Search - John Surman, Jack Dejohnette :: Invisible Nature

Invisible Nature
John Surman, Jack Dejohnette
Invisible Nature
Genres: International Music, Jazz
 
  •  Track Listings (7) - Disc #1

Recorded live at the jazz festivals of Tampere and Berlin in November 2000, Invisible Nature is a fabulous album, as rich in unfolding mythic (or storytelling) overtones as it is in its diversely inflected melodic accents ...  more »

     

CD Details

All Artists: John Surman, Jack Dejohnette
Title: Invisible Nature
Members Wishing: 2
Total Copies: 0
Label: Universal/Polygram
Release Date: 3/21/2002
Album Type: Limited Edition, Import
Genres: International Music, Jazz
Styles: Europe, Britain & Ireland, Modern Postbebop, Bebop
Number of Discs: 1
SwapaCD Credits: 1

Synopsis

Amazon.com
Recorded live at the jazz festivals of Tampere and Berlin in November 2000, Invisible Nature is a fabulous album, as rich in unfolding mythic (or storytelling) overtones as it is in its diversely inflected melodic accents and rhythmic drive. With the exception of the concluding "Song for World Forgiveness," which features composer DeJohnette on piano, all of the 75 minutes here are improvised, but in a way that comes across as thoroughly structured and intensely lyrical. Both musicians--who have played together often since their first and until now, only duo recording together, 1981's The Amazing Adventures of Simon Simon--are masters of dynamics. Here, that mastery is enhanced by a sensitive use of electronics. At times, this can give the music the kick and drive of a large ensemble and at other moments underpin an essentially poetic approach to tone color and phrasing. While there's plenty of poetry here, there's also a healthy bucketful or two of straight-ahead wailing, with Surman often sounding as intense and expansive as he used to in his trio days of yore, when playing with Barre Phillips and Stu Martin. A superb document of the current health of jazz at its contemporary best, and as such, recommended without reservation. --Michael Tucker

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CD Reviews

Two rare virtuosos
James W. Goetsch | Studio City, CA. USA | 06/25/2002
(5 out of 5 stars)

"Two rare virtuosos with staggering abilities, yet they always keep technique subservient to the music itself. The net result is riveting performances that few players can match in 2002. I just saw the duo at the Conga Room in Los Angeles, and they owned the crowd for the full hour and half with an extremely varied program very similar to this live record. Surman moves from baritone sax to bass clarinet, soprano sax, a MIDI wind controller, and a little keyboard as well. DeJohnette plays the drum set as few can these day, throwing out a barrage of rhythms of stunning complexity on one piece, then playing the sparsest of work in the next. He has integrated into his set an electronic playing pad that he can use to trigger some ambient sequences or bass lines, but the most impressive use of this is for his tabla program that is indistinguishable from the real. The compositions appear to be fairly loose sketches that each have a distinct character, while providing loads of freedom to go any direction they want. The grooves move from ambient to fast jazz to megafunk to ethnic and more, including a duo with DeJohnette on his first instrument, piano. We can only hope that ECM / Universal re-releases the original album of these two, "The Amazing Adventures of Simon Simon"."