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Archive for the ‘Ben Monder’ tag

“Humanities” has a shared sense of groove and interactivity

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The latest album from the esteemed jazz pianist and musicologist David Ake, Humanities swings buoyantly through a dozen tracks, mostly original compositions. The only cover on the album is a convincing translation of the Grateful Dead’s “Ripple” into a wistful, earnest ballad in the style of Brian Blade’s Fellowship Band. They showcase a wide range of emotion and timbre, from the calm, spa ...Read More

Written by jamo

July 9th, 2018 at 1:36 pm

Culture Jazz from France praises the new one from David Ake

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September 17th was a beautiful day in New York. Around 7 pm, David Ake met the team he had gathered at the Acoustic Recording Studio in Brooklyn and less than six hours later, the contents of that disc had been recorded. The day before, the quintet had met a first time in order to quickly “fly over” the scores. And here is this jewel chiseled in a very short time by goldsmiths unparall ...Read More

Written by jamo

May 8th, 2018 at 8:40 am

Grateful for David Ake’s New One “Humanities”

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    When Robert Hunter and Jerry Garcia wrote the Grateful Dead’s most beloved song, “Ripple,” as the B-side to their 1970 “Truckin’” single, they had no way of knowing that 48 years later, it would be the highlight — and only cover — on a terrific 2018 jazz album by pianist David Ake’s Humanities is solid  throughout, especially considering his amazing qui ...Read More

Written by jamo

April 17th, 2018 at 8:11 pm

David Ake delves deep into “Humanities”

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Pianist, composer, and educator David Ake is a native of New Haven, CT, but spent his formative years in Chicago. He did his  undergraduate at the University of Miami before heading to the West Coast to do post-grad work at the California Institute of the Arts and UCLA. Ake’s fifth album on Posi-Tone is titled “Humanities” and features the powerful musical voices of his fellow C ...Read More

Written by jamo

March 22nd, 2018 at 12:39 pm

All About Jazz gives “Message In Motion” 5 stars

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Message In Motion is a recording that can be gainfully approached from a number of angles. You can choose to play it in a single sitting from start to finish, taking in an array of moods evoked by bassist Peter Brendler’s seven compositions and a band worthy of his exemplary skills as a writer. (The record also includes selections penned by Duke Ellington, Elliott Smith, and Alice Coltrane.) ...Read More

Written by jamo

October 28th, 2016 at 9:40 am

Classicalite says Peter Brendler’s “Message In Motion” lives up to it’s name

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Another winner from the left coast’s Posi-Tone: consider it a Message In Motion by Peter Brendler where six of the tracks feature no chords whatsoever as it’s Brendler’s bass augmented by Rich Perry’s tenor sax, the trumpet of Peter Evans and Vinnie Sperazza with the type of kinetic drumming that continually moves the music forward. Brendler wrote eight of 10 and his comp ...Read More

Written by jamo

September 16th, 2016 at 9:45 am

Midwest Record tells us about the well conceived “Message In Motion” by Peter Brendler

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Having made his bones with his John Abercrombie duet, the bass ace pioneers a new jazz genre, free jazz for white people. Not as madly careening as classic civil rights jazz, Brendler’s vision has it own moves and makes it own rules madly teasing the ears of honkies not all that in love with straight lines. Well conceived wild stuff for those looking for a wild ride. CHRIS SPECTOR – MI ...Read More

Written by editor

July 28th, 2016 at 11:56 am

Dusted Magazine tells us about the blend of instrumental prowess on “Message In Motion”

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On his excellent debut outing for Positone, bassist Peter Brendler got arguably upstaged by the intrigue inherent to the frontline pairing of tenorist Rich Perry and trumpeter Peter Evans. With Message in Motion much of the novelty has worn off, replaced by a full embrace of the confidence that comes from two players who share an encyclopedic command of their respective instruments. Vinnie Sperraz ...Read More

Written by editor

July 28th, 2016 at 11:10 am

Chicago Reader tells us about Peter Brendler’s mainstream postbop “Message In Motion”

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New York bassist Peter Brendler has been a rising figure in the city’s jazz mainstream for the past decade or so. He recently released Message in Motion (Posi-Tone), his second album as a leader (not counting a 2013 duo recording with guitarist John Abercrombie, The Angle Below). It’s another knockout, working solidly within postbop orthodoxy while pushing against its strictures, than ...Read More

Written by editor

July 22nd, 2016 at 1:11 pm

Culture Jazz (France) reveals the Power of “Message In Motion”

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Jazz full frame. It is right on target with this strong team of aggressive and inventive musicians able to revive the colors of the modern swing. After Outside The Line (Posi-Tone, 2014), bassist Peter Brendler maintains the same quartet without harmonic instrument to propose a music with clear lines: two soloists and a rhythm section. Classic you might say, of course, but with a few blowers duo P ...Read More

Written by editor

July 21st, 2016 at 12:04 pm