| Elsaffar, Amir / Alchemy |
|---|
| Album: | Alchemy | Collection: | Jazz | |
| Artist: | Elsaffar, Amir | Added: | 02/2014 | |
| Label: | Pi Recordings | |||
| A-File Activity |
|---|
| Add Date: | 2014-02-07 | Pull Date: | 2014-04-11 | Charts: | Jazz |
| Week Ending: | 13 Apr | 6 Apr | 30 Mar | 23 Mar | 16 Mar | 9 Mar | 2 Mar | 23 Feb |
| Airplays: | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 2 |
Recent Airplay
| 1. | Feb 12, 2016: | Rebop Ishtarum Suite: Ishtarum | 4. | Apr 04, 2014: | No Cover, No Minimum Alchemy Suite: Quartal | |
| 2. | Aug 14, 2015: | Rebop Ishtarum Suite: Ishtarum | 5. | Mar 28, 2014: | No Cover, No Minimum Alchemy Suite: Five Phases | |
| 3. | Apr 10, 2014: | Rebop Alchemy Suite: Five Phases | 6. | Mar 27, 2014: | Rebop Ishtarum Suite: Nid Qablitum, Ishtarum Suite: Ishtarum |
| Album Review |
|---|
| Fo Reviewed 2014-02-06 | ||
|
AMIR ELSAFFAR: Alchemy Pi, 2013 AVANT-JAZZ – Trumpeter ElSaffar has made waves in recent years with his fusion of edgy jazz with Middle Eastern forms, especially the Iraqi maqam. For this release he continues to employ microtones and Middle Eastern modes, but in a standard jazz quintet configuration. The result is a less “exotic,” more approachable sound, but still full of challenges for his top-notch bandmates and the discerning listener. All good. Fo’s Picks: 1, 2, 5, 7, 8 1. 7:48 – relaxed midtempo; rising microtonal trumpet; complex piano break 2. 5:08 – cool-toned modern-jazzy rainy-day feel, nice piano & biting sax 3. 10:56 – moody midtempo: undulating modal melody; middle section has “stuck” rhythmic pattern vs lovely piano, spiky horns in final part 4. 7:07 – all spirals: alternately soft and stony; relaxed trumpet, sax lunges 5. 6:08 – warped jazz stroll with lots and lots of quarter-tones, odd changes 6. 4:44 – calm & open: piano/bass shape the space, horns moan, rise up 7. 8:08 – cool modal jazz groove with fluttering horns, prodding piano; love it. 8. 9:25 – spiky postbop: sax digs into it, trumpet surfs on top, busy bass break 9. 2:59 – restless drums set up exotic, percolating horn/piano interplay 10. 7:32 - tight horns vs rolling rhythm; piano pulls outward, strong bass solo [ Fo ] - 6 February 2014 | ||
| Track Listing |
|---|