Articles

Sync! Ned Rothenberg, Samir Chatterjee, Jerome Harris

By Ludovico Granvassu

After more than two decades of activity Ned Rothenberg's Sync remains a reference band in its capacity to seamlessly integrate musical traditions and influences from various parts of the world in a unique line-up featuring the leader on reeds and shakuhachi, Samir Chatterjee on tabla and Jerome Harris on guitar and bass guitar. Happy listening! Ned Rothenberg's Sync “Dad Can Dig" Port of Entry (Intuition) 0:00 Ned Rothenberg's Sync “One-Oh-Nine" Harbinger (Animul) 6:26 Ned Rothenberg's ...

Ned Rothenberg / Catherine Jauniaux / Barre Phillips: While You Were Out

By Nic Jones

One of the most consistently intriguing things about freely improvised music is the degree to which it can transcend the moment. While on the surface of it that moment might be something the free improviser has only to reach an accommodation with, on a deeper level such practitioners are arguably more subject to its vagaries than musicians who work in more deliberate and preconceived areas.

This is an indirect way of getting around to the fact that While You Were ...

Ned Rothenberg / Catherine Jauniaux / Barre Phillips: While You Were Out

By Kurt Gottschalk

Belgian vocalist Catherine Jauniaux is one the most underappreciated of a generation of free improv vocalists. Less a storyteller than Shelley Hirsch, more overtly musical than Phil Minton or Jaap Blonk, she falls somewhere between their spontaneous explorations and the avant art songs of Joan La Barbara. She has released only a handful of records with bands still loved by the few who recall (The Hat Shoes, Aksak Maboul and Vibraslaps, her duo with Ikue Mori) and is, perhaps, best ...

Ned Rothenberg

By Sean Patrick Fitzell

Twisting alto and tenor saxophone lines gradually coalesced then dispersed, tacking between consonance and dissonance as Ned Rothenberg and Evan Parker launched their recent duo gig at Issue Project Room. Long circular-breathed patterns were punctuated with overblown tones before the two exchanged almost bluesy lines, complementing and responding in a taut dialogue of fluent masters. “This sonic vocabulary had more potential than just a set of techniques--there was really a music there," says Rothenberg, recalling the first time ...

Ned Rothenberg's Sync Live at Tonic

By Sean Patrick Fitzell

Ned Rothenberg's SyncTonicNew York, New York February 8, 2007

When musician-producer John Zorn proposed recording for his Tzadik label's Radical Jewish Culture series, multi-reedist Ned Rothenberg was hesitant at first. Not one to force inspiration, he let the idea marinate for several years. It surfaced as he composed for a planned incorporation of cellist Erik Friedlander and violinist Mark Feldman with his trio Sync, which includes bassist/guitarist Jerome Harris and tablaist Samir Chatterjee in addition to ...

Ned Rothenberg: The Lumina Recordings

By Kurt Gottschalk

Reed and wind instrumentalist Ned Rothenberg is an almost frighteningly talented musician and composer. Without the charismatic approach of other downtown players--people like John Zorn and Elliott Sharp, who borrowed from different genres to define their sound--Rothenberg's focus has been on mastering his instrument. And despite his humble statement of hearing a “not yet fully formed voice, included in the liner notes [applicable only to “Trials of Argo" to this collection of self-released recordings from 1980 to 1985, what is ...

Ned Rothenberg: El Nino and The Fell Clutch

By Tom Greenland

Ned Rothenberg, Matthias Ziegler, Peter Schmid El Nino Creative Works 2006 Ned Rothenberg, Tony Buck, Stomu Takeishi, Dave Tronzo The Fell Clutch Animul 2006

“Unvorherhorbar," Meinrad Buholzer writes in the liner notes to El Nino, describing a new trio release by Ned Rothenberg, Matthias Ziegler and Peter Schmid. Roughly translated as ...