Stranger Things Have Happened

Seamus Blake | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (November 16, 2004)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Fresh Sound New Talent
• ASIN: B00002R2VC
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #369,169 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars forward-thinking music from NYC, February 3, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Stranger Things Have Happened (Audio CD)

this is seamus' first cd from fresh sound new talent (he has released a few more from criss cross). his long time friend kurt rosenwinkel adds such beautiful colors as a soloist and a harmonist. seamus' compositions are strong. with larry granadier and jorge rossy, this band creates beautiful music that's totally original. if you like the music of brad mehldau, chris potter, joshua redman, or mark turner, this cd is a must.

0 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good, bad and the indifferent, January 13, 2006

By 

BooksRMe "AK" (London) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Stranger Things Have Happened (Audio CD)

I kind of concur with the other reviews here in terms of not really be that cohesive an album. However, the tracks that are good (4 or 5 of them) are VERY good - hence a weighted average 4 stars. The song 'Perk' is my favourite.

3 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Make your mind up, Seamus !, September 16, 2000

By 

Ozzie (Brugge, Flanders) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Stranger Things Have Happened (Audio CD)

Canadian saxophonist Seamus Blake left the Criss Cross Jazz-label to record this album for Fresh Sound from Barcelona, Spain. Once again, Blake doesn't seem satisfied with creating his great sound in another hard-bop album. Instead, he seems to be looking for a sound in between hard-bop, soul and fusion. Guitarist Kurt Rosenwinkel is an important member of this band. His playing seems to have become much lighter, less robust, since featuring so prominently on Blake's debut album "The call" in 1993. It blends well with Blake's somewhat foggy sound. On track 4 ("Token cello") Rosenwinkel gets the upper hand and dominates the entire tune, unfortunately this leads to a rather unsatisfying fusion-like soup. Bassist Larry Grenadier and drummer Jorge Rossy need no further introduction : as regular members of pianist Brad Mehldau's trio they have extensively shown to be masters of their craft, as they do once again on this CD. Blake's apparent dissatisfaction with straight-ahead jazz this time around tricks him into singing, fortunately only on one track ("Northern Light"). Fortunately, because let's face it, Blake is no Sinatra, he's even no Chet Baker. All in all, a mixed result (once again). I guess Blake is going to have to make his mind up pretty soon about what kind of music he wants to produce : powerful hard-bop or the eerie cross between fusion and jazz-rock. Judging from this album it doesn't seem like he's made up his mind yet.