Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2020
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 53:27
Size: 122,7 MB
Art: Front
(7:46) 1. Han
(6:49) 2. DMZ
(6:49) 3. Jeju
(5:57) 4. Mother
(5:40) 5. Jenga
(6:44) 6. Seoulful
(7:10) 7. Goofy
(6:29) 8. Han O Bak Nyun
Over the course of the past four decades, and the 20-plus albums produced under his name, Jim Snidero has carved out his rightful place in the pantheon of the music. The esteemed alto saxophonist’s explorations have proved boundless, moving from downhome atmospheres to broad reflections on the American experience, refined string settings to probing realms, and nods to totemic figures to cathartic statements addressing personal loss. Having additionally worked with everybody from Brother Jack McDuff to Toshiko Akiyoshi to Frank Sinatra, established himself as a game-changing author, and taken his music and messages to concert halls, clubs and classrooms across the globe, it might be tempting to say that Snidero has done it all. But once again, he obliterates that assertion. With Project-K, Jim Snidero breaks new ground. Absorbing and refracting varied aspects of Korean folkways, he delves into a topic near and dear to his home and heart. “Having a Korean wife, family, and friends, I’ve been immersed in Korean culture for more than 20 years,” he shares. “Between Korean history, culture and philosophy, I felt that there was much to explore musically.” Bridging his own wide-ranging aesthetic with those very traditions, Snidero turns out one of the most distinctive dates of his career.
In choosing the personnel to flesh out this music, Snidero’s decisions proved shrewd and sound. The rhythm section, comprised of pianist Orrin Evans, bassist Linda May Han Oh, and drummer Rudy Royston, brings a rare balance of sensitivity, strength, and insight to these ventures. And trumpeter Dave Douglas serves as the perfect front line foil for the saxophonist.Connections abound across that group of five Evans was a notable presence on Snidero’s Waves of Calm; Oh and Royston, both part of Douglas’ beloved quintet, were key figures on Snidero’s Stream of Consciousness and Main Street but the sixth member of the band, who proves to be the x-factor, is new to Snidero’s world. Stepping outside the box, he brought in Do Yeon Kim, a virtuoso on the zither-like gayageum. “I wanted to use a traditional Korean instrument on Project-K and the gayageum appealed to me the most. My goal was to not simply feature the instrument as a separate entity,” Snidero explains, “but to have it fully integrated within at least some of the arrangements. Do Yeon was the first gayageum player accepted into the New England Conservatory, so she was the obvious choice.”
Together, these six honor Korea’s rich heritage while expanding musical worldviews. That’s clear from the first, as the sound of the Korean prayer bowl, traditionally used in Buddhist meditation, offers a welcome ring on “Han.” The first of six Snidero originals on the album, it’s a statement that speaks in both mournful and resilient tones. “Koreans have endured great hardship through their history, which has contributed to a uniquely Korean feeling called ‘Han.’ Difficult to describe, and very personal, Han could be thought of as a sense of deep sorrow and incompleteness tempered by endurance and acceptance,” he notes. That opener, like the feeling it describes, proves incredibly nuanced in its expression(s). But what follows the feisty “DMZ” is something else entirely. “Do Yeon’s introduction to this piece perfectly projects what has been described as ‘the scariest place on Earth’the Korean Demilitarized Zone. The piece has many harmonic conflicts, at one point with three keys being played and including the folk song ‘Arirang’ on the gayageum. The band builds a huge amount of intensity until the final, tensely quiet cluster.”
While the band’s signature sound is set by this point, moods and subjects continue to shift. “Jeju,” a pensive and peaceful journey, beautifully reflects the nature of the South Korean island lending its name to the music, while “Mother”a tribute to the artistic creativity of Koreans” that references Bong Joon-Ho’s 2009 film of the same name brings angularity and reduced gravity into the picture (along with a larger role for the aforementioned Korean prayer bowl). The jaunty “Jenga” a K-pop cover recast in 3/4offers some traded wonders while merging genres. The witty “Seoulful” plays on volleying intentions. And “Goofy” brings the blues and a swinging sensibility to the foreground. Then it all comes to a close with “Han O Bak Nyun,” a traditional folk song enriched by Snidero’s spiritual search and wrapped up by one last bowl ring. Working together as a single entity, these musicians capture and illuminate Snidero’s vision with incredible focus and sincerity. “Dave, Orrin, Linda, Rudy, and Do Yeon were the perfect choices for Project-K,” relates Snidero. “Individually they are musicians of the highest order. As a group, we were all able to create what I believe is both unique and inspired music.” https://nouveaufluxmusic.wordpress.com/2019/10/22/intrepid-alto-saxophonist-jim-snidero-assembles-all-star-band-with-dave-douglas-orrin-evans-linda-may-han-oh-rudy-royston-doyeon-kim-on-new-album-inspired-by-korea/
Personnel: Alto Saxophone, Producer – Jim Snidero; Bass – Linda May Han Oh; Drums – Rudy Royston; Piano – Orrin Evans; Trumpet – Dave Douglas
Project-K
Year: 2020
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 53:27
Size: 122,7 MB
Art: Front
(7:46) 1. Han
(6:49) 2. DMZ
(6:49) 3. Jeju
(5:57) 4. Mother
(5:40) 5. Jenga
(6:44) 6. Seoulful
(7:10) 7. Goofy
(6:29) 8. Han O Bak Nyun
Over the course of the past four decades, and the 20-plus albums produced under his name, Jim Snidero has carved out his rightful place in the pantheon of the music. The esteemed alto saxophonist’s explorations have proved boundless, moving from downhome atmospheres to broad reflections on the American experience, refined string settings to probing realms, and nods to totemic figures to cathartic statements addressing personal loss. Having additionally worked with everybody from Brother Jack McDuff to Toshiko Akiyoshi to Frank Sinatra, established himself as a game-changing author, and taken his music and messages to concert halls, clubs and classrooms across the globe, it might be tempting to say that Snidero has done it all. But once again, he obliterates that assertion. With Project-K, Jim Snidero breaks new ground. Absorbing and refracting varied aspects of Korean folkways, he delves into a topic near and dear to his home and heart. “Having a Korean wife, family, and friends, I’ve been immersed in Korean culture for more than 20 years,” he shares. “Between Korean history, culture and philosophy, I felt that there was much to explore musically.” Bridging his own wide-ranging aesthetic with those very traditions, Snidero turns out one of the most distinctive dates of his career.
In choosing the personnel to flesh out this music, Snidero’s decisions proved shrewd and sound. The rhythm section, comprised of pianist Orrin Evans, bassist Linda May Han Oh, and drummer Rudy Royston, brings a rare balance of sensitivity, strength, and insight to these ventures. And trumpeter Dave Douglas serves as the perfect front line foil for the saxophonist.Connections abound across that group of five Evans was a notable presence on Snidero’s Waves of Calm; Oh and Royston, both part of Douglas’ beloved quintet, were key figures on Snidero’s Stream of Consciousness and Main Street but the sixth member of the band, who proves to be the x-factor, is new to Snidero’s world. Stepping outside the box, he brought in Do Yeon Kim, a virtuoso on the zither-like gayageum. “I wanted to use a traditional Korean instrument on Project-K and the gayageum appealed to me the most. My goal was to not simply feature the instrument as a separate entity,” Snidero explains, “but to have it fully integrated within at least some of the arrangements. Do Yeon was the first gayageum player accepted into the New England Conservatory, so she was the obvious choice.”
Together, these six honor Korea’s rich heritage while expanding musical worldviews. That’s clear from the first, as the sound of the Korean prayer bowl, traditionally used in Buddhist meditation, offers a welcome ring on “Han.” The first of six Snidero originals on the album, it’s a statement that speaks in both mournful and resilient tones. “Koreans have endured great hardship through their history, which has contributed to a uniquely Korean feeling called ‘Han.’ Difficult to describe, and very personal, Han could be thought of as a sense of deep sorrow and incompleteness tempered by endurance and acceptance,” he notes. That opener, like the feeling it describes, proves incredibly nuanced in its expression(s). But what follows the feisty “DMZ” is something else entirely. “Do Yeon’s introduction to this piece perfectly projects what has been described as ‘the scariest place on Earth’the Korean Demilitarized Zone. The piece has many harmonic conflicts, at one point with three keys being played and including the folk song ‘Arirang’ on the gayageum. The band builds a huge amount of intensity until the final, tensely quiet cluster.”
While the band’s signature sound is set by this point, moods and subjects continue to shift. “Jeju,” a pensive and peaceful journey, beautifully reflects the nature of the South Korean island lending its name to the music, while “Mother”a tribute to the artistic creativity of Koreans” that references Bong Joon-Ho’s 2009 film of the same name brings angularity and reduced gravity into the picture (along with a larger role for the aforementioned Korean prayer bowl). The jaunty “Jenga” a K-pop cover recast in 3/4offers some traded wonders while merging genres. The witty “Seoulful” plays on volleying intentions. And “Goofy” brings the blues and a swinging sensibility to the foreground. Then it all comes to a close with “Han O Bak Nyun,” a traditional folk song enriched by Snidero’s spiritual search and wrapped up by one last bowl ring. Working together as a single entity, these musicians capture and illuminate Snidero’s vision with incredible focus and sincerity. “Dave, Orrin, Linda, Rudy, and Do Yeon were the perfect choices for Project-K,” relates Snidero. “Individually they are musicians of the highest order. As a group, we were all able to create what I believe is both unique and inspired music.” https://nouveaufluxmusic.wordpress.com/2019/10/22/intrepid-alto-saxophonist-jim-snidero-assembles-all-star-band-with-dave-douglas-orrin-evans-linda-may-han-oh-rudy-royston-doyeon-kim-on-new-album-inspired-by-korea/
Personnel: Alto Saxophone, Producer – Jim Snidero; Bass – Linda May Han Oh; Drums – Rudy Royston; Piano – Orrin Evans; Trumpet – Dave Douglas
Project-K
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