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Jazz Articles about Kenny Wollesen
Slow Poke: At Home
by Troy Collins
Slow Poke was a unique band, even among the fertile late nineties Downtown (New York) scene. Gradually warming to neo-classical formalism, various Downtown line-ups began incorporating traditional elements into their compositions, progressively moving beyond their No Wave roots by embracing a more traditional aesthetic. Blending accessible tunefulness with adventurous improvisation, ensembles like Ballin' The Jack, The Jazz Passengers and Sex Mob all embraced various aspects of the mainstream, but none with as much melodic assuredness as Slow Poke. ...
Continue ReadingBill Frisell: Unspeakable
by John Kelman
Some artists spend an entire lifetime within a narrow genre, honing their skill and working at stretching the boundaries of that style, while others transcend all definitions and labels, creating a music that defies categorization. Such is the case with guitarist Bill Frisell, who over a twenty-five year career has contributed to everything from the Nordic cool of Jan Garbarek's quartet to the downtown edge of John Zorn's Naked City. On his own records he has explored diverse landscapes including ...
Continue ReadingDavid Binney: Free To Dream
by John W. Patterson
Binney is known to many as the sax genius of Lost Tribe and his skill is no less evident herein — in Binney's chosen dreamworld, a musical vibe, a flow, where he is free. Running his own record label, going the freshly popular independent route, affords total control and thus creativity and style unbounded by the prickly hedges of commercialism's maze.Believe me, this spirit works well to my ears. Binney's eleven compositions echo a fuller, matured Lost Tribe ...
Continue ReadingDavid Binney: Free To Dream
by Glenn Astarita
New York City “Downtown Scene" alto saxophonist David Binney has produced a winner here. Binney has gained some much-deserved recognition due to his dazzling virtuosity with artists such as Drew Gress, Edward Simon and the beloved hard-edged jazz-fusion band, Lost Tribe. Free To Dream is Binney's first solo effort on his newly formed Mythology Records label. Here, Binney is supported by a mini-brass section, exotic percussion, muscular rhythms and long time associate Edward Simon on the piano. Free To Dream ...
Continue ReadingDmitri Matheny: Penumbra (The Moon Sessions)
by Jim Santella
Dmitri Matheny and Dave Ellis are tight. Their flugelhorn and tenor saxophone complement each other well, providing harmony, added color, and tonal variety. With a theme album that refers to the majestic beauty of the moon's presence in the sky that we all experience -- a common bond around the world -- the leader offers a set of beautiful and interesting pieces. The title track is a slow ballad and a feature for John ...
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