Artist.......: Angelica Sanchez
Album........: Life Between
Label........: Clean Feed Records
Genre........: Jazz
Catnr........: CF 128CD
source.......: CDDA
rip.date.....: Oct-12-2009
str.date.....: Oct-25-2008
quality......: VBR/44,1Hz/Joint-Stereo
Url..........: www.angelicasanchez.com
track title time
01. 514 05:40
02. Federico 07:14
03. Name Dreamer 05:02
04. Black Helicopters 06:15
05. SF 4 08:58
06. Blue & Damson 06:55
07. Life Between 06:50
08. Corner Eye 03:59
Runtime 50:53 min
Size 66,8 MB
Release Notes:
Jazz listeners generally choose between the
orderliness of a jazz ensemble with a piano, or the
freedom that playing sans the chordal instrument
allows a group. For pianist Angelica Sanchez, her
presence muddles that distinction. On Life Between
she preserves the orderùnot by chords, but by her
compositions, arrangements and, maybe, presence.
After releasing two self-produced recordings with
drummer Tom Rainey and her husband, the great tenor
saxophonist Tony Malaby, she debuted to great
acclaim on Mirror Me (Omnitone, 2003) which added
bassist Michael Formanek. This session replaces
Formanek with Drew Gress and adds French guitar
legend Marc Ducret.
Certainly with that much firepower things are apt
to tear apart quickly. These four sidemen are
capable of releasing the improvisational equivalent
of shock and awe. But, remarkably they don't. And
it is not because they are limited by the chordal
policeman of Sanchez's piano. Her instrument of
choice here is the Wurlitzer, an electric piano
favored by Herbie Hancock during the Miles Davis
electric years and, more recently, Uri Caine in his
own groups and as part of Dave Douglas' ensembles.
Its unique sound, almost meek as compared to a
standard piano, acts more to sustain than as a
traffic cop.
The tracks, all her compositions, can be noddingly
memorable, like "514" and "Name Dreamer," or
emotionally packed as on "Federico." When she
prepares a piece that is open for a bit more
improvisation such as "Black Helicopters," her
players release a very under controlled openness.
Malaby's saxophone simmers and Ducret
pokes-and-prods through his bag of guitar effects.
The result here is a refined and controlled music
making, easy to digest even though the playing is
quite sophisticated. Sanchez's switch to acoustic
piano playing here and on the short final piece
"Corner Eye" is full of ringing bright notes. An
excellent rejoinder to Malaby's thunderous tenor,
and the shock of Ducret.
This quintet of some of jazz's finest improvisers
allow Sanchez to realize her vision by tailoring
their sound to this very special project.