View Larger
Rate it!
Avg: 3.0 (2 ratings)
- Date Released: July 9, 2007
- Genre: Jazz
- Label: Winter & Winter GmbH / IODA
A challenging, impressive live document
-
We Say...
Live at the Village Vanguard Vol. 1 (Vol. 2 is also available on eMusic) is a thoroughly-focused jazz album refracted through the sensibilities of leader Paul Motian’s abstract take on the music’s history. There are no histrionics, and only few easy points of reference for the material being played. The program requires effort on the part of the listener.
Fortunately, it’s worth the trouble; Live at the Village Vanguard Vol. 1 is a magnificent session. Alto saxophonist Greg Osby joins the trio’s fulltime tenor saxophonist Chris Potter, making for a formidable front line. Potter, often pyrotechnically inclined, pares down his playing to simple gestures, allowing a displaced note to substitute for a lengthy, complex phrase. Osby is a logician — a deeply cerebral player who nevertheless doesn’t eschew emotion.
Drummer Motian, bassist Larry Grenadier, and pianist Masabumi Kikuchi make up one of the least conventionally propulsive rhythm sections imaginable. They chug along, stop and start, becoming absorbed in whatever is at the center of the moment. It’s perfect for this music; Osby and Potter don’t need anyone to show them where the time is.
The unifying factor of the set is the strange reversal of figure and ground; the saxophonists tend to play more conservatively than the rhythm players, the effect being that the horns frequently support what’s going on behind them. “Standard Time” features a long tenor solo. Potter seems to be paying tribute to Charlie Rouse’s work with Thelonious Monk (with a nod to Osby thrown in.) Osby adds his abstruse architecture as Motian shadows him with intricate cymbal work, Kikuchi and Grenadier raising the stakes as the solo builds. Tadd Dameron’s “If You Could See Me Now” is largely taken up by Kikuchi’s elegant and elusive solo. Potter is very careful not to break the delicate mood set by the pianist. The performance is a primer on how the jazz past and future can meet.
“Olivia’s Dream” sounds like a funhouse mirror take on “Tea for Two.” After the theme, Kikuchi and Motian create a swirling vortex from which the saxophonists play intense simultaneous solos. Kikuchi comes in with terse lines while Grenadier churns darkly underneath, Motian popping accents in particularly well-chosen spots. “Morrock,” its line played in unison by Potter and Osby, reminds me of Andrew Hill’s writing: Kikuchi uses repeated figures, seconds and detached arpeggios in much the same way as the late pianist. Potter and Grenadier sound a lot like John Gilmore and Richard Davis did on the Hill album “Compulsion.”
“Last Call” is an Ornette-ish theme made different by the band’s initial refusal to settle into a groove. You can feel Osby moving toward one in his solo, but Motian is too subversive a player for easy accommodation. By playing against the grain, he propels Osby into increased expressiveness. The drummer then settles into the pocket, as Potter — perhaps thinking of Wayne Shorter from the Plugged Nickel — plays his most fervent solo of the set. -
They Say...
By the beginning of 21st century, some forty years after he initially gained fame as a part of the legendary Bill Evans Trio, Paul Motian had long been established as an important bandleader in his own right, recording prolifically for both ECM and Winter & Winter. The group heard on this recording, referred to as "Trio 2000 + Two," includes pianist Masabumi Kikuchi and bassist Larry Grenadier (the latter long associated with Brad Mehldau), plus saxophonists Greg Osby and Chris Potter. One well-known work, Tadd Dameron's "If You Could See Me Now," opens with Kikuchi's subdued, extended solo, though the character of the piece quickly becomes turbulent with the full band's entry, sounding little like the usual arrangements of this jazz favorite. The remaining tracks are all Motian originals, demanding pieces that border on avant-garde jazz and keep the players on their toes. Motian has long stated a preference for playing for the band as opposed to soloing himself and he excels throughout in powering his musicians to reach the summit of their abilities. This is easily some of Paul Motian's most challenging music as a leader, while the Village Vanguard audience was obviously transfixed with the performances, as they remain very quiet to soak in every nuance of them.
“ The indie iTunes — Hardcore music fans are migrating to eMusic, the iTunes Music Store's cheaper, cooler cousin.”
Rolling Stone
eMusic Tip
Paid downloads are counted towards an album discount but free downloads are not.
COMPLETE FOR FREE!
You can download the rest of the tracks from this album for free! Just click the Complete Album button.
We’re sorry this album can only be downloaded using paid subscription download credits.
We recommend you Save it for Later by clicking the Save for Later button shown just above this message. For a list of related albums you can download right now, check out these recommendations.
We'll give you 5 additional free credits to download this album and start your paid subscription.
Get 5 bonus credits on us if you download this album. Sweet!
| 01. |  |
Standard Time
|
13:41 |
|
| 02. | |
If You Could See Me Now
|
12:26 |
|
| 03. | |
Olivia's Dream
|
10:03 |
|
| 04. | |
Morrock
|
8:04 |
|
| 05. | |
Last Call
|
12:35 |
|
05 Total Tracks, 56:49 Total Length
Loading...
Explore music recommended by Paul Motian Trio 2000 + Two fans
Credits
- Greg Osby - Sax (Alto) // Masabumi Kikuchi - Piano // Larry Grenadier - Bass // Paul Motian - Drums // Paul Motian - Drums // Paul Motian - Drums // Paul Motian - Drums // Paul Motian - Drums // Paul Motian - Drums // Paul Motian - Drums // Chris Potter - Sax (Tenor) // Chris Potter - Sax (Tenor) // Stefan F. Winter - Producer // Stefan F. Winter - Executive Producer // Ed Wedberg - Piano Tuner // Adrian VonRipka - Engineer // Mariko Takahashi - Executive Producer // Lori Lorenzen - Mastering // Lori Lorenzen - Mixing // Robert "RX Lord" Lewis - Photography
-
Performers
Chris Potter // Larry Grenadier // Greg Osby // Paul Motian // Masabumi Kikuchi
Choose from over 7 million
music downloadseMusic features legendary and emerging artists in every genre: classic rock to classical,indie to international, soundtracks to spiritual, jazz to country and many more.
MP3 downloads work on any digital media player
With eMusic, you OWN your music without any restrictions. Burn music to a CD, play it on your computer, mobile phone or any digital media player - including iPod®, Zune® and Walkman®.
Songs available for 50¢ or less
eMusic subscriptions start at just $11.99 a month for 24 downloads - that's just 50¢ per song! And it gets better from there - our plans go as low as 42¢ per song!
Music Discovery
eMusic is about discovery. We make finding new music fun again with music recommendations from our award-winning team of music experts, member playlists and new music features.
Cancel anytime
With all the great music and site features we're pretty sure you will love eMusic. If not, no problem. You can cancel at any time and keep the music you have downloaded.
© 1992 - 2009 All Media Guide, LLC