Countdown 2 Meltdown

Jazz | Feb 2010

Reviews

Fo
Reviewed 2010-03-21
MITCH MARCUS QUINTET: Countdown 2 Meltdown
Porto Franco, 2010

MODERN JAZZ – He’s moved back to New York, but saxophonist Mitch Marcus left the Bay Area a fine parting gift: his quintet’s third CD has a good blend of glide and gristle, with fiery solos and touches of humor to boot. Compositional duties are spread around the band, but there’s unity in approach and a tight ensemble sound.

* * * * | Fo’s Picks: 1, 2, 5, 7, 8

1. 8:15 – lumpy theme, churns with noirish air, vocal refrain, hot twisting solos
2. 7:14 – Arabic flavor, tricky rhythmic shifts: sax soars within the low groove
3. 6:48 – uptempo: insistent drums won’t let go, some Coltrane references
4. 6:45 – heavy ballad; free improv middle section. Yes, it’s about baseball
5. 6:57 – ominous theme in weird meter, but the solos really groove and burn
6. 5:54 – new version of tune from their first CD: rocks smoothly, chatty solos
7. 4:54 – high-speed goofy percolation: saxes & guitar ride the roller coaster
8. 8:03 – Ethiopian jazz influence: grooves at two speeds, adventurous solos
9. 8:52 – quick & boppish: oblique scat vocals, careening sax, long drum solo
10. 3:35 – cool surf-rock sound: guitar rides the barrel, drums pound the beat

[ Fo ] 03/21/10

Recent airplay

Countdown 2 Meltdown
No Cover, No MinimumOct 11, 2018
(5:30 p.m.) Ron And The Machete
Wonton
No Cover, No MinimumApr 06, 2012
Ron And The Machete
No Cover, No MinimumJan 06, 2012
Jimmy's Delight
Music CasseroleJan 29, 2011
Coffeee And Cones
Music CasseroleMay 22, 2010

Charting

2010-03-21 — 2010-05-23 Jazz
Week EndingAirplays
May 23 1
May 2 1
Apr 25 1
Apr 18 1
Apr 4 1
Mar 28 3

Track listing

1. Coffeee And Cones
2. Ron And The Machete
3. Countdown 2 Meltdown
4. A's Lament
5. Jimmy's Delight
6. S.S. Clagett
7. Tron Mccain
8. Wonton
9. H.H.
10. The Albatross