JAMIE SAFT — The Jamie Saft Quartet : Hidden Corners (review)

JAMIE SAFT — The Jamie Saft Quartet : Hidden Corners album cover

Album · 2019 · Fusion

3.5/5 · 2019-06-30
snobb

Pianist/keyboardist Jamie Saft is one of more interesting figure connecting New York down town jazz with burgeoning London jazz scene (through collaboration with London-based RareNoise label). His newest all-star quartet's album "Hidden Corners" continues this direction presenting Saft & Co.s touch on such a fashionable in London spiritual jazz.

Album's opener "Positive Way" is possible the best illustration what "Hidden Corners" are all about - soulful composition influenced by "Love Supreme"/Coltrane circa '65 music will obviously attract fans of Pharoah Sanders spiritual jazz re-birth. It is most memorable song coming from the album, what comes after is quite a mixed bag though. Right after very skilled but not same inspired quartet offers freer journey which is quite bulky and directionless.

Rest of the album contains a songs collection of two types - more soulful and spiritual (though a bit faceless) compositions and freer but too formal and emotionless pieces. Music here is well played but has no chances to win in a competition with enthusiastic youngish British bands dominating on London scene. Today's spiritual jazz attracts new listeners mostly because of its fresh, maybe partially naive, atmosphere and re-invented spirit of late 60s. Saft's quartet sounds as a bit bored bunch of pros playing some fashionable tunes on request (or because of contractual obligation). Not a bad music, but it lacking inspiration.

more than 2 years ago
Permalink
Report #449784

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!

Member Zone

Username:

Password:

Stay signed in

Not Yet Registered?

Forgotten Your Password?

Jazz Subgenres

Artists Alpha-index

A
B
C
D
E
F
G
H
I
J
K
L
M
N
O
P
Q
R
S
T
U
V
W
X
Y
Z
V.A.

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

Kind of Blue Cool Jazz
MILES DAVIS

The Black Saint and the Sinner Lady Progressive Big Band
CHARLES MINGUS

Blue Train Hard Bop
JOHN COLTRANE

My Favorite Things Hard Bop
JOHN COLTRANE

TOP 25 and more filters

New Jazz Artists

DATADYR Jazz Related Rock
SUSANNE ALT Fusion
GILI LOPES World Fusion
RUSS SPIEGEL Fusion
ARTTURI RÖNKÄ Fusion
DANIEL SOMMER 21st Century Modern
KIM MYHR Jazz Related Improv/Composition
ZHENGTAO PAN Progressive Big Band
VINCENT MEISSNER 21st Century Modern
ISOTOPE ENSEMBLE Jazz Related Improv/Composition
RICHARD NELSON Progressive Big Band
MINA CHO World Fusion
UNITY QUARTET (HELIO ALVES - GUILHERME MONTEIRO - GILI LOPES - ALEX KAUTZ) Latin Jazz
ZOO TOO TRIO (MICHAEL CAIN - KEITH PRICE - PHEEROAN AKLAFF) Fusion
TONY JONES Avant-Garde Jazz
RON HORTON Post Bop
MICHELLE NICOLLE Vocal Jazz
ELAINE DAME Vocal Jazz
ANDREW RICHARDS Vocal Jazz
ACCIDENTAL TOURISTS Post Bop

New Jazz Releases

Natural Information Society and Bitchin Bajas : Totality Jazz Related Improv/Composition
NATURAL INFORMATION SOCIETY (JOSHUA ABRAMS NATURAL INFORMATION SOCIETY)