Upon first listen, this disc might seem a bit lackluster and a step back from the forefront of
cutting-
edge jazz that Thirsty Ear has recently delved into with great success... then further
investigation reveals its emotional depth and simon-pure nature.
The Good and Evil Sessions represents a collaboration between the production team of
Good and Evil (Danny Blume and Chris Kelly) and the crew of usual TE suspects in Matthew Shipp,
Roy Campell, and William Parker, plus trombonists Alex Lodico and Josh Roseman. Blume and
Kelly, who found each other and began making
music a few years ago, quickly signed to a label and have done production services on a number of
projects since that time, including credits ranging from the B-52s, Roni Size, and Tommy Sunshine
to rappers Northern State and Felix Da House Cat. They've also worked in conjunction with many
musicians on New York's "Downtown" scene. These guys have big ears and they're not
afraid
to use them.
William Parker and Matthew Shipp have been on quite a roll in the last few years, and as a
result, they have
become well known throughout the rich tapestry of modern jazzers on the out music scene. They
won their jazz
credentials in the time-honored way of taking it to the clubs, laying it down on their own terms, and
walking
away with the lessons they've learned. They also have big ears and are constantly using them to
revitalize the current
state of modern jazz.
Groove is a significant element in this music's equation, but certainly not the whole picture--what
happens
between those grooves contributes another huge part of the vibrancy of this music. Parker's bass
playing has never
sounded better, and his sense of touch on the instrument grows deeper with the passing of time.
The
two
trombonists are used to great effect to color and add texture, bringing some much-needed elasticity
to
the
groove. Ditto in regards to the general role of the trumpets. Some of these ideas have been
explored in
the past by Jon Hassell on his '94 record Dressing For Pleasure. The Good and Evil
Sessions is an update of that sensibility which works on many musical levels.
Shipp plays the Korg synthesizer with his usual aplomb, and he continues to boil over with new
ideas. His return from "retirement" from a few years ago was one of the best things to
happen in modern
keyboard history! The man is on fire!
Then, after all, there are the aforementioned grooves. Blume and Kelly bring a lot to the table on
this project. Check out the stratospheric guitar tucked away in the mix of most cuts and notice the
feelings
those subtle touches bring out in the music. "Sweetbitter," the last track on the
album, is a real standout--the last section will simply floor you.
Visit Thirsty Ear on the
web.
~ Farrell Lowe
