Berne, Tim - Snakeoil

SKU 28-ECM 2234
Tim Berne alto saxophone
Oscar Noriega Bb and bass clarinets
Matt Mitchell piano
Ches Smith drums; percussion

Tim is one of the (many) greats of modern jazz, releasing a huge string of good to superb albums and leading / participating in a number of fine groups. He's also one of the players I had wanted to see for the longest time and somehow never did until the last 2-3 years, when I got to see him 3 times with 3 different bands. This is a fine group; I saw them about 18 months ago and they are all spot-on here: Oscare is a wonderful bass clarinetist, Matt shows why he is the pianist of choice for John Hollenbeck and the Claudia Quintet and Ches plays simply and directly and perfectly for what this band needs. Tim on ECM? What a great thing!

" After compelling contributions to ECM discs by David Torn and Michael Formanek, here is Tim Berne’s first leader date for the label. “Snakeoil” introduces a fascinating ensemble, a “chamber-like group” in Berne’s words, albeit one that packs some power. Tim’s tough alto is heard with Oscar Noriega’s earthy clarinets, Mat Mitchell’s cryptic piano, and Ches Smith’s tone-conscious drums, tympani, gongs and congas. Berne: “I'd decided on this very transparent instrumentation to try and avoid obvious stylistic references and to focus the listener on the musical ideas being presented.” Two years of wood-shedding preceded the recording of “Snakeoil” at New York’s Avatar Studios early in 2011, and the band was ready to roar. The disc is issued on the eve of a tour that takes in dates on both sides of the Atlantic."



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  • LabelECM
Your Price $19.00
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