Articles by Hrayr Attarian
Ian Torres: Comprovisation
by Hrayr Attarian
Chicago-based trumpeter Ian Torres is an accomplished composer, arranger, and educator. From 2008 to 2014, he was the leader of one of the most exciting big bands in the city's history. After a hiatus of over a decade, Torres returns with his second release, Comprovisation, a portmanteau term meaning the merging of composition and improvisation. The title perfectly illustrates Torres' musical vision. Out of the nine tracks on the record, six feature Torres unaccompanied by others, playing his ...
Continue ReadingSifters: Sifters
by Hrayr Attarian
Drummer Kate Gentile is a restlessly innovative improviser and composer who does not shy away from pushing boundaries. In the equally adventurous guitarist Marc Ducret and experimenting saxophonist Jeremy Viner, she has found kindred spirits. Together, they make up the collaborative Sifters. Their eponymous release consists of seven stimulating originals delivered with seamless camaraderie, as the group often functions as a single dynamic unit. For instance, Gentile's “Flail Maneuvers" is a provocative piece built around a thrillingly riotous ...
Continue ReadingLaura Ann Singh: Mean Reds
by Hrayr Attarian
Vocalist Laura Ann Singh has an adventurous spirit and a unique style. Whether interpreting Brazilian music, standards, or modern classical compositions, Singh puts her indelible mark on everything she tackles. Her ambitious debut, Mean Reds, draws inspiration from vocalist Asha Puthl and saxophonist Ornette Coleman's 1970s collaboration. The eight elegant originals eloquently express a range of sentiments from anger to tenderness, from grief to whimsy. Thus, they showcase Singh's prowess as a versatile songwriter and performer.For instance, the ...
Continue ReadingSofia Borges: The Unseen Pact
by Hrayr Attarian
German percussionist Sofia Borges explores unique time signatures in her work, drawing on an eclectic range of influences. Meanwhile, Argentinian saxophonist Ada Rave is a dynamic improviser. A deep sensitivity beautifully balances her bold, striking style. The stimulating The Unseen Pact is the result of Borges and Rave's poignant collaboration. It showcases a deep camaraderie and a shared artistic vision. “What the Earth Remembers" sets the spiritual mood for this release. Borges' sparse, thundering beats create an expectant ...
Continue ReadingIvo Perelman, Nate Wooley, Matt Moran, Mark Helias, Tom Rainey: A Modicum Of The Blues
by Hrayr Attarian
An intrepid and groundbreaking saxophonist, Ivo Perelman excels in the company of like-minded artists. Thus, the majority of his work is either in duos or with small ensembles. The soulful A Modicum of the Blues is an entirely improvised five-movement suite featuring a quintet of long-standing collaborators. It is a masterful blend of fiery spontaneity and contemplative quietude enveloped in a cinematic ambience. “Part 1" opens with dramatic flair as the musicians alternate brief phrases interspersed with silent ...
Continue ReadingSound & Gravity: Chicago's New Home For Poignant Creative Music
by Hrayr Attarian
The inaugural 2025 edition of the ambitious Sound & Gravity Festival took place from September 10th through September 14th at seven different venues on Chicago's Northwest Side. Over 50 musicians, from several countries, performed works spanning genres from contemporary Western classical to jazz, experimental music, and indie rock. The not-for-profit Constellation Performing Arts, which drummer Mike Reed founded in 2013, organized this five-day event. The music was very much in the eclectic style presented at Constellation Chicago over the past ...
Continue ReadingGustavo Cortiñas: The Crisis Knows No Borders
by Hrayr Attarian
Drummer Gustavo Cortinas is one of Chicago's most imaginative and exciting composers. This is not solely due to his brilliant creativity but also because he explores socially aware and relevant themes. He has honed a unique style that is easily recognizable as his own. His sixth release as a leader, the superb The Crisis Knows No Border, is about the impact of human-made climate change. Cortinas leads his quartet through the 10 provocative and richly-textured, interlinked originals ...
Continue ReadingIvo Perelman & Tyshawn Sorey: Parallel Aesthethics
by Hrayr Attarian
Saxophonist Ivo Perelman and drummer/pianist Tyshawn Sorey are two of the most imaginative improvisers on the creative music scene. Perelman, who thrives in small groups, particularly duets, is as prolific as he is innovative. Meanwhile, the versatile Sorey, who also composes, is a consummate experimenter who successfully embraces diverse styles. This meeting of brilliant minds results in the superb Parallel Aesthetics, a two-disc set of spontaneous musical conversations. The overall ambience is expectant and the exchanges vary from ...
Continue ReadingRyoko Ono: The Days
by Hrayr Attarian
Saxophonist Ryoko Ono may not be well known in the United States, yet she has been active for almost two decades in her hometown of Nagoya, Japan. Both as an independent artist and with her genre-defying ensemble Ryorchestra, Ono has recorded several superb albums. The haunting The Days, on the New York based Relative Pitch label, is her first US release. Made up of nine solos, most named after days of the week, this set is entirely improvised. ...
Continue ReadingKevin Fort: Everything I Love
by Hrayr Attarian
Pianist Kevin Fort is a virtuoso improviser and an imaginative composer with a refreshingly novel style rooted firmly in the mainstream tradition. In addition to playing with several Chicago-area artists, Fort leads a cohesive trio that has created a unique, delightfully textured sound. It is mostly with this ensemble that he has recorded his four superb albums, the last of which is the disc at hand, the captivating Everything I Love. A mix of standards and Fort's originals, ...
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