Sameness of Difference

Jacob Fred Jazz Odyssey | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (October 11, 2005)
• Original Release Date: 2005
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: HYENA Records
• ASIN: B000B6TR2A
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #339,558 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Dallas Morning News

"Jacob Fred Jazz Odyssey are the real deal; a tight, adventurous trio that can stretch jazz to its outer limits."

Product Description

Recorded in collaboration with acclaimed record producer, Joel Dorn, Jacob Fred Jazz Odyssey’s The Sameness of Difference is a living, breathing, pulsating testament to the 12 years that the trio has spent together. It is unquestionably the Jacob Fred Jazz Odyssey's piece de resistance—a post-modern jazz masterwork. Throughout the album, the band explores their influences, which stretch from cutting edge indie rock to experimental electronic music to classic pop, all the while rooted in an obsession with the modern jazz canon. They offer interpretations of music by Bjork, The Flaming Lips, Charles Mingus, Neil Young, Brian Wilson, Dave Brubeck, The Beatles and Jimi Hendrix. Their own material is also well represented, as original compositions, "Santiago," "The Maestro," "Halliburton Breakdown," "Slow Breath, Silent Mind" and "Davey's Purple Powerline" are etched in stone for the first time ever in the studio. The Sameness of Difference was recorded at Sear Sound in New York City. They tracked the album's entire repertoire in one marathon session. As always, it was the group's complete and utter commitment to improvisation and creating in the moment that served as their most reliable muse. And it's in the lineage and spirit of the countless classic jazz records that were recorded in a day's time that The Sameness of Difference resides. The Jacob Fred Jazz Odyssey performed over 100 dates in 2005, including a tour as the opening act for Les Claypool, appearances at high profile festivals such as the JVC Jazz Festival, High Sierra Festival, 10,000 Lakes Festival and the Iowa City Jazz Festival and numerous headline shows from New York City to San Francisco. They were also voted the No. 2 "Rising Star Electric Jazz Group" in DownBeat’s 2005 Critics Poll. They recently made their concert debuts in South America and Europe.

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars No Sameness in new Jacob Fred Jazz Odyssey release, October 21, 2005

By 

Larry Sakin "Larry A. Sakin" (Tucson, AZ) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Sameness of Difference (Audio CD)

When one thinks of Tulsa Oklahoma, a home to modern jazz musicians isn't usually the first thing that occurs. But Tulsa was the breeding ground for The Jacob Fred Jazz Odyssey. Over a ten year period, the band honed their craft through thousands of live shows and nine recordings.

Their latest release, "The Sameness of Difference", is a quintessential piece of post-modern jazz which plays tribute to a number of influences and mentors. Pianist Brian Haas, Bassist Reed Mathis and drummer Jason Smart have assembled a fantastic mix of originals and covers, each a seamless voyage to places far from Tulsa.

Stylistically, many of the songs on this album reminds me of the moody, sparse European-jazz tinged elements of The Carla Bley Band and some of the early harmonic experiments of Pat Metheny, Jan Garbarek, and legendary bassist Charlie Haden found on a number of ECM releases from the early eighties. Mathis uses octave pedals to create the Metheny-esque soundscapes, losing himself in meditative renditions of Hendrix's "Have You Ever Been to Electric Ladyland" and Neil Young's "Don't Let It Bring You Down". In their more spirited moments, they take on a Chick Corea/Stanley Clarke-type fusion on originals "Santiago" and "Halliburton Breakdown", Mathis and Haas improvising feverishly, trading off high and low ends. Throughout, Smart's drums have a Jack DeJohnette kind of sensibility, using cymbals, high hat, and brushes effectively to fill some of the darker pieces. Producer-extraordinaire Joel Dorn touches up the trio with understated studio effects, unwilling to dilute the pure edginess of the trio.

The only downside to the album for me was the brief time slots allotted for each tune. Playing jazz is a lot like catching fireflies in a jar- the sense of play one has in such an exercise should be prolonged as much as possible before the prey is captured and ultimately released. There were a number of times where it felt like Haas, Mathis and Smart were just beginning to groove on one another, stretching out into uncharted territory when the songs end. Maybe this is a result of the limitations inherent in radio play, or maybe the band wanted to fit as many of their favorite pieces as they could into an hour. Whatever the reason, the short lengths made it difficult at times to feel apart of the odyssey. In many ways, the album is like a cruise ship which docks at several beautiful and engaging ports of call, yet sadly, the travelers have little time to explore what's beyond the facade.

Still, "The Sameness of Difference" is worth several listens. It will remain fresh for years to come while up and comers aspire playing on the same level of craftsmanship as The Jacob Fred Jazz Odyssey. Perhaps Haas, Mathis and Smart will be the inspiration for younger Oklahoman's playing jazz in the basements and garages of Tulsa, and give the town a reputation for continuing the pioneering musical spirit inherent in jazz's legacy.

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A bit more on the mainstream for Jacob Fred, but still WONDERFUL!, November 15, 2006

By 

Earsby (Norman, OK United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Sameness of Difference (Audio CD)

This is a knod to some of the more popular songs that probably had an influence on Jacob Fred. As such there are more popular tunes in here, although they are somewhat of a challenge to identify. Electric Ladyland, some Beatles, Neil Young, really a nice selection of tunes from the 60s and early 70s. JFJO is a band that will continue to please a wide range of listeners from the Jamband crowd to the Jazz crowd. This is an excellent compilation of songs, and I am looking forward to hearing their next outing.GO SEE THEM LIVE!