JASON AJEMIAN: The Art of Dying
Delmark, 2008

Bassist Ajemian, a common factor across many groups in Chicago’s creative music scene, leads his Smokeless Heat trio/sextet through a great set that jumps easily between straight-ahead jazz ballads and sharp avant-garde improvisations.

All fine. Fo’s Picks: 3, 5, 6, 8, 13, 15

1. 6:10 – relaxed ballad, pretty and straightforward until an oblique drum solo
3. 2:50 – angular bop: moaning sax over fast rhythm
5. 4:02 – drifting ballad with some lovely textures masking a forceful edge
6. 1:26 – fast boppish trio: repeated phrase, just a bit of skronk
8. 5:32 – hopping avant-garde piece: melts and slides, then perky bop
10. 4:12 – relaxed jazzy melody, rocks gently, marimba gets a solo
11. 1:37 – strikingly moody tones: slow, gentle movement
12. 4:04 – sinister dragging march: wordless vox in background, some buzzing
13. 5:14 – fluttering intro, then somber interplay, becomes a sort of dark blues
14. 1:04 – bass/sax/trumpet: slow, sad ensemble melody
15. 23:54 – live trio improvisation, slides all over the map from slow sadness to aggressive bleats, casual strolls to fast freedom

[ Fo ] 13-Jul-08