[alocispepraluger102]

i cant remember anything here getting all favorable reviews. is this a first?

[alocispepraluger102]

James, on Aug 8 2007, 04:14 PM, said:

Joe G, on Aug 2 2007, 07:11 PM, said:

jazzshrink, on Jul 29 2007, 10:28 AM, said:

i just ordered the limited edition. i look at the extra cost as a way of supporting a great artist.

I'll be more than a little confused if you like this album (in particular tracks 1 and 4) while still hating Metheny. :huh:

Feelin ya on this one, Joe. I was actually comparing Maria with Pat in a conversation with a friend of mine who's a Metheniac.
There's a beauty and poignancy in the composition styles of the two which (to my ears) is indisputable.

still playing pat's 'new chatauqua' vinyl from a long time ago, and it is the work of a very sensitive, and yet, commercially savvy, master.

that was a fine observation.

This post has been edited by alocispepraluger102: 08 August 2007 - 03:27 PM

[Joe G]

alocispepraluger102, on Aug 8 2007, 04:23 PM, said:

i cant remember anything here getting all favorable reviews. is this a first?

Larry Kart has yet to weigh in. ;)

[Larry Kart]

Hi Joe -- Was just thinking today whether to order it, but my current Mosaic buy (the John Patton Select and Blakey's "Hard Bop") led me to hesitate, plus a partial re-listen to MS's "Concert in the Garden" left me with much the same feeling about that one as before, and I gather that the new one continues in that vein.

[ghost of miles]

I would hold off, Larry. I'm a Schneider fan and enjoy many aspects of this new one & CONCERT, but there are certain flourishes and melodic figures that grate on me. Much that's gorgeous too, and I'm glad that she's getting a good response with these self-produced records; I'll listen to this one again. Could be I'm being excessively hard on it the first time around.

[JSngry]

And let me say that although I am 100% impressed by Maria's originality & vision, hers is a music that I "appreciate" more than "like".

But that's my deal, not hers. She can just keep on goin' with her badself.

[Larry Kart]

Not to play one woman off against another (which I don't think I'm doing), but one of the most impressive big band albums I've heard in recent years is this 2003 effort from Anita Brown, "27 East":

http://www.anitabrownmusic.com/

First, Brown (who happens to be the daughter of vaunted Tristano-ite tenor saxophonist Ted Brown and Phyllis Brown, also a onetime Tristano student) draws on the some of the same pool of NYC freelancers that Schneider does. Second, Brown's music is also fairly programmatic at times, though IMO she's one those rare composers who language gifts are spurred by programmatic setups (references to the sea, lighthouses, etc.) rather than being illustrative of them. Finally, (again IMO) she has a much more adventurous, sharp-edged musical mind than does Schneider, plus a wider range of colors and moods. And her band plays its collective ass off for her.

[Larry Kart]

Check out the clips from the album (and elsewhere) on Brown's site -- the most effective in excerpt probably being "The Lighthouse" (written for Greg Gisbert) and "The Touch of You." Be sure too to click on the links in which Brown gives some background for each piece. Also, while these performances were done in the studio, they were, out of economic necessity, all complete unedited takes.

[Joe G]

Larry Kart, on Aug 8 2007, 05:46 PM, said:

Hi Joe -- Was just thinking today whether to order it, but my current Mosaic buy (the John Patton Select and Blakey's "Hard Bop") led me to hesitate, plus a partial re-listen to MS's "Concert in the Garden" left me with much the same feeling about that one as before, and I gather that the new one continues in that vein.

Same vein perhaps, though compositionally honed to a sharper edge, I feel. And I mentioned in a previous post that the band is really in tune and playing phenomenally. But, your musical perogatives are different than mine, so if it's not a priority, so be it.

Thank you for the tip on Anita Brown; I'll be sure to order some of her stuff soon.

[alocispepraluger102]

ghost of miles, on Aug 8 2007, 06:51 PM, said:

I would hold off, Larry. I'm a Schneider fan and enjoy many aspects of this new one & CONCERT, but there are certain flourishes and melodic figures that grate on me. Much that's gorgeous too, and I'm glad that she's getting a good response with these self-produced records; I'll listen to this one again. Could be I'm being excessively hard on it the first time around.

while absolutely loving miss schneiders lovely eforts, aloc finds satoko fujii's japanese and american orchestras infinitely more musically stimulating and satisfying.

below is a link to her official website

http://www.mindyouro...toko-fujii.htm#

Satoko Fujii

Pianist,Composer,Arranger

"Satoko Fujii is one of the more arresting new voices in jazz." - Stuart Broomer, Coda

"Unpredictable, wildly creative, and uncompromising...Fujii is an absolutely essential listen for anyone interested in the future of jazz." - Dan McClenaghan, All About Jazz

"100 Years...100 Alumni" - Profiling New England Conservatory's Most Successful Alumni

.Critics and fans alike hail pianist and composer SATOKO FUJII as one of the most original voices in jazz. A truly global artist, she splits her time between New York City and Japan and tours internationally leading several different ensembles. Just as her career spans international borders, her music spans many genres, blending jazz, contemporary classical music, and traditional Japanese folk music into an innovative synthesis instantly recognizable as hers alone. “I would like to try many things with my compositions,” she told Don Williamson in a jazzreview.com interview. “I believe anything can be music … sound colors are as important to me as the melody.” Fujii’s compositions are full of surprises with sudden shifts in direction and mood that challenge player and listener alike. Yet the extremes are always part of a larger conceptual whole - never mere exercises in contrast - and the emotional demands are as great as the technical ones. Pulling many disparate threads together, she uses melodies that are as simple and straightforward as folk song, the sophisticated harmonic language of great jazz, and the extended forms of symphonic composers. As an improviser Fujii is equally wide-ranging and virtuosic. In her solos, explosive free jazz energy mingles with delicate melodicism to create a broad palette of timbre and textures. Her phrasing is clean and clear and delivered with a bright, nuanced touch that’s equally indebted to her classical training and her jazz experience. She has showcased her astonishing range and ability on 40 CDs as leader or co-leader since 1996.



Born in 1958, Fujii began playing piano at age four and received classical training until age twenty. Realizing that the improvisation that had come so easily to her as a child was now very difficult, she decided to stop playing piano and began a band in which the members would sing and clap their hands to explore the origins of music. One year later, she changed her focus to jazz improvisation, returning to the piano. She was inspired by her teacher, Koji Taku, a classical pianist and composer who at 60 quit his job as chairman of the piano department at Tokyo College of Art and Music to play jazz. Fujii began private studies with another of her inspirations, the Japanese jazz pianist Fumio Itabashi, who performed with Elvin Jones and Ray Anderson. In order to pursue her own interest in jazz, Fujii left home because her parents wanted her to continue her classical studies at college. Once on her own, she struggled with the expense of renting a piano room and supporting herself.

Fujii first came to the United States in 1985 on a scholarship to Boston’s Berklee College of Music, where her teachers included Herb Pomeroy and Bill Pierce. After graduating in 1987 magna cum laude with a Diploma of Professional Music, she returned to Japan where her experiences included everything from performing at leading jazz clubs in Tokyo and Yokohama and teaching at the Yamaha Popular Music School to a seven-year stint playing keyboards for television and recording music for the JI software company. Among the Japanese groups she worked with are Tobifudo, and Teruaki Todo. She also worked with the AACM’s Joseph Jarman & Douglas Ewart Ensemble. Fujii is featured on a 1990 release with Tobifudo.



In 1993 she returned to Boston on a scholarship to the New England Conservatory of Music, where her teachers included jazz greats George Russell, Cecil McBee and Paul Bley. After receiving her Graduate Diploma in Jazz Performance in 1996, Fujii's career really took off. Her NEC professor, free jazz innovator Paul Bley, was featured on her debut CD Something About Water (Libra; 1996), a recording of improvised piano duets that "Combines two piano voices in subtle, quiet interplay. The music has a crystalline spareness about it, the two players so intertwined it sounds almost like one voice. There is a floating lyricism to the music...like a delicate dance...sheer beauty.” ? Michael Rosenstein in Cadence. Her 1997 solo album Indication (Libra) was praised as a “brilliant collection of solo piano pieces," by Michael J. Williams of American Reporter



Also in 1997 Fujii and her husband, trumpeter Natsuki Tamura, released the duo CD How Many? (Leo Lab). She and Tamura had met in 1984 when Fujii was the house pianist in a cabaret big band in Tokyo. They recognized each other as kindred spirits. “Our means of expression are very different,” she said in a jazzreview.com interview, ”but our musical values are the same. Natsuki and I both think we can derive inspiration from anything when we want to make music. For example, I play inside the piano as well as on the keyboard. Texture, color, timbre, pulse, rhythm, and harmony are equally picked up as elements forming the whole.” Chris Kelsey of Cadence magazine wrote of their duet, "Together Tamura and Fujii construct perfect little structures; their collaboration is balanced, astute, and very musical. A lovely album."



In 1998, Fujii released albums by two of her most significant ongoing projects?a classic piano trio (Satoko Fujii Trio) featuring New York stalwarts bassist Mark Dresser and drummer Jim Black, and her New York big band (Satoko Fujii Orchestra New York), which she founded in 1997. “Playing in a big band and playing in a piano trio are very different experiences. I don’t want to put myself in a fixed position. That causes me to create a lot of formats.” Her piano trio recording Looking Out of the Window (Nippon Crown) earned wide acclaim and was chosen as a Top 10 CD of the Year by both Coda and Jazziz magazines. The big band’s debut, South Wind (Leo Lab), was equally praised as "an enormously successful orchestral debut... For those of you on the lookout for a state-of-the-art, end-of-the-millennium big band, it has arrived." ? Michael Davis, Option. “What makes her special is her developing gift for blending composition and improvisation, as well as a progressive vision that sees no boundaries within tonality and no restrictions within the avant-garde." ? Drew Wheeler, Jazz Central Station.

Her 1999 Tzadik release, Kitsune-bi served as a kind of summary of her small group composing and performing up to that point, showcasing her in duo with her long-time associate alto saxophonist Sachi Hayasaka, with her New York trio, and her critically acclaimed solo playing. "Satoko Fujii negotiates the path between Cecil Taylor's hyper-kinetic dissonance and more meditative styles of piano players like Randy Weston and Abdullah Ibrahim... Fujii transforms jazz into something architectural, full of designed shapes that jut and jab at the silence of an enclosed space...an intimate album, full of interior explorations and adventures." ? Michael Kramer, New York Times. In addition, Past Life (Libra) featured Fujii’s composing for a sextet of cutting edge Japanese jazz players.



The year 2000 brought the release of two orchestra CDs, JO (Buzz) featuring her NY big band performing her “melodiously left-of-center compositions and those of her husband, Natsuki Tamura, with real verve...the lyrical edge of the players and the leaders' focused production make 'JO' consistently involving." ? Billboard. Then the Japanese label East Works released Double Take featuring Satoko's New York big band on one CD and her Japanese big band on another in a fascinating juxtaposition. “I’ve had big bands in New York and Tokyo for more than five years,” Fujii said in her jazzreview.com interview, “and I have learned to appreciate how they are different. For example, my Japanese orchestra players are mostly free jazz players, and my New York orchestra players are mostly Downtown musicians. I think the Japanese free jazz players are strongly influenced by the ’60s free jazz scene in America. They have a lot of energy, and when they play, they like to show that. Many times, their expression is very aggressive, in a good way. New York Downtown musicians have strong influences from many kinds of music, like contemporary music, world music, and jazz. Their expression is very diverse. They also have great energy in a different way.” “’Double Take’ seems like a musical future that's here already." ? Stuart Broomer, Coda.



She continued exploring the potential of her explosive New York trio with their second album, Toward, To West (Enja) "Her most substantial and musically rewarding small group outing to date...Besides all of the purposeful soloing, sinuous flow and hard-edged musings, Ms. Fujii injects a potpourri of underlying themes and fluctuating cross-currents into her music...and perhaps the best is yet to come, as we watch her star rapidly ascend above the horizon! Highly recommended. ***** (out of 5)" ? Glenn Astarita, All About Jazz.



The trio’s fourth release, Junction (EWE records), was one of three 2001 albums that also saw the restlessly creative Fujii branching out in arresting new directions. April Shower (EWE Records), a duet with violinist Mark Feldman “…marks another first-rate addition to the young pianist’s growing discography…. striking a natural balance between tradition and experimentation, expectation and surprise” ? Sam Prestiani, Jazziz. Then in the fall, the radically different Vulcan (Libra Records) appeared, an avant-rock/free jazz fusion album introducing the Satoko Fujii Quartet. (Takeharu Hayakawa, bass/Tatsuya Yoshida, drums/ Natsuki Tamura.) Vulcan received wide, enthusiastic approval. "The sensibility here is aggressive to the point of primitive, with a raw, larger-than-life recorded presence for the drums and bass. The otherworldly vocal wailing that introduces ‘The Sun in a Moonlight Night’ is both a warning and an invitation to the intriguing asymmetrical structures and virtuoso playing on this set." ? Bill Bennett, JazzTimes. “Vulcan is choice work, a great showcase for the genius of jazz pianist Satoko Fujii… a masterpiece of jazz expression.”



Fujii's second duo album with Tamura, Clouds (Libra), which earned widespread praise as well as spots on Coda's Top 10 CDs of the Year list, was among four acclaimed CDs released in 2002. Bell the Cat (Tokuma Japan), the fifth release by her New York trio "…is a beautifully played, sumptuously recorded tour-de-force filled with stunningly mature music making… As we approach the year 2003, this very much seems to encompass the shape of jazz to come.” ? David Prince, CD Now. It was #5 in Swing Journal's 2002 Japanese Jazz Awards, Best of 2002 in Jazz Weekly, Best Piano Trio CD by Derk Richardson in the San Francisco Gate, and one of Masahiko Yu’s Top 5 CDs of 2002 in CD Journal. Also released in 2002 was Toh-kichi (VICTO), a duo album with Fujii and Ruins drummer Tatsuya Yoshida recorded live at the Victoriaville Festival. "If you relish the prospect of an intense duo dialogue engaged with the sound of surprise, this concert performance is well worth checking out.” ? David Lewis, Cadence. Minerva (Libra/Jazzprint) another electrifying album by her quartet was selected as one of the Top 15 CDs of the year by Thomas Schulte, Outsight and hailed as "An awesome recording," by Andy Hamilton in The Wire. In addition to those CDs, 2002 was a busy year for touring, as well. Fujii toured the US with her quartet in April and May, performed with Tatsuya Yoshida at the Victoriaville Festival in May, performed with the Satoko Fujii Orchestra Tokyo at the Yamaha Hamamatsu Jazz Festival in June, toured Japan with the Satoko Fujii Four (Mark Dresser, Jim Black and Tamura), was composer-in-residence and performer at the Rova Saxophone Quartet's 25th anniversary celebration ‘Rovate 2002’ in San Francisco, and toured Europe with her quartet.



2003 saw a similar range of activity, with the release of The Future of the Past (Enja), another CD with her NY Orchestra which has been called "awe-inspiring." ? Ariake Tanabe, musee. Before the Dawn (Polystar) with the Satoko Fujii Orchestra Tokyo earned similar acclaim: "Each listen reveals new details in these pieces, though the energy and creativity of the playing grabs you from the outset. It's extremely vigorous and forward-thinking music at once. Don't miss out." ? Jason Bivins, Cadence. Zephyros (Polystar/Not Two) came out at the end of 2003 and was named a Top 10 CD in the Village Voice and was also selected as one of 2003's Top 5 Jazz CDs by Music Magazine. In addition, Fujii performed with Tamura at the Vancouver Jazz Festival, and toured Europe with the Satoko Fujii Quartet.



2004 began with the release of Erans (Tzadik), another duo CD with drummer Tatsuya Yoshida, and a tour of the US in April that included a solo piano performance at the San Francisco Jazz Festival. She also toured Europe with OrkestraRova to support their CD An Alligator in your Wallet (EWE) on which she is featured, and Fujii received a Japanese Arts Council Grant for her Japanese performance with OrkestraRova and members of her Tokyo orchestra. Her first solo album in eight years, Sketches (Polystar) earned Top 10 status and was deemed a “masterfully crafted album” ? New Music Box. Her NY Trio’s Illusion Suite (Libra) “…is filled with thrill and joy of creation." ? Hiraku Aoki, Asahi newspaper. 2004 also saw the release of two big band CDs: Nagoyanian (BAKAMO) with the Nagoya Orchestra, and Blueprint (Polystar) with her NY Orchestra: “A fearless blend of postmodern influences that range from contemporary classical music to free jazz... Fujii’s writing liberates soloists…” ? Mark Holston, Jazziz. In 2004 Fujii was also featured on CDs by the Itaru Oki Unit: Itaru Oki Unit Live (Polystar); Natsuki Tamura Quartet: Exit (Libra); and Gebhard Ullmann: The Big Band Project (Soul Note).



The spring and summer of 2005 again saw Fujii touring Europe, the US, and Canada. Some highlights included a double duo concert at the Bimhuis in Amsterdam featuring Fujii and Tamura with renowned Dutch musicians pianist Misha Mengelberg and trumpeter Angelo Verploegen, as well as a performance at John Zorn’s club The Stone in April. The incredibly prolific pianist/composer was featured on five critically acclaimed CDs in 2005: In The Tank (Libra) with Tamura, Elliot Sharp and Takayuki Kato; Live in Japan 2004, featuring the Satoko Fujii Four in concert at the Egg Farm in Tokyo; Strange Village, the first release of Tamura’s acoustic quartet Gato Libre, in which Fujii plays the accordion; Angelona, the fourth Fujii Quartet release, and Yamabuki, a trio date featuring accordionist Ted Reichman and vocalist Koh Yamabuki. Live in Japan 2004 was proclaimed by Jim Macnie in The Village Voice to be “…a good example of how instruments can operate outside their prescribed roles… The free-jazz interplay finds the leader/pianist pushing like a drummer, bassist Mark Dresser thumping out subtexted melodies, and percussionist Jim Black coating the action in a silvery scrim. As for trumpeter Natsuki Tamura ? call him a sky-writer.” This album was voted onto Top 10 CDs of 2005 lists by Coda, All About Jazz New York, and Swing Journal. Angelona elicited much excitement from critics. Michael Gallant in Keyboard Magazine exclaimed, “This album is f***ing wild. Part free jazz a la Zorn, part experimental rock, Satoko's improvisatory collection is wonderfully chaotic, percussive and dissonant… raw, transcendent, and wonderful,” while Daniel Spicer in Jazzwise stated, “There’s enough energy on this CD to power a small town…”



In 2006 Fujii stunned the music world with the simultaneous release of four big band albums, all on separate labels, with one accompanied by a DVD. Dan Ouellette of Billboard put out the word: “There’s a raft of jazz CDs streeting September 12, but by far the most noteworthy launch is free-spirited Satoko Fujii’s unprecedented delivery of four orchestral CDs: Undulation (on NatSat) with Orchestra New York; Live!! (Libra) with Orchestra Tokyo; Maru (Bakamo) with Orchestra Nagoya; and Kobe Yee!! (Crab Apple) with Orchestra Kobe…” In addition, Marc Ch?nard in Coda proclaimed: “With the simultaneous release of four albums by four different orchestras under her direction, the Japanese pianist and composer has reinvigorated the big-band concept for the new century ? and placed herself at the forefront of the style at the same time.” Each Orchestra offers something different for this indefatigable composer and bandleader, making each disc remarkably distinctive. As an exciting bonus, the Tokyo release, which was recorded live at the Pit Inn in Tokyo, includes a DVD of the performance. Live!! Earned a place on Coda’s Top Tens of 2006 and was among the 2006 Albums of the Year in Jazzwise. Fran?ois Couture in All Music Guide stated: “Simply put, Live!! is pure candy, a treat in every aspect… fans of her highly personal, lyrical yet high-energy composition style will be in seventh heaven with this very strong release… highly recommended and a 2006 must-have.” Undulation was also placed on Coda’s Top Tens of 2006, and Duncan Heining in Jazzwise opined, “The New York Orchestra is as sharp as a box of switchblades.” Maru received an Honorable Mention in The Village Voice Jazz Consumer Guide from critic Tom Hull and was voted one of “My Best 5 CDs” in Japan’s CD Journal by Masahiko Yuh. Jim Santella described this incredible group aptly in All About Jazz: “Improvising ensembles come in all shapes and sizes. Here’s one that begins with the standard big band instrumentation, adds a powerful rock-inspired twist to each selection, folds folkloric themes from around the world into its book, and then launches a hard-swinging free jazz journey…” Kobe Yee!!, made by the newest of Fujii’s orchestras, also won critical acclaim, making it onto Coda’s Top Tens of 2006 and named Jazz Tokyo 2006 Best CD by Masahiko Yuh. Duncan Heining of Jazzwise called it “Bold music,” while Dan McClenaghan proclaimed in All About Jazz: “In a big band setting, Fujii’s sound can have the feeling of a back alley brawl: contentious reeds squabbling with brash brass sections in front of pugnacious rhythms, interspersed with her succinctly “out there” piano interludes. All of that rumbles out of the speakers on Kobe Yee!! ...Fujii’s a consummate artist; she’s never careful in her offerings; the musicians she chooses aren’t careful; they?and she?lay it all out there, no holds barred.”



In addition, Fujii released three other albums as a leader in 2006 and collaborated with Tamura on his second Gato Libre release, Nomad. The Satoko Fujii Four’s When We Were There was pronounced by Tom Hull in Static Multimedia “The high point of an impressive year,” while Scott Yanow in All Music hailed it as “… a continually intriguing set of modern jazz.” Fragment introduced “Junkbox,” a trio featuring Tamura and percussionist John Hollenbeck. She also introduced the idea of “com-impro” on this album, in which the music is notated in graphic form rather than with traditional musical notation. Julian Crowley noted in The Wire that “…a sense of bristling energy demanding release is never far away.” In Krakow, In November, Fujii and Tamura’s third duo release, offers riveting and intimate reworkings of numerous compositions by the couple which were composed for their various ensembles. “The approach may be of the less-is-more vein, but the music turns out to be heavy with feeling. In Krakow, In November is a natural follow-up purchase for those who have been seduced by Gato Libre.” ? Fran?ois Couture, All Music Guide



Fujii’s 2006 touring highlights included appearances at Toyko’s Pit Inn as part of "The 22nd Tokyo Summer Festival 2006" with two of her big bands, Orchestra Tokyo and Orchestra Nagoya, as well as a show at The Stone in New York City with the Satoko Fujii Orchestra New York, which was chosen as one of the “Best Performances of 2006” by All About Jazz New York. Her Min-Yoh Ensemble was heard at FIMAV (Victoriaville Festival, Canada) while the Satoko Fujii Four appeared throughout Japan as well as at "Lisbon's 2006 Jazz em Agosto" with Electric Ascension. The Satoko Fujii Quartet toured throughout Europe, with stops in Germany, Austria, Poland, Italy, Slovenia, and Croatia.



In 2007-08 Fujii will release at least five new releases including Crossword Puzzle by Double Duo (Angelo Verploegen, trumpet; Misha Mengelberg, piano; Natsuki Tamura, trumpet; Satoko Fujii), a live recording with violinist Carla Kihlstedt, Bacchus (Satoko Fujii Quartet), Trace A River (Satoko Fujii Trio with Mark Dresser and Jim Black), and a second release from the trio Junk Box.



Fujii tirelessly continues to explore the possibilities and expand the parameters of the many groups she’s established over the past eleven years; there is certainly more provocative and exciting listening in store as she pursues her ultimate goal: “… to allow myself to do whatever I like without preconceptions. I would love to make music that no one has heard before.”



6/07

This post has been edited by alocispepraluger102: 09 August 2007 - 01:32 AM

[mr jazz]

I received Blue Sky a few days ago and have listened to it once. A bit disappointing overall- a few tunes sound like something Pat Metheny wrote in the 80s and 90s not that that's a negative. Don't get me wrong but I expected a more original sound. Cerulean Skies is a lovely tune, however. No final judgment just a once over and it will be on the play list for a while. Anyone else have this?

[John Tapscott]

mr jazz, on Jan 4 2008, 04:50 PM, said:

I received Blue Sky a few days ago and have listened to it once. A bit disappointing overall- a few tunes sound like something Pat Metheny wrote in the 80s and 90s not that that's a negative. Don't get me wrong but I expected a more original sound. Cerulean Skies is a lovely tune, however. No final judgment just a once over and it will be on the play list for a while. Anyone else have this?

Yeah, I think a few of us have it.... :rolleyes: ... welcome to the party!

[Chas]

All the critical plaudits and effusive praise for this album have me truly nonplussed . What's the appeal here ? This is bloodless , unswinging , rhythmically inert music that veers between bombast and preciousness , its new age melodic banality underscored by unctuous solos . That said , my overall reaction is more one of apathy than antipathy . I reserve the latter for those would-be musical ecumenists , who in an attempt to advertise their own hipness , endorse the doublethink that jazz must become non-jazz in order to survive , thereby ensuring that jazz survives as nothing more than a vacuous marketing term .

[PHILLYQ]

Chas, on Jan 9 2008, 05:57 AM, said:

All the critical plaudits and effusive praise for this album have me truly nonplussed . What's the appeal here ? This is bloodless , unswinging , rhythmically inert music that veers between bombast and preciousness , its new age melodic banality underscored by unctuous solos . That said , my overall reaction is more one of apathy than antipathy . I reserve the latter for those would-be musical ecumenists , who in an attempt to advertise their own hipness , endorse the doublethink that jazz must become non-jazz in order to survive , thereby ensuring that jazz survives as nothing more than a vacuous marketing term .

Well,then, it's not unanimous...

[Kalo]

I'm another skeptic. She has a great band, though.

Here's a review I wrote of her recent Boston concert (bear in mind that the copy editors write the headlines):

[jlhoots]

Ms. Schneider doesn't need me to defend her music, but this is a great CD. (Almost forgot to say IMO.)
You might want to check the Village Voice critics' poll.

This post has been edited by jlhoots: 11 January 2008 - 12:44 PM

[Larry Kart]

A longtime member of Schneider's band said to a friend of mine that he and some of his colleagues refer to her writing as "Celestial Seasonings" music.

[JSngry]

Red Zinger?

[Patrick]

yummm

[Kalo]

Larry Kart, on Jan 11 2008, 12:48 PM, said:

A longtime member of Schneider's band said to a friend of mine that he and some of his colleagues refer to her writing as "Celestial Seasonings" music.

:lol:

[Joe G]

Well, whatever. if it's not your thing, it's not your thing. I found the performance tonight to be very satisfying. The band overcame some difficulties with the sound in the room (the low end gets lost in that space), with the piano, with the clatter of dishes and the chatter of those who attended just for the cocktail party in the hall. Fine solos turned in by all (Steve Wilson got the biggest reaction of the night with a very beautiful turn on Sky Blue), and of course the ensemble playing was superb. I personally find a lot of interest in the writing, and was moved on both a feeling and a rhythmic level. Yes, it floats more than drives, but there's still plenty that moves. And I don't get the criticism against her melodies; I wanted to sing along with everything. It's often the melodies that tie the metric changes together, making everything sound natural and "right".

Very much enjoyed meeting Frank Kimbrough, who gifted us on the way out with promo copies of Play. Also spoke with Gary Versace ( I had met him a couple years ago when we opened for Scofield), Steve Wilson, and Donny McCaslin. When I mentioned to Donny that I enjoyed his work with Monday Michiru, he gave me a sideways smile and said, "Ah! I don't get that very often!"

~

Nice to see Alan Lankin and his wife, as well as the Felsers!

This post has been edited by Joe G: 11 January 2008 - 10:43 PM

[J.H. Deeley]

Dang. I wish I could've made it down for the hang.

This post has been edited by J.H. Deeley: 11 January 2008 - 11:19 PM

[Ron S]

J.H. Deeley, on Jan 11 2008, 11:18 PM, said:

Dang. I wish I could've made it down for the hang.

We missed you, Dude.

[JSngry]

Joe G, on Jan 11 2008, 09:41 PM, said:

When I mentioned to Donny that I enjoyed his work with Monday Michiru, he gave me a sideways smile and said, "Ah! I don't get that very often!"

I wonder if he meant that hardly anybody knows about it or that the people he knows look down on it...

Either way, that's unfortunate.

[felser]

Joe G, on Jan 11 2008, 10:41 PM, said:

Well, whatever. if it's not your thing, it's not your thing. I found the performance tonight to be very satisfying. The band overcame some difficulties with the sound in the room (the low end gets lost in that space), with the piano, with the clatter of dishes and the chatter of those who attended just for the cocktail party in the hall. Fine solos turned in by all (Steve Wilson got the biggest reaction of the night with a very beautiful turn on Sky Blue), and of course the ensemble playing was superb. I personally find a lot of interest in the writing, and was moved on both a feeling and a rhythmic level. Yes, it floats more than drives, but there's still plenty that moves. And I don't get the criticism against her melodies; I wanted to sing along with everything. It's often the melodies that tie the metric changes together, making everything sound natural and "right".

Very much enjoyed meeting Frank Kimbrough, who gifted us on the way out with promo copies of Play. Also spoke with Gary Versace ( I had met him a couple years ago when we opened for Scofield), Steve Wilson, and Donny McCaslin. When I mentioned to Donny that I enjoyed his work with Monday Michiru, he gave me a sideways smile and said, "Ah! I don't get that very often!"

~

Nice to see Alan Lankin and his wife, as well as the Felsers!

We enjoyed the concert immensely. I gave my thoughts on it in a thread in the Live Music section

[RDK]

Recent piece from the L.A. Times...

ArtistShare makes fans a part of the inner circle
A backstage pass? ArtistShare can top that. How does an executive producer credit sound? It can be yours, for a price of course.
By Don Heckman, Special to The Times
February 10, 2008

YOU say it's not possible to win a jazz Grammy with an album that isn't out in stores, at the listening posts or available on Amazon?

Think again. Composer and bandleader Maria Schneider did it in 2005 with "Concert in the Garden," as did Billy Childs in 2006 and Brian Lynch and Eddie Palmieri in 2007 -- all on the ArtistShare label.

And Schneider has two more nominations this year for "Sky Blue," also on ArtistShare.

"I was the first artist on ArtistShare," says the New York-based musician. "Kind of the guinea pig. But it obviously worked well for me, and I got in on the ground floor with this new record business model. And, now, here I am again, heading out to the Grammys."

"Sky Blue" is a worthy entrant. Schneider's compositions for her 17-piece ensemble -- especially the Grammy-nominated suite, "Cerulean Skies," with its atmospheric mixture of simulated birdcalls and flowing jazz rhythms -- are cutting-edge displays of 21st century big band jazz.

The CD, filled with her trademark flowing instrumental textures, occasionally tinged with world music references and snippets of electronica, has been on most of the major, year-end best-of lists.

ArtistShare is an apt name for a company that enabled the production and sale of recordings via a partnership between performing artists and their fans.

"Our mission statement is very simple," explains Chief Executive Brian Camelio, who founded ArtistShare in 2001. "It's to develop relationships with fans, and make the biggest return we can for the artists. The fundamental premise is that music's true values are based upon the individual creativity and the unique process that each artist brings to a recording."

ArtistShare offers levels of participation in the entire process of imagining and creating a recording -- a significant step away from the pay-by-the-item of the contemporary music marketplace.

ArtistShare projects are announced on both the company and the artists' websites at a series of participation levels, each offering a range of perks that escalate as the price rises.

"Sky Blue," for example, lists levels reaching from "Participant" at $9.95 to "Executive Producer Participant" at $18,000.

The $9.95 folks receive a package that includes a downloaded copy of the album, a downloadable MP3 of a never-released Schneider composition and all of the notes relating to the "Sky Blue" recording experience.

The $18,000 executive producer -- which is limited to one participant -- gets, among other things, a credit listing as executive producer on the "Sky Blue" album; an invitation to a recording session; VIP access for a year to the Schneider Orchestra's performances; an inscribed copy of the limited edition "Sky Blue" CD; and monthly "Sky Blue" video updates.

The executive producer participant for "Sky Blue" was claimed by Johnny Koerber, a longtime jazz fan who works in investments in Connecticut.

"I've always loved jazz, and always thought it would be fun to commission a piece of music," he says. "After I bought Maria's previous album, I got an e-mail asking if I'd like to participate in the new one. I thought, 'Why not?' so I clicked on my computer and e-mailed my interest. Within 10 minutes I had an e-mail back from Maria.

"I thought I was just doing it to support an artist . . . but the welcome I received was something I'd never imagined, which speaks volumes for Maria and the organization."

And that wasn't all. The final perk for Koerber was the opportunity to attend the Grammy ceremony with Schneider and Camelio.

"It makes the whole thing so personal," she says. "When you make a record this way, you feel as though you have this whole family who's in your court. It puts the pressure on in a kind of scary way, but in another way it's kind of good. Because you don't want to let anybody down, and when you see people preordering and some coming in at a higher level, it's kind of like wind in your sails, and you're like, 'Come on, I can't let these people down.' "

In addition to the personal gratification, Schneider's "Sky Blue" ArtistShare project has generated nearly $200,000 from the participants, with 15% going to the company, the balance (about $170,000) to her. Contrast that with a commercial recording she made before her association with ArtistShare.

"It cost me $30,000 and the record company bought it for $10,000. It earned another $7,000 in royalties, but I was still out $13,000, and I'd given up half my publishing.

"With ArtistShare, I can see everything, I know exactly what's going on, and the money is going directly into the music. I wonder how much pop artists -- who have tons of fans who want to see every little thing behind the scenes -- would make if they did a recording with this model."

The company has about 100 artists on its roster, according to Camelio, who expects to reach the $1-million sales mark this year. Moving in other directions, ArtistShare is also offering participation in a book project, and FashionShare and FilmShare are on the horizon.

The association with ArtistShare has enabled Schneider to compose and record music for a 17-piece ensemble, find an involved audience that offers both enthusiasm and financial support, and -- as a little icing on the cake -- win a few Grammys.

"I can't even imagine going back to the sterile, old way of doing recordings after all of this."

http://theenvelope.l...ards/gram...665,print.story

[medjuck]

Larry Kart, on Jan 11 2008, 01:48 PM, said:

A longtime member of Schneider's band said to a friend of mine that he and some of his colleagues refer to her writing as "Celestial Seasonings" music.

A quote heard second-hand is a long way to go for an insult.

[bluenote82]

"Sky Blue" is certainly a lovely album. It's a shame that alot of people aren't aware of her work, she's an amazing composer and arranger.

I have all of her albums except for "Coming About," which is not available right now.

[chewy]

this man defends her music:


http://www.vincekeen...gton-725918.jpg

[Bill Barton]

So does this man:
vintage review