BEN GOLDBERG — Baal: The Book of Angels, Volume 15 (review)

BEN GOLDBERG — Baal: The Book of Angels, Volume 15 album cover Album · 2010 · Avant-Garde Jazz Buy this album from MMA partners
3.5/5 ·
snobb
After West Coast clarinetist Ben Goldberg in 2009 reformed his old project New Klezmer Trio (with drummer Kenny Wollesen and acoustic bassist Greg Cohen) for his new album, the question when he will touch Zorn's material for his another release became just a question of time. Both Wollensen and Cohen are long time Zorn's collaborators, so no strange their just next release is based on Zorn's Masada material.

Luckily "Baal.." was recorded by quartet, not trio - fourth member this time is NY downtown based pianist Jamie Saft. He added plenty of melodic and rhythmic piano elements to album's music what in combination with strong Zorn's compositions made album really better.

When listening every new Masada's Book Of Angels every new release I believe one could expect to hear almost always quality if a bit predictable mix of klezmer and free-jazz.This album is not an exemption: soulful and melodic klezmer is mixed with free improvs almost 50/50 and the result is predictably attractive. Possibly main moment which makes this release more interesting is Goldberg is one of leading clarinet player nowadays (ok, there are not too many of them on jazz scene), so even more or less know music sound different and more unusual.

In all - not masterpiece,but one more strong Masada's Book Of Angels series' release.
Share this review
more

Review Comments

Post a public comment below | Send private message to the reviewer
Please login to post a shout
No shouts posted yet. Be the first member to do so above!

Review Index

Member Zone

Username:
Password:
Stay signed in

Jazz Subgenres

Artists Alpha-index

JMA TOP 5 Jazz ALBUMS

Rating by members, ranked by custom algorithm
Albums with 30 ratings and more
A Love Supreme Post Bop
JOHN COLTRANE
Buy this album from our partners
Kind of Blue Cool Jazz
MILES DAVIS
Buy this album from our partners
The Black Saint and the Sinner Lady Progressive Big Band
CHARLES MINGUS
Buy this album from our partners
Blue Train Hard Bop
JOHN COLTRANE
Buy this album from our partners
My Favorite Things Hard Bop
JOHN COLTRANE
Buy this album from our partners

New Jazz Artists

New Jazz Releases

Cabaret Eclectic Fusion
MARIUS NESET
Buy this album from MMA partners
Living Ghosts Post-Fusion Contemporary
MICHAEL WOLLNY
Buy this album from MMA partners
Live at Donte's, Vol. 1 Vocal Jazz
MIKE CAMPBELL
Buy this album from MMA partners
Sunday Afternoon Fusion
FURIO DI CASTRI
Buy this album from MMA partners
São Paulo Creative 4 : Supernova Avant-Garde Jazz
IVO PERELMAN
Buy this album from MMA partners
More new releases

New Jazz Online Videos

Sunday afternoon
FURIO DI CASTRI
snobb· 7 hours ago
Harmônicos
FABIANO DO NASCIMENTO
js· 21 hours ago
Con Alma
GENE BERTONCINI
js· 1 day ago
Our Walk (Live)
BEN MARKLEY
js· 1 day ago
Solar (feat. Vicente Archer & Otis Brown III)
JERRY LÉONIDE
js· 1 day ago
More videos

New JMA Jazz Forum Topics

More in the forums

New Site interactions

More...

Latest Jazz News

members-submitted

More in the forums

Social Media

Follow us
Follow us on Twitter Become a Facebook fan RSS Feed