Clean Feed

Chris Lightcap is a bassist's bassist. As a sideman to leaders such as Regina Carter, Matt Wilson, Joe Morris, Marc Ribot, and Craig Taborn, his rock-solid timekeeping can be quite inconspicuous. He is a sort of steadfast superglue that leaders and composers hold in high regard. As a leader and composer, there is another Chris Lightcap. Epicenter, is his third Bigmouth release, following the quintet Deluxe (Clean Feed, 2010) and a quartet Bigmouth (Fresh Sound New Talent, 2002). He continues to display his ability to sculpt music utilizing a two-tenor saxophone lineup.

Elliot Sharp Aggregat - Quintet (2013) {Clean Feed}
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 278 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 123 Mb
Full Artwork @ 300 dpi (jpg) -> 10 Mb | 5% repair rar
© 2013 Cleen Feed / Trem Azul | CF288CD
Jazz / Avant-Garde Jazz / Free Improvisation

Elliott Sharp is one of New York downtown scene's more notorious affiliates, primarily heralded for his avant-garde guitar work, spanning jazz improvisation, jazz-rock, and blues-rock. He's also an accomplished reedman, evidenced on Quintet and previous ventures into the free-jazz space. Sharp once again aligns with like- minded New York-based artists, some of whom are leaders, and busy session artists.

Since arriving in New York City in 2001, Nate Wooley has established himself as one of the most inventive trumpet players of his generation. In addition to the admiration of his peers, including fellow trumpeters like Taylor Ho Bynum, Peter Evans and Kirk Knuffke, Wooley has earned the respect of esteemed scene veterans, such as Dave Douglas, who said "Nate Wooley is one of the most interesting and unusual trumpet players living today, and that is without hyperbole."

Rob Mazurek has long been entrenched in his eclectic, global and multi-media creative sphere making it easy for listeners to forget his musical roots. With his 1994 leader debut, Man Facing East (Hep Records), he had already shown signs of breaking with convention, particularly on the title track of that album. The electro-acoustic cornet and keyboard player and visual artist began his music career in Chicago, working his way through hard bop and progressive rock before finding his place in the avant-garde/free improvisation sub-genres. The latter forms do little justice to the unique and varied approaches that Mazurek pursues across multiple group formations. Rome, is Mazurek's first solo outing since Vortice of the Faun (Astral Spirits, 2015), a very different, all-electronic noise album.

On every label there are records that can be called landmarks and that's what we have here, a magnum opus by the late great master Muhal Richard Abrams. Some years before his death he received a commission from Bobby Zankel and his Warriors of the Wonderful Sound to write new big band music for this Philadelphian ensemble. He composed the 70 pages and 16 parts of “Soundpath” and attended the first rehearsals. It premiered in 2012 but only in 2018 – some months after Abrams passed away – a second opportunity to present it publically was possible, during the October Revolution festival. Some adaptations were made: Zankel invited Marty Ehrlich (who worked closely with Muhal) as the conductor and some extra instrumentalists familiar with the master’s musical visions were added. The concert received a second standing ovation and the 17 musicians went to the studio the next day. This is the resulting document that makes us all incredibly proud.

Second chapter of the Basement legendary sessions by the trio of saxophone ace Jonas Kullhammar, bass wizard Torbjorn Zetterberg and master drummer Espen Aalberg. Old fashioned sound exploring the natural dynamics of the instruments in a way surprisingly no one does anymore. This shouldn't be mistaken with old fashioned music , this time playing mostly Mr. Aalberg's compositions plus one rendition of Bent Rosengren tune, "Gluck".

Mark Dresser makes music in a vast variety of settings and contexts, but the dauntingly prolific bassist always seeks to create space for the unpredictable play between form and freedom. On his new album Sedimental You, slated for release in early November, 2016, he’s assembled an astonishingly creative cast that embraces the intuitive and emotionally charged nature of his improvisational imperative. Riveting, playful and often revelatory, his compositions emerge out of a shifting matrix of specific musical personalities and the often dismaying swirl of current events.

Beautiful albums do not need many words. Pianist and composer Angelica Sanchez has invited Wadada Leo Smith to join her for a duo album, recorded in April of last year. Sanchez is a member of the trumpeter's "Organic" Ensemble, whose "Heart's Reflections" also received a 5-star rating on this blog. Smith made one trumpet-piano duo album before, "Interludes Of Breath & Substance" with Matthew Goodheart, which was good, but this one is truly excellent.