Marbin - Breaking the Cycle
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MoonJune 038
"The young do not know enough to be prudent, and therefore they attempt the impossible — and achieve it, generation after generation."Author
Pearl S. Buck's famous quotation seems especially appropriate when discussing the musical configuration called Marbin. Hailing from Israel, Marbin's young duo of guitarist Dani Rabin and saxophonist Danny Markovitch exhibit the energy and passion of youth, combined with a technical prowess seemingly well in adavance of their tender age (incredibly, they are both in their twenties). The two "Dannies" are among the newest members of the recently surging Israeli-grown jazz scene — whose artists like Avashai and Anat Cohen, and Anat Fort, have taken the world by storm. Rabin's assured and expressive guitarwork has been favorably compared to guitar greats Terje Rypdal and Jimi Hendrix but with a jazzier feel, some acoustic strumming and killer slide licks, while the highly talented Markovitch resembles a younger and edgier Jan Garbarek. Of course, technique in a younger player is rare enough, but not unheard of; more astounding perhaps is that both of co-leaders also are gifted with an impressive ability to play with a noteworthy and heartfelt sense of feeling. Both Rabin and Markovitch's playing and composing skills are matched by their intelligence, focus and drive to succeed. As an example, upon arriving in Chicago in 2007, the two wasted no time in hooking up with world-renowned drummer/percussionist Paul Wertico. In a now infamous story, the two unexpectedly arrived at the drummer's doorstep with instruments, amps, and an array of electronic equipment in tow — interupting a family dinner in the process. The veteran drummer — a seven-time Grammy Award winner with the Pat Metheny Group — soon discovered something that attendees of the duo's frequent "apartment concerts" on the north side of Chicago are very much aware of — that these two musicians amaze with their creativity and original sound. In fact, Wertico made the two a big part of his 2009, critically-acclaimed improvised albumImpressions of a City. It is truly a unique experience to see and hear Rabin creating layers of sounds by first playing, then looping guitar lines and textures over which he and Markovitch can soar with ebullient solos. These soundscapes combine elements of jazz, progressive rock, ambient meditative music and world
music with an obvious Middle-Eastern influence. On his visit to Chicago in Fall of 2010, MoonJune’s honcho Leonardo Pavkovic, who never ever heard about Marbin before, went to one of their intimate duo loft concerts, by recommendation of the local jazz journalist Brad Walseth, becaming instantly enamored of their unique sound, ultimately deciding to sign two brave youngsters to his label - the same night. Meanwhile, the high regard the playersand their compositions are held in by their fellow musicians is made quite apparent by the fact that Wertico, world-class bassist Steve Rodby (an eleven-time Grammy Award winner with the Pat Metheny Group), and respected percussionist Jamey Haddad (best known as a member of Paul Simon’s band) gladly joined the two central Marbin members to create Breaking the Cycle—the group's second album and first on the MoonJune label."