Music Reviews
The Vandermark Five

The Vandermark Five

Elements of Style, Exercises in Surprise

Atavistic

I am not nearly learned enough in the realms of free jazz to offer any insight into The Vandermark Five’s latest release, but I’m still completely in awe of it. Elements of Style, Exercises in Surprise straddles the line between avant-garde musical themes and classic bop stylings courtesy of the quintet’s three part lead section (trombone, saxophone and various reeds). Many of the tracks cycle through tight swing and abstract formlessness before running their course. Particularly impressive are “Intagliamento” and “Telefon,” where in the midst of freak-out soloing, the music drops out almost entirely. The ensuing moments of silence-as-music that create tension from non-existent building blocks are phenomenal.

While the band’s experimental tendencies yield entrancing results, the most engaging track on the album is its most straightforward. On “Knock Yourself Out,” the centerpiece rhythm is a choice piece of low-end heavy, punchy bop. The song steps out of its funk groove only twice: the first for a manic saxophone solo atop a slow scale ascension, and the second comes as a spotlight on the understated rhythm section. It’s fantastic.

Elements of Style… is the type of album that’s enjoyable as a novice jazz listener, but also one which offers much more to scholarly ears. I look forward to coming back to this disc as I become more acquainted with the genre and getting progressively blown away.

Atavistic: http://www.atavistic.com


Recently on Ink 19...

Incubus

Incubus

Screen Reviews

Both bold experiment and colossal failure in the 1960s, Esperanto language art house horror film Incubus returns with pre-_Star Trek_ William Shatner to claim a perhaps more serious audience.

Garage Sale Vinyl: Loretta Lynn

Garage Sale Vinyl: Loretta Lynn

Garage Sale Vinyl

In this latest installment of his weekly series, Christopher Long is betrayed by his longtime GF when she swipes his copy of Loretta Lynn’s Greatest Hits Vol. II right out from under his nose while rummaging through a south Florida junk store.