Backstabber's Ball

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Backstabber's Ball album cover
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Total Tracks: 15   Total Length: 65:49

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Britt Daniel

eMusic Contributor

04.22.11
A modern form of cool jazz
2005 | Label: Smalls Records / CD Baby

I don't know much about Neal Caine — I found out about his music on NPR. I heard it and thought it was great and I jotted down a note to go find it. I looked in four or five record stores and didn't find it — and there it was on eMusic! Jazz is not my forte but I have some appreciation for it. This just sounded to me like a classic jazz record, it had great melodies and a great feel to it. It just has a classic vibe. I love really produced records and that may be the kind of record I've bought the most of, but I love a good band that can play together and those guys can certainly play together.

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Big Bass, Reeds and Drums, Ahhhh...Nice!

MileHighYogi

\"Its title sounds more likely to appear in the heavy metal section of the record store, but sonically Neal Caine's Backstabber's Ball has far more in common with the classic West Coast cool jazz releases of the early '60s than the identikit angst rock of today. The disc is very much rooted in the here and now. Caine is the record's dominant presence, offering a welcome relief from the infinite number of jazz albums that relegate the bassist to the studio closet, though that dominance should be considered in light of the group's unique dynamic. Caine is consistently challenged by his two reedmen, Ned Goold (also a Connick, Jr. veteran) and Stephen Riley, and his drummer, Jason Marsalis, in what might be seen as a game of one-downmanship—that is, who can appear the most unfazed, the most nonchalant, the most reserved.\" By E.J. Iannelli. Also, check out: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=4728860

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Who said jazz is dead?

RadioRJP

I'm no jazzer and my ears are wrecked after more than 20 years of Fall fandom, but this album knocked my socks off - great bass driven tunes with beautifully breathy horns and reeds over the top. Completely addictive and a great place for fellow 40 somethings to hop off the '77 bandwagon. Dear Neal, please come to the Wangaratta Jazz Festival! See you there in '07!

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When one considers that the musicians on this quartet date are each associated, to an extent, with the New Orleans Young Lions and modern jazz movements, this music is rather surprising. There are no hints of parade rhythms; instead the result is a modern form of cool jazz. Bassist Neal Caine, who wrote all of the selections which sport original chord changes, keeps the group under tight control, although there are individual heroics and a few brief explosive moments. The tenors of Ned Goold and Stephen Riley have similar tones and styles, while Riley occasionally switches to alto clarinet for variety. Drummer Jason Marsalis is pretty laid-back for the most part, except for a few moments. This music has similarities to the type of cool jazz heard in Sweden in the 1950s although it is not an exact duplicate of anything. The “Intro,” “Outro” and three “W M D Interludes” make the set unfold like a suite, and it holds one’s interest throughout. Neal Caine’s Backstabber’s Ball is an excellent and fresh example of modern swinging jazz. – Scott Yanow

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