Jazz Articles about John Hollenbeck

John Hollenbeck: A Blessing

by David Adler
May 8, 2005

John Hollenbeck has made several small-group recordings, but a large ensemble suits his advanced compositional voice especially well. With A Blessing, he documents the inspired large-group work he has showcased live over the last three or so years (most recently at the Jazz Standard CD release gig on January 25th). The drummer/bandleader's music is a bit more abstract than that of Maria Schneider and her forebearers (Brookmeyer, Gil Evans, et al.), but it drinks from nearby streams and it has ...

John Hollenbeck: Exploring the Boundaries, Part 2-2

by Paul Olson
March 3, 2005

Part 1 | Part 2

Composer/percussionist/bandleader John Hollenbeck doesn't so much cross musical boundaries as ignore them. Combining elements of jazz, classical, post rock, chamber music--although he is openly indifferent to musical category--his music manages to be challenging and experimental; at the same time, it is utterly unintimidating and accessible. Hollenbeck's sidework with a plethora of groups led by the likes of Bob Brookmeyer, Fred Hersch and Cuong Vu coexists with his own bandleading projects; perhaps the most celebrated of ...

John Hollenbeck: Exploring the Boundaries, Part 1-2

by Paul Olson
March 2, 2005

Part 1 | Part 2

Composer/percussionist/bandleader John Hollenbeck doesn't so much cross musical boundaries as ignore them. Combining elements of jazz, classical, post rock, chamber music--although he is openly indifferent to musical category--his music manages to be challenging and experimental; at the same time, it is utterly unintimidating and accessible. Hollenbeck's sidework with a plethora of groups led by the likes of Bob Brookmeyer, Fred Hersch and Cuong Vu coexists with his own bandleading projects; perhaps the most celebrated of ...

John Hollenbeck Steps Out

by AAJ Staff
February 21, 2005

John Hollenbeck is like a spider at the drum kit. For each tune he builds a web of sound with its own characteristic architecture, based on the connections he hears in the music. And his spider legs are long enough to move around the music with ease during improvisation: tightening up here, loosening there, redesigning where necessary.Despite appearances, there's nothing “easy" about Hollenbeck's playing. Part of his talent lies in camouflage: he's always quietly building and responding while ...

John Hollenbeck: Quartet Lucy CD Release Gig Tonic, December 5, 2001

by Andrey Henkin
March 8, 2004

The fall of 2001 has seen the release of three new albums by local drummer and percussionist John Hollenbeck. A variation of the Quartet Lucy, spearheaded by Hollenbeck and Theo Bleckmann on vocals, played a short set to an enthusiastic Tonic audience celebrating the CD release.Hollenbeck's albums are very different from those put out by percussionists in the fusion-dominated '70's. He makes his impression through composition and choice of musicians rather than over-the-top pyrotechnics. The Quartet Lucy album features ...

John Hollenbeck/The Claudia Quintet: I, Claudia

by Mark Corroto
February 2, 2004

Composer John Hollenbeck is also a drummer. So you expect propulsion, and on his latest Claudia Quintet release you get plenty of drive and rush. But his force is mostly about vibe and the simpatico relationship between the odd instrumentation assembled for the date.

John Hollenbeck has worked with the likes of Cuong Vu, David Krakauer, Pablo Ziegler, and the Village Vanguard Orchestra. His signature music has been crafted in collaborations with Theo Bleckmann, Meredith Monk, and Bob ...