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Performance / Tour

Ma*JiD "Sound Of A Flower" Release Performance On April 14 At National Sawdust!

Ma*JiD "Sound Of A Flower" Release Performance On April 14 At National Sawdust!

Source: Scott Thompson Public Relations

Now! One Night Only! Ma*JiD Sound Of A Flower Saturday, April 14 Performance 7-9pm, $20 National Sawdust 80 N. 6th St. Brooklyn, NY 11249 (646) 779-8455 Three time Downbeat Rising Jazz violinist Ma*JiD ecstatically celebrates the release of his newest album, Sound Of A Flower. The culmination of an eight year journey, Ma*JiD will perform selections from the album joined by special guests Squala Orphan (Brooklyn MC/Guru's Jazzmatazz Alum), Sfumato ...

54

Recording

Elliott Sharp and Scott Fields - Afiadacampos (Neos, 2010) ****

Elliott Sharp and Scott Fields - Afiadacampos (Neos, 2010) ****

Source: Free Jazz by Stef Gijssels

By Paul Acquaro According to Scott Fields' website, this recording with Elliot Sharp, Afiadacampos, came out in 2010, which on the cusp of 2012, makes me a little more than fashionably late. Apologies for my tardiness, however, I am pleased to report the music has not aged a bit. I think the first thing that stuck out to me on this recording is just how nicely recorded the steel string acoustic guitars sound. Since they are rather indistinguishable sonically, the ...

57

Recording

Lisbon Berlin Trio (Clean Feed, 2011) ****

Lisbon Berlin Trio (Clean Feed, 2011) ****

Source: Free Jazz by Stef Gijssels

By Paul Acquaro Lisbon Berlin Trio starts with the scratching and scraping of picks across the coils of round wound electric guitar strings. Percussion rattles below and a bowed bass fills the space in between. The muted soundscape grows and soon the guitar is lashing out with distorted chord tones and a disjointed rock-ish melody. By the end of the tune, the song is far from where it began. While it seems like the ten minute long 'Hang Out With' ...

77

Recording

Achim Kaufmann - Verivyr (Pirouet - 2011) *****

Achim Kaufmann - Verivyr (Pirouet - 2011) *****

Source: Free Jazz by Stef Gijssels

By Joe Higham On the first listen to this album I sensed that it would be a strong contender for 5 stars. It's an album that covers everything interesting and important in improvised music. It explores, swings, uses dissonance, melody, it surprises and delights you. In fact it's a lesson in what's not being taught in jazz conservatories world wide, how to make individual music that blurs boundaries and shows a sense of tradition. Achim Kaufmann has been on the ...

61

Recording

Tony Malaby - Novela (Clean Feed, 2011) *****

Tony Malaby - Novela (Clean Feed, 2011) *****

Source: Free Jazz by Stef Gijssels

By Paul Acquaro Novela by Tony Malaby is a real treat. It tantalizes the senses with its complex yet accessible horn arrangements, burns with a restrained energy that propels the soloists and builds so imperceptibly that by time we are half way into the first piece, “Floating Head," and the piano's slightly disjointed but flowing phrases come to the fore, we are ready for a slight breather. The bass clarinet phrases with the horn and drum hits below the soloing ...

79

Recording

Raoul Bjorkenheim, Bill Laswell, Morgan Agren - Blixt (Cuneiform, 2011) ****a1/2

Raoul Bjorkenheim, Bill Laswell, Morgan Agren - Blixt (Cuneiform, 2011) ****a1/2

Source: Free Jazz by Stef Gijssels

By Paul Acquaro I suppose that Blixt is best described as a rock power trio. Working with industrial strength rhythms, thickly distorted leads and dark enveloping bass, the trio moves through a series of tough minded improvisations bracketed by short heads. However, as tough and stormy as the tunes may get at times, the musicianship and sensibilities of all involved provide enough nuance and sophistication to keep even the heaviest moments buoyant. That being said, the album begins with a ...

100

Recording

Ochion Jewell - First Suite for Quartet (Mythology Records 2011) ****

Ochion Jewell - First Suite for Quartet (Mythology Records 2011) ****

Source: Free Jazz by Stef Gijssels

By Joe Higham Ochion Jewell's CD titled First Suite For Quartet released on David Binney's Mythology label, seems already one step ahead of your 'average' first CD release that I often get to hear. With such a grandiose title I was curious to see if a through composed piece of 48 minutes could hold my attention, and especially for a first album! Many first albums often attempt negotiating tricky chord progressions combined with displays of multiple time signatures and out ...

84

Recording

Matthew Shipp and Joe Morris - Broken Partials (Nottwo, 2011) ****

Matthew Shipp and Joe Morris - Broken Partials (Nottwo, 2011) ****

Source: Free Jazz by Stef Gijssels

By Paul Acquaro The music starts getting tense midway through 'Two' on Matthew Shipp and Joe Morris' vibrant new duo recording 'Broken Partials.' Shipp extracts all the sound he possibly can from the piano while Morris, intense and focused on upright bass, contributes a swarm of sound below the piano. Soon, like Shipp, he is digging fiercely into the acoustic depths of his instrument. Shipp's improvised melody on 'Three' begins with angular notes and puncuating tonal clusters that are ever ...

93

Recording

Kris Wanders - Mani Neumeier Quintet - Taken by Surprise (Not Two, 2011) ****

Kris Wanders - Mani Neumeier Quintet - Taken by Surprise (Not Two, 2011) ****

Source: Free Jazz by Stef Gijssels

By Paul Acquaro The Kris Wanders and Mani Neumeier Quintet's Taken by Surprise is an excursion into free but highly melodic improvisation, and Wanders and Brett Evans' tandem tenor saxophones on the the impassioned “Oxymoron" is an inspiring opener. The quintet is rounded out by Rory Brown on bass, Yusuke Akai on guitar and Neumeier on the drums. The rhythm section is top notch with Akai's guitar providing dry, clean, rhythmic and probing accompaniment, sometimes comping chords and other times ...

101

Recording

The Spanish Donkey -Xyx (Northern Spy, 2011) ****

The Spanish Donkey -Xyx (Northern Spy, 2011) ****

Source: Free Jazz by Stef Gijssels

By Paul Acquaro You could try approaching XYX actively listening to every nuance and rhythmic shift, analyzing and digesting every note. Or, you could let it wash over you, letting its sonic sandpaper exfoliate your mind. Either way, you will not be able to escape the tingling rawness it inflicts. I've tried both approaches, during the same listening session. The tracks “Mid-Evil" and “XYX," coming in at 38 and 22 minutes respectively, give ample time to tune in and out, ...

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