Customer Reviews

Fly

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

As if we needed any more evidence, this record proves that authentic bands, not one-off super sessions, are where it's at in the world of jazz.

Here, three younger, somewhat underappreciated jazz warriors join together for one of the more remarkable discs of the early days of 2004. I don't know how long Mark Turner's been touted as The Next Big Thing on tenor sax, but he never seems to have delivered. Until now. It's almost like he's experienced a quantum leap in his concept and playing. Much of this, I'm convinced, is because he's finally playing in a Real Band, which, finally, provides the proper context for his admittedly rather astounding chops. Here he opts for a very subtle, nuanced sound, almost anti-virtuoso, and entirely apposite for the vibe this astounding group goes for and brilliantly achieves: one of richness but lacking the extroverted, eighth-note proclivities of so many young sax practioners.

Great as Turner is here, the real revelation is Jeff Ballard on drums. What a monster player! Relying heavily on rototoms and arcane (for jazz) percussive moves, including a wickedly cool snare sensibility, he creates a true world-jazz vibe that shifts this session into creative Nu Jazz territory.

Larry Grenadier's equally happening on acoustic bass. Long one of the top jazz bassists, he's probably been relegated to that graveyard of jazz playing, the musician's musician. But he rockets out of the ghetto here, displaying an entirely apposite bass fleetness and freshness that almost constitutes a new way of conceptualizing and playing his instrument.

What makes the greatest impression about this music is its incredibly rich rhythmic core, especially since we're dealing with that most sparce of jazz combos, the pianoless trio. Add to that an almost telepathic conversationalism and you've got what I believe is the first monster jazz disc of 2004. Not to be missed.

Fly is the first great jazz album I've heard this year. Mark Turner has a beautiful, rich sound and Larry Grenadier, Mehldau's longtime bassist provides a powerful backbone to piece after piece but I expected that from these 2 musicians whose rich tones I have long appreciated. It was Jeff Ballard's drumming that stunned me. I had never heard him before but I hope to hear a lot more from him in the future. He is simply brilliant on the album.
Sonically the album is produced to outstanding effect. While I love Turner's earlier albums from Warner Brothers there was always a muted and somewhat compressed quality to them. Savoy Jazz deserves applause for the open soundstage, and fantastic quality of the recording. If you have an audiophile quality system you will easily compare the quality of the recording to the brilliant HighNote CDs and many of the BlueNote and ECM recordings. Turn it up, close your eyes and you could be in some intimate club, it's that good.
Buy the album - it is sonically rich, funky, addictive, beautifully recorded and will hopefully be followed by many more by three artists at the top of their game.

very good jazz, bass and drums band. very dynamic, percussive with beats that carry feeling and melodies that carry beats. high skill and technique yet they seem to carry across some subdued feeling without contrived styles or being blue/cool, etc

even though i am somewhat new to jazz i can tell that this is very good

This album is great.
Jeff Ballard and Larry Grenadier make up one of the best rhythm sections out there, my other favorite being Dave King and Reid Anderson of the Bad Plus. They are dynamic, fun, interesting.
Mark Turner is stellar. His playing is beautiful, strong, clean, a bit understated amidst the great rhythm heavy sound.
Along with "Give", this is my absolute favorite modern Jazz CD. The music is accessible, with great rhythm. It has a not-too-refined sound, a bit jangled yet absolutely controlled and intended, that keeps it alive, fun and full of surprises.
This CD gets my strongest recommendation. I can't wait to hear more from these guys.

Very alert, curious and lovely music. Ballard's drumming is breathtaking and kudos to the sound engineering that makes an entire symphony of his kit. But here's a tip to Fly fans. Check out the trio record of Ilhan Ersahin which feature Grenadier on bass. Many of the the same virtues as this record. I think the concept and the aesthetic compass of these records ultimately goes back to Sonny Rollins 'Way out West' and the immortal Lee Konitz-Elvin Jones record. Long live the piano-less trio, I say!

Jeff is the leader on this disc, and that's why Mark's playing may seem a little tentative. It's an awesome disc from start to finish, but don't buy it if you expect to hear Mark as a leader. His playing is still amazing but Jeff's playing is the key here. When he handed me the disc when I last saw him, it was evident who the leader was. He was so proud. It's a really fun disc.

I appreciate understated playing, but it has a time and place, and Turner never seems to leave that place. With Grenedier and Ballard blasting out propulsive rhythms, it almost becomes comical how Turner seems to sleep over the top of them throughout this album. You take a Potter, or a Carter, or a Redman and they'd be in the frey ripping it up. Which is not to say that Turner needs to sound like anyone else, but his playing, on this album in particular, makes him sound tentative and not really at home in a trio format. I think you need a far more dynamic player to pull a sax trio off. My two cents, anyway...