All artists filed by last name under C :
24 improvisations for broken and untuned pianos found in New York City The Ill-Tempered Piano performed and recorded by Nicola Cipani 2006 – 2007 New York City. Design and drawings … Continue reading
Breaking News is a project led by Italian guitarist Simone Massaron playing with a superb band: Daniele Cavallanti and Tiziano Tononi (from the critically acclaimed Italian Instabile Orchestra and Nexus), Steve Piccolo (Lounge Lizards) and the great New York guitarist Elliott Sharp. It’s raw and bluesy stuff, with jazz and improvised moments held together mainly by the saxophone and some experimental and free movements. There’s also a furious version of Creedence Clearwater Revival’s “Run Through The Jungle” featuring some exciting electric lap steel work by Elliott Sharp. Continue reading
As a sideman, Cline is no less adventurous. His guitar snakes through the opening silence of Daniele Cavallanti’s Smoke Inside, before the leader’s smoky tenor gives chase. “Cline’s Line” is a fusion anthem, complete with spacey Rhodes, electric bass and pulsing rock beat. After the band enters, Cline cuts a jagged course, sparring briefly with Cavallanti before taking the lead all the way to the finish. Smoke Inside “is electric jazz: pre-fusion… pre-crappy,” says Cline of Cavallanti’s “Electric Unit”. The vibe is old school, but the playing is distinctly modern. Cavallanti positively burns on “Moods for Dewey”, driven by Cline and the relentless groove of drummer Pacho. The intensity rarely wanes through the album’s six tracks and Cavallanti’s “Electric Unit” shows the potential of jazz-rock in capable hands. —All About Jazz Continue reading
This is one of many recordings that Rod Poole made documenting this trio’s concert work. Tragically, Rod was murdered in 2007. But after reviewing his recordings during our concertizing days, we had collectively selected and sequenced pieces from this perfomance at the Downtown Playhouse and arrived at the title “Vignes”, which is the name of the street in Downtown Los Angeles where the space is located. It is a blessing to see this music finally released. This document is dedicated with love to the memory of our brilliant comrade, Rod Poole.Nels, Jim – Los Angeles, November 2008 Continue reading
Ms. Eri Yamamoto is a NY based jazz pianist who has been playing regularly with her own trio for nearly a decade. After releasing three discs on her own Jane Street label, Eri hooked up with Matt Shipp and William Parker and has been moving into freer playing and forms. After playing on two discs for William Parker, Thirsty Ear released two discs under Eri’s name, another trio date and a duos session with William Parker, Hamid Drake, Daniel Carter & Federico Ughi. On each of these discs, Eri’s playing gets more adventurous. I caught this trio with Eri, Daniel Carter & Whit Dickey at this year’s Vision Fest (2009) and was knocked out by their performance. This is a studio recording and does have impressive sound and although these are group improvisations, it rarely sounds that way. “Conversation” is sparse and rather bluesy yet minimal piano, simmering muted trumpet and ultra subtle drums. What’s is interesting about this disc is that both Daniel Carter and Whit Dickey are known for being some of downtown’s most intense free improvisers, yet here they are unusually restrained and fit perfectly with the calm yet quietly provocative overall vibe. For “Get Up”, it is as if the players are moving through a dream and swinging at a medium tempo. “Mobile” is even more sparse and haunting, with exquisite flute from DC and suspense-filled sounds from Eli and Whit. “Twirls” is aptly titles since Whit sounds like he is twirling, providing the central uplifting rhythmic flow with the piano and tenor spinning around him. Throughout this disc Eli paints a skeletal thread between the members of this fine trio, weaving as one elegant singular force. A surprise move, a sly feint, from what we might otherwise expect from these folks. — Bruce Lee Gallanter, Downtown Music Gallery Continue reading
Great unpretentious sax trio playing improvised music around thematic structures, with three excellent musicians, freely, but sounding like a very traditional bop sax trio. A pleasure to hear, “fine objects for listening”, as Joe Morris aptly puts it in the liner notes. Morris plays bass, Petr Cancura tenor and soprano, and Jason Nazary drums. The playlist consists of two “older” Morris compositions, one by Dolphy, one by Ornette Coleman, and a few group compositions/improvisations. The sound quality is good, the technical skills are excellent, the improvisations deeply felt, the accessibility is high. No boundaries are broken, no exceptional things are tried out, but just listening to the absolute basic notion of what a sax trio should sound like, is a true joy. — stef, freejazz-stef blogspot Continue reading
Lotus Symphony – a serene pool where a forest of sound can exist, because the artists have committed to coming together, symphonically, in the rhythms of light where the tradition of American Improvised Music has no bounderies, celebrated and thus the special bloom occurs. Special thanks: to all the musicians who contributed their artistry in making this recording come to life. Eric Enjem and to Marek Winiarski at NotTwo Records. — Michael Marcus, August 2008 Continue reading
Simply the most personal and ultimate statement from one the best bass players around. And please take notice: all tracks are first takes, this music is fresh and vital as ever. Continue reading
Multi-instrumentalist and composer Gebhard Ullmann lays down the ground rules without ado with the slam-bang title Don’t Touch My Music. There should be no qualms about that, Ullmann’s music is made to draw rapt attention. The closer one listens, the more there is to discover. Ullmann brings in an evolving, and revolving, cast of characters to give voice to his music. Each ensemble brings certain attributes and direction to his compositions that absorb various strains to enrich them. Basement Research with Steve Swell, Julian Arguelles, John Hebert, and Gerald Cleaver has marked an indelible presence with their earlier work. And there’s no messing around with them this time either. The members of Basement Research have honed empathy to a fine skill. Surprise is the hallmark of their cross-pollination of genres. The band dons and doffs styles in seamless motion, playing in sweet consonance at one moment and taking off at tangents the next. An intimate conversation warps into disparate strain. And with the wit and sly humor they inject, thees CD’s turns out to be quite the excellent entertainer. Continue reading
Featuring Matt Shipp on piano, Daniel Carter on reeds & trumpet, Joe Morris on double bass and Whit Dickey on drums. As the amazing pianist and composer, Matt Shipp, closes in on his 100th disc as a leader or sideman, it is good thing that he didn’t honor his promise to retire from recording like he said a few years back. I believe that this particular quartet has not recorded before this, although all of the members have played together in other combinations. Matt, Joe & Whit have been playing as a trio for the past few years and Daniel can be heard on a variety of previous Matt Shipp dates. Starting with “Cosmic Suite – Part One,” Daniel is playing some lovely, laid-back, muted trumpet while the rest of the quartet swirls calmly around him. This has to be some of the most calm and enchanting music we’ve heard from Matt and his cohorts in recent memory. When Daniel switches to tenor sax, the quartet starts swirling more intensely, the waves building higher and higher. The recording and balance are especially well done, so the quartet sounds mighty fine. On each piece, Matt provides a different yet somehow connected theme, often reflective yet also quite intense. “Cosmic Suite – Part Four” reminds me of a Monk songs, it is somewhat lopsided and it is interesting to hear Daniel Carter playing in such a more inside way. On “Part Five,” Matt plays these shimmering, dark chords that sound as if we are swimming at the bottom of the ocean in slow motion. As we rise closer to the surface, there is a peaceful calm that washes over us until things get a bit bumpy once more. Each part of the “Cosmic Suite” seems to evoke a slightly different spirit or image. It sounds as if Matt has selected just the right musicians for this suite since each one fits so perfectly into the cosmic flow. This might just be Matt Shipp’s finest disc, it certainly feel that way as I sit back in my chair sipping on some coconut coffee in front of my computer on a hot summer’s night. — BLG, Downtown Music Gallery Continue reading