Tom McCarter

Tom McCarter for KZSU Stanford

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Pianist Eckemoff returns with yet another double disc of meditative & engaging tunes, this time based around animal themes. It is interesting to see where her flights of fancy take her, as if each tune is a soundtrack for that animal. This time out, her quartet is composed of two of the top percussionists in the ECM fold with one of the most accomplished bassists, who shares the spotlight.

If You Like: Julia Hulsman, Keith Jarrett, Eberhard Weber, David friesen
Track Review (favorites denoted by *):

*(Disc 1) 1/ Cicada (8:15) – piano starts> midtempo jam> builds to crescendo> bass solo> midtempo jam> slow fade
**2/ Bat (4:56) – piano starts> uptempo jam shifts in tempo with twists & turns> slow fade
3/ Walkingstick (3:59) – piano starts> slow tempo hesititating jam> quick fade
***4/ Fox (6:10) – bass/drums start> fast tempo jam> swinging piano solo> bass solo> drum/ percussion duet> fast jam> quick fade
5/ Grizzly Bear (6:20) – piano starts> midtempo jam> piano solo> midtempo jam> bass solo> midtempo jam> slow fade
*6/ Rattlesnake (3:04) – drums start> slow hesitating jam> piano/ bass duet> crescendo> slow jam builds to crescendo> midtempo jam slows to slow tempo> crescendo & slow fade
*7/ Wolf (8:24) – pianos starts with cascading notes> midtempo jam with multiple crescendos> bass solo> drum solo to fade
*(Disc 2) 8/ Hedgehog (7:21) – piano starts> midtempo jam> piano solo> bass solo> midtempo jam> quick stop
9/ Toad (4:02) – piano starts> midtempo jam> piano solo> slow hesitating jam> quick fade
*10/ Lynx (6:38) – bass starts> mellow uptempo jam> piano solo> uptempo jam> fade
11/ Scorpion (6:07) – piano starts> slow tempo jam> piano solo> slow jam builds in volume> fade
**12/ Firefly (4:00) – bass/piano starts> midtempo jam> piano solo> bass solo> midtempo jam> fade
*13/ Owl (3:02) – piano starts> slow tempo jam builds to midtempo> piano solo> midtempo jam>
**14/ Sea Turtle (7:33) – piano starts> slow tempo jam builds to uptempo> piano solo> bass solo> midtempo jam mellows> slow fade

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Tom McCarter for KZSU Stanford

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Review: This is the prolific Eckemoff ‘s first duo album, a piano and drums affair with another topline partner sitting at the kit: Manu Katche, a distinctive drumming stylist and a leader in his own right, with eight releases to his name, five of them on ECM Records. This CD is a panoramic set of Eckemoff originals that affixes different colors to life’s stages, from “White,” an examination of birth’s blank slate, to “Orange,” a celebration of youthful energy, through “Violet,” a nod to the thrill of first love, to “Black,” a facing, with equanimity, of death’s mysterious void. Eckemoff’s music is often complex and cerebral, drawing on her classical studies in her native Russia, and it frequently leans toward the reflective and inward.

If You Like: Keith Jarrett, Django Bates, Julia Hulsman

Track Review (favorites denoted by *):
*1/ White (8:15) – piano starts> slow duet> melody shift> drum solo> slow jam> crescendo> slow duet> quick fade
2/ Pink (4:56) – piano starts> slow duet with several pauses> swings to midtempo cascading duet slows to fade
*3/ Orange (3:59) – piano starts> uptempo rocking duet> melody shift> midtempo rocking duet> quick fade 
4/ Green (6:10) – piano starts> midtempo duet> piano solo> slow duet> melody shift> midtempo duet> quick fade
*5/ Violet (6:20) – piano starts> slow cascading duet builds to midtempo> & slows> pause> slow hesitating duet> fade
**6/ Indigo (3:04) – heavy piano/ drums start> midtempo rocking duet> piano solo> rocking duet> quick stop
7/ Blue (8:24) – slow piano solo starts> pause> uptempo duet> crescendo & pause> slow piano solo builds to midtempo duet, then swings uptempo> quick stop
*8/ Red (7:21) – piano starts> uptempo duet> piano solo> uptempo duet> crescendo end
9/ Brown (4:02) – piano starts> off-kilter midtempo duet> stop> pause> slow duet> quick fade
*10/ Bordeaux (6:38) – piano starts quiet & slow> midtempo duet> pause> midtempo duet with a series of pauses> slow fade
11/ Yellow (6:07) – piano starts, slow & hesitating> slow duet with crescendos> fade
12/ Aquamarine (4:00) – piano starts> midtempo duet> crescendo> midtempo duet builds in volume, then mellows> slow fade
13/ Grey (3:02) – piano starts, slow & hesitating> midtempo duet> fade
*14/ Black (7:32) – piano starts, slow & ominous> slow duet> pause> heavy uptempo duet mellows to midtempo> quick stop

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Tom McCarter for KZSU Stanford

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The prolific Russian-born, North Carolina-based pianist/composer adds a sacred dimension to the ambitious series of concept albums in her extensive catalogue her new 2-CD set, which is based on psalms from the Bible. The new album includes both vocal and instrumental versions of 10 songs she conceived as works of modern jazz rather than part of the Christian music canon. The music is highly melodic, multilayered, intricately structured jazz that takes full advantage not only of her virtuoso pianism, but also of the distinctive talents of the all-star team of instrumentalists and vocalists. Disc 2 offers completely different instrumental compositions, not merely the music without the vocals.
If You Like: Oregon, Keith Jarrett, Enrico Rava, Eleni Duni.

Track Review (favorites denoted by *):
DISC 1 – Vocal
1/ Psalm 131 (4:31) – piano starts> slow song> trumpet solo> slow song> fade
*2/ Psalm 119 Teth (5:04) – piano starts> uptempo song> trumpet solo> song> slow fade
3/ Psalm 119 Nun (3:00) – piano starts> slow song swings to midtempo>slows again to fade
*4/ Psalm 110 (7:09) – piano starts> midtempo song> trumpet solo> guitar solo> violin solo> song> quick fade
*5/ Psalm 119 Lamed (5:14) – bass note/vocal start> slow song> piano solo> trumpet solo> song> quick fade on trumpet
6/ Psalm 126 (6:00) – piano starts>slow jam> slow song> trumpet solo> song> slow fade
*7/ Psalm 58 (4:49) – piano starts> piano starts> slow song> quick stop
*8/ Psalm 119 Jod (7:32) – trumpet starts> slow instrumental jam> slow song swings to midtempo> trumpet solo> piano solo> fade
*9/ Psalm 119 Zain (6:14) – piano/vocal starts> slow song> trumpet solo> song> slow fade
10/ Psalm 147 (12:37) – piano starts> slow song> instrumental jam> slow song builds in volume & fades
DISC 2 – instrumental
*11/ Psalm 131 (7:04) – piano starts> slow jam> trumpet solo> slow jam> slow fade
*12/ Psalm 119 Teth (6:05) – piano starts> uptempo jam> piano solo> jam> quick fade
13/ Psalm 119 Nun (6:13) – trumpet starts> slow jam> slow fade
*14/ Psalm 110 (8:43) – piano starts> midtempo jam> piano solo> trumpet solo> slow fade
15/ Psalm 119 Lamed (6:09) – piano starts> slow jam> trumpet solo> slow jam> slow fade
*16/ Psalm 126 (6:43) – bass starts> slow jam> bass solo> slow jam> slow fade
*17/ Psalm 58 (7:55) – piano starts> slow jam> guitar solo swings uptempo> uptempo jam mellows to midtempo> fade
18/ Psalm 119 Jod (7:58) – trumpet starts> slow jam> trumpet solo> slow fade
*19/ Psalm 119 Zain (7:52) – trumpet starts> slow jam> piano solo> bass solo> fade solo> fade
*20/ Psalm 147 (13:20) – bass/piano starts> slow jam> piano solo> slow jam> slow fade

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Tom McCarter for KZSU Stanford

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Review: Eckemoff returns with another stellar group excursion, this time to the middle eastern desert. It is interesting to listen to instruments that are not from the region create music that evokes the region anyway. She has a new group of all-stars along for the journey, as well. In addition to establishing a dialog between American and European musicians, canceling the presumed differences between their respective jazz styles, this album combines poetry, refined technique and interpretive intensity. A rare example of the balance between intellectual complexity and emotional immediacy.
If You Like: Oregon, Anouar Brahem, Ibrahim Maalouf 

Track Review (favorites denoted by *):
1/ Bedouins (9:25) – bass starts> slow tempo mysterious jam> piano solo> slow fade
*2/ Mirages (7:58) – slow steady piano starts> slow tempo jam> heavy piano solo> sax solo> slow jam> quick stop
3/ Desert’s Cry (5:58) – slow piano starts> slow jam> piano solo> slow jam> fade
*4/ Dance (8:26) – percussion starts> slow jam> piano solo> sax solo> jam> bass solo> slow jam quick stop
*5/ Colors Of Nothingness (6:47) – piano starts> slow jam> morphs into different melody> quick fade
6/ Condor (4:12) – slow piano start> slow jam morphs into heavy midtempo jam & slowsfade
*7/ Oasis (4:59) – percussion starts> midtempo jam> bass solo> oboe solo> midtempo jam> fade on percussion
*8/ Dust Storm (8:32) – piano starts.slow tempo builds to midtempo> piano solo> midtempo jam> clarinet solo> midtempo jam> quick fade
9/ Desert Remained (5:29) – slow piano start> slow jam> very slow piano solo> false stop> slow jam> quick fade
*10/ Garden Of Eden (5:30) – slow piano start> slow jam> English horn solo> builds to midtempo jam> fade
11/ Sands (7:30) – piano starts> slow jam> clarinet solo> piano solo> slow jam> slow fade

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Tom McCarter for KZSU Stanford

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A fabulous new CD (her second double disc this year), a virtuosic pianist with an all-star line-up, including Chris Potter on sax. What I really enjoyed was the complex interplay on every track. Out front solos are occasionally taken, but the musicians are all soloing together at the same time and the interplay creates new music. Fans of ECM will especially tune into this.
 
If You Like: Eberhard Weber, Ralph Towner, John Abercrombie, Jan Garbarek.
 
Review (Favorites denoted by*):

(DISC 1) *1/ In The Shadow Of A Cloud (6:58) – sax drone starts> slow tempo jam swings to midtempo> sax solo over wild jam> slows to fade 2/ Saratovsky Bridge (5:12) – drums start> midtempo jam> quick fade 3/ Fishing Village (5:43) – piano starts> slow tempo jam builds to midtempo> piano solo> sa solo> fade *4/ Waters of Tsna River (8:54) – bass starts> midtempo jam> guitar solo>flute solo> slow fade 5/ Acorn Figurines (7:13) – piano starts> slow tempo jam> guitar solo> bowed bass solo> piano solo> slow fade *6/ heavy piano chords start> swinging uptempo jam> sax solo> piano solo> guitar solo> quick fade & a note 7/ Hammock Stories (7:14) – piano starts> midtempo jam> sax solo> guitar solo> quick stop (DISC 2 review inside jacket.
 
(DISC 2) 8/ Picnic In The Oaks (5:43) – piano starts> midtempo jam> piano solo> drum solo> quick fade *9/ Waltz Of The Yellow Petals (6:09) -piano starts> slow tempo jam> guitar solo> sax solo> piano solo> midtempo jam> slow fade *10/ Trail Along The River (6:35) – guitar starts> midtempo jam> piano solo> guitar solo> piano/guitar interplay> quick stop 11/ Lament (5:32) – bass starts> slow tempo jam> guitar solo> sax solo> slow fade 12/ Vision Of a Hunt (6:49) – piano starts> midtempo jam> piano solo> swinging sax solo> guitar solo> uptempo jam> slow fade *13/ The Fog (7:50) – bass solo> sax solo> piano solo> soaring sax solo> fade *14/ Tambov Streets On A Summer Night (8:35) – piano starts> slow tempo jam> sax solo> piano solo> gorgeous sax solo swings midtempo > guitar solo> slows to fade.

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Tom McCarter for KZSU Stanford

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CHAMBER JAZZ — An impressionistic set, with an unusual piano/violin combination over skittering rhythms. At times haunting, at others like a gentle daydream, this emotional music balances Eckemoff’s classical background with a free-flowing spirit of journey, occasionally incorporating moments of free improvisation.

All tracks intriguing. Fo’s Picks: 2, 3, 5, 6, 10

1. 3:04 — sparse piano over soft percussion; gentle quartet swells and ebbs
2. 5:04 — dramatic intro, dark piano steps over turbulence, violin moans
3. 6:57 — mysterious stroll, occasionally drifts into optimistic dance
4. 7:29 — dramatic invocation of rain grounds a rolling uptempo tone poem
5. 7:42 — gentle midtempo flow, but with a frosty/forbidding undercurrent
6. 8:22 — uptempo churning rhythms: violin & piano in eloquent dialogue
7. 8:34 — quiet openness slips into melancholy; sad violin & resolute piano
8. 7:40 — after the storm: piano droplets & rising phrases, turns unsettled
9. 7:21 — gentle rocking but with a slight edge; expands in the center
10. 8:07 — calm, off-center theme; drifts softly through pastoral moods
11. 8:23 — serene piano over cymbal; quartet slips in/out of complexity

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