Jazz Articles about Chris Cheek

About Chris Cheek

Album Review

Charlie Haden Liberation Music Orchestra: Time / Life

Read "Time / Life" reviewed by Giuseppe Segala

by Giuseppe Segala
December 12, 2016

Due anni dopo la scomparsa di Charlie Haden si pubblica questo ultimo documento della sua Liberation Music Orchestra, un lavoro che il compianto contrabbassista progettò ma che non ebbe modo di portare a compiuta realizzazione. Vessillo del suo impegno civile e umano, l'orchestra era nata nel 1969 raccogliendo una pletora di musicisti straordinari, molti dei quali oggi non sono più con noi: Don Cherry, Gato Barbieri, Dewey Redman, Paul Motian. L'album è forse diverso da quello che sarebbe ...

Album Review

Chris Cheek: Presents Saturday Songs

Read "Presents Saturday Songs" reviewed by Vincenzo Roggero

by Vincenzo Roggero
September 15, 2016

Il nome di Chris Cheek ricorre in più di ottanta album a conferma del suo riconosciuto ruolo di “musician for musicians." I dischi da leader sono in netta minoranza e la sua ultima registrazione in questa veste risale al lontano 2005 (Blues Cruise -Fresh Sound New Talent). Peccato perché le sue doti di band leader, di ottimo compositore e ispirato organizzatore di suoni (la lunga permanenza nella seminale Paul Motian's Electric Bebop Band è un bel biglietto da visita), trapelate ...

Album Review

Chris Cheek: Saturday Songs

Read "Saturday Songs" reviewed by Jakob Baekgaard

by Jakob Baekgaard
August 5, 2016

The idea that jazz has to renew itself sometimes results in rather pretentious and purely intellectual experiments with form, but it is possible to play inventive and intellectually stimulating music without losing a sense of fun and inclusive curiosity. Saxophonist Chris Cheek is the proof. Cheek comes with a refreshingly unprejudiced approach to music and this is evident on his long-awaited follow- up to his previous album as a leader, Blues Cruise, (Fresh Sound New Talent, 2006). ...

Album Review

Chris Cheek: Saturday Songs

Read "Saturday Songs" reviewed by Budd Kopman

by Budd Kopman
June 19, 2016

Sometimes, combining seriousness of intent and high musicianship with pure fun is just the thing one needs, and is exemplified by Saturday Songs from tenor saxophonist Chris Cheek. Cheek does not make a lot records as a leader (see Blues Cruise from 2006), but is on literally scores of albums as a sideman (see Paul Motian's Garden of Eden from 2006 and Chris Lightcap's Epicenter from 2015), or his own discography, which is not completely up to date. ...

Album Review

The Swallow Quintet: Into the Woodwork

by AAJ Italy Staff
August 22, 2013

È troppo affermare che da un consesso del genere sarebbe stato lecito attendersi qualcosa in più di un rotondo album di sostanziale mainstream, con venature soul-funky e qualche svisata nei pressi dell'easy listening ("Still There" e frammenti sparsi)? Per carità, la confezione è impeccabile, l'ascolto gradevole (pur facendosi via via, per forza di cose, un po' distratto), ma è evidente che da musicisti che hanno in buona parte segnato il corso del jazz degli ultimi decenni (chi più chi meno, ...

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Album Review

Chris Cheek / Victor Prieto: Rollo Coaster

Read "Rollo Coaster" reviewed by Dan Bilawsky

by Dan Bilawsky
March 7, 2010

While all musical settings present different challenges to those involved, duo recordings can often be the hardest to manage well. Repetitive textural elements, characteristic of the instruments on hand, can create a certain similarity across all tracks. Some musicians fall prey to wandering free improvisation, finding various degrees of success or failure, as they try to navigate these waters and avoid unpleasant encounters with the only other musical voice on the map. Thankfully, that is not the case with saxophonist ...

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Album Review

Chris Cheek / Victor Prieto: Rollo-Coaster

Read "Rollo-Coaster" reviewed by Mark F. Turner

by Mark F. Turner
January 24, 2010

An odd couple of sorts, this union between accordion and saxophone is at once curious but proves a match made in heaven with Chris Cheek and Victor Prieto's collaborative release Rollo-Coaster. With great aplomb, they cover a wide scope of music from Tango to improvisational stints and other influences. Prieto, originally from Galicia, Spain, is fast becoming one of the premier accordionists in jazz, providing mastery and flair to recordings with singers Beat Kaestli and Tessa Souter, ...