Customer Reviews

Red Quartets

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This CD opens with a piano repeating an insistent percussive chant like motif joined by an arco bass, and then a soprano sound emerges as it were from the soundscape, building and building until it reaches full throated aria-like, its joyful climax, at which point the piano dispenses with its repetitious figure to engage in a musical conversation with the soprano sax and then returns to its opening motif at the end. It's a most affecting and memorable even catchy composition. I love it. A great entree to this delicious programme of two standards and nine originals including a quirky MONK'S REC ROOM which features a note bending soprano along with Mr Hersch's delighful nod to Mr Monk, and the swinging JAZ CALYPSO, the one track that highlights Mr Previte's outstanding drum sound. Mr Previte's supportive presence throughout the programme is a classic instance of the player respecting the music over the musician. But it is TELL ME YOUR DIAMONDS and CLIMB INSIDE HER EYES that show to best effect the beauty of the sound of Ms Bloom's instrument as well as the fineness of her feeling combined with the satisfaction of the structure of the composition. It is on the latter composition too that Mr Dresser's arco playing is used to great effect (but dig also his solo on EMERGENCY - get down!! Boomshukalaya!!) For me the seductive charm of this music rests a great deal on the lovely sound Ms Bloom gets from her instrument whether it's the note-bending asides she drops from time to time (on JAX CALYPSO) or the exquisite dreamy opening to CHAGALL/HOW DEEP IS THE OCEAN. Her sound is one of the most beautiful I have heard on this instrument in improvising music. Bechet may have the fullness and depth, Coltrane the passion, Lacy the inventiveness, but Ms Bloom combines some of all of these qualities with a beautiful sound. Touches of Coltrane can be found in IT'S A CORRUGATED WORLD for example, but for me the overriding memory of this fine programme of music is the sweetness of her sound particularly on the ballads. A CD that I expect to be returning to on a regular basis over the coming years.

I just happened to catch this performer's gig last night in NYC at Sweet Basil's [5.22.99] She played a cut from this new album - "Climb inside her eyes" and it was fantastic! A great ballad. Right up there with Miles & Coltrane. I would've bought the CD right there at the bar, based on that one tune, but I knew I'd get it for less @ amazon! It's amazing to hear a) a woman jazz musician b) a woman jazz musician who writes & plays this great.I'd say for all of the above reasons, this is a must-get.

This is thinking mans music. Every piece on this CD is elegant. Ms. Bloom is one of the most technical composers in jazz. People who buy The Red Quartets will raise their music IQ. If you dont have this you are missing out on a great musical experience.

This disc by Jane Ira Bloom has been in heavy rotation in my player since I received it. Both the compositions and musician-ship are impeccable. The opening tune "Always Hope" resounds with joy. "Monk's Rec Room" has something of Monk's quizzical humor, and pianist Fred Hersch is the kind of player who can summon Monk's spirit while adding new flourishes. "Tell Me Your Diamonds" makes me want to join its elegant dance. "Chagall/How Deep/Ocean" and "Five Full Fathoms" are both full of wonder and poignancy. Another stand-out cut is "Jax Calypso" which allows Bobby Previte to emerge from his role as supportive drummer to front and center. A low bow of respect to bassist Mark Dresser for his arco work on the opening cut, and his dark, woody sound on plucked bass throughout. Do I sound as if I'm gushing? I am...everything about this date is utterly first-rate and very lovely, beauty with brains, sound with soul.

All musicians on this album are just in great form: from the heat of Mark Dresser to the chill of Fred Hersch and Bobby Previte's luke warm mediation letting Ms. Bloom fly over all and create wonderful music. Her compositional style doesn't just give a horn the head and go into solos, but shares the head with instrumental blends (sounding quite new and fresh even for a quartet) and building to send Music straight into solos. They don't build the groove, the compositions allow them to keep it in motion and just color it or dent it. It's so dirty and so clean, like steralzed mud. I highly recommend it.

I already had a copy of Jane Ira Bloom's "The Nearness" which contained "It's a Corrugated World", a brisk little song in multiple time signatures and tempos. I picked up "The Red Quartets" because it had the same song but with a different band (from sextet to quartet). Both versions are great. Bloom's compositions are the model of elegance and the quartet's performances are dead-on perfect. This is an amazing CD.