By Chris Baber, Jazz Views You might, like me, have first come across Zac Brock in his time with Snarky Puppy, especially on their ‘Culcha Vulcha’ album. On this new album with his trio partners, Brock’s violin has, at times, the feel of a fiddle in folk tunes; rich with harmonics and layered tones that create … Read More
by Chris Baber, Jazz Views On listing the instruments that Newsome plays, I’m not following the liner notes or press release – but just stating where this master of the avant-garde exploration of the saxophone is currently at. While he is adept at multiphonics and layering of sounds, or tapping and clicking the keys, or … Read More
By: Chris Baber, Jazz Views Tim Haldeman: tenor saxophone, flute, piano; John Goode: words / vocals; Dan Bennett: alto saxophone; Justin Walter: trumpet; Jordan Schug: cello; Jonathan Taylor: drums; Ben Willis: bass Recorded by Josef Dean The ominous piano chords herald Chicago-based poet Goode’s opening lines ‘I followed whiskey into the county of Legionella / … Read More
By: Chris Baber, JazzViews MATT ULERY – Sifting Stars Woolgathering Records: WR005 Sifting Stars Orchestra – Matt Ulery: double bass, voice; Rob Clearfield: piano; Michael Caskey: percussion; Grazyna Auguseik, Katie Ernst: voice; Yvonne Lam, Jeff Yang: violins; Aurelius Pederzoli: violas; Nick Photinos: cellos; Michael Maccaderri: clarinets; Nathalie Joachim: flutes; Ben Roidl-Ward: bassoons; Andrew Nogal: … Read More
Chris Baber, Jazz Views UK This is, to quote a popular song, all about the bass. Track 7, ‘Monkey Mind’, is a good introduction to Evans’ approach to composition and playing. It begins with an extended, improvised solo that growls deeply and resolutely before the group pick up a strutting groove and the pieces unfolds … Read More
Chris Baber, Jazz Views The liner notes, by Neil Tesser, provide a nice argument about how improvised comedy and jazz share so much in common. The reason for this is that the title ‘yes, and…’ comes from a set-up for improv comedy; one person makes a remark and then next person has to agree with … Read More
by Chris Baber, Jazz Views The 16 pieces on this CD are named after fragments of poetry written 2,500 years ago by the Greek poetess Sappho. The fragments are included in the booklet accompanying the recording, in Ancient Greek and in translation (by Anne Carson), and range from several lines to short phrases, e.g, ‘of … Read More
Chris Baber, JazzViews I suppose that you might look at the line-up here and immediately see a couple of veteran jazz players, or a couple of new kids on the block… without, at first, taking in the name of someone who has been a stalwart of several different scenes for the whole of her life. … Read More
by Chris Baber, Jazz Views UK Jonathan Greenstein: saxophone; Victor Gould: piano; Gilad Hekselman: guitar; Or Bareket: bass; Mark Whitfield Jr.: drums This is a collection of seven tunes (four composed by Greenstein, one a cover of a Bjork tune and a 40 second playout that isn’t on the track list) that you can find … Read More
