| Henry Threadgill Zooid |
| In for a Penny, In for a Pound |
Henry Threadgill Zooid — In for a Penny, In for a Pound 
Δ Neskutečné zvraty. Proč si kazit překvapení? Jeden z nejvíce variabilních, neuchopitelných a přesvědčivých skladatelů, interpretů a kapelníků moderní avantgardy. Další instalace jeho vynalézavosti.
Δ Multi–reedman Henry Threadgill’s playing is characterized by exceptional freshness and experimentation up through the ‘00s.
Birth name: Henry Luther Threadgill
Born: February 15, 1944 in Chicago, IL
Location: US
Album release: May 26, 2015
Record Label: Pi Recordings
Catalog: #pi58
Duration: 40:10 + 38:58 => 79:08
Tracks:
Disc 1
1. In for a Penny, In for a Pound (Opening) 4:35
2. Ceroepic (for drums and percussion) 19:35
3. Dosepic (for cello) 16:00
Disc 2
1. Off the Prompt Box (Exordium) 3:35
2. Tresepic (for trombone and tuba) 17:26
3. Unoepic (for guitar) 17:57
℗ 2015 Pi Records
Personnel:
Δ Henry Threadgill: alto saxophone, flute, bass flute;
Δ Jose Davila: trombone, tuba;
Δ Liberty Ellman: guitar;
Δ Christopher Hoffman: violoncello;
Δ Elliot Humberto Kavee: drums, percussion.
¦¦ Threadgill’s compositional philosophy is deceptively simple: “When I write music, I want something powerful to come at people. And it doesn’t have to fit any categories. How can you deal with a broad range of thoughts and emotions if you stay locked into one road? So I open up my music completely. Keep it wide open. I like the idea of engaging the listener by making music that’s not passive. I like playing for people who have a broad diet. Otherwise, it’s like someone who only eats hot dogs. I think it’s ridiculous that people discriminate against a broad spectrum of music.”
REVIEW
By DAN BILAWSKY, Published: May 11, 2015 | SCORE: ****½
¦¦ No artist manages to marry compositional specificity and independent thought to the degree that Henry Threadgill does. And while his singular vision(s) with groups like Air and Very Very Circus have already earned him a place in the history of this music, when all is said and done, his work with Zooid may be his most important contribution to the ever–evolving art form of jazz.
¦¦ On In For A Penny, In For A Pound, Zooid delivers what Threadgill describes as an "epic," programmed with an introduction, two main movements, a mid–work "exordium," and two more main movements. As always, Threadgill sets boundaries and creates rules and parameters, assigning specific intervallic cells or movements to each player, but much is also left to chance. This music is built around an exploration of combinatorial possibilities, unconventional counterpoint and polyphony, and a blurring of the line(s) between background and foreground placement(s). Episodes of perpetual motion lead to more intimate conversational pit stops or solo breaks, rough–and–tumble romps seamlessly segue into enlightening areas, and rhythmically–focused group dialogue breaks off into vague corners.
¦¦ Zooid creates musical jigsaw puzzles, but not in the way one might think. Forget the conventional cuts and shapes. Instead, imagine a puzzle with pieces cut with sharp angles and rounded curvatures. Now imagine that the puzzle was cut in a way that allows for multiple possibilities of assembly. The outcome will always result in the creation of a solid whole, but the unpredictability of the exact placement of the pieces and the look of the end–product will always differ to some degree. There's growth and progress in every attempt at assembly, and that's exactly what takes place when Zooid performs Threadgill's music.
¦¦ While In For A Penny, In For A Pound was designed to be viewed as a single work, each and every movement has plenty to offer. Take "Ceroepic (For Drums And Percussion)," for example. This piece–within–a–piece is overflowing with creative gestures and interplay. Four minutes of madcap movement culminate with Threadgill's alto saxophone and Liberty Ellman's guitar delivering a unison statement. And then there's silence. But the silence doesn't last. From there, there's more space and less rhythmic jostling, as Elliot Humberto Kavee's percussive bells underscore some seriously searching string work. The rhythmic flow soon picks up again, as Ellman takes center stage, but that doesn't last either. A hallucinatory episode between Threadgill and low brass man Jose Davila, start–stop lines, a tumbling tom–and–cymbals solo, warped sounds and tumultuous passages, and even a droning marriage between Threadgill's flute and Davila's tuba all follow. And that's just a brief and partial rundown of the piece. In just under twenty minutes, Zooid creates an entire world that continually offers surprises.
¦¦ It may be tempting to dissect each and every movement in the above fashion, but that misses the point and the bigger picture: it's a picture that's painted with intellectual curiosity, a high regard for individual freedom, and a deep passion for the extension and growth of communicative language, musical speech, and form. Threadgill's individualism and the brilliance of Zooid both shine through on this truly epic work. ¦¦ http://www.allaboutjazz.com/
REVIEW
Δ Fresh off his significant contribution to Jack DeJohnette's Made In Chicago (ECM, 2015), composer/saxophonist/flautist Henry Threadgill and his most long–established group, Zooid, return for the ensemble's most creative and ambitious collection. Almost thirty years ago, Threadgill told Chicago's Pulitzer winning writer, Studs Terkel, of the influence of marching bands that he saw in that city's frequent street parades. That influence — along with that of his founding status in the Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians — are apparent in the adventurous collection In For a Penny, In For a Pound.
Δ Joining Threadgill are original group members, guitarist Liberty Ellman, trombonist/tubaist Jose Davila and drummer Elliot Humberto Kavee along with violincellist Christopher Hoffman who came on board with Tomorrow Sunny / The Revelry, Spp (Pi Recordings, 2012). Bassist Stomu Takeishi, a long time Threadgill colleague and part of Zooid since 2009, does not appear on In For a Penny, In for a Pound, resetting the ensemble to its quintet formation.
Δ Only two of the six compositions on this double–disc set clock in at under fifteen minutes. One of those — the opening title track — sets the stage for Threadgill's uniquely abstract approach to composition. Here, he and Ellman weave through harmonic textures with a nimbleness that floats above the surface. Within "Ceroepic (for drums and percussion)," the earlier reference to parading marching bands takes on life. Threadgill has developed an approach of composing individual pieces in phases and if one were to imagine the passing of parade musicians, those here–and–gone themes and formats, it becomes palpable imagery on In For a Penny, In for a Pound.
Δ Each of the three remaining long–form pieces is designated as a feature for a particular instrument or combination of instruments. The ubiquitous nature of changing patterns and textures makes the relatively brief featured contributions all the more engaging. The dynamic is especially notable in "Tresepic (for trombone and tuba)" where Davila bottoms–out the pitch for a time in contrast to the more pervasive lightness of the piece. While each piece includes elements of harmony and conflict, the compositions are devoid of jarring disruptions and are atmospherically ethereal.
Δ Threadgill uses "epic" in these naming conventions not in a self–aggrandizing manner but to define the far–reaching scope of the compositions. He continues to be a composer of great complexity and feeling, creating alternating atmosphere and mood within each of his compositions, tying them together in unexpected ways. In a career that spans four decades, Threadgill is as relevant as ever and In For a Penny, In for a Pound is unique and memorable. ~ By KARL ACKERMANN
Also:
BY S. VICTOR AARON, MAY 23, 2015
Δ http://somethingelsereviews.com/2015/05/23/henry-threadgill-zooid-in-for-a-penny-in-for-a-pound-2015/
Label: http://www.pirecordings.com/album/pi58
_____________________________________________________________
| Henry Threadgill Zooid |
| In for a Penny, In for a Pound |
Δ Neskutečné zvraty. Proč si kazit překvapení? Jeden z nejvíce variabilních, neuchopitelných a přesvědčivých skladatelů, interpretů a kapelníků moderní avantgardy. Další instalace jeho vynalézavosti.
Δ Multi–reedman Henry Threadgill’s playing is characterized by exceptional freshness and experimentation up through the ‘00s.
Birth name: Henry Luther Threadgill
Born: February 15, 1944 in Chicago, IL
Location: US
Album release: May 26, 2015
Record Label: Pi Recordings
Catalog: #pi58
Duration: 40:10 + 38:58 => 79:08
Tracks:
Disc 1
1. In for a Penny, In for a Pound (Opening) 4:35
2. Ceroepic (for drums and percussion) 19:35
3. Dosepic (for cello) 16:00
Disc 2
1. Off the Prompt Box (Exordium) 3:35
2. Tresepic (for trombone and tuba) 17:26
3. Unoepic (for guitar) 17:57
℗ 2015 Pi Records
Personnel:
Δ Henry Threadgill: alto saxophone, flute, bass flute;
Δ Jose Davila: trombone, tuba;
Δ Liberty Ellman: guitar;
Δ Christopher Hoffman: violoncello;
Δ Elliot Humberto Kavee: drums, percussion.
¦¦ Threadgill’s compositional philosophy is deceptively simple: “When I write music, I want something powerful to come at people. And it doesn’t have to fit any categories. How can you deal with a broad range of thoughts and emotions if you stay locked into one road? So I open up my music completely. Keep it wide open. I like the idea of engaging the listener by making music that’s not passive. I like playing for people who have a broad diet. Otherwise, it’s like someone who only eats hot dogs. I think it’s ridiculous that people discriminate against a broad spectrum of music.”
REVIEW
By DAN BILAWSKY, Published: May 11, 2015 | SCORE: ****½
¦¦ No artist manages to marry compositional specificity and independent thought to the degree that Henry Threadgill does. And while his singular vision(s) with groups like Air and Very Very Circus have already earned him a place in the history of this music, when all is said and done, his work with Zooid may be his most important contribution to the ever–evolving art form of jazz.
¦¦ On In For A Penny, In For A Pound, Zooid delivers what Threadgill describes as an "epic," programmed with an introduction, two main movements, a mid–work "exordium," and two more main movements. As always, Threadgill sets boundaries and creates rules and parameters, assigning specific intervallic cells or movements to each player, but much is also left to chance. This music is built around an exploration of combinatorial possibilities, unconventional counterpoint and polyphony, and a blurring of the line(s) between background and foreground placement(s). Episodes of perpetual motion lead to more intimate conversational pit stops or solo breaks, rough–and–tumble romps seamlessly segue into enlightening areas, and rhythmically–focused group dialogue breaks off into vague corners.
¦¦ Zooid creates musical jigsaw puzzles, but not in the way one might think. Forget the conventional cuts and shapes. Instead, imagine a puzzle with pieces cut with sharp angles and rounded curvatures. Now imagine that the puzzle was cut in a way that allows for multiple possibilities of assembly. The outcome will always result in the creation of a solid whole, but the unpredictability of the exact placement of the pieces and the look of the end–product will always differ to some degree. There's growth and progress in every attempt at assembly, and that's exactly what takes place when Zooid performs Threadgill's music.
¦¦ While In For A Penny, In For A Pound was designed to be viewed as a single work, each and every movement has plenty to offer. Take "Ceroepic (For Drums And Percussion)," for example. This piece–within–a–piece is overflowing with creative gestures and interplay. Four minutes of madcap movement culminate with Threadgill's alto saxophone and Liberty Ellman's guitar delivering a unison statement. And then there's silence. But the silence doesn't last. From there, there's more space and less rhythmic jostling, as Elliot Humberto Kavee's percussive bells underscore some seriously searching string work. The rhythmic flow soon picks up again, as Ellman takes center stage, but that doesn't last either. A hallucinatory episode between Threadgill and low brass man Jose Davila, start–stop lines, a tumbling tom–and–cymbals solo, warped sounds and tumultuous passages, and even a droning marriage between Threadgill's flute and Davila's tuba all follow. And that's just a brief and partial rundown of the piece. In just under twenty minutes, Zooid creates an entire world that continually offers surprises.
¦¦ It may be tempting to dissect each and every movement in the above fashion, but that misses the point and the bigger picture: it's a picture that's painted with intellectual curiosity, a high regard for individual freedom, and a deep passion for the extension and growth of communicative language, musical speech, and form. Threadgill's individualism and the brilliance of Zooid both shine through on this truly epic work. ¦¦ http://www.allaboutjazz.com/
REVIEW
Δ Fresh off his significant contribution to Jack DeJohnette's Made In Chicago (ECM, 2015), composer/saxophonist/flautist Henry Threadgill and his most long–established group, Zooid, return for the ensemble's most creative and ambitious collection. Almost thirty years ago, Threadgill told Chicago's Pulitzer winning writer, Studs Terkel, of the influence of marching bands that he saw in that city's frequent street parades. That influence — along with that of his founding status in the Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians — are apparent in the adventurous collection In For a Penny, In For a Pound.
Δ Joining Threadgill are original group members, guitarist Liberty Ellman, trombonist/tubaist Jose Davila and drummer Elliot Humberto Kavee along with violincellist Christopher Hoffman who came on board with Tomorrow Sunny / The Revelry, Spp (Pi Recordings, 2012). Bassist Stomu Takeishi, a long time Threadgill colleague and part of Zooid since 2009, does not appear on In For a Penny, In for a Pound, resetting the ensemble to its quintet formation.
Δ Only two of the six compositions on this double–disc set clock in at under fifteen minutes. One of those — the opening title track — sets the stage for Threadgill's uniquely abstract approach to composition. Here, he and Ellman weave through harmonic textures with a nimbleness that floats above the surface. Within "Ceroepic (for drums and percussion)," the earlier reference to parading marching bands takes on life. Threadgill has developed an approach of composing individual pieces in phases and if one were to imagine the passing of parade musicians, those here–and–gone themes and formats, it becomes palpable imagery on In For a Penny, In for a Pound.
Δ Each of the three remaining long–form pieces is designated as a feature for a particular instrument or combination of instruments. The ubiquitous nature of changing patterns and textures makes the relatively brief featured contributions all the more engaging. The dynamic is especially notable in "Tresepic (for trombone and tuba)" where Davila bottoms–out the pitch for a time in contrast to the more pervasive lightness of the piece. While each piece includes elements of harmony and conflict, the compositions are devoid of jarring disruptions and are atmospherically ethereal.
Δ Threadgill uses "epic" in these naming conventions not in a self–aggrandizing manner but to define the far–reaching scope of the compositions. He continues to be a composer of great complexity and feeling, creating alternating atmosphere and mood within each of his compositions, tying them together in unexpected ways. In a career that spans four decades, Threadgill is as relevant as ever and In For a Penny, In for a Pound is unique and memorable. ~ By KARL ACKERMANN
Also:
BY S. VICTOR AARON, MAY 23, 2015
Δ http://somethingelsereviews.com/2015/05/23/henry-threadgill-zooid-in-for-a-penny-in-for-a-pound-2015/
Label: http://www.pirecordings.com/album/pi58
_____________________________________________________________