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Jazz Articles about Dave Rempis
Rempis / Adasiewicz / Corsano: Dial Up
by Mark Corroto
Chicago has long been a magnet for creative musicians. Louis Armstrong left New Orleans for the Windy City in 1922, and Sun Ra arrived in 1945 to begin reshaping its musical landscape. Fast-forward to the 1990s, and Chicago welcomed saxophonist Dave Rempis, who quickly became a central force in the city's improvised-music scene. After emerging in the Vandermark 5, he established his voice through numerous groups, including The Rempis Percussion Quartet, The Engines, Kuzu, Ballister, and a vast network of ...
Continue ReadingEarscratcher - Rempis/Harnik/Lonberg-Holm/Daisy: Otoliths
by Mark Corroto
How do these four musicians--individually and collectively--manage to create music that is consistently compelling? Part of the answer lies in their versatility. Each is a formidable soloist, an accomplished bandleader and a sought-after collaborator in improvising ensembles. For Earscratcher, Austrian pianist Elisabeth Harnik joins forces with three longtime stalwarts of the Chicago scene: saxophonist Dave Rempis, cellist Fred Lonberg-Holm and drummer Tim Daisy. The Chicago contingent first forged their bond in the trailblazing Vandermark 5 and have since collaborated across ...
Continue ReadingWheelhouse: House and Home
by Mark Corroto
Saxophonist, producer, composer, event organizer and label chief Dave Rempis circles back to one of his most essential ensembles. In 2012, Aerophonic Records released Boss of the Plains by the drummer-less trio of Rempis, vibraphonist Jason Adasiewicz, and bassist Nate McBride. Formed in 2005, when McBride moved to Chicago from Boston, the trio spent a decade exploring the possibilities of a free-improvising chamber sound. But in 2013, Wheelhouse went on hiatus after McBride returned to his hometown. In ...
Continue ReadingArcher: Sudden Dusk
by Mark Corroto
Saxophonist and label chief Dave Rempis invites listeners to come for the punk rock and stay for the meditation session. With his new quartet, Archer, the Chicagoan joins forces with Dutch guitarist Terrie Ex and the Norwegian rhythm duo of bassist Jon Rune Strøm and drummer Tollef Østvang. Sudden Dusk captures two live performances from the group's U.S. tour in the spring of 2024. Rempis first made waves in the late 1990s with The Vandermark 5 before leading ...
Continue ReadingRempis / Adasiewicz / Abrams / Damon: Propulsion
by Mark Corroto
Do you ever imagine yourself, while listening to an album from the Chicago creative scene, as a detective in one of those murder mystery movies? The investigator has assembled a wall with a string running from the crime scene photos and victims to all the accused. They do so to visualize the connections between suspects. The same process is helpful with Chicago musicians. Saxophonist Dave Rempis had curated nearly a thousand Thursday night performances at Elastic Arts in Chicago between ...
Continue ReadingDave Rempis / Tashi Dorji: Gnash
by Mark Corroto
The correct response to Jeopardy gameshow answer Gnash is, “what is KUZU minus one"? The established trio (KUZU) of saxophonist Dave Rempis, guitarist Tashi Dorji, and drummer Tyler Damon have toured extensively and released five discs since their formation in 2018. Here, Damon stepped aside to allow Rempis and Dorji to tour as a duo in 2023 and early 2024. This session was captured at The Sugar Maple in Milwaukee, Wisconsin in January 2024. We would be remiss ...
Continue ReadingBallister: Smash and Grab
by Mark Corroto
A listener might have a premonition when they drop the needle on the hot pink vinyl version or push the play button on the CD or digital download of Smash And Grab by the trio Ballister. They understand, or have knowledge by way of the trio's ten previous releases, that a storm awaits them. The trio of saxophonist Dave Rempis, cellist Fred Lonberg-Holm and drummer Paal Nilssen-Love conjure a tempest of sound that simply refuses to become background music.
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