Piano Vortex
Jazz
| Aug 2007
Reviews
Fo
Reviewed 2007-10-27
Reviewed 2007-10-27
MATTHEW SHIPP: Piano Vortex
Thirsty Ear, 2007
AVANT-GARDE PIANO – Setting aside the electronics for a change, daring pianist/composer Shipp gets back to basics with an acoustic jazz trio. But that doesn’t make this session any less striking or original than his other work. Joe Morris has switched from guitar to bass here; his dense, chewy sound dominates the mix early on, but otherwise this is a very fine recording of mildly “out,” deadly serious art-jazz with teeth.
Fo’s Picks: 3-8 all recommended
1. 10:27 – moody, spacious, bass wanders slowly over turbulent piano, builds up tension as it goes, fast and crashing near the end.
2. 3:21 – a low, lumpy swing: thick, angular piano, slight drag on drums
3. 9:12 – swirling w/scratchy bowed bass, grandiose piano, quiet break, then intricate, almost mechanical construction. Great piano work.
4. 4:10 – oddball, jerky swing: malfunctioning-robot piano and pulsing rhythm
5. 8:54 – piano, bass trade off oblique atmospheric impressions, then combine in a gliding storm: it’s thick and heavy but also flows
6. 6:39 – speedy rhythm: chopped-up piano lines grow huge & smash shit up
7. 3:17 – cerebral, fractured piano solo, seems reflected upon itself
8. 7:13 – strolling: almost “normal” but full of odd angles & jumbled phrases
[ Fo ] 27-Oct-07
Thirsty Ear, 2007
AVANT-GARDE PIANO – Setting aside the electronics for a change, daring pianist/composer Shipp gets back to basics with an acoustic jazz trio. But that doesn’t make this session any less striking or original than his other work. Joe Morris has switched from guitar to bass here; his dense, chewy sound dominates the mix early on, but otherwise this is a very fine recording of mildly “out,” deadly serious art-jazz with teeth.
Fo’s Picks: 3-8 all recommended
1. 10:27 – moody, spacious, bass wanders slowly over turbulent piano, builds up tension as it goes, fast and crashing near the end.
2. 3:21 – a low, lumpy swing: thick, angular piano, slight drag on drums
3. 9:12 – swirling w/scratchy bowed bass, grandiose piano, quiet break, then intricate, almost mechanical construction. Great piano work.
4. 4:10 – oddball, jerky swing: malfunctioning-robot piano and pulsing rhythm
5. 8:54 – piano, bass trade off oblique atmospheric impressions, then combine in a gliding storm: it’s thick and heavy but also flows
6. 6:39 – speedy rhythm: chopped-up piano lines grow huge & smash shit up
7. 3:17 – cerebral, fractured piano solo, seems reflected upon itself
8. 7:13 – strolling: almost “normal” but full of odd angles & jumbled phrases
[ Fo ] 27-Oct-07
Recent airplay
Quivering With Speed
Memory Select — Jun 19, 2009
To Vitalize
No Cover, No Minimum — Dec 28, 2007
Slips Through The Fingers
Baptism of Solitude — Dec 26, 2007
Nooks And Corners
Baptism of Solitude — Dec 19, 2007
Sliding Through Space
Memory Select — Nov 23, 2007
Nooks And Corners
That's Not Bluegrass- really! — Nov 23, 2007
Charting
2007-10-28 — 2007-12-30
Jazz
| Week Ending | Airplays |
|---|---|
| Dec 30 | 2 |
| Dec 23 | 1 |
| Nov 25 | 2 |
| Nov 18 | 3 |
| Nov 11 | 1 |
| Nov 4 | 1 |
Track listing
| 1. | Piano Vortex | ||
| 2. | Key Swing | ||
| 3. | The New Circumstance | ||
| 4. | Nooks And Corners | ||
| 5. | Sliding Through Space | ||
| 6. | Quivering With Speed | ||
| 7. | Slips Through The Fingers | ||
| 8. | To Vitalize |