| Discography of Joe Fonda | 1998 |
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Lineup
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Recorded July 21, 1998
Released by CIMP Records [CIMP 157]
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Liner Notes by Robert D. Rusch [→ CD Reviews] |
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During a conversation with Mark Whitecage in the Spring of 1997, he mentioned to me that he was sending a tape as a proposal for a recording. "What group?" I asked, as we had already recorded his trio (CIMP 106) and quartet (CIMP 119) along with pairing his quartet with the Joseph Scianni Trio (CIMP 155). Mark said, "It's my quartet." There is a huge amount of music being recorded and released, some of it extraordinary, much of it ephemeral and forgettable, and artists, even those deserving of documentation, are more often than not being put into redundant situations. Even with the massive amount of releases flooding the market, there seems to be no real correlation between recording opportunity and talent, deserving or otherwise. It has always been CIMP's intent to offer material of excellence and, when dealing with artists already well documented, to put them in fresh settings and faced with fresh challenges. So when Mark responded that he was sending material by his quartet, I responded, "Mark, we've recorded your quartet." His check to me was, "This is my other quartet." Still, I remained reasonably skeptical for, while I am greatly challenged and rewarded by Mark's playing and had been impressed by Sabir Mateen, particularly on his recording with Marc Edwards' Trio (CIMP 128), I figured it would be more or less a pairing of known musical personalities. What I had not figured was how absolutely different both Mark and Sabir sounded when paired together. Here were color and dynamics bearing little resemblance to what I thought I knew and that, combined with the very different rhythm section of Joe Fonda (CIMP 151) and Harvey Sorgen, brought a freshness and perspective that still surprises me. Over the two days of recording, the music poured forth. Music is so integral to Mark's persona that he's often oblivious to some of the formal structures that intrude on a recording session. A good example occurs on "Oleo" which began without any formal cue and before studio silence had been established. What I thought was just ad lib riffing between Joe and Harvey quickly developed into something else. Fortunately, the tape was rolling. It's illustrative of how this session went. The group had, prior to this date, been touring with each other for about a month and I think it accounts for the assured but very subtle intensity that prevailed through the session. During the first couple of hours, at the beginning of each take, I wondered if the music was going anywhere. Inevitably, the piece would come around to my understanding and deliver its forceful statement. Midway into the session, I no longer questioned if it was going anywhere, but relaxed in expectation of where it would take me and how it would get there. Give these guys a tone and they'll construct a musical universe of fascinating encounters. This was a very laid-back group, 4 artists in a strategy of consensual tension with imagination and invention. All liner notes written by Robert D. Rusch:
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CD Reviews
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Glenn Astarita for All About Jazz On "Murmurings", Whitecage (alto) and Mateen (tenor) trade some serious heat while Fonda and Sorgen swing or rumble and tumble in support of the clever and fire breathing improv from the saxophonists. "Drum Reso" emits notions of being a nursery rhyme for children who are destined to become modern or free jazz musicians when they grow up. Here, Whitecage and Mateen converge to state an almost childlike theme, which develops into something complex. On this piece we hear Joe Fonda's proficient arco bass working in tandem with Sorgen?s fluctuating pulse. At 18 minutes, "Joe's Groove" is perhaps the highlight of this recording as Sorgen's African style rhythms propagate matters into a series of tumultuous conversations between Mateen and Whitecage's soaring, high register alto. Here, the engagingly chatty vernacular is sparkling as Whitecage and Mateen work well together through disparate, personalized styles and distinct phraseology. "Joe's Groove" possesses all the intensity of a hard driving rock band sans the amplification. At times, the clever horn work elicits thoughts of a bunch of nightclub singers belting out the blues or perhaps scat singing through jazzy motifs. Sonny Rollins' "Oleo" is the lone track not authored by Whitecage. Here, The Quartet's rendition is somewhat raw and freewheeling, yet swings pretty hard; although, things seem to work best for this band within the framework of Whitecage's compositions. This recording captured "live" in an intimate setting works wonders for the listener as we get to share the nuances and subtleties associated with music of this ilk. Consensual Tension is a multicolored pastiche as Whitecage and co. paint canvasses which come to life, for you, ..the listener! * * * * ½ Reprinted with permission. Copyright © 2006 All About Jazz and Glenn Astarita. All reviews written by Glenn Astarita:
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Steven Loewy for All Music Guide Billed as Mark Whitecage's "Other Quartet," this largely freely improvised set holds up surprisingly well. Whitecage is joined by power saxophonist Sabir Mateen and by longtime colleague bassist Joe Fonda and drummer Harvey Sorgen. The playing is tight and the solos riveting, particularly when the two horns go hand-to-hand. Whitecage and Mateen seem to anticipate each other's every move, and the cover art by Kara Rusch of two fingers pulling a wishbone to its near-breaking point is a good depiction of the tension throughout. Energy music that never loses focus or control, the seven numbers comprising this recording are full of surprises and suspense. Fonda is delirious on bass, his fingers racing, while Sorgen adds just enough punch to knock the proceedings into orbit. There is enough subtlety to delight the close listener, and enough rawness to satisfy those who appreciate scorching sounds. Reprinted with permission. Copyright © 2006 All Media Guide, LLC and Steven Loewy. All reviews written by Steven Loewy:
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