Dominic+duval

Recorded at about the same time as "Monkinus", the album by the same duo released on CIMP, the album is as good without adding too much. "Blue Monk", "Brilliant Corners", "Ruby, My Dear", "Epistrophy", "Criss Cross", "Evidence", "Monk's Dream", "Bye-ya", "Off Minor" figure on both albums…

This high-fidelity live concert recording captures bassist Dominic Duval's quintet at the height of its powers. Each of the fully improvised tracks is simply entitled "Cries & Whispers," and numbered chronologically. To be sure, three strings and two reeds are unusual instrumentation, and in lesser hands the results might have been less focused…

Duval is joined by Herb Robertson, Bob Hovey & Jay Rosen on a very coherent & varied free jazz album. To justify the title, the four musicians play an incredible array of instruments, including bass, electronics, trumpet, whistles, voices, flute harp, trombone, foreign language, turntable, drums, percussion, bells, shark, and even an egg beater.

For nearly two decades, Brazilian-born and Brooklyn-based saxist Ivo Perelman has been evolving his own path of improvised jazz, playing solo, in duos, trios & quartets with a number of downtown's best musicians. One of Ivo's most constant companions is contrabassist Dom Duval who has recorded on perhaps a dozen of Ivo's previous duo & trio CD's. Violinist Rosie Hertlein has also recorded and performed with Ivo on occasion and is yet another local talent who has knocked me out whenever I've heard her play although she remains beneath the radar screen of recognition…

As is so often the case with music this adventurous, reactions are likely to be extreme: most probably will either love it or hate it. Both CDs from this set were recorded live at Rochester, NY's appropriately titled Bop Shop, a venue that has excelled at hosting the best artists on the radical fringes of jazz. Each CD features the sinewy trumpet of Paul Smoker with a different acoustic string bassist, Ed Schuller on the first and Dominic Duval on the second…

A great choice of tunes and an outstanding supporting cast mark this album from the outset. With performers of the caliber of Steve Swell and Dominic Duval behind her, vocalist Mary LaRose (not to be confused with the equally impressive jazz vocalist Dena de Rose) spins a tight yet expansive story, one that goes deep into the belly of the melodies, distorting them just enough to make them feel fresh. LaRose is a modernist, yet she values old-fashioned tunefulness and emotion. Trombone, sax, and acoustic bass may at first blush seem like an odd combination to back a jazz singer, but with her elastic vocal chords, the mix is nearly perfect…