Search - Prism Quartet :: Pitch Black: Music for Saxophones by Jacob TV

Pitch Black

S. C. Ruhe | 11/16/2008

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Very interesting album. I especially like the first three cuts and the intense moods they establish. The compositions are intricately woven and well thought out, and are flawlessly executed. Amazingly, the older analog technology still stands on its own, even amidst the digital technology available today.



The first piece - the reason I bought the album - is by far the best. It's a haunting journey highlighted by a glimpse of the genius, Chet Baker, around whom its centered. It's a vivid portrait of a naive young man who seems bewildered by his surroundings, and oblivious to the reason he's there. On another level, it makes us question this harsh "treatment," especially in light if the brilliant mind that was trapped there by its own vulnerability."

Smashing!

Michael Christensen | Norfolk, VA | 04/07/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"My original reason for buying this album was because I wanted to hear Timothy McAllister's solo soprano performance (often regarded by many critics as the best in the world). What I got instead was a treasure chest of musical genius and masterful creativity. This review wont be on the Prism Saxophone Quartet's performance since there isn't much I can say about them that hasn't already been said. They are the premiere performance ensemble in their genre. Instead, I will focus on the music of JacobTV.



While I am no expert on the music of JacobTV, I know when I hear something that is the work of musical genius. The track that can be a testament to this is "Grab It!". Originally written in 1999 for legendary saxophonist Arno Bornkamp, this piece has gained massive popularity and has been adapted, performed, and readapted again and again for performances across the globe. JacobTV is oftn referred to as a Avant-pop Composer, in that he uses a collection of styles to create his own image through jazz stylings, rock and roll, atonal, melodic, and in some cases (as with Grab It!), hip-hop. Put these styles together, and it becomes an epic recording that will surely engage the imaginations of young students and aspiring professionals for many years.



Each piece on this recording is performed with electronic boom box. While not every piece is written for saxophone quartet, they all are considered to be "ensemble works" considering the nature of the electronic accompaniment and it's intricacies (a notable work with this regard is Garden of Love - performed by Timothy McAllister). Prism Saxophone Quartet culminates this recording with a performance of "Jesus is Coming," a work some might consider "controversial" by the nature of the recorded dialogue heard in the background. However, focus should not remain on the words heard, nor should anything on this CD be terribly over analyzed. This CD instead should be used to extract the creative side of the aspiring Saxophonist, composer, or any musician for that matter.



I am excited to recommend this one to any musician. It is certain to be added to any student's "top 5 favorite recordings" list.



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