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Eloping With The Sun: Counteract This Turmoil Like Trees And Birds
by John Sharpe
After a 14 year gap since the eponymous debut (Riti, 2003) comes the second release from the ongoing trio known as Eloping With The Sun. Perhaps the reason for the hiatus lies in the illustrious participants' other commitments. Bassist William Parker and drummer Hamid Drake share a storied history, both apart and together as the engine room of choice for many, while guitarist Joe Morris, not only teaches at NEC, and runs his own label, but also performs on bass. ...
Continue ReadingSomething Else! Festival Hamilton 2017
by Frank Rubolino
The Something Else! Festival of Creative Music in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada reached the four-year milestone in June 2017 by offering four days of exciting music by North American, European, and Asian musicians. Zula Music and Arts Collective presented the festival that played at three acoustically friendly venues with both afternoon and evening offerings. A unique feature of this festival was the use of ad hoc groups selected by curator Cem Zafir from various members of the regularly performing acts. These ...
Continue ReadingJoe Morris: Shock Axis
by Mark Corroto
I am applying for a NEA grant to test my theory that you can judge an album by it's cover. For instance, The Rolling Stones' Exile on Main St (RSR, 1972) and The Clash's London Calling (CBS, 1979) are two albums where you just knew what to expect by gazing at the covers. In the jazz world, Sonny Clark's Cool Struttin' (Blue Note, 1958) and John Zorn's Spy Vs. Spy: The Music Of Ornette Coleman give away the contents of ...
Continue ReadingJoe Morris Quartet: Balance
by Glenn Astarita
After several albums and great synergy, guitarist Joe Morris disbanded the quartet in 2000 with many of his associates stating it was a “terrible idea." For this reunion, the musicians' artistic evolution surges on via a conglomeration of diminutive and soaring theme-building episodes, asymmetrical footprints, and staggered detours, instilling a continual sense of anticipation. The gala is off to a rousing start on “Thought," fostered by Mat Maneri's buzzing viola passages, and the unit's synchronous improvisational attack, ...
Continue ReadingPlymouth: Plymouth
by Claudio Bonomi
Decisamente affascinanti le trame policrome, acide e vintage dei Plymouth, inedito combo dedito all'improvvisazione radicale animato dal tastierista Jamie Saft e dal chitarrista Joe Morris e che in questa nuova avventura associa una solida sezione ritmica formata dal bassista Chris Lightcap e dal batterista Gerald Clever. Dulcis in fundo i Plymouth si avvalgono in questa occasione anche delle arti soniche di Mary Halvorson, giovane e agguerrita chitarrista, già nota negli ambienti della musica d'avanguardia americana (ha suonato con Anthony Braxton, ...
Continue ReadingJoe Morris & Jamie Saft: Plymouth
by Glenn Astarita
Guitarist Joe Morris and keyboardist Jamie Saft follow-up the 2013 Rare Noise Records release Slobberpup in a similar vein by locking into another improvisational fest. Once all the audio processing equipment is ready to roll, it's time for instantaneous compositional forays, as they let the chips fall where they may. Morris' former student, guitarist and rising star Mary Halvorson, along with the prominent rhythm section of bassist Chris Lightcap and drummer Gerald Cleaver steer an asymmetrical rhythmic course. However, the ...
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