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Xavi Reija's "Resolution" -- the Deliberation on Rhythms

11/26/2014

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Setting aside the sax and keyboards from the Xavi Reija Quintet, Xavi Reija has reiterated and reinforced what was hinted at in the 2009 recording of the Electric Trio "Live at Casa Murada." The streamlined mechanism is spare without being sparse. It is not minimalist; it is deliberate and to the point.

Barcelona drummer Xavi Reija is jined by Bernat Hernandez on bass and the sizzling Dusan Jevtovic on guitar. The lean line-up is dynamic and daring. The compositions are by Reija himself or by the trio and the trio arranged all the songs. It was recorded in Tarragona, Spain in June of 2013 and produced by Reija for MoonJune Records, one of the undisputed leaders in all things progressive.

Even with three such startling innovators, it is the ensemble that is the fgrabs the attention. The whole is more in focus than are the individual parts.

"Flying to Nowhere" introduces the album with stark moments of distorted guitar but with full rhythms from Reija and rich textures from Hernandez' bass. It is a jazzy piece with surprising elements reminiscent of Robert Fripp's solo work.

"Macroscope" is more fusion-techno-ambient in its approach. Reija's rhtyhms are matched by the understated thunder of Hernandez to create a fantastic grrove as Jevtovic creates the lush, rich backdrop.

PictureXavi Reija, Bernat Hernandez and Dusan Jevtovic
"Shadowdance" is another fine in-the-pocket piece, as is "Dreamer" that follows it. The distorted frequencies screen the bass and drums on "Dreams" in a way both aggressive and relentless.

"Abyss" is another foray into ambient rhythm and avant-Jazz and serves as a great set-up for "The Land of the Sirenians" with its fine harmonic guitar and straight-up Jazz drumming.

"Unfinished Love," on the other hand, is nearly Afro-Cuban-Baroque. It is intricate and disciplined and completely enjoyable. It is another memorable groove with excellent guitar coverage that segues nicely into the grittier "John's Song." More menacing than most of the other tracks, "John's Song" is a heavier approach and attack which propels the listener forward.

"Resolution," the title track, is the cool-down groove that slides into "Gravity" with its leisurely stroll. That quickens into a trot and then into a sprint. Rich rhythms and sharp effects mark the piece.

The albums wraps up with "Welcome to the End." Reija and Hernandez anchor the piece as Jevtovic extrapolates on the theme.

"Resolution" is a furious and imaginative display of the disciplined and pulse-pounding rhythms (or polyrhythms) of Xavi Reija and Bernat Henrnandez in counter-play to the exploratory guitar work of Dusan Jevtovic. The creation of space is exhilarating. The sound is not a reduction of notes played but an expansion of what lies between. It is an expanding universe where the number of stars remains the same but that space...


Visit Xavi Reija at: http://xavireija.es
Like Reija at Facebook here.
Purchase "Resolution" here.

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Tales of Humanity in Thomas Marriott's "Urban Folklore"

11/22/2014

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Thomas Marriott has released his ninth album as a leader with the October 21, 2014 Origin Records release of "Urban Folklore." He has joined with one of the most expressive and talented trios around in the persons of Orrin Evans on piano, Eric Revis on bass and Donald Edwards on drums. They are deliberate and delicate and thoroughly brilliant. In fact, they have appeared separately and together on many of the finest recordings of the last two years.

Marriott weaves tales of life with the trio serving as the Greek Chorus to Marriott's own narrative in this expansive and enlightening drama. As Marriott states in the liner notes, the center of the music is the listener who shares in the stories common to all of humanity.

The album opens with "Apophis," a piece written about danger and inaction (and the danger of inaction). It has sizzling moments, with some snatches reminiscent of Bill Chase. The trio knocks in some fine work as they continue to do throughout the album, supporting and setting up Marriott's own fine work.

Orrin Evans is an intuitive supporter and propeller of the music. Evans is the anchor and he plays the part well. Eric Revis is incredibly subtle and nuanced in his bass approach. Donald Edwards has become one of my very favorite drummers. He can play straight-up Jazz or he can fabricate modern drumming textures that are eye-popping. He never disappoints.

"Tales of Debauchery" is about how each of us go too far on occasion. There is an intentional unsteadiness to the gait that paints the image well. With all of that, however, Marriott does create a cool groove that is both seductively and intoxicatingly...debauching.

"Room 547" is a great spot for Eric Revis' underpinning of Marriott's lush tonality. The titles suggests a birthing-room in a hospital and Marriott employs majestic tones that make this discussion of life and birth a triumph.
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From "Moe-Joe" and its portrayal of mentors to "What Emptiness Can Do," there is a universal appeal to our shared experiences of lessons learned and lost. Marriott is lyrical and exquisite in his approach.

"Locked Up" and "Living on the Minimum" are coolly-paced songs with melancholic sentiments of jail and poverty and their crush on creativity. Again, Marriott cooks the pieces to perfection and his Greek Chorus flavors and expounds on the story.

"Living on the Minimum" is one of Edwards' finest tracks on the album which carries well into "I'm Vibing You" wherein the group turns mildly malicious in their confrontational playing.

"Washington Generals" focuses on the talented but hopeless team who has to play the Harlem Globetrotters night after night. It is a flowing piece that revels in the freedom of having nothing to lose and nothing to prove. It is a soliloquy on the false dichotomy of winning or losing. It is hopeful and sincere and ends with a chuckle.

"Urban Folklore" is itself hopeful and sincere. In humanity's shared tales, there is also shared hope. Thomas Marriott becomes a preacher of the possible--affirming life and the narrative we ourselves share. He does it with his own voice and humor and with a fine cast of characters.




Visit Thomas Marriott's web site at: www.thomasmarriott.net
Purchase "Urban Folklore" at:
http://originarts.com/recordings/recording.php?TitleID=82672

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An Exercise in Controlled Frenetics -- Marbin's "The Third Set"

11/14/2014

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Marbin's "The Third Set" is a live recording that captures moments from their back-breaking tours that, according to MoonJune Records, amounts to almost 1,000 gigs in the last three and a half years. They have covered the United States and have enjoyed the drinks and the fans, according to founding member Dani Rabin.

Marbin originated as a duo of Danny Markovitch (The Mar in Marbin) on saxophones and Dani Rabin on guitars. Their self-titled debut album was only the two of them and was a bit of a Jazz venture while their second album "Breaking the Cycle" brought together three more musicians. That album ,according to Rabin, represented "the transition of Marbin into a full band."

This album, "The Third Set," is the full band in full swing as a quartet, following after the third album entitled :Last Chapter of Dreaming." Joining the founders Markovitch and Rabin are Justyn Lawrence on drums and Jae Gentile on bass.

The album is introduced by "Special Olympics" and was recorded at Murph's in Dubuque, Iowa. It is fascinating and it is spell-binding and terrifically sets the stage for all that follows. Rabin attacks almost as fiercely as Jan Akkerman's most vicious. Markovitch applies the alternating saxophone which is just as furious. One is forced to remember the guitar and sax interplay in the early King Crimson albums.

PictureDanny Markovitch and Dani Rabin
Marbin shows that they indeed can still swing on "The Depot." Lawrence and Gentile carve out a great groove with Rabin scratching cool support. This one is a sax-lover's gem, for sure.

"Culture" is one of the most melodic pieces on the album with great bass-work from Gentile. The same is true of "Northern Odyssey"-- a beauty of a track.

The blues are well-represented in such pieces as "Splaw" but can be felt in the undercurrents of many of the tracks.

"Volta" may be the one of the best closing tracks ever. It is furious.

In fact, Marbin can rightly be described as being furious without the chaos. The franetic musicianship never sacrifices the exactitude and precision. They are tight. They are loose. They are a firefight in a small room. They are fascinating.



Visit Marbin at http://marbinmusic.com/
Purchase "The Third Set" here:
http://moonjunerecords.bandcamp.com/album/the-third-set

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