(Avant-Garde / Structured Improvisation / Free Improvisation) Denman Maroney Quintet - Udentity - 2009, FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

Denman Maroney Quintet - Udentity Жанр: Avant-Garde / Structured Improvisation / Free Improvisation Год выпуска диска: 2009 Производитель диска: Portugal (Clean Feed CF137) Аудио кодек: FLAC Тип рипа: image+.cue Битрейт аудио: lossless Продолжительность: 1:01:12 Источник: Собственный рип с оригинального дискаDenman Maroney: hyperpiano Ned Rothenberg: alto saxophone, clarinet, bass clarinet Dave Ballou: trumpet Reuben Radding: bass Michael Sarin: drumsUdentity I Udentity II Udentity III Udentity IV Udentity V Udentity VI Udentity VIIRecorded January 4 & 6, 2008 by Michael Brorby at Acoustic Recording, NY.  Clean Feed Release NotesUdentity by the Denman Maroney Quintet has the "hyperpiano" as main focus. The title is a word coined by Harry Partch meaning undertone identity. In the tradition of Henry Cowell, John Cage and George Crumb, Maroney offers here a new and very convincing opus of his always imaginative attempts, in a jazz context, to extend the possibilities of the instrument invented by Bartolomeo Cristofori. But because there's much more in Udentity than the piano, and because this complex yet accessible music is structured with different simultaneous tempos, we find him in the company of superlative musicians. Saxophonist/clarinetist Ned Rothenberg is on the top of his guts-and-brain approach to jazz, trumpeter David Ballou adds his "third stream" expertise, and the rhythm section formed by Reuben Radding (bass) and Michael Sarin (drums) contributes with a solid backup to all things happening. A must have, demonstrating what is jazz in this beginning of the 21st century. ~ Clean Feed  AAJ ReviewDenman Maroney, the sole practitioner of "hyperpiano," has a singular technique that is a natural extension of the pioneering efforts of such visionary composers as John Cage, Henry Cowell and George Crumb. Expanding on the well-established practice of augmenting the interior strings of the piano with found objects, Maroney bows, plucks and scrapes the strings with brass bowls, copper bars, plastic cases, rubber blocks and other objects with one hand, while playing the keys with his free hand. Transforming the concept of prepared piano into an interactive activity, he yields an infinite range of harmonic overtones, exotic tone clusters and indefinite pitches. Mirroring his advanced approach towards improvisation, Maroney uses an array of complex structural devices to build his intricate compositions, such as multiple syncopated rhythms, hocketing melodies and preset undertone series. In spite of the preponderance of such esoteric devices, Maroney's writing exudes a subtle accessibility, employing catchy melodic fragments that occasionally hark back to the early jazz age. Embellishing these labyrinthine pieces is a veteran quintet, all members of Maroney's previous ensembles. Fluxations (New World, 2003) featured multi-instrumentalist Ned Rothenberg and trumpeter Dave Ballou, while Rothenberg, bassist Reuben Radding and drummer Michael Sarin form the core of Maroney's recent quartet effort Gaga (NuScope, 2008). Consisting of seven distinct movements, each section of Udentity highlights a different aspect of Maroney's multifaceted capabilities. The punchy opener entwines a cantilevered series of staccato refrains over a percolating funk vamp while the following piece unfolds with an effervescent melody bolstered by timeless unison harmonies. Invoking past traditions, Ballou unleashes pungent smears from his plunger-muted trumpet across the pensive "Udentity V," as Rothenberg's clarion clarinet cadences careen through the abstruse avenues of "Udentity III." All the while, Radding and Sarin navigate Maroney's contrapuntal meters and interlocking rhythms with deliberate pacing and spontaneous invention. Despite the quintet's sterling contributions, it's Maroney's efforts that are the most striking, with excursions that often border on the surreal—such as the pirouetting vortex of scintillating metallic glissandos and oscillating harmonics that conclude "Udentity II." His oblique phrasing on "Udentity V" is complemented by the rhythm section's languorous groove, like bluesy Dixieland refracted through a cubist lens. The dynamic vacillations of "Udentity III" encompass a wealth of moods, alternating between austere pointillism and kaleidoscopic chromaticism. Another exceptional release in a growing discography, Udentity is a stirring example of the adventurous yet accessible possibilities of jazz in the new millennium. ~ Troy Collins, AAJ  Free Jazz ReviewPianist Denman Maroney is a restless spirit, seeking new ways to express himself, joining careful structural compositional elements with free form, and the result is utterly perplexing and warm. I have listened more than a dozen times to this album in the past days and it is extremely difficult get familiar with it. Each time I listen to this record, it sounds different. It is hard to identify themes, or even structures in it, but the music is carefully crafted nevertheless : the rhythms and tempos are different for the various instruments in the quintet, and so is the harmonic development. It is at times puzzling for the listener: once you focus on one thing, the other parts seem to escape attention, and vice versa. A kind of musical "trompe l'oeil" with ever ongoing shifts and differing perspectives. Musical time becomes a relative thing. On top of that, Maroney uses his hyperpiano extensions: anything that is handy to give his strings a different sound color will do: slides and bows of metal, rubber, plastic, brass bowls, CD jewel cases, tape cassette boxes, you name it. But the brilliant thing about Maroney's approach is that his music sounds great. In contrast to many experimenters, the music still prevails here, and how. With a band consisting of Ned Rothenberg on clarinet and sax, Dave Ballou on trumpet, Reuben Radding on bass and Michael Sarin on drums, what more do you want? And I think you would need such technically gifted musicians to bring Maroney's musical concept to a good end, and adding some. It must have required great efforts of concentration for them, yet the quality of the improvisations is such that all five musicians dance their way through even the most difficult parts. And despite all the complexity, the album is great fun. It is serious at times, but Maroney does not take himself too seriously. And because of the different tempi, it funks too at times. Music for the mind, heart and body. And like any good music, its quality increases with each listen. More joy to come. ~ Free-Jazz  BBC ReviewDenman Maroney plays 'hyperpiano'. Before you start thinking that might be a very large piano set on the outskirts of town, think again. it's actually his term for the process of playing the piano in any number of ways other than just simply hitting the keys (though he does that as well). This use of prepared piano owes equal amounts to John Cage, Ornette Coleman and Charles Ives. He uses copper pipes, Tibetan bowls, bits of wood and rubber or even CD cases to coax micro harmonies, creaks, groans and unearthly sounds from the strings over a series of improvisations by a band made up of Ned Rothenberg (reeds), Dave Ballou (trumpet), Reuben Radding (bass) and Michael Sarin (drums). It's a surprisingly accessible success, too. While you may assume that such free form exercises in tone and texture may be a little lacking in form you'd be wrong. Maroney's system of temporal harmony allows him to improvise and compose in several tempos at once. Aided by Sarin, Udentity - split into seven parts - contains some remarkably toe-tapping moments. While the shorter numbers throw up some interesting ideas it's the longer work here (I, III and VII) that bear the most fruits. Mixing rhythms, changing focus and giving themselves space to, say, move from a funky backbone to a softly morphing display of bowing and scraping, aided by the grunting of Ned Rothenberg's sax or oboe [sic]. Indeed the whole album contains not only forays into the avant garde, but manages to root itself in some pretty traditional arrangements at times. It's playful while deadly serious about the way in which new sounds can be applied to the form. And ultimately, it's a fascinating journey. ~ Chris Jones, BBC  EAC Report Exact Audio Copy V0.99 prebeta 5 from 4. May 2009EAC extraction logfile from 24. 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