More Reviews! and Crackleknob!

Here are a couple more reviews that have come in since "Throw Down Your Hammer and Sing" was released last week (3/17). Please forgive my somewhat scary translation from jazzareadores.blogspot, but I think you will get the idea.



They (Wooley/Lonberg-Holm/Roebke) produce improvised music as we know it from musicians who come from the avant garde section of jazz. Technically highly skilled, all with a rich musical vocabulary. Also they make use of many extended techniques, which is very common for the younger generations of (not only) jazzmusicians. And, also they depart from many jazz habits, moving towards modern chambermusic. There is a high level of concentration and communication, demonstrated by the great interplay between the three. The recording of this session is very freshly done, and makes listening to this one a very physical and pleasant experience. (DM)-Vital Weekly Issue 670



Throw Down Your Hammer And Sing, [is a] trio formed by the trumpeter Nate Wooley, bass by Jason Roebke and the cellist Fred Lonberg-Holm, [from] Porter Records. To listeners [softened] by prolonged exposure to the jazz canon, …[they will say it is weird] But one thing is certain: Nate Wooley’s risk-taking continues to land him outside the comfort of tracks previously demarcated, and [he] has in Lonberg-Holm and Roebke the necessary counterpoint to making this work in the beautiful strangeness of their setting. That is just starting, as a handful of passes later, he outlines the definition and all the content is articulated with grace and flexibility. Like many of the best discs, Throw Down Your Hammer And Sing (nice title, in addition) does not ask for immediate membership, but requires patient and careful attention to many details - the simplest way to gain intimacy with the extraordinary sounds of heterodoxy.

-Eduardo Chagas Jazz Arreadores Blogspot (from the translation)

And maybe not the most glowing review, but beautiful for its honesty and spirit of critical thinking....


Two observations :1. In his book, "This Is Your Brain On Music", psychologist Daniel Levitin writes that sufficient exposure to repeated listens to the same music will familiarize you with the sounds and make you appreciate what you hear, regardless of what your initial reaction is to the music.2. Sometime in the previous century, I forced myself to like free jazz (as a punishment to myself after I bought an LP which I wrongly assumed I would like), and I then realized how rich, deep and fresh the music sounded even after dozens and dozens of times. So first impressions can be very wrong.Add to this that I admire trumpetist Nate Wooley, bassist Jason Roebke and cellist Fred Lonberg-Holm, who just released this CD with the great title "Throw Down Your Hammer And Sing".My point is this: I have just downloaded this CD from eMusic. It is very avant-garde, with sounds that are mostly not recognizable as coming from the instruments they play, and that sometimes ressemble organic, almost natural sounds, both in their creation as in their interaction, but sometimes also very industrial, but then in the artisanal way, like wood being sawn, sometimes like cars honking in traffic jams. But as Wooley writes on his blog, it is also very "intimate and human". I have listened to this album four times now. I admire these three musicians too much to discard this music as a waste of time. I will listen to it. I will listen to it many, many times, and let you know what I think of it later, much later.Maybe I should add one thing. I once went to a presentation by a modern classical composer, who made horrible music, but who went so far as to explain his music. The whole audience stayed, and listened to his proud explanation of his music. I could tell everyone was bored, slightly horrified, and wanting to escape asap, yet too polite to run away to safer places. I can imagine this music may generate the same feeling.But I will listen to it till I come to appreciate it, if I ever can. If yes, then Levitin is right, and I am richer with experience. If not, then Levitin is proven wrong, and I am still richer with experience.I want to like this music.

Stef from freejazz-stef.blogspot.com

I'm working on tour dates for October. So far October 23rd and 25th seem together for the East Coast, so I'll keep you informed on this trio as things fall into place.

Also, hold on to your hats! Crackleknob will finally appear around the middle of April. I just heard from the head of HatHut Records that the finished product should be back from the plant on March 29th, so after a bit of shipping, that means we should have them here by April 15th or so.

For those of you not in the know, Crackleknob is a long-suffering trio featuring myself, Mary Halvorson on guitar and Reuben Radding on bass. The record is really truly stunning and warm and cuddly and fierce and cranky. I love it and am excited that it will be out soon and the trio can play live a little more often! More news to come!