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Plunge

Mark McGrain

Composer and trombonist.

"McGrain aptly demonstrates that he understands the potent power of the bass frequency as he leads his ensemble into this low-registered fling spiced by the merrymaking revelry and percussive buoyancy of New Orleans Mardi Gras and Brazilian Carnival." (Dan Ouellette, DownBeat * * * * )

"McGrain is a daring trombonist, to be commended for his vision of this tonally unique group." (Robin Tolleson, Modern Drummer)

James Singleton

Composer, bassist, band leader, and multi-instrumentalist James Singleton has made his home in New Orleans since 1977.

Tim Green

Tim Green is arguably the finest saxophone player in New Orleans, and one of the most sought after musicians around the country for both session work and gigs. In addition to being a top-notch musician, Tim Green has dedicated himself and continues to dedicate his time to a host of worthy causes. Tim was awarded President George H.W. Bush's 257th Point of Light.

Avishai Cohen

An internationally reknown composer and artist, Avishai fits his bass into a uniquely counter-melodic and percussive role in Plunge.

Marcus Rojas

Marcus Rojas is considered one of "the best all around tuba players in the world" (Harvey Pekar,Jazziz). He has developed a style of playing that brings a new sense of flexibility and timbre to the tuba while expanding its role in both solo and ensemble settings. Plunge offers Rojas the opportunity to stretch out and take a front-line role.

Rakalam Bob Moses

Bob Moses is one of the living legends in jazz. Drummer, composer, artist, poet, dancer, visionary, nature mystic: Bob Moses's life has been a continuous quest for vision, spirit, compassion, growth, and mastery in a multiplicity of art forms.

The wide-open sound of Plunge gives Bob plenty of room to orchestrate a percussion web, with occasional vocal interjections.

Tags

6
Album Review

Plunge: In For The Out

Read "In For The Out" reviewed by Dave Wayne


Trombonist Mark McGrain is one of those guys who follows his own muse. Though he's not particularly prolific, each of his albums as a leader feature some truly profound music-making. In for the Out is no exception. On his fourth album as a leader, McGrain has re-invented himself, playing with an expanded New Orleans-based group and with a completely revamped sound. Tin Fish Tango (Immersion Media, 2011) and Dancing on Thin Ice (Immersion Media, 2009), also recorded in New Orleans ...

Album Review

Plunge: IN For The OUT

Read "IN For The OUT" reviewed by Angelo Leonardi


A capo del gruppo Plunge, il trombonista Mark McGrain è uno dei protagonisti del jazz a New Orleans nel decennio post Katrina. Dopo il debutto nel 1995 (Falling with Grace, Accurate Records) in un organico comprendete Bob Moses alla batteria, Avishai Cohen al contrabbasso e Marcus Rojas alla tuba, il trombonista ha ricostituito il gruppo qualche anno fa con il sassofonista Tim Green e il bassista James Singleton presentando l'acclamato Dancing On Thin Ice (Immersion Records, 2009).

332
Album Review

Plunge: Tin Fish Tango

Read "Tin Fish Tango" reviewed by Dan McClenaghan


Plunge is a drummer-less trio, featuring leader/trombonist Mark McGrain teamed with bassist James Singleton. The “no drums" approach allows flexibility in the music's time element, and a fluidity of the flow of notes, while horns and bass make room for space as a major component of the sound.The slippery tango of the title track to Plunge's third CD, Tin Fish Tango, opens the disc, featuring brief, concise soloing, entwined with jaunty bass lines. McGrain and saxophonist Tim Green ...

298
Album Review

Plunge: Dancing on Thin Ice

Read "Dancing on Thin Ice" reviewed by Raul d'Gama Rose


There is a plangorous significance to Dancing on Thin Ice. Built on the symbolic thin ice of New Orleans' ecology, it depicts a city that has bounced back from Katrina but only just. It also tells a broader allegorical tale about the planet's teeter-tottering cultural ecology--hence the cover silhouettes of a mastodon and hammerhead shark, representing the strength of all that lives on earth and in the depths of the ocean, and all that makes jazz strong, pliant and enduring. ...

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142

Performance / Tour

Captain Hook "Plunge!" CD Release Party on July 2 at de Melkweg in Amsterdam

Captain Hook "Plunge!" CD Release Party on July 2 at de Melkweg in Amsterdam

Source: Michael Ricci

Captain Hook proudly presents their third album Plunge! Saturday the 2nd of July 2011 at de Melkweg in Amsterdam. Captain Hook is a funk jazz quintet from the Netherlands. They play high-energy grooves with catchy melodies and freaky improvisations. 70's-fender rhodes sounds go together with nu-beats, heavy guitar riffs and bebopish saxophone licks. Captain Hook delivers a cool now-a-days mix of dansable jazz and exciting soundscapes. The five bandmembers of Captain Hook are clearly acquainted with each other and have ...

50

Recording

Plunge Brings Chamber Jazz to a Good Place in "Tin Fish Tango"

Plunge Brings Chamber Jazz to a Good Place in "Tin Fish Tango"

Source: Gapplegate Music Review by Grego Edwards

New Orleans is a trombone town. Aside from Kid Ory and the tailgate players. Today for example you have Delfeayo Marsalis, Jeff Albert and . . . Mark McGrain. It is with the latter of the three that we concern ourselves today. He is an integral member of the trio Plunge, the others being James Singleton on contrabass and and Tim Green on alto. They are joined by guests reedman Tom Fitzpatrick and Kirk Joseph on Sousaphone for several numbers ...

112

Recording

Catching up (1): Plunge, Asmussen, Koorax

Catching up (1): Plunge, Asmussen, Koorax

Source: Rifftides by Doug Ramsey

2009 brought to the Rifftides doorstep an unprecedented number of albums hoping for attention. If I had listened all day every day this year, I could not have paid proper attention to even a small percentage of them. I have been attempting to catch up with some of the CDs in the stacks that occupy what's left of my floor space (shelves are no longer available). In this series of posts, I will call to your attention a few of ...

Music

Recordings: As Leader | As Sideperson

In For The Out

Immersion Records & Media
2016

buy

IN For The OUT

Immersion Records & Media
2015

buy

Tin Fish Tango

Immersion Records & Media
2011

buy

Dancing on Thin Ice

Immersion Records & Media
2009

buy

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