Mike Baggetta - Small Spaces

Styles: Guitar Jazz
Year: 2009
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 47:25
Size: 108,9 MB
Art: Front

(6:23)  1. The Heights
(7:41)  2. No Gravity
(5:33)  3. Stellar
(3:46)  4. Heartland
(6:44)  5. Olive Tree
(3:51)  6. Small Spaces
(8:27)  7. Hospital Song
(4:55)  8. Trails

New York based guitarist Mike Baggetta has recorded as a band leader before, but Small Spaces is his first CD as the leader of a quartet. This beautifully recorded CD of seven Baggetta originals and one cover, produced by Baggetta himself, shows that his 2009 ASCAP Young Jazz Composer award was well-deserved. Baggetta's guitar playing is characterized by a full, warm, tone whether he's vamping behind band members, soloing or duetting with Jason Rigby's tenor. Rigby's tenor style works beautifully in tandem with Baggetta's guitar: at no time do the instruments clash or work against each other, both musicians always displaying an understanding of what the other is doing. The opening "The Heights" and closer "Trails" are the most open and free-form pieces on this album. "Trails" has a particularly laidback feel to it, with drummer R.J. Miller's brush work and Eivind Opsvik's bowed bass part forming a solid foundation for sparse and atmospheric playing from Baggetta and Rigby. It's the more melodic numbers that work best, however. "Olive Tree," by Taiwanese composer Lee Tai-hsiang, is a delicate ballad with a beautiful melody line, played sparingly and effectively by Rigby after a sympathetic guitar intro in which Baggetta makes good use of harmonics. On "Small Spaces" Miller's drum work moves the tune along with an almost funky beat as Rigby and then Baggetta take solos. The first half of "Hospital Song" is particularly affecting. For the first three minutes Baggetta and Opsvik each play melodic patterns, underpinned by Miller's busy yet sympathetic drums, until Rigby enters and gradually takes over the lead role. Soon after, this the tune becomes less structured and also less effective, but the melodic approach of the tune's opening returns before the end. As a whole, Small Spaces is evidence of a maturing composer and a talented quartet of musicians who are willing to take the occasional risk while still not losing sight of melody and structure. ~ Bruce Lindsay https://www.allaboutjazz.com/small-spaces-mike-baggetta-fresh-sound-new-talent-review-by-bruce-lindsay.php
 

Personnel: Mike Baggetta: guitar; Jason Rigby: tenor saxophone; Eivind Opsvik: bass; R.J. Miller: drums.

Small Spaces

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Mike Baggetta - Spectre

Styles: Guitar Jazz
Year: 2016
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 59:30
Size: 136,6 MB
Art: Front

(6:22)  1. Second Prelude
(5:36)  2. Spectre I
(7:48)  3. The Only Blues
(9:50)  4. Passage
(3:41)  5. Spectre II
(4:57)  6. Nasty
(9:45)  7. Leavin' On Your Mind
(4:23)  8. Spectre III
(7:05)  9. War Orphans

Mike Baggetta has produced a number of quality recordings over the years yet Spectre may be his most compelling project to date. The guitarist delves into some "live" sound processing which include an array of delicate textures, sampling and loops undoubtedly influenced by ECM recording artist David Torn who mastered this release. Though the set ventures into mysterious soundscapes they're rooted in melodicism which equally underscores the inventiveness of Baggetta's trio with bassist Jerome Harris and drummer Billy Mintz. Baggetta's nuanced playing is masterful while Mintz's sensitive drum traps and Harris's unusual acoustic bass guitar add balance and emotion. The atmosphere is set early and remains consistent intimate yet spacious, ethereal yet beautiful with a film nourish vibe. The music seems to morph between these planes effortlessly in the otherworldly "Spectre" tracks, "The Only Blues"'s earthiness or the Weather Report-ish "Passage." The trio's ability is heard in the fringes of "Nasty" a hard rocking riff that might emanate from a sleazy strip joint or the blissful "Leavin' On Your Mind" which exudes a yearning melancholia as Baggetta lays down a beautifully chorded theme with equally poignant playing from Harris and Mintz. Music should take you someplace, even if for a few moments, and Spectre offers the ticket. ~ Mark F.Turner https://www.allaboutjazz.com/spectre-mike-baggetta-fresh-sound-new-talent-review-by-mark-f-turner.php
 

Personnel: Mike Baggetta: guitar, live processing; Jerome Harris: acoustic bass guitar; Billy Mintz: drums, percussion.

Spectre

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