It's a busy weekend (11/06 & 07) at Firehouse 12 in New Haven. On Friday evening, the Fall 2009 Concert series continues with the appearance of ODE. Originally the trio of Larry Ochs (saxophone), Trevor Dunn (bass), and Lisle Ellis (electronics, electric bass), they have added drummer Michael Sarin to the mix. The music is highly experimental, both musically and sonically, and one expects it will go in many directions. Ochs is, perhaps, best known for his work with the ROVA Saxophone Quartet - he has a brawny sound that can, at times, whisper then shout. Ellis has worked with many great creative musicians including pianist Cecil Taylor, trumpeter Dave Douglas and multi-instrumentalist Joe McPhee. Dunn straddles the worlds of progressive rock and improvisational jazz, known for his work with Mr. Bungle, John Zorn and Curtis Hasselbring's New Mellow Edwards. Sarin is a fine percussionist best known for his associations with the late saxophonist Thomas Chapin and bassists Mario Pavone and Ben Allison.
The ensemble plays 2 sets, 8:30 and 10 p.m. - for tickets, go to firehouse12.com or call 203-785-0468.
Good article in the New York Times over the weekend about the New Haven Improvisers Collective (read it here.) 2 subsets of the organization, Erasmus Quintet and Mayhem Circus Electric, will perform Saturday evening at Firehouse 12. I wrote about the event last week and reviewed the new NHIC recording (read that here) - I trust that the Times article will help fill the seats in the performance space. This is music that begs to be heard, especially live, and the Firehouse allows for interaction with the musicians. First set starts at 8:30 p.m. You can find out more by either visiting the website or calling the phone number listed above.
Round Trip - Alex Terrier New York Quartet (BCR) - French-born saxophonist Alex Terrier's 2nd CD as a leader features 11 original tunes and is a delight from beginning to end. Terrier, who plays soprano, alto and tenor saxophones, plays with great maturity and drive. The title literally bursts out of the gates with the drive and feel of a Jackie McLean piece from the early 1960s. Yet, Terrier and his associates (pianist Roy Assaf, bassist Francois Moutin and drummer Steve Davis) do not “play it safe" - the music moves from pretty ballads like “Song for Keli" to poly-rhythmical treats such as “E.S.B. and Ecstasy“ to multi-sectioned works like “The Dark Side of Democracy." There are moments that remind this listener of Wayne Shorter's recent Quartet music in the way the musicians move through the melody and improvisations, each player being both supportive yet moving the music forward. The addition of guitarists Akira Ishiguro and Edouard Brenneisen (on 2 tracks each) adds a new set of colors, the latter adding Bill Frisell-like tones to the intimate ballad “Departure“ and the former with a fine and fiery solo on “Le Miroir Des Anges Deguises“ (that shows the influences of both John Abercrombie and Kurt Rosenwinkel.)
Terrier, a former student of Boston, Massachusetts-based tenor great George Garzone, has shown much growth from his 2007 debut, “Stop Requested." He has assembled a quartet of like-minded musicians, spent a good deal of time woodshedding his songs, and is developing his own sound. He's not afraid to “swing" and does not shy away from letting the music go in unexpected directions. Most of the tracks are built upon well-conceived melodies and that gives Terrier and his bandmates a good foundation for their solos and interplay. Judging by the high quality of this effort, I imagine the Alex Terrier Quartet is a formidable presence on stage. For more information, go to alexterriermusic.com.
Think Free - Ben Allison (Palmetto) - New Haven-born bassist/composer Allison continues to make music that fuses his strong melodic streak to driving rhythms and smart solos. With the exception of guitarist Steve Cardenas, the CD features a new lineup. Shane Endsley plays trumpet, Rudy Royston is the drummer and Allison wisely adds the delicate sounds of violinist Jenny Scheinman. She adds depth to the melodies, often doubling lines with the trumpet, serving as a response to the soloist or letting loose on her own. She seemingly has no fear when soloing - her “spacy" take on “Kramer vs Kramer vs Godzilla“ blends Appalachian folk lines with furiously bowed swirls. Her solo on “Peace Pipe“ is a joy. Royston is rock-solid, often locking in with the bassist to create “rockish" grooves - he never overplays and can really push the front line when needed. Cardenas stands out for his tasty licks, creative rhythm guitar work and his smartly-paced solos. He can smolder and burn, as he displays on “Platypus“. Endsley has a stately tone, quite classical - listen to how he states the theme on “Peace Pipe" while Cardenas “burns" around him. His gentle work on “Green Al“ is subtly funky with just a touch of blues.
Ben Allison's music has truly matured over the course of 14 years and 9 CDs. This music “rocks" more than “swings" and, while most of the songs are over 5 minutes (7 out of 9 on this disc), there's usually a good amount of time dedicated to melodic development. The solos rarely, if ever, go on too long. “Think Free“ offers the listener a world of possibilities and directions and does so without preaching or overreaching. For more information, go to www.palmetto-records.com or benallison.com
The ensemble plays 2 sets, 8:30 and 10 p.m. - for tickets, go to firehouse12.com or call 203-785-0468.
Good article in the New York Times over the weekend about the New Haven Improvisers Collective (read it here.) 2 subsets of the organization, Erasmus Quintet and Mayhem Circus Electric, will perform Saturday evening at Firehouse 12. I wrote about the event last week and reviewed the new NHIC recording (read that here) - I trust that the Times article will help fill the seats in the performance space. This is music that begs to be heard, especially live, and the Firehouse allows for interaction with the musicians. First set starts at 8:30 p.m. You can find out more by either visiting the website or calling the phone number listed above.
Round Trip - Alex Terrier New York Quartet (BCR) - French-born saxophonist Alex Terrier's 2nd CD as a leader features 11 original tunes and is a delight from beginning to end. Terrier, who plays soprano, alto and tenor saxophones, plays with great maturity and drive. The title literally bursts out of the gates with the drive and feel of a Jackie McLean piece from the early 1960s. Yet, Terrier and his associates (pianist Roy Assaf, bassist Francois Moutin and drummer Steve Davis) do not “play it safe" - the music moves from pretty ballads like “Song for Keli" to poly-rhythmical treats such as “E.S.B. and Ecstasy“ to multi-sectioned works like “The Dark Side of Democracy." There are moments that remind this listener of Wayne Shorter's recent Quartet music in the way the musicians move through the melody and improvisations, each player being both supportive yet moving the music forward. The addition of guitarists Akira Ishiguro and Edouard Brenneisen (on 2 tracks each) adds a new set of colors, the latter adding Bill Frisell-like tones to the intimate ballad “Departure“ and the former with a fine and fiery solo on “Le Miroir Des Anges Deguises“ (that shows the influences of both John Abercrombie and Kurt Rosenwinkel.)
Terrier, a former student of Boston, Massachusetts-based tenor great George Garzone, has shown much growth from his 2007 debut, “Stop Requested." He has assembled a quartet of like-minded musicians, spent a good deal of time woodshedding his songs, and is developing his own sound. He's not afraid to “swing" and does not shy away from letting the music go in unexpected directions. Most of the tracks are built upon well-conceived melodies and that gives Terrier and his bandmates a good foundation for their solos and interplay. Judging by the high quality of this effort, I imagine the Alex Terrier Quartet is a formidable presence on stage. For more information, go to alexterriermusic.com.
Think Free - Ben Allison (Palmetto) - New Haven-born bassist/composer Allison continues to make music that fuses his strong melodic streak to driving rhythms and smart solos. With the exception of guitarist Steve Cardenas, the CD features a new lineup. Shane Endsley plays trumpet, Rudy Royston is the drummer and Allison wisely adds the delicate sounds of violinist Jenny Scheinman. She adds depth to the melodies, often doubling lines with the trumpet, serving as a response to the soloist or letting loose on her own. She seemingly has no fear when soloing - her “spacy" take on “Kramer vs Kramer vs Godzilla“ blends Appalachian folk lines with furiously bowed swirls. Her solo on “Peace Pipe“ is a joy. Royston is rock-solid, often locking in with the bassist to create “rockish" grooves - he never overplays and can really push the front line when needed. Cardenas stands out for his tasty licks, creative rhythm guitar work and his smartly-paced solos. He can smolder and burn, as he displays on “Platypus“. Endsley has a stately tone, quite classical - listen to how he states the theme on “Peace Pipe" while Cardenas “burns" around him. His gentle work on “Green Al“ is subtly funky with just a touch of blues.
Ben Allison's music has truly matured over the course of 14 years and 9 CDs. This music “rocks" more than “swings" and, while most of the songs are over 5 minutes (7 out of 9 on this disc), there's usually a good amount of time dedicated to melodic development. The solos rarely, if ever, go on too long. “Think Free“ offers the listener a world of possibilities and directions and does so without preaching or overreaching. For more information, go to www.palmetto-records.com or benallison.com
