Customer Reviews

Harmonic Disorder

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I was more aware of Matthew Shipp's reputation than his piano playing, so I bought "Harmonic Disorder" to remedy that. A straight piano trio album, "Harmonic Disorder" has 12 originals and two standards. The standards, "There Will Be Another You" and "Someday My Prince Will Come" are recognizable, but appealingly fractured. The originals are varied - some hearken to Cecil Taylor or 'math rock', and some are more inline with the jazz tradition. They are mostly pretty catchy or approachable since Shipp is not afraid of repeating the hook. That provides a base for understanding the groups flights of fancy in the middle sections. The end result is a pretty good piano trio CD.

This restless artist makes me want to but on Bill Evans or Lennie Tristano. Especially Portrait In Jazz (B.E.) the modern ideas layered over real melodic structure are much more satisfying to me...and I don't mean because it's "safer" or more conservative, I mean because it communicates better. Listen to What Is This Thing Called Love on Bill's Portrait CD, and tell me that you don't hear the brightest jazz piano ideas and swing you ever heard, and something so modern that it never goes out of date. Listen to the whole tune. Then, the album. Man, sorry Shipp, but Evans figured it out, and his history with George Russsell was formidable ear training.
But, Shipp is right, in his Jazz Times interview, when he dumps on herbie hancock...I think Herbie ruled around VSOP and earlier periods...and so did Shorter, although if you see Shorter live, he will not disappoint...he's bad ass. Herbie's recent material seems to wending a populist route. You could say that about John Scofield's recent recordings, except that they are all excellent, and seem to push his playing to higher standards. plus his Ray Charles album is just wonderful. Herbie's kinda cruising....well, so am I, since moving into my late fifties...I'm probably low on testosterone, and turning gay. Speaking of that, Gonzolo Rubalcalba's recent journey into fauvist piano has made me start to wonder about him...and hey, Herbie...how about playing at Yoshi's once and a while....Maybe it's just those super soft piano stools, as opposed to the old wooden ones...well, back to my Dino Saluzzi Responsorium CD....now that's something.