Jazz Articles about Sacks/Opsvik/Maneri/Motian

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Sacks/Opsvik/Maneri/Motian: Two Miles a Day

by Tom Greenland
December 15, 2007

Two Miles A Day is a recording date spearheaded by 'newbie' composer/performers Jacob Sacks (piano) and Eivind Opsvik (bass), ably abetted by downtown newjack-of-all-trades Mat Maneri (viola and violin) and interactive maestro Paul Motian (drums). An outing of structured volatility, it features the compositions of the co-leaders, rough templates for group interactivity and exploration. The tracks run short, a series of vignettes that capture a moment--then move on. Opsvik's pieces are moody and opaque: “As We Know ...

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Sacks/Opsvik/Maneri/Motian: Two Miles A Day

by Troy Collins
August 18, 2007

In early 2005, Michigan-born pianist Jacob Sacks and Norwegian bassist Eivind Opsvik discussed who, among the living legends of jazz they would most like to play with. They agreed unanimously--drummer Paul Motian. Plans were made, fellow Brooklyn resident violist Mat Maneri was recruited to join them, and Two Miles a Day was born.

With limited studio time and Motian's preference for spontaneous improvising, principle writers Sacks and Opsvik chose skeletal pieces of an elastic nature to work with, ...

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Sacks/Opsvik/Maneri/Motian: Two Miles A Day

by Mark F. Turner
August 4, 2007

Ideas are seeds of invention and when progressive artists Eivind Opsvik (bass) and Jacob Sacks (piano) pondered how cool it would be to perform with master drummer Paul Motian, the idea for Two Miles A Day was planted. Violinist Mat Maneri was added to this fertile ground, and the result is a recording representing music that cerebral, inquisitive, and uninhibited by conventionality. Though the material was written by either Opsvik or Sacks, this is a complete group ...