SARAH BERNSTEIN QUARTET – Still/Free
Leo Records CD LR 746
Sarah Bernstein, violin and composition; Kris Davis, piano; Stuart Popejoy, electric bass; Ches Smith, drums
Recorded January 6/7 2015
The opening/title track of Still/Free reconnoitres and develops a poignant theme that is fully illustrative of the violinist’s idiosyncratic jazz arrangements, especially as seen and heard through the quartet’s open improvisation approach. The mood may seem to be thus set, but this first, moving theme develops into contemplation, discord, enigmatic sophistry, cross-questioning in free jazz style, some sober poesy, pulsing graveness and as-free-as-you-like discourses by solo and duet instruments. Ultimately it is all meditative, but essentially it is minimalistic music devolving to Free Jazz.
The album offers a superbly refined volume of avant-garde, Avant-jazz; the musicians are stretching the capabilities of their instruments in order to wring from them the ultimate possibilities and to achieve this they must expand also the outer limits of their individual and collective imaginations. Sarah Bernstein’s violin at times is speaking it seems: is it not the violin one hears, but her own voice?
It is hardly surprising that Bernstein – composer, improviser, poet, violinist and vocalist – has been awarded the accolade of "Rising Star" in the 63rd Annual DownBeat critics’ poll (2015). The compliment may be for her violin playing as heard, no, experienced here, but she has excelled also with the improvising string quartet Frikativ, with the minimalist/experimental duo, Unearthish, and with the noise/poetry band Iron Dog. She has also played solo performances as well as recording with other humdinger artists including the long-established saxophonist Anthony Braxton and trombonist Steve Swell, considered to be a highly audacious and productive artist in the Free-Jazz community of New York.
The album is the quartet’s first recording with Leo Records and it is an outstanding debut.
Reviewed by Ken Cheetham
Leo Records CD LR 746
Sarah Bernstein, violin and composition; Kris Davis, piano; Stuart Popejoy, electric bass; Ches Smith, drums
Recorded January 6/7 2015
The opening/title track of Still/Free reconnoitres and develops a poignant theme that is fully illustrative of the violinist’s idiosyncratic jazz arrangements, especially as seen and heard through the quartet’s open improvisation approach. The mood may seem to be thus set, but this first, moving theme develops into contemplation, discord, enigmatic sophistry, cross-questioning in free jazz style, some sober poesy, pulsing graveness and as-free-as-you-like discourses by solo and duet instruments. Ultimately it is all meditative, but essentially it is minimalistic music devolving to Free Jazz.
The album offers a superbly refined volume of avant-garde, Avant-jazz; the musicians are stretching the capabilities of their instruments in order to wring from them the ultimate possibilities and to achieve this they must expand also the outer limits of their individual and collective imaginations. Sarah Bernstein’s violin at times is speaking it seems: is it not the violin one hears, but her own voice?
It is hardly surprising that Bernstein – composer, improviser, poet, violinist and vocalist – has been awarded the accolade of "Rising Star" in the 63rd Annual DownBeat critics’ poll (2015). The compliment may be for her violin playing as heard, no, experienced here, but she has excelled also with the improvising string quartet Frikativ, with the minimalist/experimental duo, Unearthish, and with the noise/poetry band Iron Dog. She has also played solo performances as well as recording with other humdinger artists including the long-established saxophonist Anthony Braxton and trombonist Steve Swell, considered to be a highly audacious and productive artist in the Free-Jazz community of New York.
The album is the quartet’s first recording with Leo Records and it is an outstanding debut.
Reviewed by Ken Cheetham
