Jim Black Trio - Somatic (2011)

Jim Black Trio - Somatic (Winter&Winter, 2011)

Personnel:
Jim Black - drums
Elias Stemeseder - piano
Thomas Morgan - bass

Tracklisting:
01. Tahre
02. Terrotow
03. Hestbak
04. Sure Are You
05. Willbee
06. Beariere
07. Somatic
08. Protection
09. Chibi Jones
10. Uglysnug

After 12 years of leading his singer-less-songwriting-post-rock-improv band AlasNoAxis, Jim Black goes in the absolute opposite musical direction by forming a new piano trio featuring one of the most in demand New York musicians, Thomas Morgan on bass, and the young Austrian pianist to watch out for, Elias Stemeseder.

Jim Black has been playing drums for twenty three years. Born in 1967, he grew up in Seattle, WA, playing music ranging from garage rock to big band swing. In 1985 he went to Boston, MA to attend the Berklee College of Music. In 1991 he moved to Brooklyn, NY, and has since become one of the most in demand drummers in the jazz/new music scene today.

"A complete musician and wonderfully fertile composer... Black has produced a masterpiece of future jazz." (Andy Hamilton, The Wire) [buy it here]

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Oscar Noriega's Play Party - Luciano's Dream (2000)

Oscar Noriega's Play Party - Luciano's Dream (OmniTone, 2000)

Personnel:
Oscar Noriega: bass clarinet, alto saxophone
Cuong Vu: trumpet
Brad Shepik: guitar
Tom Rainey: drums

Tracklisting:
1. Funky Number 5 (5:45)
2. 7 of 9 (8:33)
3. The Z (4:59)
4. Back to Back (9:05)
5. Skimcoat (6:21)
6. Luciano's Dream (8:06)
7. Kashikoi Hito (Wise Old Man) (5:05)
8. Cancion para Cecila (Song for Cecilia) (2:28)

Luciano's Dream is the long overdue debut recording from the fiercely talented young reedman Oscar Noriega. Like many downtown jazz players, Noriega's musical vision is very wide in scope, encompassing, from the sounds of this record, the rich history of jazz, myriad folk musics, as well as 20th century classical sounds. Thankfully, the album does not read like a hodgepodge of disparate musical influences, but rather a wide-ranging and satisfying musical document. Of course, this is due in no small part to his capable partners in crime: trumpeter Cuong Vu, guitarist Brad Shepik, and drummer Tom Rainey. This dexterous, bass-less quartet navigates Noriega's complicated charts with ease, from throwing down odd-meter grooves in "Funky Number 5" to displaying unearthly restrain with the delicate gypsy beauty of "The Z." Shepik is especially impressive; though the album does touch upon the jazz-inflected Balkan styles that have become his calling card, he is clearly more than capable of operating in just about any idiom he chooses. His whimsical solo on "Kashiko Hito" is among the album's highlights. Noriega's alto saxophone seems completely effortless, darting and weaving in and out of the dense musical landscape, while his bass clarinet breathes stark melancholy. His impressive sideman credentials have already proven him an able player, here he asserts himself as a skillful composer and bandleader.[allmusic]

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