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Myra Melford's Fire And Water Quintet: Hear The Light Singing
by John Sharpe
Pianist Myra Melford's blue chip Fire And Water quintet assuredly sidesteps second album syndrome. Hear The Light Singing stands very much the equal of the band's superlative eponymous debut. The only change is that Lesley Mok takes Susie Ibarra's place behind the trapset, otherwise the triumvirate completing the starry squad remains Ingrid Laubrock on saxophones, Tomeka Reid on cello and Mary Halvorson on guitar. In the liners Melford explains that the five pieces titled Insertions" here were ...
read moreMatthew Shipp & Mark Helias: The New Syntax
by John Sharpe
Pianist Matthew Shipp particularly favors the duo format. Among a discography of more than 300 entries are winning combinations with partners as varied as trumpeter Nate Wooley, violist Mat Maneri, and saxophonists Darius Jones, Rob Brown and Evan Parker. But he retains a special fondness for the bass/piano twosome, accounting for multiple meetings with longtime comrade William Parker and the current occupant of the bass chair in his trio, Michael Bisio. To that illustrious roster can also be added his ...
read moreArt Ensemble Of Chicago: The Sixth Decade: From Paris to Paris
by John Sharpe
Having first come to international prominence in Paris at the end of the '60s, it seems fitting for the Rogue Art imprint to celebrate the Art Ensemble Of Chicago's progression into their sixth decade in the same city. This double CD documents the performance of an extended AEC at the Sons d'hiver Festival in February 2019. Only reedman & composer Roscoe Mitchell and drummer Famoudou Don Moye survive from the original quintet but, rather than accept this as a limitation, ...
read moreNicole Mitchell and Michel Edelin: The Ethiopian Princess Meets the Tantric Priest
by Howard Mandel
Nicole Mitchell and Michel Edelin are two of the most creative flutists in music of any sort today, brilliant improvisers with highly developed sensitivities to sound who share a passion for collaborating in real time. Yet their personal approaches to playing one of the oldest instruments in the world represent two far ends of an esthetic spectrum. We have exactly the same musical interests and influences," Mitchell has said, but we come to the music from such different directions!"
read moreJeff Parker / Eric Revis / Nasheet Waits: Eastside Romp
by John Sharpe
Though best known as an experimental guitarist in the likes of Tortoise, Isotope 217 and the Chicago Underground Trio, on Eastside Romp Jeff Parker hews closer to his jazz roots in a co-operative trio completed by bassist Eric Revis and drummer Nasheet Waits. Each a leader, Parker's bandmates possess similarly expansive resumés, making their somewhat introspective group focus here a surprise. On a program of five originals from across the band, one cover and one improv, they combine in the ...
read moreSteve Swell’s Fire Into Music: For Jemeel: Fire From The Road
by Mark Corroto
If listeners only had the one recording, Swimming In A Galaxy Of Goodwill And Sorrow (Rogueart, 2007) from Steve Swell's Fire Into Music, and did not have the pleasure of hearing the quartet live in person, there certainly would be a large blank spot in their metaphorical dance card. The trombonist Swell, bassist William Parker, and drummer Hamid Drake must also mourn the loss of the fourth member of the quartet, alto saxophonist Jemeel Moondoc (1946-2021). Much like Ornette Coleman, ...
read moreFred Frith - Susana Santos Silva: Laying Demons To Rest
by John Sharpe
It seems Portuguese trumpeter Susana Santos Silva is riding the crest of a wave, following acclaimed collaborations with the likes of saxophonists Anthony Braxton and Mats Gustafsson and pianist Kaja Draksler. It is a trajectory only likely to be reinforced by her alliance with British guitarist Fred Frith on Laying Demons To Rest. They've been playing together since at least 2018, with Silva an occasional guest with Frith's trio, as documented on Road (Intakt, 2021). But that in no way ...
read moreArt Ensemble of Chicago: The Sixth Decade: From Paris to Paris
by Mike Jurkovic
Recorded live in Paris in February 2020, The Sixth Decade: From Paris to Paris. presents Art Ensemble Of Chicagoas defiantly daring avant-garde as that first night in Paris, 1969 giving no quarter whatsoever in their lifelong, diasporic pursuit of creation unbound. Breaking at the pace of a dream, surviving co-founders saxophonist Roscoe Mitchell and drummer Famoudou Don Moye return to the moment of conception with a two hour, double disc set The Sixth Decade: From Paris to Paris, ...
read moreJeff Parker / Eric Revis / Nasheet Waits: Eastside Romp
by Mark Corroto
If the answer on the television quiz show Jeopardy is: Have not ever recorded together as a trio," you most probably would have never guessed the question, What have Jeff Parker, Eric Revis, and Nasheet Waits never done?" Well, that is until now. Each musician has an impressive discography, with nearly 500 sessions in total between them. Just not together. Waits' drums and Revis' bass have graced the music of Orrin Evans and Armen Nalbandian's ensembles and also ...
read moreMyra Melford: For The Love Of Fire And Water
by John Sharpe
Inspired by artist Cy Twombly, pianist Myra Melford has produced a superb album which combines notated signposts with unbridled exchanges. She's helped by an all star agglomeration comprising some of New York's most accomplished instrumentalists: guitarist Mary Halvorson, saxophonist Ingrid Laubrock, cellist Tomeka Reid and drummer Susie Ibarra. As might be expected of the city's brightest talents, their paths have crossed on multiple occasions, but never in this particular permutation until they appeared as part of a Melford residency at ...
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