Home » Jazz Articles » Album Review » Jason Moran: Facing Left
Jason Moran: Facing Left
Moran’s second album ignores the critics. Rather than display lingering, romantic melodies on his sleeve, the pianist has chosen to continue with what he does best. Like his early influence Thelonious Monk and his teachers Jaki Byard & Richard Muhal Abrams, Jason Moran applies a considerable amount of energy to each piece. That force tends to weave several lines at once, while involving his bassist and drummer in every aspect. Together, they explore and come up with unpredictable displays every time. The pianist’s own thoughts about this album are included on his web site , which includes MP3 excerpts of Taurus Mateen’s "Another One" and Moran’s "Thief Without Loot."
Duke Ellington’s "Wig Wise" and "Later" build from quiet, passionate beginnings to energetic adventures. Jaki Byard’s "Twelve" travels up-tempo and bright, while "Fragment of a Necklace" skips softly as a danceable ballad. Moran’s six compositions exude drama, interaction, variety of direction, and teamwork. Continuing along his own path, the pianist takes a winning team to bat without reliance on any kind of script.
Personnel
Jason Moran
pianoAlbum information
Title: Facing Left | Year Released: 2000 | Record Label: Blue Note Records
About Jason Moran
Tags
PREVIOUS / NEXT
Jason Moran Concerts
Become a Sustaining Member
Since 1995, All About Jazz has championed jazz as an art form and supported the musicians who create it. Over three decades, it has grown into one of the world's leading jazz resources, serving hundreds of thousands of readers, musicians, presenters and industry professionals each month.
Help Build the Future of All About Jazz
Your support helps us continue building All About Jazz for the next generation—expanding our editorial coverage, preserving jazz history, developing new community features and creating better ways to discover the music and the people behind it.
Become a sustaining member for as little as $20 per year and you'll immediately enjoy an ad-free experience along with access to subscriber features and future articles for a full year.
Together, we're not simply sustaining All About Jazz—we're building its future. Thank you for being part of the journey.
