Customer Reviews

Treats for the Nightwalker

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

 

 

I was pretty impressed with his first offering, Cherry, but he's totally outdone himself with this disc.

Let's start at a most unlikely place, the liner notes. Written by one Osiris Black Edgar, they feature phrases like, "glorious works of unadulterated creativity channelled through souls open to the whisperings of otherworldly muses." Ahem. But not to worry. Osiris Black Edgar has his tongue firmly implanted in his cheek, even as he brilliantly delivers over-the-top faux-profound cultural sermons.

Then let's go to the band (we WILL arrive, eventually, it is hoped, at some rationale for this unrestrained rant). Who else has three guitarists--maybe THE three greatest living jazz guitarists--as sidemen? OK, Adam Rogers and Ben Monder are naturally brilliant choices. The kicker? Liberty Ellman, closely associated with that Asian iconoclast keysman, Vijay Iyer. Then there's Barney McAll on Keys, who's fabulous debut, Release the Day, was one of the very finest discs of 2002, but still a relatively obscure player. The list of sideman just goes on and on: Billy Kilson, from the Dave Holland Quintet, on drums; Mark Feldman, violin; Mat Maneiri, viola; Russel Gunn, trumpet; J.T. Lewis, drums; Chris Potter, saxes; Ben Perowsky, percussion; Peter Apfelbaum, winds; Peck Almond, trumpet & flute. Not your usual sessionmen--not by a long shot. Talk about a rich sonic texture! All told, there're 23 different players, divided into the core band and three subordinant tiers. Amazingly, everyone seems to understand his role; there's no unseemly sonic tripping over the other fellow's schtick.

Then there's the vibe: Hip, yet thoroughly accessible; modern, but fully cognizant of The Tradition; sonically dense, but crystal clear. That may be Roseman's greatest accomplishment--to integrate such a hugely varied selection of players and styles into one seamless, beguiling, mesmerizing aural palette.

And how about the arrangements? In this year of gloriously rich musicscapes, e.g., Dave Douglas' Freak In, Wayne Shorter's Alegria, and Michael Brecker's Wide Angles, Treats for the Nightwalker may be the most varied, daring, and eclectic.

The songs, save the short opener by Peter Apfelbaum and the Bacharach/David tune, "Long Day/Short Night," are all Roseman's. His originals are also by far the strongest and most interesting, which marks a departure from Cherry, where the best cuts were covers. Many influnces--from bebop to funk to hip hop to oriental to free jazz to anthemic rock to world jazz to power pop to psychedelia--fade in and out of the procedings, all masterfully integreted into this incredibly tasty gumbo.

With Treats for the Nightwalker, Josh Roseman emerges as one of the most profound and provocative nu jazzers of the third millenium. Do not even THINK about passing this one by.

I've been listening to jazz for 30 years and this guy instantly jumped into my top ten list. I pray he keeps producing music. There are a lot of influences here but he is also innovative. If smooth jazz doesn't cut it for you then get this.

I stumbled onto this one--what a find. I'd heard Josh Roseman's work with Charlie Hunter ("Right Now Move"), but, frankly, I'm even more impressed by this cat than I am Charlie Hunter! And I'm a big fan of CH.

This second release by Josh Roseman is clear evidence that he's one of the greatest up-and-coming composers and arrangers in jazz. And while I find the slippery-smooth mellow tone of his horn especially pleasing, I am impressed by the fact that he doesn't dominate this set. It's obvious that Roseman is way too smart to let his ego get in the way of his incredible vision.

All of the players here, from the rhythm section on up, are outstanding. This album hints at commercialism at times, but Roseman skillfully sidesteps all of the shlocky trappings of the smooth jazz idiom.

Buy this album, listen to it thoroughly, and keep on doing this until you realize how great it is. The arranging is some of the most creative and powerful stuff I've heard, and each musician (there are many) contributes with his own voice. Plus, Roseman has one of the most appealing sounds out there, being laid-back and daring at the same time. Please do yourself a big musical favor and get this, it is truly worth it!

I own thousands of albums, have a Master's Degree in Music, studied all aspects of Western Music and all I can say is that this album is probably the most inspiring music I have EVER heard. Ever minute of this album a joy. "Prospect" is just a wonderful composition. A legend in the making.....can't wait for the next release!