ROB MAZUREK EXPLODING STAR ORCHESTRA - GALACTIC PARABLES VOL. 1
The most cosmically expansive and exciting work yet from
composer/coronet player Rob Mazurek's Exploding Star Orchestra – dedicated to
Amiri Baraka, and infused with the righteous, poetic spirit of Baraka's work
with Sun Ra! The Exploding Star players include some Chicago underground heroes
and heroines of longstanding brilliance, including flautist Nicole Mitchell,
guitarist Jeff Parker, drummers John Herndon and Chad Taylor, bassist Matthew
Lux, and Damon Locks on electronics and with some subtly righteous spoken word
– along with Mazurek's Sao Paolo Underground cohorts Mauricio Takara and
Guilherme Grandando, and last but not least, pianist Angelica Sanchez – all of
whom have ample space to shine. Galactic Parables Vol 1 is a 2 disc set, one
featuring the compositions as performed in Sardinia, and a second CD of their
performances at the Chicago Cultural Center, which is a smart approach, given
the improvisational nature of the material. There's plenty of space for the
players to explore, and the differing performances are no doubt colored and
shaded in different ways by different environments. Amazing stuff! Titles
include "Free Agents Of Sound", "Make Way To The City",
"The Arc Of Slavery #72", "Helmets Of Our Poisonous Thoughts
#16", "Collections Of Time" and "Awaken The World
#41". ~ Dusty Groove
KENNY BARRON / MARK SHERMAN - INTERPLAY
A great meeting between jazz piano legend Kenny Barron and
the younger, brillant vibes player Mark Sherman – Barron being a veteran of top
notch duo settings, and Sherman newer to it – but Sherman succeeds here
mightily! Interplay couldn't be a more fitting title, as the pair are perfectly
simpatico – working together on a range of material and a lone Barron original,
it's wonderful from track-to-track – feeling like one of the coziest, strongest
latenight jazz club sessions you'd ever be lucky enough to see. Includes nice
takes on the tried-and-true "Afternoon In Paris", "Dear Old
Stockholm" and "Indian Summer", the Barron composed waltz
"Venture Within", Dexter Gordon's "Cheese Cake", the
Charles Mingus gem "Orange Was The Color Of Her Dress, Then Blue
Silk", "Polka Dots And Moonbeams", "Without A Song"
and more. ~ Dusty Groove
PAQUITO D’RIVERA & QUINTETO CIMARRON – AIRES TROPICALES
One of the most creatively adventurous efforts in years from
Paquito D'Rivera – which is saying something, as he's never lacking in ambition
– and it finds the style-straddling clarinetist joined by the Cimarron string
quintet! Quinteto Cimarron is a Cuban combo that leans more towards
contemporary small combo classical, with a pair of violins, viola, cello and
contrabass – and Paquito's clarinet and occasional saxophone feels right at
home in the mix. There's no additional accompaniment, nor is it needed, it
works brilliantly as is, with arrangements by Eduardo Cana Flores, and titles
that include "Alborada Y Son", "Wapango",
"Habanera", "Afro", "Contradanza",
"Martica", "Longina", "Notas De La Habana",
"La Rity", "Dna Vainilla", "Zumolanida",
"Isora Club", "La Rity" and more. 17 in all! ~ Dusty Groove
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