SEARCH |  |  |
| .. |
MONTHLY NEWSLETTER |  |
| ..

Bookmark Us! - Contact Us - Suggestion Box - Help Wanted - Advertise - Media Awards - Submit Your Link - Tell A Friend - For Contributors
MONTHLY GREETING Jazz Theory GETTING STARTED Welcome to AAJ! New to Jazz? Building a Jazz Library History of Jazz Jazz Humor
Show All Titles About AAJ Showcase How's That? Mike Kaplan Nonet Star Hustler Will Sellenraad Chorale Simone Guiducci Strings Jim Snidero It Was A Very Good Year John Basile ...In The Centerpoint Tolvan Big Band
Ali Ryerson & Joe Beck
| . |
New Texas Swing Alex Coke | CreOp Records
When one keeps glancing at the “elapsed time” while listening to the opening track on an album to see how much longer it has to run, that’s not a good sign. Alex Coke’s New Texas Swing, which was actually recorded in the Netherlands, is full of sound and fury, but its significance is lessened by unrelenting waves of clamorous intercourse. Not to discount anyone's sincerity -- these are four accomplished musicians who undoubtedly believe in what they are doing -- but I find it hard to relate to music that uses a club instead of a scepter to hammer home its point, however valid it may be. Drummer John Betsch is the worst offender, although in his defense that’s probably the way Coke wanted him to play, loud and heavy- handed. Coke is no slouch at the raucus game himself, often going over the top with assorted squeaks, squawls, honks, growls and undetermined sounds borrowed from the lexicon of Pharoah Sanders, David Murray, Sam Rivers, Archie Shepp, Peter Brötzmann and any number of others. When he’s not using those ploys, which isn’t nearly often enough, Coke seems a capable improviser from the Coltrane / Brecker / Lovano school. He plays tenor most of the way, flute on “The 13th Floor.” Tina Marsh sings and/or scats on every track, for the most part wordlessly in the manner of Norma Winstone or Judi Silvano. As far as I can tell, there only bona fide lyrics appear on Charlie Haden’s “Human Being” and Huddie Ledbetter’s tongue-in-cheek “Out on the Western Plains.” The response to Marsh’s vocal gymnastics lies in the ear of the beholder and depends on one’s musical comprehension and taste, as indeed does his or her reaction to the enterprise as a whole. As the saying goes, one man’s trash is another man’s treasure. The New Texas Swing I heard was more often chaotic than swinging, but others may not perceive it that way at all. Contact: CreOp Muse, P.O. Box 3215, Austin, TX 78704. Phone 512-448-3485. Visit CreOp and Alex Coke on the web. Email CreOp or Alex Coke. ~ Jack Bowers
| Track Listing: Round Trip; Go Down Ol’ Hannah; The 13th Floor; Human Being; The Saturn Line; Mothers of the Veil; Happy 2CU; Out on the Western Plains (66:19). Personnel: Alex Coke, woodwinds; Tina Marsh, voice; Arjen Gorter, bass; John Betsch, drums.
Search For Another CD Review... Search by Artist Name, Record Label or Review Author
Contact Us - Help Wanted - Suggestion Box - Advertise - Submit Your Link - For Contributors

All material copyright © 1996-2003 All About Jazz and contributing writers. All rights reserved. | Privacy Policy