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33
Album Review

Jherek Bischoff: Composed

Read "Composed" reviewed by Bruce Lindsay


The touring life isn't the one to which every musician aspires. Sometimes the call of the home, fireside and comfy slippers is stronger than that of the road. Seattle-based Jherek Bischoff--lately of Parenthetical Girls and The Dead Science--prefers working on music at home, producing and arranging as well as composing and playing. Composed, his debut under his own name, is filled with stylish, lushly-orchestrated, songs that readily affirm his preference.Bischoff's inventive compositions combine with the voices of his ...

329
Album Review

Clogs: The Creatures in the Garden of Lady Walton

Read "The Creatures in the Garden of Lady Walton" reviewed by John Kelman


With the digital-only EP, Veil Waltz (Brassland, 2010), neoclassicist quartet Clogs announced that it was back in action after a lengthy hiatus. But that brief collection, largely written for film, was really only a taste-whetter for The Creatures in the Garden of Lady Walton, Clogs' first full-length CD since Lantern (Brassland, 2006). Like Veil Waltz, Lantern presaged what was to come, but there's as much unexpected as there is familiar on The Creatures, Clogs' most ambitious project to date.

552
Album Review

Clogs: Veil Waltz

Read "Veil Waltz" reviewed by John Kelman


It's been four years since last hearing from Clogs, the quirky neoclassical quartet founded by Padma Newsome. This is the longest gap in the group's decade-long history, largely predicated when the Australian violinist/violist decides to come in from the Outback to reconvene with guitarist Bryce Dessner, bassoonist Rachael Elliott and percussionist Thomas Kozumplik, Americans all. The good news is that this inveterate group--often lumped in with groups like Rachel's and Bell Orchestre, with whom Clogs performed during its last tour ...

424
Album Review

Erik Truffaz: Face-a-Face

Read "Face-a-Face" reviewed by John Kelman


French trumpeter Erik Truffaz, one of the hardest working artists in jazz, seems to be endlessly on tour with his two groups. The only place his stylistically hybridized music has yet to make significant inroads is the US--which is a shame because Truffaz is a fine player from the electric Miles camp and a largely innovative conceptualist as well. Face-à-Face, his first live release, includes one disc with his piano-based quartet and the other with his guitar-centric Ladyland. It demonstrates ...

296
Album Review

Clogs: Lantern

Read "Lantern" reviewed by John Kelman


With each successive release, Clogs move further away from the neoclassicism of Thom's Night Out (Brassland, 2001) towards a unique blend of contemporary chamber music, indigenous folk music, trance-like minimalism and idiosyncratic song structure. But Lantern represents a number of firsts for the group.Previous albums including Lullaby for Sue (Brassland, 2003) and Stick Music (Brassland, 2004) were largely composed by violinist/violist Padma Newsome; with the exception of two tracks, Lantern is “composed and developed by Clogs." Clogs have ...

247
Album Review

Clogs: Stick Music

Read "Stick Music" reviewed by Celeste Sunderland


Sound is spiritual. The sound of a single, unaltered string quivering against the force of a finger can be religious. With its third album, Stick Music, the Australian-American group Clogs devotes itself to the exploration of strings. With band members Bryce Dessner on guitar and prepared guitar and Padma Newsome on violin, viola, vocals and prepared guitar joined by violinist Jennifer Choi, cellist Erik Friedlander and percussionist Tim Feeney, the group creates the musical equivalent of a flower blooming in ...

406
Album Review

Clogs: Stick Music

Read "Stick Music" reviewed by John Kelman


With bassoonist Rachael Elliott and percussionist Thomas Kozumplik on temporary hiatus, Clogs pares down to a duo, leaving guitarist Bryce Dessner and violinist/violist Padma Newsome as the driving force behind its new release, Stick Music. While violinist Jennifer Choi, cellist Erik Friedlander and percussionist Tim Feeney add worthwhile guest appearances, Stick Music is really about the interaction and musical friendship that Dessner and Newsome share, one that has been evolving in leaps and bounds since Clogs' first recording, '01's Thom's ...

168
Album Review

Erik Friedlander: Skin

Read "Skin" reviewed by David Adler


The second release by cellist Erik Friedlanders group Topaz, this disc features original compositions as well as material by Henry Mancini, Charles Mingus, Julius Hemphill, Carlos Santana, and Iranian vocalist Googoosh. In terms of instrumentation and style, the music on Skin bears a distinct resemblance to the ethnic fusion of Matt Darriau's Paradox Trio. Satoshi Takeishi's multi-timbral percussion, which takes the place of a conventional drum set, provides an added layer of exoticism, as do several guest appearances by cimbalom ...

179
Album Review

Erik Friedlander: Skin

Read "Skin" reviewed by Derek Taylor


The 90s will be remembered for many things when it comes to jazz. One of the most striking trends that surfaced during the decade was a resurgence in Klezmer music spearheaded by a community of New York based improvisers. Through their diligent efforts the music is not only enjoying a renaissance, it is also being stretched and reshaped in fresh and untried ways. John Zorn remains arguably the most publicized player among their number and his numerous Masada projects are ...


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