Record Reviews

DOM MINASI ~ QUICK RESPONSE CDM 1005 (Barcode: 616892598527) ~ USA ~ Jazz Recorded: 2004 Released: 2004 This quartet date by US guitarist / composer Dom MinasiFind albums by this artist is quite different from his two trio recordings, which brought him back from a quarter of a century long self-imposed exile from recording and stormed the Jazz world with his amazing performances. Together with Mark WhitecageFind albums by this artist on tenor saxophone, Kyle KoehlerFind albums by this artist on organ and John BollingerFind albums by this artist on drums, Minasi presents a laid-back session, which re-examines the Jazz heritage in a contemporary setting. Of the nine compositions included on here, three are re-workings of standards and the other six are Minasi’s compositions, all kept in the “spirit” of Jazz tradition. Minasi’s followers might find this approach surprising, but it is really quite natural for him to play more or less “straight ahead” Jazz, as long as he retains his unique guitar voicing, which of course he does with flying colors here. His delicate and ever so sophisticated solos are truly delightful, time after time, with traces of Wes MontgomeryFind albums by this artist chords hidden under the surface. The other quartet members play along splendidly, with Whitecage and Koehler adding their tasteful solos, Koehler (when not soloing) supporting the perfect background layers and the basses (with his pedals) gluing the music together and Bollinger driving them all rhythmically. The retro sound of the organ is really delightful, at times somewhat resembling what Larry Young was doing in Tony Williams LifetimeFind albums by this artist. Playing “straight ahead” is a real challenge when the musicians want to retain the element of originality and creativity, which is exactly what happens on this album. For the less experienced Jazz lovers, who might find Minasi’s Avant-Garde work difficult to swallow at first, this is a great introduction to the magical word of his music. Grab it!

Updated: 12/04/2019Posted:

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DOM MINASI ~ TIME WILL TELL CDM 1003 (Barcode: 616892564225) ~ USA ~ Jazz Recorded: 2001 - 2002 Released: 2003 Listeners familiar with the two trio albums by US guitarist / composer Dom MinasiFind albums by this artist will find this, his 3rd release on his own label CDMFind albums on this label Records quite a surprise. It turns out that the uncompromising pioneer of Avant-Garde guitar has a romantic / lyrical alter ego, which is as refreshing and fascinating as his highly improvised output. In parallel to his regular trio, Minasi also leads a string trio called DDTFind albums by this artist, which includes his regular bass player Ken FilianoFind albums by this artist and the extraordinary cellist Tomas UlrichFind albums by this artist. For this album the trio was expanded to a quartet with the addition of drummer John BollingerFind albums by this artist and Minasi’s wife, singer Carol MennieFind albums by this artist, makes a guest appearance on one track. The music Minasi presents here is mostly contemplative with an emphasis on melody and chamber ambience. Although the album starts and closes with a standard, all the rest of the tracks are by Minasi, revealing his exceptional strength as a composer. These beautifully sad and melancholic tunes are moving and penetrate straight to one’s deeper emotions. I find a lot of Gypsy elements here, hidden traces of Django Reinhardt and his fusion of Gypsy music and Jazz. This album is in many respects a continuation of that tradition, brought up to date by Minasi’s vision. The performances are, as expected, brilliant all the way: Filiano’s bass and Ulrich’s cello sound great both as accompaniment and when soloing, Minasi’s modern approach to guitar playing makes this music fresh and Bollinger adds exactly the right amount of delicate rhythmic ornament this subtle music needs. If Minasi’s Avant-Garde recordings might be just a bit over the top to an average listener, this album should be accessible to every music lover on this planet, even to people who don’t listen to Jazz on a regular basis, as it presents music that is basically beyond any specific genre and completely universal. Don’t even think twice!

Updated: 12/04/2019Posted:

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