Jazz Articles about Ben Flocks

About Ben Flocks

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Moonshades--a collection of twelve compositions inspired by the moon--is the third album by Ben Flocks. At a time when, with the Artemis II mission, we seem to be entering a new--and perhaps more ominous--space age, the Los Angeles-based saxophonist prefers to look at the moon the way generations of artists, poets and philosophers have: as a symbol of mystery, of the unknowable and of the human impulse to explore... before our presence risks turning even that new frontier into real ...

Album Review

Ben Flocks: Mask of the Muse

Read "Mask of the Muse" reviewed by Angelo Leonardi

by Angelo Leonardi
April 2, 2020

Ogni tanto nel mondo del jazz emerge un sax tenore orientato al vintage. Predilige le ballad, che sviluppa con timbro caldo e suadente, privilegiando la bellezza melodica con malinconica seduzione. Mi vengono in mente quegli album degli anni cinquanta e sessanta con due innamorati fotografati al chiaro di luna: una musica leggera con accenti jazzistici che nell'Italia degli anni sessanta aveva in Fausto Papetti il suo alfiere. Ma oggi? Evidentemente c'è ancora un pubblico che ne apprezza il ...

Album Review

Ben Flocks: Mask of the Muse

Read "Mask of the Muse" reviewed by Geno Thackara

by Geno Thackara
January 25, 2020

It was probably inevitable that the start of the 2020's would see something of a comeback for the Roaring Twenties of the last century. You could say that puts Ben Flocks ahead of the curve for releasing this homage to mark the change of decade... well, except that it's not just rooted in the previous gilded age, and it's not of the roaring variety either. Mask of the Muse is more than a time capsule anyway. It could make a ...

Radio & Podcasts

Deep Jazz Trip Vol. 1

by Nick Davies
September 30, 2019

In this show Nick plays lots of new music and some tracks from the archives; a new format for the podcast version of the show. Playlist Ben Flocks “Muses's Mask" from Mask of the Muse (West Cliff Records) 1:41 James Martin “Rectify" from Keep Movin' (James Martin Music) 03:59 Miguel Zenon “El Negro Bembón" from Sonero (Miel Records) 10:15 Paul Austerlitz Pilgrim “Zaka's Wedding" from Cross Winds (Round Whirled Records) 18:21 Partisans “Nit De Nit" from Nit ...

Album Review

Ben Flocks: Battle Mountain

Read "Battle Mountain" reviewed by Vincenzo Roggero

by Vincenzo Roggero
August 6, 2014

L'ispirazione per la musica contenuta in Battle Mountain--è lo stesso Ben Flocks a rivelarlo nelle note di copertina--arriva dalla grandiosa natura delle Santa Cruz Mountains, zona incontaminata della California nella quale Oceano Pacifico, rocce granitiche, colline rigogliose danno vita ad un paesaggio affascinante e misterioso. Il secondo brano--il traditional “Shenandoah"--e “Silver City Bound" dai field song di Alan Lomax--ci forniscono ulteriori indizi sul tipo di musica proposta dal ventiquatrenne musicista ora residente a Brooklyn ma originario proprio ...

Album Review

Ben Flocks: Battle Mountain

Read "Battle Mountain" reviewed by Glenn Astarita

by Glenn Astarita
April 21, 2014

California native, saxophonist Ben Flocks' compositions parallel an imaginary cross-country trek via the diverse climates he conjures with these alluring compositions. Spanning intermittent similarities to guitarist Bill Frisell's sojourns into Americana along with frothy New Orleans second line fare, spacey jazz rock, and a few quirky little ditties intermingled along the way, his debut is an impressive one, meriting considerable attention. Few artists launch their solo careers with a big bang. The album is gushing with memorable melodic content and ...