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Atomic: Retrograde
by John Kelman
Plenty has been written about the intersection--past and present--between members of the Swedish/Norwegian collective Atomic, and Chicago's Ken Vandermark's countless projects. Most telling, perhaps, is this simple fact: were Atomic American-based, there's little doubt it would garner similar accolades from a considerably larger audience unafraid of the kind of fearless experimentation that's been the quintet's signature ...
Randy Brecker: Randy in Brasil
by John Kelman
Perhaps unfairly overshadowed by his brother, the late saxophonist Michael Brecker, Randy Brecker has, nevertheless been one of the most significant trumpeters of the past forty years. While his small discography as a leader contains as many misses as it does hits, he's brought a unique voice to countless sessions, working with everyone from Horace Silver, ...
Acoustic Triangle: 3 Dimensions
by John Kelman
Britain's Acoustic Triangle has always operated with the distinct premise of playing only in environments acoustically suited for completely acoustic performances. Recording with the same devotion to making the room a fourth member of the group, with no post-production processing, the trio has gradually shifted further away from overt jazz references, with Resonance (Audio-B, 2005) moving ...
Jimmy Herring: Lifeboat
by John Kelman
No matter how adept they are at finding the place where rock energy and jazz harmony meets, fusion guitarists almost invariably favor one side of the equation. As raw and visceral as John McLaughlin and John Scofield can be, jazz remains the core of who they are, just as Jeff Beck and Carlos Santana are rockers ...
Fripp & Eno: No Pussyfooting / Evening Star
by John Kelman
Few artists think they're doing something momentous, something that can change the landscape of music. Most just follow their instincts, follow their ears, do what they do, and sometimes the result goes far beyond any expectations, personal or otherwise. When King Crimson co-founder/guitarist Robert Fripp brought his pedal board to Roxy Music keyboardist Brian ...
King Crimson: KCCC #38: Live in Philadelphia, PA August 26, 1996
by John Kelman
Following on the heels of the definitive The Collectable King Crimson Volume Three: Live at the Shepherd's Bush Empire, London, 1996, Live in Philadelphia, PA August 26, 1996 (the 38th mail order-only King Crimson Collectors Club edition) is a touch anti-climactic. Despite a fine sounding board mix, it's not as sonically dynamic as Volume Three, nor ...
Gongzilla: Five Even
by John Kelman
Sometimes you've got to change to survive. Gongzilla--the offshoot of the late Pierre Moerlen's Gong that was an offshoot of the original Franglo group Gong--last released Live (Lolo) in 2001. Even more fusion-centric than Moerlen's Gong, that disc featured GZ co-founders Bon Lozaga (guitar), Hansford Rowe (bass) and Benoit Moerlen (vibes, xylophone) in the ...
Splashgirl: Doors. Keys.
by John Kelman
As exciting as Norway's annual Punkt Festival always is, there's inevitably one group that stands out as the sleeper hit--unexpected and lesser-known, perhaps, but delivering an especially memorable performance. Splashgirl's show was the hands-down sleeper hit of Punkt 08, and its debut disc, Doors. Keys., further bolsters its reputation as a group to watch. ...
Richard Pinhas / Merzbow: Keio Line
by John Kelman
Following up on Metatron (Cuneiform, 2007), widely considered his finest record to date, experimental guitarist Richard Pinhas shifts direction slightly with Keio Line, a collaboration with the uncompromising Merzbow, originator of Japanese noise music. It's an album of ambient soundscapes that prove noise can indeed be beautiful, and that it's possible to dispense with ...
Deus ex Machina: Imparis
by John Kelman
Despite being around for over 20 years with an underground fan base in the progressive rock world, it's only been since Cinque (2002), released by the intrepid Cuneiform Records, that Deus ex Machina has begun to garner broader attention. Cinque set the standard for an Italian group that combines the best of Gentle Giant's contrapuntal idiosyncrasies ...
