Ellis, Mike / Chicago Spontaneous Combustion Suite
Album: Chicago Spontaneous Combustion Suite   Collection:Jazz
Artist:Ellis, Mike   Added:Dec 2007
Label:Alpha Pocket  

A-File Activity
Add Date: 2008-02-24 Pull Date: 2008-04-27 Charts: Jazz
Week Ending: Apr 27 Apr 20 Mar 16 Mar 2
Airplays: 1 1 1 1

Recent Airplay
1. Apr 25, 2008: Memory Select
Part 12
3. Mar 14, 2008: Memory Select
Part 9
2. Apr 18, 2008: Memory Select: Glennie/Frith preview
Part 4
4. Feb 29, 2008: Memory Select
Part 2 [excerpt]

Album Review
Craig Matsumoto
Reviewed 2008-02-22
Abstract improvisation from a horn-heavy quintet, mostly keeping to a jazzy feel but with touches of European "sound experiment" improv.

The 1- and 2-minute snippets are some of the best tracks, with a fun and direct approach -- they'd make nice interludes during any show. Longer tracks, such as the first three, tend to wander and favor a slower atmosphere -- rewarding, but requiring more patience.

Doesn't compare well to some of the improv efforts out of Europe (one jazz-related example being Tony Bianco and Paul Dunmall's "Hour Glass" album) ... the five members seem a bit too cautious, and that can bog down some of the longer tracks.

1- Perky horns at start; slows to a groaning middle section.
2- Long track. Starts with bruising aggression, later slips into a quieter, jazzy sound
3- Slow, bleating. Almost a jazzy feel. Some cool fast soloing near the end.
4- Brisk, jazzy, breezy
5- Perky fast chamber music, a bit fun
7- Burly baritone sax & jazzy drum rolling
8- A quick-stepping march, feels incomplete
9- Gets into some almost straight-jazz soloing and a fast toe-tapping triple-solo segment, after a quiet start. Mid/fast, nice.
10- Some dramatic bowed bass....
11- Slow horns
13- Careful horn lines, not entirely successful.
14- Drum solo: careful snare work
15- Bass solo
16- Solo bass trumpet
17- Solo trumpet
18- Fluttery sax solo
19- Spirited group improv, fairly fast, short.

Track Listing
1. Part 1   10. Part 10
2. Part 2   11. Part 11
3. Part 3   12. Part 12
4. Part 4   13. Part 13
5. Part 5   14. Part 14
6. Part 6   15. Part 15
7. Part 7   16. Part 16
8. Part 8   17. Part 17
9. Part 9   18. Part 18
  19. Part 19