Pi Records Amazon Sampler

Various Artists | Format: MP3 Download

Product Details

• Original Release Date: November 10, 2009
• Label: Pi Recordings
• Copyright: 2009 Pi Recordings
• Total Length: 57:21
• Genres:
• ASIN: B002WXRG5K
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #23,730 Paid in MP3 Albums (See Top 100 Paid in MP3 Albums)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

21 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Smoking!, November 25, 2009

By 

L. A. (Milwaukee, WI) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Pi Records Amazon Sampler (MP3 Download)

Interesting mix of different jazz styles. Not your typical elevator junk. Even my husband, who is a professional jazz guitarist, listened to it and liked it. I would definitely have paid for this music. Thank you Amazon for a great mix!

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wow, really? For me? I don't know what to say..., January 29, 2010

By 

J. GARRATT - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Pi Records Amazon Sampler (MP3 Download)

Late in 2009 I stumbled across Amazon's sampler for Pi records. The monetary exchange rate was much, much lower than what is depicted here [see other customer's review]. I couldn't believe my eyes. As Bart Simpson said when he received a high quality Christmas present, "I knew Santa didn't have time to check that list twice!" All it needed was a track from Henry Threadgill and it could be considered sinful. I would pose the question "Hey Amazon and Pi, why exclude Henry?" but I don't want to look a gift horse in the mouth. Not now. The important to thing is to concentrate on what you get with this collection, not what you don't get.

For one thing, Marc Ribot's new "rock" band Ceramic Dog released what was probably one of my favorite albums of 2008, "Party Intellectuals." Picking one song to represent such a schizophrenic album must have been tough, but I can't argue with "Todo el Mundo es Kitsch," one of the mostly effortlessly groovy and funky tracks from the album. Ribot is a genuine original and if you are bored with standard jazz guitar, I suggest you dive into his career. Expect much, discover even more.

I do not own the latest album by Steve Lehman, but I do know that as 2009 drew to a close many different online jazz periodicals listed "Travail, Transformation and Flow" as an annual favorite. Destination out went as far as to let Lehman guest author an entry about his influences about "spectral harmony." What does that mean? As best as I can tell, it means a specific extrapolation of contemporary classical where he name-drops Gerard Grisey, Tristan Murail, Michael Finnissy, Helmut Lachenmann and Beat Furrer. The track "Waves" lives up to its name; hemming and hawing over slow cadences, giving you the impression of a boat slowly drifting back and forth far out to sea.

The Art Ensemble of Chicago don't have many releases on Pi (only three out of...how many albums? Go and count, I dare you), but "Malachi" comes from their enormous double live album "Non-Cognitive Aspects of the City," welcoming new members to Mitchell and Jarman's group after Favors and Bowie have both passed on. Live jazz is always a more interesting experience and this group still steps on the gas when playing a song that was recorded almost ten years prior.

If you've seen my review of Vijay Iyer and Mike Ladd's "In What Language?," you already know my initial impressions of "Iraqi Businessman" and how it kind of freaked me out. Its inclusion here is a strange one. A strong one too, don't get me wrong, but also odd. "Habeas Corpus" comes from a Vijay Iyer album of the same year I believe. His right hand man Rudresh Mahanthappa is onboard providing melody and a high flying solo to Iyer's combo. Mahanthappa's "Mother Tongue" album is represented too with "English," a melody that almost feels too cerebral to swing. Any further esotericism is masked by the ease with which the rhythm section lands on each beat. It's kind of crazy, really. I'm not sure WHAT'S going on here, exactly, but I'm sure it's good.

And when I hear James "Blood" Ulmer's "Last One," I remind myself how very unique and cool it is that all of these tracks are found under the same umbrella. This is my first exposure to him and I'm definitely going to seek out more.

I'm not familiar with the remaining artists, but that's what samplers are for, right? "Levitation" isn't exactly gutsy, but it has a swing to it. I don't know who Fieldwork are/is, but I like the hard bop nature of their song. And though I am unfamiliar with Amir ElSaffar's nationality and/or heritage, his track gives me the pleasant feeling of a Masada flashback. No, I'm not saying this is a Hasidic song. I'm just giving off my first impression.

This sampler is worth it. Very good. Go ahead and try it. I really wish more labels like Pi and Delmark would make samplers available for download, they are a great gift to everyone.

5.0 out of 5 stars An invigorating collection, January 24, 2011

By 

Daniel Akst (Hudson Valley) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Pi Records Amazon Sampler (MP3 Download)

This is a great collection of interesting jazz and near-jazz which I was lucky enough to get when it was free. I've listened to it repeatedly and it's well worth what they're charging now. Superb intro to some great talent.