Customer Reviews

Simulated Progress

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Fieldwork is a jazz trio modeled after the collective ideology of a rock band. Featuring pianist Vijay Iyer as the only constant member of the group, Fieldwork has a rhythmic intensity derived from the old M-Base school initiated by Steve Coleman and Greg Osby, Iyer's former mentors. "Simulated Progress" features saxophonist Steve Lehman and drummer Elliott Humberto Kavee. Lehman is new to the trio, replacing former saxophonist Aaron Stewart and Kavee has already been replaced by current percussionist Tyshawn Sorey. Despite the shifting personnel, Fieldwork maintains a focused exploration of rhythm and collective identity.

With a program of drivingly insistent originals, Fieldwork leaves little room for sonic respite. Lock step grooves, fluid tempo shifts and dense harmonic structures define the trio's aesthetic. Iyer reveals little of his introspective side here as left hand rumbling bass notes and skittering right hand solo runs dominate. Lehman sounds like an M-Base schooled saxophonist, but has a fixation on the Chicago school as well. His studies with Anthony Braxton come through in his use of multiphonics and extended techniques, especially on "Transitions," something not commonly associated with the more conservatively tonal playing of the typical M-Base graduate. Kavee's drumming is tight, but never so rigid as to be redundant.

Noted Hip-Hop/Rock producer Scotty Hard adds a terse edge to the session. Hard's production enables the trio the same rhythmic weight as a rock band without ever losing the dynamic sensibility integral to a trio like this. Much like Tchad Blake's production on the Bad Plus' studio recordings, Hard captures all the density of Kavee's drum kit and the high tension wire like resonance of Iyer's bass note hammering.

With off-kilter metric time signatures and harmonically dense melodic structures, the trio delivers a set that is deceptively full for a bassless unit. This lack of a bottom end never limits the trio since the three take turns holding down the undercurrent. Lehman's sax drones pedal tones, Kavee's kick drum erupts at regular intervals and Iyer drops bass note tone clusters to keep the trio on target.

Time is treated fluidly, with accelerating and decelerating tempos embraced in unison. "Trips" is a perfect example of how the trio vacillates back and forth between loping tempos and manic, ahead of the beat pacing. "Gaudi" finds them in full blown frenzy, with Kavee's morse-code cymbal work underpinning Iyer's resounding clusters as Lehman's ghostly howl rides over the top of the tune. Gradually devolving into a glacially paced dirge, the tune dissipates into the ether. Both "Peril" and "Reprise" are inspired showcases, pushing the limits of the band's concept well past the breaking point.

Here, Iyer's fascination with sophisticated rhythmic structures inspires his collaborators writing to aspire to the same level of rhythmic ingenuity, enabling the collective to truly sound like a working unit. As a trio dedicated to the driving principle of rhythmic exploration, Fieldwork has few equals.

I loved Fieldwork's first album when it came out and this one is just as good if not better. Killer compositions and mind blowing solos. Not for the faint of heart!

I heard about this group on NPR and decided to check them out. The segment on NPR called them "a power trio for the 21st century" and I think that's pretty much right on the money. A lot of very rhythmic music that feels very futuristic, yet somehow strangely danceable. There's some incredible solos too, but most of the record is more atmospheric and quietly troubling. Highly recommended for anyone interested in the cutting-edge.

I usually don't write Amazon reviews, but this album is inspiring in a way that merits special attention. Vijay Iyer, Steve Lehman, and Elliot Kavee have defined a unique and highly personal approach to collective improvisation, and while this album is challenging in a way that won't be for everyone, the distinctive nature of the music alone deserves 5 stars.

Rhythmically adventurous and not confined to traditional ideas about jazz, fieldwork is another fine example of the power trio aesthetic currntly popping up in contemp jazz.

Each member of the trio takes turns playing what seem like lead and bass lines, iterations over iterations through iterations. I can't quite get the ideas of fractals out of my head, as if you decided to open up the songs and go deeper into them, everything would grow larger and more complex the further you traveled.

While all of the tunes are well conceived, I find Steve Lehman's compositions to be my faves, as they are dub inflected and somewhat trippy. Love the production work as well, great hollow sound to the drums as though they were recorded in a vast room without a ceiling. Top notch work.

If anyone would like my copy of this CD, (barely played!), you're more than welcome to it. It's buried in a shallow grave on the outskirts of town.

Those who cherish the hope that anything noteworthy has happened in jazz since the death of Albert Ayler will have to look elsewhere for evidence. Should you find yourself tempted to purchase Simulated Progress, have your friends lock you in the woodshed until the impulse passes.

This music is to jazz what Cheese-Whiz is to cheese. One is tempted to believe that the lack of structure is an attempt to innovate, however, the net effect is that of incredibly tedious meandering that starts nowhere, ends nowhere, and in between, takes its own sweet time exploring the nooks and crannies of nowhere.

The players, especially pianist Vijay Iyer, are not without talent, which makes matters worse. It's not that they can't play, it's that there's no point to them playing. Iyer seems to have discovered that he can use his left hand to play bass lines, a point he makes with tiresome insistence.

Out of fairness one must note the brave honesty of the CD's title. Unfortunately, I would have preferred actual feeling to simulated progress.