Zimmerli, Patrick - Expansion (Mega Blowout Sale)
SKU
21-SGL1530-2
Patrick Zimmerli, tenor saxophone
Ben Monder, guitar
Stomu Takeishi, bass
Satoshi Takeishi, percussion
"Zimmerli’s originals are as abstract and exotic as ever. “Sand,” the opener, begins with a drone note that sets up a strikingly subtle, Eastern-influenced rubato theme. (Kevin Whitehead’s second-by-second analysis in the liner notes is well worth reading.)…Both the originals and the standards bear clear marks of Zimmerli’s highly individual style, in which contemporary classical and ethnic musics mix with…not-so-free jazz."-AllMusic
"Expansion combines contemporary classical musical elements with a jazz feel and approach, and includes standards as well as original compositions. This time however Zimmerli has organized his thoughts in longer forms. Built on a drone, “Sand” was inspired in part by Hindustani classical music and the dense, steady-state textures of the Japanese Gagaku ensemble; it’s an emotionally compelling and intellectually fascinating piece whose shifting inner complexities reveal themselves slowly (see Kevin Whitehead’s liner notes for a guide to its organization, and then try to keep track of who’s soloing when). “The Elements Suite” is probably the jazziest work Zimmerli has yet recorded: in contrasting/complementary sections, the Ensemble explore together the blues, ballads, and post-bop through techniques (purists might say distorting lenses) of chromaticism, extended harmony, and polyrhythm. In Monk’s “Evidence” and Bronislaw Kaper’s “Invitation” Zimmerli pays his respects to the jazz tradition directly: their more conventional (though still slightly off-kilter) swing and melodic/harmonic departures provide a point of entry to his transformed world, with its often wild leaps, shining textures, and deep moods. Throughout the record Zimmerli and his associates bring advanced performing skills and great intelligence to bear on the interpretive challenges he sets, producing highly polished, exciting, unique music that suggests new creative directions beyond labels."
- LabelSongLines
- UPC774355153024