Sabotage And Celebration

Escreet, John
Whirlwind Recordings
Jazz | Jan 2014

Reviews

Fo
Reviewed 2014-01-02
JOHN ESCREET: Sabotage and Celebration
Whirlwind, 2013

POSTMODERN JAZZ – Daring piano in an ambitious setting. At the core this is a quintet date with some stellar names (David Binney & Chris Potter on saxes), but there is also a string section, extra brass at key moments, and even a vocal trio on track 7. Escreet, originally from Britain but now based in New York, writes complex, acrobatic melodies as he flirts with free-jazz, chamber sounds, postbop and more.

Fo’s Picks: 2, 3, 6, 7

1. 2:12 – introduction: slow, swaying strings in a rising arc, leads into…
2. 7:46 – …strings set up fast complex horns, optimistic quintet, bright solos
3. 11:40 – suspenseful intro… and a chaotic explosion! Runs free for a while, spiraling piano solo eventually gets FAST, bop sax guides it home
4. 7:29 – mostly fragile, but with heavy-handed outbursts, rhythmic end section
5. 5:35 – circular but soulful groove, with guitar & Rhodes keyboard, hot sax
6. 8:41 – thumping, postmodern: odd chords, hopping saxes, bold piano solo
7. 9:21 – calm, uplifting, very lyrical start; ethereal wordless vocals bridge into a cinematic drive with harpsichord, strings & soprano sax solo

[ Fo ] - 2 January 2014

Recent airplay

He Who Dares, Axis Of Hope
No Cover, No MinimumApr 25, 2014
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Laura Angela
RebopFeb 13, 2014
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Charting

2014-01-02 — 2014-03-06 Jazz
Week EndingAirplays
Feb 16 1
Feb 9 1
Feb 2 2
Jan 26 1
Jan 19 2
Jan 12 2

Track listing

1. Axis Of Hope
2. He Who Dares
3. Sabotage And Celebration
4. The Decapitator
5. Laura Angela
6. Animal Style
7. Beyond Your Wildest Dreams