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Matthew Shipp & Mat Walerian Duo / The Uppercut: Live At Okuden
by Mark Corroto
Jane Austen was mistaken when she wrote “Surprises are foolish things. The pleasure is not enhanced, and the inconvenience is often considerable." Passing away at the age of 41 in 1817, she would not have had the opportunity to hear either jazz, nor the music of Matthew Shipp and Mat Walerian. The surprise here is twofold; first, the discovery of a new voice, Polish reedsman Mat Walerian and second, the opportunity to hear pianist Matthew Shipp in his ...
Continue ReadingMatthew Shipp Trio: To Duke
by John Sharpe
So has pianist Matthew Shipp finally clambered aboard the repertory album bandwagon? Certainly on To Duke he addresses seven standards derived from the Ellington Orchestra, alongside four originals. But if you cast an eye over Shipp's discography you'll find such pieces are nothing new. Actually popular songs constitute an enduring part of his repertoire. What's unusual here is the focus on several from the same songbook on the same set. But there's no question of special treatment. In terms of ...
Continue ReadingMatthew Shipp: I've Been To Many Places
by John Sharpe
In 2013 pianist Matthew Shipp, tongue firmly-in-cheek, issued Greatest Hits, which sampled his Thirsty Ear catalogue. With I've Been To Many Places, his 9th solo album, he takes a different approach to revisiting his back pages, by reprising standards and favorites from previous releases albeit this time in an unaccompanied rendition. These sit alongside a selection of newly minted originals. As is often the case with his studio sessions, conciseness is the watchword as Shipp distils an idea down to ...
Continue ReadingMatthew Shipp: To Duke
by Mark Corroto
Unlocking the language of an avant-garde musician like Matthew Shipp can be a tough task for those new to creative music, and also for those new to the pianist's approach. He has developed a method of music making that draws from classical music, free jazz, and the energies of electronic music. With a discography pushing into the hundreds, where to start and what to listen to is always the question. A musical detective might start with his early recordings with ...
Continue ReadingMatthew Shipp: I've Been To Many Places
by Mark Corroto
But is it Jazz? That question gets lobbed at pianist Matthew Shipp's music all the time. Perhaps, “propelled" or “launched" are better terms. His approach to music, whether working with saxophonists David S. Ware and Ivo Perelman or with DJs, is to play authentic music, that which is a bona fide representation of his nature, or better yet his soul. This solo offering, I've Been To Many Places delves deep into that spirit and does (depending on where you stand) ...
Continue ReadingA Matthew Shipp Appreciation from Yuko Otomo
by Chris Rich
I'm always looking to introduce new people to The All About Jazz readership. Yuko Otomo provided an appreciation of Matthew Shipp from her perspective as a poet and visual artist. Let Ms. Otomo take it from here. Recently, I re-read Concerning the Spiritual in Art by Wassily Kandinsky. I don't remember how many times I've read this book. There are a few Bible-like books and writings (on art) that I return to whenever I have a ...
Continue ReadingYour Shipp Has Come In
by Mark Corroto
These two guest appearances demonstrate that pianist Matthew Shipp has become an elder statesman in the jazz world. How that happened can be boiled down to two simple elements. One: he has created a unique sound and language for improvised music and two: Shipp has become a doyen of cutting edge music making and opinion. Perhaps all of this could be foretold from his early apprenticeship in David S. Ware and Roscoe Mitchell's bands, and his collaborations with ...
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