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Editorial Reviews
Review
This is a true ensemble from top to bottom, a sonic equivalent to a handwoven tapestry. Impressive. --DownBeat
Throughout the decade of the 2000s, the Claudia Quintet recorded, toured, and became one of the top five progressive jazz units in the U.S. and the world. For 2010 they continue with Royal Toast, implying elegance and a golden brown, perfectly prepared, even buttery music. Percussionist/composer/bandleader John Hollenbeck has retained saxophonist and clarinetist Chris Speed, the piquant subtle vibraphonist Matt Moran, accordion specialist Ted Reichman, and the great bassist Drew Gress, adding special guest Gary Versace, not on organ but acoustic piano. The resulting music is surprising low-key, less complex and intricate, but still bold, groundbreaking, and spread across numerous colorful sonic palettes. Many of these performances have solo preludes from individual bandmembers, with Hollenbeck's drums preceding the more involved funk of "Keramag," the pithy bass of Gress leading into the driven and heavy fast march "Sphinx," and Speed's counterpoint overdubbed saxes as an intro for the sideways title track, recalling recent efforts of David Binney. The stand-alone "Crane Merit" lives up to its title in the lugubrious but dignified persona of the near extinct bird, while "Paterna Terra" is free to soulful and the tandem "Ideal/American Standard" is mysterious to insistent. Versace's role is that of shading or propping up these melodies, and one should listen closely to his contributions here. It's another extraordinary musical experience from the Claudia Quintet, who deserve all the high marks they receive as an innovative, thought-provoking, singularly unique contemporary ensemble. --Michael G. Nastos - The All Music Guide
Throughout the decade of the 2000s, the Claudia Quintet recorded, toured, and became one of the top five progressive jazz units in the U.S. and the world. For 2010 they continue with Royal Toast, implying elegance and a golden brown, perfectly prepared, even buttery music. Percussionist/composer/bandleader John Hollenbeck has retained saxophonist and clarinetist Chris Speed, the piquant subtle vibraphonist Matt Moran, accordion specialist Ted Reichman, and the great bassist Drew Gress, adding special guest Gary Versace, not on organ but acoustic piano. The resulting music is surprising low-key, less complex and intricate, but still bold, groundbreaking, and spread across numerous colorful sonic palettes. Many of these performances have solo preludes from individual bandmembers, with Hollenbeck's drums preceding the more involved funk of "Keramag," the pithy bass of Gress leading into the driven and heavy fast march "Sphinx," and Speed's counterpoint overdubbed saxes as an intro for the sideways title track, recalling recent efforts of David Binney. The stand-alone "Crane Merit" lives up to its title in the lugubrious but dignified persona of the near extinct bird, while "Paterna Terra" is free to soulful and the tandem "Ideal/American Standard" is mysterious to insistent. Versace's role is that of shading or propping up these melodies, and one should listen closely to his contributions here. It's another extraordinary musical experience from the Claudia Quintet, who deserve all the high marks they receive as an innovative, thought-provoking, singularly unique contemporary ensemble. --Michael G. Nastos - The All Music Guide
Product Description
"Royal Toast" is the fifth release by this sensational 'jazz and beyond' ensemble, led by twice Grammy-nominated drummer/composer John Hollenbeck and featuring Drew Gress (bass), Matt Moran (vibes), Ted Reichman (accordion), Gary Versace (keyboards) and Chris Speed (tenor sax, clarinet). The Claudia Quintet's visibility could not be greater: The band perform at high profile venues, place very high on CMJ's listings of most played jazz albums with each release and gather huge press interest. This is the band's first album in four years and will be eagerly received by their many fans.
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9 of 9 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD|Amazon Verified Purchase
Overview:
For the Claudia Quintet's fifth release, leader and composer John Hollenbeck adds Gary Versace on piano. This was an interesting pick of a pianist as you typically think of Gary playing the accordion, but the Claudia Quintet already has an accordionist, Ted Reichman. Gary does play accordion on one track "For Frederick Franck". The addition of Versace on piano leads to more complex, deeply layered compositions. There is less space on the tunes than past Claudia CDs, and at any point in time there is a lot going on with many layered textures. In a way, this is almost half way between the typical Claudia Quintet CD and one of Hollenbeck's big band ensembles. As with all Hollenbeck projects the sound is post modern and out there. Also, as with other Claudia CDs, Hollenbeck has created a very dreamy and surreal soundscape on Royal Toast. Hollenbeck, Versace, and Reichman are joined by the rest of the Claudia crew: Chris Speed on clarinet and tenor sax, Matt Moran on vibraphones, and Drew Gress on bass.
Song Highlights:
Zurn: Tune opens with a real spacey happy melody and at about the 1:20 minute mark, this fantastic heavy handed dark bass line comes pounding in and take over the mood. It's pretty much just the bass with and drums in a odd punk rock like groove with some light dreamy vibes over the top and hints of accordion.
Sphinx: This tune opens with a repetitive 3 note octave pattern on the bass and some frantic lines doubled by the piano, clarinet, and perhaps vibes, this stops abruptly and segues in the a section where the bass and drums are in some whacked out time signature, with the clarinet soloing over the top. The odd meter creates tension, until this section leads into pretty section with happy sounds and Gress gets a solo.
Keramag: Keramag is the song most in line with what I think of typical Claudia Quintet on the album. Lots of little complex parts winding into each other. There is a little bit more space on this one. It's not quite as densely layered as the other tunes on the album.
Highly Recommended. A must have for Claudia Quintet fans and Hollenbeck fans.
For the Claudia Quintet's fifth release, leader and composer John Hollenbeck adds Gary Versace on piano. This was an interesting pick of a pianist as you typically think of Gary playing the accordion, but the Claudia Quintet already has an accordionist, Ted Reichman. Gary does play accordion on one track "For Frederick Franck". The addition of Versace on piano leads to more complex, deeply layered compositions. There is less space on the tunes than past Claudia CDs, and at any point in time there is a lot going on with many layered textures. In a way, this is almost half way between the typical Claudia Quintet CD and one of Hollenbeck's big band ensembles. As with all Hollenbeck projects the sound is post modern and out there. Also, as with other Claudia CDs, Hollenbeck has created a very dreamy and surreal soundscape on Royal Toast. Hollenbeck, Versace, and Reichman are joined by the rest of the Claudia crew: Chris Speed on clarinet and tenor sax, Matt Moran on vibraphones, and Drew Gress on bass.
Song Highlights:
Zurn: Tune opens with a real spacey happy melody and at about the 1:20 minute mark, this fantastic heavy handed dark bass line comes pounding in and take over the mood. It's pretty much just the bass with and drums in a odd punk rock like groove with some light dreamy vibes over the top and hints of accordion.
Sphinx: This tune opens with a repetitive 3 note octave pattern on the bass and some frantic lines doubled by the piano, clarinet, and perhaps vibes, this stops abruptly and segues in the a section where the bass and drums are in some whacked out time signature, with the clarinet soloing over the top. The odd meter creates tension, until this section leads into pretty section with happy sounds and Gress gets a solo.
Keramag: Keramag is the song most in line with what I think of typical Claudia Quintet on the album. Lots of little complex parts winding into each other. There is a little bit more space on this one. It's not quite as densely layered as the other tunes on the album.
Highly Recommended. A must have for Claudia Quintet fans and Hollenbeck fans.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
Perhaps if they'd called it Royal Flush instead of Royal Toast, more people might've caught on. Ya see, this remarkable disc is a tribute to--of all things--plumbing. It's amazing to me that of the dozen or so reviews of this disc that I've perused, only two, both of them by Brits, picked up on the bathroom angle. Leader Hollenbeck, in his droll way, even deadpanned a direct inquiry from one American reviewer regarding the title tune by saying, "I like toast, and I noticed that if you put 'royal' in front of something, it seems elevated."
Yet the song titles "Crane Merit," "Kermag", "Armitage Shanks," "Sphinx," "Zurn," "Royal Toast," "Ideal Standard," and "American Standard" all reference plumbing manufacturers. Indeed, the only two titles (not counting brief interludes) that don't, "Paterna Terra" and "For Frederick Franck," have very personal meanings for composer Hollenbeck thereby earning a pass, one supposes, from the wry bathroom humor characterizing the rest of the song titles.
What's the point, you say? Got me. Is it some kind of Warholian move of elevating common objects to art? Industrial jazz? A tongue-in-cheek nod to American sanitary engineering? Who knows. What I do know is that it's among the finest music Hollenbeck's ever composed and performed. From the somber opening bars of the faux-elegiac chamber-jazzish first tune, "Crane Merit," to the shimmering mysterioso vibe of the closer, "For Frederick Franck," this is a special disc. The addition of Gary Versace to the Quintet was a master stroke. His spare pianisms add subtle depth and complexity to an already thick sound signature. By "thick" I mean not only dense, weighty, but thick in a musically analogous way to the thickness a Bernard Lonergan or an Alasdair McIntyre bring to philosophical theology. OK, maybe that's a stretch. But I want to say that even as Lonergan and McIntyre expound and riff upon Western theo-philosophy, so do Hollenbeck and co. upon the Western musical tradition.
What does it sound like? Pure enchantment, to these ears. Working man's chamber jazz--that is, without the high falutin' wine-'n'-cheese vibe ("Zurn," "American Standard"--with a little Klezmer thrown in). Worldly wise multiculturalism sans the NPR shtick ("Sphinx"). Quirky herky-jerky high-spiritedness ("Keramag," "Armitage Shanks"). The accessible avant-garde ("Paterna Terra," "Royal Toast"). Burnished ethereality ("Ideal Standard," "For Frederick Franck"). I'm entirely taken by this ravishing music. For me, the Claudia Quintet can do no wrong.
Yet the song titles "Crane Merit," "Kermag", "Armitage Shanks," "Sphinx," "Zurn," "Royal Toast," "Ideal Standard," and "American Standard" all reference plumbing manufacturers. Indeed, the only two titles (not counting brief interludes) that don't, "Paterna Terra" and "For Frederick Franck," have very personal meanings for composer Hollenbeck thereby earning a pass, one supposes, from the wry bathroom humor characterizing the rest of the song titles.
What's the point, you say? Got me. Is it some kind of Warholian move of elevating common objects to art? Industrial jazz? A tongue-in-cheek nod to American sanitary engineering? Who knows. What I do know is that it's among the finest music Hollenbeck's ever composed and performed. From the somber opening bars of the faux-elegiac chamber-jazzish first tune, "Crane Merit," to the shimmering mysterioso vibe of the closer, "For Frederick Franck," this is a special disc. The addition of Gary Versace to the Quintet was a master stroke. His spare pianisms add subtle depth and complexity to an already thick sound signature. By "thick" I mean not only dense, weighty, but thick in a musically analogous way to the thickness a Bernard Lonergan or an Alasdair McIntyre bring to philosophical theology. OK, maybe that's a stretch. But I want to say that even as Lonergan and McIntyre expound and riff upon Western theo-philosophy, so do Hollenbeck and co. upon the Western musical tradition.
What does it sound like? Pure enchantment, to these ears. Working man's chamber jazz--that is, without the high falutin' wine-'n'-cheese vibe ("Zurn," "American Standard"--with a little Klezmer thrown in). Worldly wise multiculturalism sans the NPR shtick ("Sphinx"). Quirky herky-jerky high-spiritedness ("Keramag," "Armitage Shanks"). The accessible avant-garde ("Paterna Terra," "Royal Toast"). Burnished ethereality ("Ideal Standard," "For Frederick Franck"). I'm entirely taken by this ravishing music. For me, the Claudia Quintet can do no wrong.
2 of 12 people found the following review helpful
By IRate
Format:Audio CD
3 1/2
When firing on all cylinders the exploratory jazz ensemble offers a distinct blend of experimental progression and playful interaction, falling prey though to excessive interludes and killing off potentially commendable momentum.
When firing on all cylinders the exploratory jazz ensemble offers a distinct blend of experimental progression and playful interaction, falling prey though to excessive interludes and killing off potentially commendable momentum.
