BENNINGTON, COHN – Albany Park
SLAMCD 587
Jimmy Bennington, Drums; Steve Cohn, Piano, Vocals, Shakuhachi (a Chinese/Japanese end-blown bamboo flute)
Recorded in Chicago April 27, 2013
This concert recording originated with the 2013 performance for the Colour and Sound House series. Bennington studied with the masterful Elvin Jones, post-bop drummer with the John Coltrane quartet from 1960 to 1966 and with whom he often played protracted duos. Bennington moved on to his ownavant musical ventures and won the accolade for Best Album of the Year 2014, ranked by Down Beat magazine.
"Once mentored by Elvin Jones, Chicago-based drummer Jimmy Bennington celebrates over a quarter of a century in the music field. Bennington's unique sound and loose drumming, which doesn't follow traditional rhythmic patterns... leaves quite a bit of room to freedom." (Down Beat Magazine)
Steve Cohn is also highly thought of in the avant-garde and for his extensive knowledge of culture and history. He has played and/or recorded with such artists as Fred Hopkins, Oliver Lake, William Parker, Sonny Simmons and Reggie Workman.
The album is a close-knit dialogue between piano and drums, studying new approaches to a variety of interests as broad as Nepalese folk music, Japanese dance and theatre and classical American jazz. This latter sees a new approach to the Miles Davis classic, ‘Blue in Green’, from the 1959 modal album Kind of Blue. Bennington plays solo drums for about a minute before Cohn enters quietly with the signature leitmotif. The track proceeds and as it reaches completion the notion of modality seems to have been buried.
Throughout the concert, Bennington’s drumming seems to be a rejoinder to the squiggling of the piano’s keys though each of them clearly demands as much from the other as they themselves are prepared to give. It is exquisite.
Reviewed by Ken Cheetham
SLAMCD 587
Jimmy Bennington, Drums; Steve Cohn, Piano, Vocals, Shakuhachi (a Chinese/Japanese end-blown bamboo flute)
Recorded in Chicago April 27, 2013
This concert recording originated with the 2013 performance for the Colour and Sound House series. Bennington studied with the masterful Elvin Jones, post-bop drummer with the John Coltrane quartet from 1960 to 1966 and with whom he often played protracted duos. Bennington moved on to his ownavant musical ventures and won the accolade for Best Album of the Year 2014, ranked by Down Beat magazine.
"Once mentored by Elvin Jones, Chicago-based drummer Jimmy Bennington celebrates over a quarter of a century in the music field. Bennington's unique sound and loose drumming, which doesn't follow traditional rhythmic patterns... leaves quite a bit of room to freedom." (Down Beat Magazine)
Steve Cohn is also highly thought of in the avant-garde and for his extensive knowledge of culture and history. He has played and/or recorded with such artists as Fred Hopkins, Oliver Lake, William Parker, Sonny Simmons and Reggie Workman.
The album is a close-knit dialogue between piano and drums, studying new approaches to a variety of interests as broad as Nepalese folk music, Japanese dance and theatre and classical American jazz. This latter sees a new approach to the Miles Davis classic, ‘Blue in Green’, from the 1959 modal album Kind of Blue. Bennington plays solo drums for about a minute before Cohn enters quietly with the signature leitmotif. The track proceeds and as it reaches completion the notion of modality seems to have been buried.
Throughout the concert, Bennington’s drumming seems to be a rejoinder to the squiggling of the piano’s keys though each of them clearly demands as much from the other as they themselves are prepared to give. It is exquisite.
Reviewed by Ken Cheetham
