Connie Crothers | Jessica Jones | Live at the Freight | NA1056
A stealth recording deserving of wide spread critical acclaim! Straight up, Jessica Jones and Connie Crothers Live at the Freight is an absolute gem! Why? Simple…Take iconic standards performed at an exemplary level such as Duke Ellington’s “In A Sentimental Mood” then carefully intermingled some highly accessible yet spontaneously energetic free jazz and you have a live duo that is crossing musical planes and welcoming everyone along for the journey. …Live at the Freight is spontaneous creativity at its finest. – Brent Black, Criticaljazz.com Continue reading
For the past fifteen years, saxophonist and pianist Jessica Jones has been performing with her Quartet, which serves as a vehicle for the progressive jazz originals composed by Jessica and fellow tenor player and husband Tony Jones. In addition to her Quartet, Jessica plays with Joseph Jaman’s Dojo Band, the Jarman-Chalfant Lifetime Visions Orchestra, and other jazz and improvisation-oriented ensembles that frequent the landscapes of such New York City venues as Barbes, Tixe, and Tonic. Jessica has worked with such varied artists as Cab Calloway, Bo Diddley, Cecil Taylor, Steve Coleman, and Don Cherry as well as many Haitian, Calypso and African pop bands. These influences are apparent in her music which derives from the tradition of Mingus, Ornette Coleman, and the Art Ensemble of Chicago, using structured original compositions as a framework for freer improvisation. Combining these elements with the unique voices of band members whose experiences are equally diverse leads to music infused with the energy and creativity of new textures yet remaining firmly rooted in the jazz tradition.