HARRIS EISENSTADT — Old Growth Forest (review)

HARRIS EISENSTADT — Old Growth Forest album cover Album · 2016 · Avant-Garde Jazz Buy this album from MMA partners
3/5 ·
snobb
Harris Eisenstadt is probably most popular Canadian jazz drummer of younger generation. With no doubt for many listeners his name associates with "Canada Day" series of nu jazz albums first of all, but he has released some avant-garde and third stream music as leader as well.

On Harris' newest album as leader, released on Portuguese Clean Feed label, he plays original compositions with tree renown American advanced jazz artists. With two of them - trombonist Jeb Bishop and bassist Jason Roebke - Eisenstadt already played in same trio (led by Bishop) and even released one album on Polish Not Two label eight years ago.Harris current quartet includes one new member - tenor Tony Malaby, one of brightest contemporary advanced jazz sax player around.

Album's material has been recorded spontaneously in a studio right after two gigs in New York's The Stone. All musicians are true professionals and mostly had some experience playing together, but lot of time has gone from these dates. The material (even if Eisenstadt is stated as composer) is obviously mostly free-improvised, and it's obvious that the quartet isn't a working band.

Despite of all members' professionalism, recorded music contains only a few attractive moments. Most of the time the listener gets quite bulky and not too much inspired jam session,demonstrating how great musicians constantly are loosing their ways. Started from nowhere, the flow of short snippets tries to get the direction or at least to be transformed in better interplay,but generally it never happens. The final impression is that four great musicians must to play the jam they don't have inspiration for.

With no doubt this album's line-up will attract many fans of modern creative jazz, but I afraid only hottest fans will probably find it at least enjoyable.
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