(Avant-Garde Jazz, Free Jazz) Tisziji Munoz - Auspicious Healing - 2000, MP3 (tracks), 192 kbps

Produced by Tisziji Munoz
Tisziji Munoz: Guitar, Synths*
Marilyn Crispell: Piano
Henry Kaiser: Guitar, Guitar FX
Mark Dresser: Bass
Lukas Ligeti: Drums
Recorded on March 18, 2000 at Nevessa Recording Studio, Woodstock, NY
Mixed and Mastered by Mike Munoz, Assistant Engineer: Chris Andersen
"The phenomena of Tisziji. Hey, he's the real thing! A musical master and a wise and compassionate man. As a leader, he got the group to transcend itself. As a guitarist, I watched and heard him create incredible music through his instrument as if the guitar were invisible. When Tisziji plays he invokes new lines and ideas of that moment. He does not play licks or prepared ideas, he reaches out there and grabs new things and lays them out for us to hear, with humor, passion, severity, playfulness and warmth. He is one of a handful of jazz players who is not afraid to play the truth as it comes to him. When you see and hear him play you can feel that the walls between this world and other worlds are just a bit thinner for you, the listener. The music from this session illuminates for me a bit more of that intangible, spiritual side of music-making than many other projects I have been involved with. I point it out so explicitly here because I hope that you will enjoy it in that context." - Henry Kaiser
"This wonderful release features an all-star quintet of Tisziji and Henry Kaiser on guitars, Marilyn Crispell on piano, Mark Dresser on contrabass and Lukas Ligeti on drums. This first time quintet of five kindred spirits was organized by our pal and West coast guitar god - Henry Kaiser and he chose these players extremely well. This powerful cd begins and ends with a glowing, lovely duo of Marilyn and Tisziji on piano and guitar, although they had never heard each other's music, they work as a perfect duo - both heavily inspired by John Coltrane's heavy vibrations. "Auspicious!" the opener, is a touching ballad - somber and elegant, just the right way to begin our journey. The flood gates open wide on "Shenia Letticia Munoz" with a powerful trio erupting out of Trane-land, Marilyn building in harp-like waves, Mark's dense thumping, throbbing, slapping bass and Lukas' fierce rhythmic storm ever expanding as Munoz begins them spiraling, cascading lines reaching up higher and higher into the clouds and beyond. Eventually Marilyn takes over soloing also in McCoy-like waves with devastating results! This must be the most lyrical and most jazz-like of many Munoz cds, the pace is more calm than usual. On "Teardrop" the quartet once again begin with a slower pulse as Tisziji's guitar starts to build and levitate, the notes quickening to lightning-like flashes. Henry doesn't enter our journey until the fourth piece - "Prayer for Tolerance" in which Tisziji opens with a strange reed sound or sample, once more that calming vibe is at the center of this tune and Munoz takes the first tale-spinning solo as the heavens part, Henry continues the same vibration with his own distinctive (processed) sound as group winds down to more peaceful terrain, another work of luscious warmth and beauty. Both guitars and even some synth by Munoz weave frenetic bliss on "Orange Chocolate Mint Medicine in G Humor". The high point here is "Brahms' Lullaby" which has a gorgeous, old fashioned melody to start and reminds me of what Coltrane did to "My Favorite Things" or "Chim Chim Cheree". Tisziji takes the first mind-blowing solo - fragments of lines burning, blurring, buzzing and ascending ever upwards! Both Henry and Marilyn also take astounding solos as the heavens open up and the sun shines through. The final piece "Healing " is another piano and guitar duo and it is a refreshing, rare and precious lullaby to help us glide into a somber, peaceful dream-like world. " - BLG