The Squid's Ear Magazine

Smart, Shirley / James Arben

Entanglement: 9 Improvised Dialogues

Smart, Shirley / James Arben: Entanglement: 9 Improvised Dialogues (FMR)

UK sax and wind player James Arben and cellist Shirley Smart explore the possibilities of chamber-oriented free improvisation through a series of dialogues of harmonic, rhythmic and timbral tension and resolution, created from bold experimental playing techniques and melodic discourse that draws on influences from jazz to Middle Eastern, folk and contemporary music.
 

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product information:

Personnel:



Shirley Smart-cello

James Arben-tenor saxophone, baritone saxophone, bass clarinet, flute


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UPC: 642415162760

Label: FMR
Catalog ID: FMR585
Squidco Product Code: 29432

Format: CD
Condition: New
Released: 2020
Country: UK
Packaging: Digipack - 3 panel
Recorded at Vestry Hall, University of West London, United Kingdom, on June 25th, 2019.

Descriptions, Reviews, &c.

While working together with Ethiopian vibes master Mulatu Astatke, saxophonist & wind player James Arben and cellist Shirley Smart discovered a shared interest in the possibilities of free improvisation that drew on their common interest in aesthetic, as well as musical interaction in free setting. These dialogues and exploration of harmonic, rhythmic and timbral tension and resolution, created from bold experimental playing techniques and melodic discourse. The music draws on influences from jazz to Middle Eastern, folk and contemporary music.


Artist Biographies

"Shirley Smart is recognised as one of the UK's most versatile and creative cellists - being equally at home and well versed in jazz and Middle Eastern music, as well as classical music.

Originally trained under Raphael Wallfisch at the Guilldhall School of Music, and Janos Starker in Paris, she subsequently moved to Jerusalem, where she remained for 10 years, studying and performing a wide variety of musical traditions from the North Africa, Turkey and Middle East. She was also highly active on the jazz scene, working with artists including Avishai Cohen, Omer Avital and Yasmin Levy. Since returning to the UK, she has quickly become known as one of the most creative cellists on the music scene and has worked with many leading jazz and world music groups, including Antonio Forcione, Mulato Astatke, Gilad Atzmon, Neil Cowley, Julian Ferraretto, Robert Mitchell, and Alice Zawadski.

She leads her own trio, with John Crawford on piano, and Demi Garcia Sabat on drums, and band Melange.

Shirley is Head of Performance and a Lecturer in Music at City University, and also teaches Improvisation and Jazz at the Royal College of Music Junior Department. She is a visiting tutor for the National Youth Jazz Collective, and an in demand workshop leader."

-Shirley Smart Website (https://www.shirleysmart.com/biography)
3/13/2024

Have a better biography or biography source? Please Contact Us so that we can update this biography.

"Born in central London, James was taught at school by the late great Don Rendell for 12 years. James then went to Oxford University to study music and continued to have lessons with jazz messenger Jean Toussaint. After this, there was a brief diversion into the world of transport planning for a couple of years; however, his love of music was burning and he decided to make his fortune playing jazz saxophone. So, he then attended the Guildhall School of Music and Drama for his masters in performance, composition and arranging, and studied with Pete Churchill and Tim Garland. James also won an Archer's Scholarship for two years running at Trinity College of Music in London to study with Bobby Lamb and play with the Bobby Lamb Big Band. In addition, he has studied in New York with Ralph Alessi and saxophonist Bob Mintzer.

A few key saxophone influences are Evan Parker, Getatchew Mekurya, Yusef Lateef, Pharoah Sanders, Ornette Coleman, Albert Ayler, John Coltrane, Sonny Rollins and Hank Mobley.

James is a multi-instrumentalist. He plays all saxophones, flute, oboe, bass clarinet, clarinet, vocals and piano, and is a versatile creative musician who is comfortable in vast array of musical situations. He can do a psychedelic oboe solo; but, to be fair, he is not very good at yoga or tap dancing."

-James Arben Website (https://www.jamesarben.com/JamesArben.com/Home.html)
3/13/2024

Have a better biography or biography source? Please Contact Us so that we can update this biography.


Track Listing:



1. Entanglement 7:54

2. Desert Rose 10:31

3. The Craic 4:13

4. The Moles Lament 9:53

5. Melkamik'enati 8:21

6. Goldings 7:41

7. The Serenity Of Sleep 3:48

8. Deconstruction 9:07

9. Reconcilliation 8:56

Related Categories of Interest:


Improvised Music
Free Improvisation
London & UK Improv & Related Scenes
Stringed Instruments
Recordings by or featuring Reed & Wind Players
Duo Recordings

Search for other titles on the label:
FMR.


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