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The
double-reeded instruments have rarely made effective improvising horns
and, Illinois Jacquet notwithstanding, the bassoon is the least
promising of all. That said, Michael Rabinowitz works wonders on
these duos with pianist Michael Stevens. If some of this sounds
like obscure test pieces of the early 20th century, they're none the
less effective for that. |
The
Wire
Brian
Morton |
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The
album title suggests a hint of where these two veteran progressive jazz
artists are going here. They let the tape roll, so to speak. But
considering their respective improvisational skills, the music is alive
and of an exploratory mindset. With that, pianist Michael Jefry Stevens
renders a polytonal edge to Michael Rabinowitz’ lower register lines
throughout this quietly, captivating foray. The duo engages in call and
response exercises, including a few bittersweet passages and up-tempo
opuses. Of course, the bassoon is a classically rooted instrument and
there are some inferences to this genre here. But. Rabinowitz’ jazz
inclinations render a contrasting perspective to the norm. With a few
tools in hand, the artists’ loom as high-achievers during this
delightful encounter. |
Jazz Review
Glenn Astarita
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Continuing the Drimala
label's exploration of the art of the duo, Play finds former
Mosaic Sextet bandmembers Michael Jefry Stevens (piano) and Michael
Rabinowitz (bassoon) together in the studio for the first time in nearly
ten years, though you'd never guess. The interplay between the two is
impressive, almost telepathic from the outset, as proceedings kick off
in style with the opening "Sibling Rivalry". A strong lyrical vein runs
through the music, and "jazz" somehow just doesn't seem to be the right
word to describe it, firstly because the bassoon is hardly a standard
jazz instrument (give yourself a test and see how many jazz bassoonists
you can name once you've mentioned Rabinowitz and, of course, Karen
Borca) and secondly because Stevens' piano stylings owe as much to
Debussy, Bartók and Stravinsky as they do to any post-War jazz pianist
you'd care to name. If left to his own devices too often, Stevens can
tend to drift into rather manneristic repetition, transposing figures
over and over again in the same direction, which is why I prefer him in
larger ensembles (check out
Aercine,
on Drimala, where he's joined by Mark Feldman, Harvey Sorgen, Steve Rust
and Herb Robertson), but with Rabinowitz around to keep him in check,
this happens comparatively rarely. |
Paris Transatlantic
Dan Warburton |
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'Play' continues Drimala Records' ongoing
exploration of the art of the duet. On this recording pianist Michael
Jefry Stevens is joined for the first time since the early 1990s by
former Mosaic Sextet band mate Michael Rabinowitz on bassoon. Performing
an improvisational, some might say through composed, journey somewhere
along the third stream, the two Michaels create a listening experience
that is as varied and rich musically as it is deep aesthetically. The
music is open, powerful, graceful, and reflective, but most of all there
is a statement of possibility here as each musician allows the other
space to fully explore their respective aesthetic. As one might expect
for a journey along the third stream, yes one can hear echoes of Ravel,
Debussy, Stravinsky, and even Vivaldi in the music. And, yes one can
also hear echoes of Rabinowitz's work with Mingus' charts and Stevens'
20 years of jazz explorations. But one can also hear the echoes of an
unheard music, a music not yet played. It is this artful continuum of
possibility along the past, the present, and the future without cliche
or reference that makes the music of Stevens and Rabinowitz so
rewarding. |
Downtown Music Gallery
Bruce
Gallanter |
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For an
instrument usually reserved for the buttoned-up environs of the
"Symphony Center", the bassoon, in fact, fits jazz and improvised music
settings quite well. While other reedists have dabbled, few have been
bold enough to make this unwieldy instrument their main axe. Michael
Rabinowitz, though, is happy to rise to the challenge, making Drimala
Records' duet series an ideal setting for the bassoonist to soar,
especially in the company of a worthy associate like pianist Michael
Jefry Stevens. Throughout this intimate and thoughtful session, the duo
covers terrain that evokes grand classicism, jazz, and attuned improv,
rich on reflection and spirit, with room for playfulness that at times
evokes a celebratory feeling between old friends.
As for
this one-day session, the pieces were improvised on the spot, though it
is quite easy to assume that the majority of these experiences took some
shape of written form beforehand. Interestingly enough, the titles given
to the pieces are quite apt, painting pictures of organic, sparse
interactions, touched by the beauty of nature. The album's opener,
"Sibling Rivalry", focuses on the individuals for a terse, spirited
discussion where Stevens and Rabinowitz finish each other's sentences.
Similarly, the active "Play" presents the duo at their most percussive,
while "Meadow" and the cooperative "Sea Song" are as close as the
partners are to locking horns, with Rabinowitz pushing out some steam on
the former.
The duo
also sparkles during the reflective pieces like "Memory Lane", perhaps a
harkening back to years of playing together and the paths they've
traveled. Such sincerity also carries over to the quiet after the storm,
heard in the stark lines and extended bassoon dialogue of "Aftermath",
or the floating "The Graceful Bear". Further, "Reflections" is a focused
solo showcase for Rabinowitz that fosters both slowly evolving and
lively thoughts.
While
the presence of Rabinowitz on record is a treat, the same can be said
for Stevens. Throughout the record, the pianist demonstrates a command
of his instrument, not only in a technical sense, but also for the
warmth and feeling he coaxes from this stringed, wooden box. His
classical notions are explored in particular depth on the floating waves
of "Cloud Drift" and the captivating "Whispering Wind", the latter of
which bursts with a rich splendor that drives right to the core of
Stevens' sense of emotion. As a final word, the pair drifts away on
"Rivulets", commencing with dense, melancholic chord structures that
serve as the vessel for Rabinowitz's equally passionate and solemn
departing lines. |
One Final Note
Jay
Collins |
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O fagote
é um instrumento de sopro construído em madeira, com dupla palheta,
conhecido por produzir sons que, nalguns dos seus registos, apresentam
semelhanças com a voz humana. No jazz e na música improvisada a sua
utilização constitui uma relativa raridade. Mesmo na música clássica não
são muitas as obras escritas especificamente para este instrumento,
contando-se entre as mais conhecidas, composições de Mozart, Carl Maria
von Weber, Stravinsky e Prokofief (talvez «Pedro e o Lobo» passe por ser
a mais popular das obras em que o fagote assume papel principal).
Além de
Karen Borca e de Lindsay Cooper, Michael Rabinowitz é dos poucos
instrumentistas que tem feito carreira no jazz e na música improvisada a
tocar fagote (bassoon). A ligação musical do fagotista com o brilhante
pianista Michael Jefry Stevens, que resultou nesta recente sessão para a
editora norte-americana Drimala, intitulada Play, já vem de
longe. Data do início dos anos 90, do Mosaic Sextet, com Joe Fonda, Dave
Douglas, Mark Feldman e Harvey Sorgen. Foi no Mosaic que ambos artistas
iniciaram uma interessante colaboração, onde deram cartas e jogaram
partidas de improvisação colectiva com bons resultados, evidenciando
desde o início a existência de um entendimento perfeito entre
personalidades musicais afins.
Play
reflecte à saciedade esse profundo conhecimento mútuo e total empatia
musical. Dado à prensa em Agosto de 2004, embora gravado em 2002, a obra
prossegue o desafio que o produtor Philip R. Egert (Drimala) colocou, de
enveredar pela edição de uma série de duetos que são outras tantas
oportunidades de fruir projectos estética e musicalmente arrojados. Eis,
pois, a oportunidade de, novamente, colocar aqueles dois grandes
criadores face-a-face, sem outra figuração, para assim tocarem música de
criação espontânea, misteriosa e rica na abundância e diversidade de
detalhes, com uma complexidade e intensidade tais ao nível da sintaxe,
que fazem com a sua organização formal, na aparência, se aproxime menos
da improvisação livre que da típica composição camerística.
Ouvidos
os 14 temas que integram o disco, 11 duos e 3 solos, 2 de Stevens e 1 de
Rabinowitz (temas 3, 10 e 7, respectivamente), salta à evidência a
maneira particularmente feliz como as vozes dos instrumentos se combinam
e articulam; apreende-se a elegância do traço e a nitidez do desenho das
figuras; a extraordinária paleta de cores e formas; o equilíbrio das
dinâmicas; o uso hábil da luz, sombra e penumbra – assiste-se ao
processo alquímico da fusão de todos os elementos numa liga homogénea,
que esbate por completo as fronteiras entre o que é organização prévia e
criação no momento.
Em
Play, realização de elevada maturidade estética, Michael Jefry
Stevens e Michael Rabinowitz, mestres absolutos nos respectivos
instrumentos, criam e transmitem musicalmente todo o tipo de estados de
alma, num espectro emocional que vai da tempestade à bonança, por meio
de uma comunicação musical muito própria, que, apesar de complexa na sua
tecitura e exposição, não compromete a facilidade de acesso por parte
dos diferentes públicos que se interessam pelo jazz/improv e pela música
clássica. |
A Puta da Subjectividade
Eduardo Chagas |
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El fagot
es un instrumento de viento construído en madera, con una lengüeta doble,
conocido por producir sonidos que en algunos de sus registros son
semejantes a la voz humana. En el Jazz y en la Música Improvisada su
utilización constituye una rareza relativa. Incluso en la música Clásica
no hay muchas obras escritas específicamente para este instrumento.
Entre las más conocidas hay composiciones de Mozart, Carl Maria Von
Weber, Stravinsky y Prokoprief (quizás Pedro y el Lobo sea la más
popular entre las obras en las que el fagot toma un papel principal).
Además
de Karen Borca y Lindsay Cooper, Michael Rabinowitz es de los pocos
instrumentistas en el Jazz y en la Música Improvisada que tocan el fagot
(bassoon). La unión musical de este fagotista con el brillante pianista
Michael Jefry Stevens que tiene lugar en esta seción reciente para la
editora norteamericana Drimala, titulada Play, viene de lejos. Data de
principios de los años 90 en el Mosaic Sextet con Joe Fonda, Dave
Douglas, Mark Feldman y Harvey Sorgen. Fue en Mosaic dónde ambos
artistas iniciaron una interesante colaboración, en dónde mostraron sus
cartas y jugaron partidas de improvisación colectiva con buenos
resultados, evidenciando desde el principio la existencia de un
entendimiento perfecto entre unas personalidades musicales afines.
PLAY
refleja la saciedad de ese profundo conocimiento mutuo y total empatía
musical. Editado en 2004, aunque grabado en 2002, la obra continúa con
el desafío que el productor Philip R. Egert (Drimala) se propuso, de
encaminar por la edición de una serie de dúos otras tantas ocasiones de
mostrar proyectos estética y musicalmente arriesgados. Es pues, una
nueva oportunidad de colocar frente a frente a dos grandes creadores,
sin otro objetivo que tocar música de creación espontánea, misteriosa y
rica en la abundancia y diversidad de detalles, con una complejidad e
intensidad tales al nivel de la sintaxis, que hacen que con su
organización formal, en apariencia, se aproxime menos a la improvisación
que a las típicas composiciones de cámara.
Escuchados los 14 temas que integran el disco, 11 dúos y tres solos, 2
de Stevens y 1 de Rabinowitz (los temas 3, 10 y 7 respectivamente),
queda en evidencia la manera particularmente afortunada en cómo las
voces de los dos instrumentos se combinan y articulan; se puede
aprehender la elegancia del trazo fino y la nitidez del diseño de las
figuras; la extraordinaria paleta de colores y formas; el equilibrio de
la dinámica; el uso hábil de las luces, sombra y penumbra –se asiste al
proceso alquimístico de fusión de todos los elementos en una unión
homogénea que diluye por completo las fronteras entre lo que es la
organización previa y la creación en el momento.
En PLAY,
una producción de gran madurez estética, Michael Jefry Stevens y Michael
Rabinowitz, maestros absolutos en sus respectivos instrumentos, crean y
transmiten musicalmente todo tipo de estados del alma, en un espectro
emocional que va de la tempestad a la bonanza por medio de una
comunicación musical absolutamente propia, a pesar de la complejidad en
su tesitura y exposición, sin comprometer la facilidad de acceso por
parte de los diferentes públicos interesados por el Jazz – Improvisación
y por la música clásica. |
TOMAJAZZ
Eduardo Chagas |
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A very
beautiful disc. That's a two-edged comment of course: there's points
where I think it gets a little precious--in particular the sweet
pastoralisms of "Whispering Wind", a piano solo. It's an hour-long disc of piano/bassoon duets by Michael Jefry Stevens and Michael Rabinowitz;
they seem mostly to have improvised the pieces in the studio though they
all have a relative formality & coherence that suggests they didn't
just blow. It's all somewhere between late-Romantic chromaticism, Chick
Corea sweetness and showers of pentatonics, and lean melancholy free
improvising. Favourites: the dark "Aftermath" which seems to me
implicitly a Mal Waldron tribute; the brisk bassoon solo "Reflections"
(not the Monk tune), which is the only track with an obvious sense of
humour; and the quite varied "Meadow" (which has a brief outburst from
Rabinowitz which is quite startling) & "The Journey". The downbeat
night-is-falling closer "Rivulets" is good too. Actually, there's
nothing here I don't like, taken a few tracks at a time; but as an
hour-long program it's a bit sameish. Worth checking out nonetheless. |
Jazz Corner
Nat
Dorward |
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