Bennie Maupin - Penumbra

[GA Russell]

I'd like to tell you about a new album I'm very excited about. Of all the albums (both new and reissues) I have opened up since Christmas, this is my favorite.

It's called Penumbra by The Bennie Maupin Ensemble. I was given an advance copy. It goes on sale May 9.

The group is a quartet with Maupin on bass clarinet, tenor and soprano saxophones, alto flute and on the last track piano. The others I am unfamiliar with: Darek Oleszkiewicz does a great job on bass, with Michael Stephans on drums and Daryl Munyungo Jackson on percussion.

The sound is very 70s ECM. Ethereal. I haven't noticed any overdubbing. Jackson provides more in the way of interesting sounds than he does rhythm.

Like most of my ECMs, I prefer to listen to this late at night. It's quiet.

The 14 tracks total 60 minutes of music.

It is on a label I have never heard of before called Cryptogramophone. I've been busy with work and haven't had a chance to search the internet about Cryptogramophone, but I'll get back to you on that. I suspect that AAJ will have in its archives some press releases about the label.

I'm confident that Maupin will forever be remembered as the clarinet on Bitches Brew. Not to fault him, but I never liked him on that record. I thought the clarinet sounded out of place. I have a Mike Nock record called Almanac that he is on, playing tenor sax, and I like his work on that one.

I'll plan to top this thread as May 9 approaches, to remind you to consider pre-ordering this one.

[Joe]

Thanks for the heads-up.

http://www.cryptogramophone.com/

[CJ Shearn]

Darek O plays bass on Anna Maria Jopek/Pat Metheny: Upojenie

[JSngry]

Maupin also had a great release not too terribly long ago on some obscure label I can't remember. It was a live date co-led(?) with Buster Williams, recorded live somewhere in SE Asia. The repertoire was mostly "straight-ahead modern" and the results were very satisfying.

[Jim Alfredson]

Whoa... this is pretty cool:

http://www.cryptogramophone.com/module-Cry...lbum-id-123.htm

[GA Russell]

CD Universe says: List Price $17.98; Their Price $14.29; Pre-Order Price $12.59.

[GA Russell]

Here are the liner notes:

In this day and age of homogenization, compartmentalization, and relentless labeling of the musical arts, those among us who need the comfort of a “genre” or a “style” in order to say something like, “Oh, he’s a bebopper,” or “an avant-garde player,” can be easily confounded. Some of the best and most forward thinking of today’s young musicians clearly find ways to avoid being locked into a stylistic corner by self-proclaimed mavens of jazz and improvised music. Here on the left coast for example, guitarist Nels Cline in a single performance, can pay beautiful mellifluous homage to Jim Hall one minute, venture into the outer realms of Derek Bailey the next, and conclude with a searing, Hendrix-styled inspired burner (check out his wonderfully eclectic work on Cryptogramophone to see what I mean).

Such eclecticism has to come from somewhere. Two of the major breeding grounds for

this kind of imaginative diversity were and are, of course, the many musical odysseys of Miles Davis and John Coltrane. Both were restless seekers, never satisfied with the status quo, always reaching beyond themselves for new and uncharted improvisational geographies. Both men, each in his own way, sounded a clarion call for musicians and listeners alike to wake up, shake off their complacency and, as J. Krishnamurti would have said, free themselves from the known. It’s safe to say that among those who were first to hear the call was woodwind virtuoso and master improviser, Bennie Maupin.

To be a seeker in any art is a full-time thing. As a creative musician, one never stops listening, testing the waters, pushing the envelope, expanding the language. Bennie Maupin exemplifies the best of such things, and has embodied the spirits of both Miles and Coltrane as he forges his own unique sonic path and musical vision. His friendships and tutelage with Yusef Lateef, Sonny Rollins, and ‘Trane helped shape his musical personality; and the amazing breadth of his experience is reason enough to immerse yourself in his musical offerings. Bennie has played and recorded with a wide variety of musical icons, including trumpeters Davis, Lee Morgan, Freddie Hubbard; pianists McCoy Tyner, Herbie Hancock, Andrew Hill; saxophonists Lateef and Marion Brown; and drummers Roy Haynes, Jack DeJohnette, and Lenny White - to name only a few. He has played in all manner of musical settings and configurations, from solo performances to large orchestra concerts; from chamber recitals to Broadway shows. There is simply nothing the man can’t do and do brilliantly.

Early on in the metamorphosis of the Ensemble, Bennie began exploring the trio format, and we were aided by some great bassists; however, once Darek Oles entered the picture, Bennie was certain that his was the voice that would enable the compositions and improvisations to breathe in a way that would illuminate the music and take it to another level. Darek is the core of so much of what we do. His dark, beautifully resonant sound moves around and through the musical tapestry, warping and woofing, creating lovely and always intriguing harmonic and rhythmic counterpoint. Malleable and intensely creative, Darek is a joy to make music with, and brings so much beauty to Bennie’s vision. As if there were no end to his gifts, Darek is a gifted composer as well, as evidenced by his debut disc for Cryptogramophone, Like a Dream.

Munyungo Jackson is a wonder, a wizard of sound and feeling, a virtuoso percussionist, and an empathetic, endlessly inventive musician. His deep and abiding musical and personal relationship with Bennie spans at least thirty years, and he has been a member of virtually every one of Bennie’s groups since the mid-70’s. Munyungo is an affable, worldly man whose persona and music are so irrepressible that he could play the air and make meaningful music. Everything has musical potential to him, from the conventional families of percussion instruments to thunder sheets and water glasses, to vox humana. Whatever sound source or rhythm Munyungo chooses to play, is realized in the most musical way. His improvisational sensitivity and lyricism make him one of the most sought after percussionists playing today.

To bear witness to Bennie’s remarkable musicality as a listener is a wondrous thing. To be an intimate part of its creation and flowering is a gift and a blessing. I have been playing with Bennie for almost a decade, and the journey has been challenging, inspiring, and deeply rewarding. Bennie’s music and his approach to group playing have allowed me to expand my own musical lexicon, and it has afforded me the opportunity to better understand the notion of interconnectivity, both in music and in life. To play the drums in Bennie’s ensemble is to transcend playing the drums. One leaves one’s ego at the door, so to speak, and becomes a musical presence, focusing inward and outward simultaneously, always in a state of becoming.

The Ensemble continues at this writing to grow and thrive. We play concerts in museums, churches, galleries, and universities, and we conduct master classes. We even play for elementary school children, giving them their first real exposure to improvised music. Yet, no matter where we play or who we play for, we invariably go where the muse leads us at that moment. And each time we play, we breathe together, as though we were one body. Thanks to a common aesthetic, mutual trust, and like-mindedness, the Ensemble has evolved to the point that we no longer play the music; the music plays us. It has been a truly remarkable experience. And like Miles did with his great bands, Bennie is the metaphysical glue that holds us all together. His clear vision shines brightly as we traverse these musical landscapes. For us, this organic music is a four-way conversation among old, dear friends. What could be better than that?

-- Michael Stephans

Bennie Maupin - bass clarinet, tenor & soprano saxophones, alto flute, piano

Darek “Oles” Oleszkiewicz - bass

Michael Stephans - drums

Daryl Munyungo Jackson - percussion

Track Listing

1. Neophilia 2006 4:31

2. Walter Bishop Jr. 6:32

3. Level Three 3:15

4. Blinkers 1:20

5. Penumbra 7:01

6. Mirror Image 1:14

7. Message to Prez 6:02

8. Tapping Things 5:35

9. Vapors 4:44

10. One for Eric Dolphy 2:33

11. See The Positive 2:48

12. Trope on a Rope 3:48

13. The 12th Day 2:52

14. Equal Justice 7:15

Total: 60:30

Album Credits

All music by Bennie Maupin (Benpin Music BMI)

except “Penumbra” by B. Maupin (Benpin Music BMI)

D. Oleszkiewicz (L.A. Jazz Quartet Music BMI) M. Stephans (Endemic Music BMI)

& D.M. Jackson (Djembe Music BMI).

Produced by Bennie Maupin

Executive Producers: Bennie Maupin & Jeff Gauthier

Recorded by Nolan Shaheed, June 16,17 2003, at No Sound Studios, Pasadena,CA

Except for “Equal Justice” - recorded by Wayne Peet, December 11, 2006, at Crypto Studios, Los Angeles, CA, and mixed by Rich Breen

Mastered by Rich Breen

Graphic Design by Alex Cline and Gareth Jiffeau

Cover Art - “Penumbra” © 2006 by Martha Castillo (www.marthacastillo.com)

Black and white photograph by Barbara DuMetz

Color photograph by Dietmar Halbauer

[GA Russell]

Here's the Cryptogramophone bio of Maupin:

Bennie Maupin is best known for his atmospheric bass clarinet playing on Miles Davis’ classic “Bitches Brew” album, as well as other Miles Davis recordings such as, “Big Fun” “Jack Johnson,” and “On the Corner.” He was a founding member of Herbie Hancock’s seminal band The Headhunters, as well as a performer and composer in Hancock’s influential Mwandishi band. Born in 1940, Maupin started playing clarinet, later adding saxophone, flute and, most notably, the bass clarinet to his formidable arsenal of woodwind instruments. Upon moving to New York in 1962, he freelanced with groups led by Marion Brown, Pharoah Saunders, and Chick Corea, and played regularly with Roy Haynes and Horace Silver. He also recorded with McCoy Tyner, Lee Morgan, Freddie Hubbard, Jack DeJohnette, Andrew Hill, Eddie Henderson, and Woody Shaw to name only a few.

Maupin’s own discography as a leader includes a well-received recording for ECM Records, “The Jewel in The Lotus” (1974), “Slow Traffic to the Right” (1976), “Moonscapes” both on Mercury Records (1978), and “Driving While Black” on Intuition, (1998). The instrumentation of Maupin’s current group The Bennie Maupin Ensemble, harkens back to the tradition of great saxophone-bass-drum trios, such as the group led by Sonny Rollins with Wilbur Ware and Elvin Jones. While echoes of the great John Coltrane can be heard in Maupin’s work, one can also discern the influences of Yusef Lateef, Sonny Rollins, and Eric Dolphy, as well as Maupin’s contemporaries like Wayne Shorter and the late Joe Henderson. Maupin’s approach to his music is intentional and profound, yet alive in the interpretation of the moment. He maintains active performing and teaching careers in Europe, and the US. Bennie Maupin currently resides in the Los Angeles area.

The Bennie Maupin Ensemble came about as a result of Bennie’s continuing musical association and friendship with drummer/percussionist Michael Stephans. Internationally renowned bassist Darek Oles was a natural addition because of his open approach to interpretation and improvisation, as well as his masterful bass playing. In early 2003 world class percussionist Munyungo Jackson joined the group, and the Bennie Maupin Ensemble was born.

Penumbra -. Woodwind player Bennie Maupin has recorded with Miles Davis, Herbie Hancock, McCoy Tyner, Lee Morgan, Jack DeJohnette, Andrew Hill, and Eddie Henderson, to name only a few. His highly personal bass clarinet sound has helped define such important jazz albums as Miles Davis’ Bitches Brew, Jack Johnson, Big Fun and On the Corner, as well as recordings by Herbie Hancock’s Mwandishi band, and the Headhunters. Penumbra is a profound musical statement by an important jazz artist who is at the pinnacle of his artistic powers. Penumbra is dedicated to the memory of Lyle “Spud” Murphy.

[GA Russell]

This goes on sale Tuesday.

I see that CD Universe now has sound samples of it up on their website.

[Jim Alfredson]

Man, I need to get this. Thanks for the reminder.

EDIT: Bennie Maupin - Penumbra (click to buy)

Edited May 7, 2006 by Jim Alfredson

[randyhersom]

If I see it on eMusic I'll grab it and post.

[randyhersom]

PS - What did Maupin record with McCoy Tyner?

[couw]

PS - What did Maupin record with McCoy Tyner?

Tender Moments (BN)

[Joe]

Dusted Magazine review (by Derek Taylor)

[ep1str0phy]

PS - What did Maupin record with McCoy Tyner?

Tender Moments (BN)

Also a classic...

[Head Man]

If I see it on eMusic I'll grab it and post.

It's actually on eMusic but with no tracks to download.

What does that mean?

[mikeweil]

Nice cover, too [“Penumbra” © 2006 by Martha Castillo (www.marthacastillo.com)]:

Amazon.de has a May 19 release date ......

Edited May 11, 2006 by mikeweil

[BFrank]

If I see it on eMusic I'll grab it and post.

It's actually on eMusic but with no tracks to download.

What does that mean?

All the tracks seem to be there now.

GO for it!

[Soulstation1]

http://www.emusic.com/artist/11660/11660946.html

[GA Russell]

I didn't know that Cryptogramophone records are available at eMusic.

Randy, if you're going to download Penumbra, I also recommend that you download Jeff Gauthier's One and the Same.

I really like it.

[Lazaro Vega]

Been enjoying this recording, too. The "Message to Prez" is ghostly, otherworldly.

Maupin recently showed up with Yusef Lateef and Adam Rudolph in their Go:organic Orchestra and was featured in the first part of a three part suite where he played bass clarinet. Believe it's on the CD "In the Garden" on Meta Records.

[Adam]

Maupin is in Los Anglees and is playing around a lot.

One lovely thing about Cryptogramphone releases is that if you go to a Crypto night show, the CDs are all $10, and you're buying them straight from the artists & label.

Gauthier does a nice job on the artwork for each of the CDs as well.

[ValerieB]

Maupin is in Los Anglees and is playing around a lot.

One lovely thing about Cryptogramphone releases is that if you go to a Crypto night show, the CDs are all $10, and you're buying them straight from the artists & label.

Gauthier does a nice job on the artwork for each of the CDs as well.

i'm planning on going to the CD release party on the 26th!

[RDK]

Maupin is in Los Anglees and is playing around a lot.

One lovely thing about Cryptogramphone releases is that if you go to a Crypto night show, the CDs are all $10, and you're buying them straight from the artists & label.

Gauthier does a nice job on the artwork for each of the CDs as well.

i'm planning on going to the CD release party on the 26th!

Yes, me too!

[ValerieB]

Maupin is in Los Anglees and is playing around a lot.

One lovely thing about Cryptogramphone releases is that if you go to a Crypto night show, the CDs are all $10, and you're buying them straight from the artists & label.

Gauthier does a nice job on the artwork for each of the CDs as well.

i'm planning on going to the CD release party on the 26th!

Yes, me too!

please say hello. you can ask bennie to point me out. thanks.