Jazz Articles about Dave King

About Dave King

Album Review

Before discussing guitarist Julian Lage's album, some food for thought... A credible argument could be put forward to say that the jazz piano trio reached its pinnacle of perfection with Bill Evans' Village Vanguard performances of June 1961, with the trio of bassist Scott La Faro and drummer Paul Motian, and that trios led by guitars, another chordal instrument, have long since replaced piano led trios at the evolutionary edge of the music. Still thinking aloud, as it ...

Album Review

Broken Shadows: Broken Shadows with Tim Berne, Chris Speed, Reid Anderson, Dave King

Read "Broken Shadows with Tim Berne, Chris Speed, Reid Anderson, Dave King" reviewed by Dan McClenaghan

by Dan McClenaghan
May 24, 2021

The context for Broken Shadows is--can you guess--the Ornette Coleman album of the same name, recorded in 1971 and released on Columbia Records in 1982. That, along with three tunes from Coleman's Science Fiction (Columbia, 1971), and more from the free jazz pioneer's Atlantic and Blue Note Records days. And while we're at it, throw in a pair of compositions from Julius Hemphill, one from saxophonist Dewey Redman and one from bassist Charlie Haden--all players with strong connections to Coleman. ...

Album Review

Craig Taborn: Compass Confusion

Read "Compass Confusion" reviewed by Mike Jurkovic

by Mike Jurkovic
March 4, 2021

Compass Confusion, the long hoped for return of Craig Taborn's depth defying, solo-gone-quintet from Junk Magic (Thirsty Ear, 2004), climaxes early and often and, however you like to be lured, It pulls you along with a lush velvet hook in your mouth. Reeling it in is a struggle but a blessing. We know that. We get it. CTJM thinks so too. First timers, saxophonist/clarinetist Chris Speed and bassist ((Erik Fratzke}} are welcomed brotherly into the fold by pianist ...

Album Review

Craig Taborn: Compass Confusion

Read "Compass Confusion" reviewed by John Sharpe

by John Sharpe
January 18, 2021

Although a peerless pianist, Craig Taborn has been captivated by electronics since the age of 12, and he scratches that itch big-time on Compass Confusion. The role of post-production treatments in the creation of jazz records has a long history, from Orrin Keepnews piecing together the issued version of Thelonious Monk's 1956 classic “Brilliant Corners" from among 24 takes of the tune, to Miles Davis and Teo Macero forging masterpieces like Bitches Brew (CBS, 1970) from studio jams. Taborn's ethos ...

Album Review

Junk Magic: Compass Confusion

Read "Compass Confusion" reviewed by Franz A. Matzner

by Franz A. Matzner
November 1, 2020

Density. Shifting ground. Textural discord. Sharpness like glass. Resonant emptiness. Explorative improvisation, electronica sound spaces and electric beats. Released by the Craig Taborn project Junk Magic, Compass Confusion moves the fusion of live performance with electronica to the next level, making the division between the two often difficult to discern. The album incorporates a cross section of electronica techniques, including often lesser recognized subgenres like ambient, trip-hop, and minimalist industrial. This diverse representation of electronic music coupled with ...

Album Review

The Bad Plus: Activate Infinity

Read "Activate Infinity" reviewed by Emmanuel Di Tommaso

by Emmanuel Di Tommaso
July 15, 2020

Quando alla fine del 2017 Ethan Iverson lasciò i Bad Plus si parlò di fine di un'era per uno dei piano jazz trio più originali e longevi della musica contemporanea. Sempre aperti a nuove sperimentazioni e a sconfinamenti che li hanno portati a contaminare il loro post-bop jazz di partenza già di per sé istrionico con la freschezza e il melodismo della pop music e del rock strumentale, con l'abbandono di Iverson sembrava veramente che qualcosa potesse minare la coesione ...

Album Review

Chris Speed Trio: Respect for your Toughness

Read "Respect for your Toughness" reviewed by Vic Albani

by Vic Albani
June 22, 2020

Nuovo album, ancora una volta targato Intakt, per il sassofonista Chris Speed in trio con Chris Tordini, contrabbasso, e Dave King, batteria. Un trio, ormai ben rodato, in grado di tradurre con alta coerenza stilistica e formale architetture di classica derivazione bop ma lavorando come Speed ci ha ormai abituato da tempo. La sua verifica strutturale è infatti un'intelligente operazione di modernizzazione del suono della tradizione lavorando con mood versatili e dalle ampie peculiarità di interessante e godibile ricerca.