Near East Quartet
Reviews
Tom McCarter
Reviewed 2018-09-26
Reviewed 2018-09-26
Reviewed: 2018-09-26
Genre: Jazz
FCCs: none
Review: The Near East Quartet has been a force in Korean music since 2010, juxtaposing elements of contemporary jazz and traditional Korean music with pure sound exploration to create new forms. An interesting trio of sax/guitar/ drums augmented by pansori singer who uses her voice like a fourth instrument. On their ECM debut, they perform 5 originals & and three Korean traditionals.
If You Like: Bill Frisell, Jan Garbarek,
Track Review (favorites denoted by *):
*1/ Ewha (3:28) – drums start> midtempo space jam> builds in volume & fades
*2/ Mot (6:10) -guitar starts, slow & quiet > slow jam with ethereal vocals> slow fade
3/ Baram (4:31) – guitar/clarinet starts> slow jam with drums in the forefront & vocals> fade
*4/ Galgabudda (3:44) – clarinet starts> slow song > slow fade
*5/ Garam (3:58) – guitar starts quietly> ethereal space jam, almost slow prog rock & song builds in volume & intensity> almost a drum solo> quick stop
**6/ Pa:do (4:50) – heavy guitar chords start> slow song with soaring vocals> instrumental jam> midtempo jam with vocals> quick stop
7/ Ebyul (3:26) – clarinet starts> slow spacey jam> slow fade
*8/ Jinyang (6:37) – guitar starts> slow jam> slow song> slow fade> pause> sax/guitar kick in for sonic prog jazz finish
Genre: Jazz
FCCs: none
Review: The Near East Quartet has been a force in Korean music since 2010, juxtaposing elements of contemporary jazz and traditional Korean music with pure sound exploration to create new forms. An interesting trio of sax/guitar/ drums augmented by pansori singer who uses her voice like a fourth instrument. On their ECM debut, they perform 5 originals & and three Korean traditionals.
If You Like: Bill Frisell, Jan Garbarek,
Track Review (favorites denoted by *):
*1/ Ewha (3:28) – drums start> midtempo space jam> builds in volume & fades
*2/ Mot (6:10) -guitar starts, slow & quiet > slow jam with ethereal vocals> slow fade
3/ Baram (4:31) – guitar/clarinet starts> slow jam with drums in the forefront & vocals> fade
*4/ Galgabudda (3:44) – clarinet starts> slow song > slow fade
*5/ Garam (3:58) – guitar starts quietly> ethereal space jam, almost slow prog rock & song builds in volume & intensity> almost a drum solo> quick stop
**6/ Pa:do (4:50) – heavy guitar chords start> slow song with soaring vocals> instrumental jam> midtempo jam with vocals> quick stop
7/ Ebyul (3:26) – clarinet starts> slow spacey jam> slow fade
*8/ Jinyang (6:37) – guitar starts> slow jam> slow song> slow fade> pause> sax/guitar kick in for sonic prog jazz finish
Recent airplay
Mot
Music Casserole — Jun 06, 2026
Jinyang
Music Casserole — Dec 01, 2018
Mot
Old fart At play — Nov 02, 2018
Baram
No Cover, No Minimum — Oct 11, 2018
Ewha
Butter and Jams — Oct 04, 2018
Charting
2018-09-30 — 2018-12-02
Jazz
| Week Ending | Airplays |
|---|---|
| Dec 2 | 1 |
| Nov 4 | 1 |
| Oct 14 | 1 |
| Oct 7 | 1 |
Track listing
| 1. | Ewha | ||
| 2. | Mot | ||
| 3. | Baram | ||
| 4. | Galgabudda | ||
| 5. | Garam | ||
| 6. | Pa:Do | ||
| 7. | Ebyul | ||
| 8. | Jinyang |