazz canon, and it's far more ...

Frank Gratkowski - Fred Van Hove - Tony Oxley: GRATHOVOX

by Glenn Astarita
January 15, 2003

Recorded in Germany, these improvisational giants align their very special talents for what may appear to be a most unusual yet largely gratifying set. The trio commences with an open-ended sequence of interlacing movements on “Tartar.” As the musicians explore microtonal sounds and subliminally constructed mini-themes. Drummer/percussionist Tony Oxley uses his darkly hued cymbals for accents, while pianist Fred Van Hove and multi-reedman Frank Gratkowski implement parallel tonalities. The band occasionally veers off into circularly devised motifs amid manically developed ...

John Butcher - Phil Durrant - Peggy Lee: Intentions

by Glenn Astarita
March 1, 2002

Saxophonist, John Butcher and his British compatriot, violinist, Phil Durrant have performed together on numerous occasions, most notably for the “EMANEM” improvising label. Intentions marks the first trio outing, featuring the duo performing alongside Canadian cellist, Peggy Lee. And based upon the musicians’ respective pasts, the flavor of this production might satisfy many of our expectations. On this session, the trio explores contrapuntal statements amid delayed synchronizations while probing the inherent physical forces of their instruments. Throughout many of these ...

John Butcher - Phil Durrant - Peggy Lee: Intentions

by Glenn Astarita
March 1, 2002

Saxophonist, John Butcher and his British compatriot, violinist, Phil Durrant have performed together on numerous occasions, most notably for the “EMANEM” improvising label. This release marks the first trio outing, featuring the former performing alongside Canadian cellist, Peggy Lee. And based upon the musicians’ respective pasts, the flavor of this production might satisfy many of our expectations. On this session, the trio explores contrapuntal statements amid delayed synchronizations while probing the inherent physical forces of their instruments. Throughout many of ...

Sten Sandell - Fred Lonberg-Holm - Michael Zerang: Disappeared

by Glenn Astarita
June 1, 2001

Although they share similar improvising/new music and/or modern jazz credentials, Disappeared signifies the inaugural release by Swedish pianist Sten Sandell, and his Chicago, IL-based associates; percussionist Michael Zerang and cellist Fred Lonberg-Holm.

The title of this outing lends a bit of credence to the actual musical presentation as the Trio executes a series of mini-themes amid unexpected surprises and elusive methodologies. Throughout these nine pieces titled, “Disappeared-Day One” through Disappeared-Day Nine”, the musicians perpetuate oscillating flows of varying levels of ...

Georg Graewe - Barre Phillips - Peter Van Bergen: Other Songs

by Glenn Astarita
October 1, 2000

Modern jazz/improvising pianist Georg Graewe is rapidly becoming a prominent recording artist for Dallas, Texas based “nuscope recordings” and on Other Songs the pianist performs alongside world class bassist, Barre Phillips and the lesser known but highly regarded saxophonist/clarinetist, Peter Van Bergen. The title, Other Songs intimates choice tidbits of loosely based motifs, quaint three-way dialogue and jagged statements, evident from the onset of the first track, “Verbunden”. Here, Van Bergen executes raspy lower register lines performed on contrabass clarinet ...

Ben Goldberg - John Schott - Trevor Dunn: Almost Never

by Glenn Astarita
September 1, 2000

Almost Never represents the latest effort from Bay area musicians, clarinetist Ben Goldberg, guitarist John Schott and bassist Trevor Dunn. And while they have recorded as a unit along with drummer Kenny Wollesen, under the moniker of Junk Genius, Almost Never signifies their freshman outing for the modern jazz-improvisation based Nuscope Recordings label.

The musicians seemingly defy gravity with their light touch and flotation style of interaction on the opener, “Pitchbend,” partly due to Goldberg’s soft, vibrato-less lines and Dunn’s ...