The Music of Eric Von Essen, Vol. 1 [CD]

Description: Performer Notes: Personnel: Alan Broadbent (piano); Alex Cline (drums, percussion); Nels Cline (acoustic & electric guitars); Stacy Rowles (trumpet, flugehorn); Jeff Gauthier (violin); Tom Garvin, David Witham, Alan Pasqua (piano); Larry Koonse (electric guitar); Tom Warrington, Dave Carpenter, Putter Smith, Joel Hamilton, Michael Elizondo (bass); Peter Erskine, Paul Kreibich, Kendall Kay (drums).Recorded between February 11 & August 22, 1999. Includes liner notes by Safford Chamberlain and Jeff Gauthier.Personnel: Alan Broadbent (piano); Alex Cline (drums, percussion); Nels Cline (acoustic guitar, electric guitar); Peter Erskine (drums); Alan Pasqua (piano); Larry Koonse (electric guitar); Jeff Gauthier (violin); Rich Breen (recorder); Stacy Rowles (trumpet, flugelhorn); David Witham, Tom Garvin (piano); Paul Kreibich (drums).Audio Mixer: Rich Breen .Recording information: Capitol Records (02/11/1999-08/22/1999); Mad Hatter Studios (02/11/1999-08/22/1999); Rumbo Recorders (02/11/1999-08/22/1999).West Coast bassist/composer Von Essen died prematurely in his sleep of a heart attack at age 43 but left behind some 100 compositions, and many bandmates are dedicated to making sure his music gets heard. This is one of three proposed volumes that will assure Von Essen's sounds are known to a jazz public that probably never heard of him. That will change, for this is a wonderful initial outing, played by five different groups. Pianists Alan Pasqua and Alan Broadbent lead trios on two tracks apiece. Pasqua, with Dave Carpenter on bass and Peter Erskine on drums, uses an urgent ticktock to a light beat under a languid, beauteous piano melody on "Silvana," while "Blues For Carin'" is an easily swung, ultra-melodic number with Pasqua using Chick Corea or Thelonious Monk-like techniques. Broadbent swings "Blues Puzzle" with Putter Smith's bass way up in the mix, while the lament "Nowhere" starts with solo 88s, then Smith and drummer Kendall Kay join on this most pristine ballad. Electric guitarist Nels Cline and pianist David Witham lead a quartet for the urgent, modal to swinging "Peacemaker," as familiar a theme as the public might recognize, and the easy flowing waltz "For Me" sports some lustrous unison lines. Violinist Jeff Gauthier and acoustic guitarist Cline in finger-style mode use a chamber-style approach … la Oregon for "Incomplete Circle" in phrases of seven and four beats, while the slow waltz "Departure" has Gauthier in mournful yet optimistic spirits. Stacy Rowles plays poignant trumpet or flugelhorn with Larry Koonse's tender electric guitar in separate lines on the contemporary ballad "Love Song For Kirsi" and works in tandem on the easy, straight-ahead swinger "Benny" for Benny Golson, using phraseology from Golson's "Whisper Not." Tom Warrington, in Von Essen's spirit, evokes the composer's persona with a deftly plucked bass solo. If this is only a portent of future volumes to come, it's quite an auspicious starting point. One can only look at future issuance of Von Essen's musical brilliance with hope and grand expectation. Highly recommended. ~ Michael G. Nastos Professional Reviews: JazzTimes (8/00, p.126) - "...The level of interpretation is very high throughout....The soloists are interesting and sometimes arresting, and the level of group interaction is consistently engrossing." Mojo (Publisher) (4/01, p.107) - "...A fine-honed tribute to his elaborate, intimate music..." Producer: Jeff Gauthier Format: CD (1 Disc); Stereo Country: USA Studio/Live: Studio Release Date: 1 March, 2005 Label: Cryptogramophone Dimensions: 12.8 x 14.1 x 0.9 centimeters (0.05 kg)

Price: 15.79 GBP

Location: Gloucester

End Time: 2025-01-16T07:41:48.000Z

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