Kris Davis Capricorn Climber - 1/14/14

[Steve Reynolds]

At Cornelia Street Cafe

Kris Davis: piano

Ingrid Laubrock: tenor saxophone

Mat Maneri: viola

Trevor Dunn: bass

Tom Rainey: drums

Music starts in an hour

Me be first in line

[CraigP]

Would love to be there!

[relyles]

So how was it?

[Steve Reynolds]

So how was it?

Compositions listed on Kris' music sheets as 1, 2, 3 up through 6

They played the first 5 pieces from the album starting in order with "Too Tinkerbell" segwaying into the tremendous "Pass the Magic Hat"

Then the third piece of the night was the title track in all it's intense glory. Sections of this pieces had the band on the verge of meltdown with Ingrid and Mat at the forefront with that tempo seemingly rising and falling.

A later highlight that ended the 70 minute one set night was "Trevor's Luffa Complex" with a great intro by the bassist morphing into a tenor-bass-drums groove and then into something else.

The music is idiosyncratic and almost obtuse at times. This is my third time seeing the band, now once each of the last three years and this time as great as Mat was and is, and although he was a bit under the weather with some post flu issues, he still managed to amaze with some passages loudly intense and then towards the end with some SMEish tiny intense improv, Ingrid tore the house down last night. More aggressive and forceful with less meandering with softer tones which to my ears is not often successful for her. When she cranks it up, she is a force of nature with an ability to play intricate lines as well as bringing energy to sections of improvisation that could be limited did the internal structures of the written music.

Rainey and Davis were a pleasure as always with a certain section standing out with the piano prepared with pebbles and Rainey with sticks, metal and glass as his soundscape materials.

Great night from a tremendous band that is always filled with mystery.

[mjazzg]

"and almost obtuse at times" is how I've heard the album. Really want to like it as I like the musicians involved but I just can't warm to it (after several listens).

The opportunity to hear the music played live would I suspect help unlock it for me. Send 'em over to the UK for me , Steve

[Steve Reynolds]

"and almost obtuse at times" is how I've heard the album. Really want to like it as I like the musicians involved but I just can't warm to it (after several listens).

The opportunity to hear the music played live would I suspect help unlock it for me. Send 'em over to the UK for me , Steve

I haven't made it through the CD. I don't like the sound and it doesn't capture the magic of this band. Plus I had seen the band in 2012 when they recorded the CD and once I heard the band live......

Plus it has been very difficult to capture the sound and effect live that both Mat Maneri and Tom Rainey have on the listener especially in an intimate setting. Both are mercurial unique improvisors who have always come across much better in person than on record.

[Leeway]

I listened to the CD again,and I like it just as much as when I first heard it at the beginning of 2013. It was recorded in March 2012, near the inception of the band I figure, so since that time, the band has continued to grow and evolve and develop some elasticity. It's probably time for a new CD to document this current stage. But the original disc is filled with excellent compositions and playing. What's not to like?

[Steve Reynolds]

I will give it another spin but maybe I'm just spoiled by seeing the band live once a years in such intimate surroundings. Cornelia Street is still my favorite place to see a band

[colinmce]

So how was it?

, Ingrid tore the house down last night. More aggressive and forceful with less meandering with softer tones which to my ears is not often successful for her. When she cranks it up, she is a force of nature with an ability to play intricate lines as well as bringing energy to sections of improvisation that could be limited did the internal structures of the written music.

Interesting you should say this. I actually very much enjoy her in soft tones, maybe more than anything. Here are two sets where she does great things in this mode: