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Phillip Greenlief and Jon Raskin: 2 + 2 with Shoko Hikage and Kanoko Nishi
by Hrayr Attarian
In the third decade of the 21st century saxophonists Jon Raskin and Phillip Greenlief have been slowly releasing albums from their 2+2 series. These are sessions, both improvised and using Raskin's graphic scores, which match Raskin and Greenlief with two other musicians who play the same instrument.. The second installment, the captivating 2+2 with Shoko Hikage and Kanoko Nishi, matches the saxophonists with two koto players. The koto is a plucked zither with a harp-like sound. Both Hikage ...
Continue ReadingBafus - Raskin - Shiurba: Fair Shanks Suburbia
by Glenn Astarita
Fair Shanks Suburbia emerges as a noteworthy exploration into the avant-garde, where Jon Bafus (Unsilent Majority), Jon Raskin (ROVA), and John Shiurba (Anthony Braxton) orchestrate a sonic journey that transcends conventional musical boundaries. It is a cohesive narrative that delves into the complexities of suburban life through an experimental lens. From the outset, the trio sets a bold tone with their opener “Rubber Band Rattle Can," a piece that fuses chaotic rhythms with moments of startling clarity. Bafus' ...
Continue ReadingJon Raskin / Phillip Greenlief: 2 + 2 with Jen Baker & Liz Allbee
by Hrayr Attarian
Innovative saxophonists Jon Raskin and Phillip Greenlief use graphic scores for a series of recordings, each with a similar pair of instruments. These collaborations are called 2 + 2. The first of these is the provocative 2 + 2 with Jen Baker & Liz Allbee. As the title indicates Raskin and Greenlief join two brass players, trombonist Jen Baker and trumpeter Liz Allbee. The resulting music, both improvised and interpreted, is a stimulating conversation of four unique yet synergistic voices ...
Continue ReadingJon Raskin Quartet: Singing Songs As One
by Hrayr Attarian
In 2021, innovative saxophonist Jon Raskin released a number of stimulating concerts which were initially streamed live on Oakland's NIR radio station in 2009. The last of the series is the intriguing and unique celebration of sound called Singing Songs As One. On it Raskin leads a like-minded quartet for a superbly cohesive performance. In addition, the engineer Eli Crews did some real-time overdubbing, enhancing the music's haunting effect. “Configuration and Positioning," the longest track of the set, ...
Continue ReadingJon Raskin, Ross Hammond, Clifford Childers, Dana Wendel: Space and Time Blues
by Hrayr Attarian
On the captivating Space and Time Blues saxophonist Jon Raskin, with three equally adventurous colleagues, puts a uniquely intriguing twist on country blues. The heavily improvised release is made up of seven interconnected parts each with a picturesque title. The result is a cinematic and evocative suite filled with warmth and spontaneity. Opening the album with a dramatic sense, “Amongst The Reeds" starts off with collective tolling sounds reminiscent of church bells. Within the somber mood that drummer ...
Continue ReadingJon Raskin: The Long Table
by Hrayr Attarian
Intrepid improviser and saxophonist Jon Raskin has kept busy during the covid-19 pandemic by releasing, for the first time, several of his past recordings. Of the many exciting albums he put out in 2021 on his own Temescal label, The Long Table stands out for a few reasons. As superb as the rest of his catalogue, this 2014 date has an infectious groove and a melodic structure different from Raskin's more experimental work. It also includes two covers, one penned ...
Continue ReadingJon Raskin Quartet: Up & Down, Sideways
by Hrayr Attarian
Innovative saxophone improviser Jon Raskin continues to put out, on his own label Temescal, never before released sessions from his catalogue. The intriguing Up & Down, Sideways finds him in a quartet with long standing associates, a group that Raskin himself calls the most significant in his career outside of Rova. This short album consists of a dozen, stimulating, electronically enhanced soundscapes that unfold with an eerie charm. On “(Plot Line) Allow for Tenderness," Raskin plays a wistful ...
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