The Squid's Ear Magazine


Alessi, Ralph and This Against That: Wiry Strong (Clean Feed)

Bridging mainstream jazz with avant approaches, trumpeter Alessi leads his "This Against That" group with saxophonist Ravi Coltrane, bassist Drew Gress, pianist Andy Milne, drummer Mark Ferber, and Tim Berne co-producing.
 

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product information:

Personnel:



Ralph Alessi-trumpet

Ravi Coltrane-saxophone

Andy Milne-piano

Drew Gress-bass

Mark Ferber-drums


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UPC: 56090630022001

Label: Clean Feed
Catalog ID: CF220
Squidco Product Code: 14479

Format: CD
Condition: New
Released: 2011
Country: Portugal
Packaging: Cardstock Gatefold Sleeve
Recorded May 14th and 15th, 2008 at Acoustic Recording in Brooklyn, NY by Michael Brorby.

Descriptions, Reviews, &c.

"Do you believe in a separation between mainstream jazz and the avant-garde? Wiry Strong could be labeled as the former, but the music from this new release is fresh and has a profound energy suggestive of the urgent things in life. What else would we expect from trumpeter Ralph Alessi, someone who has had a significant presence in some of the better "new jazz" made in new york city over the past 15 years with notable innovators like Steve Coleman, Don Byron, Uri Caine and Jason Moran?

With such collaborators like saxophonists Ravi Coltrane and Tim Berne (both involved in this CD, one as a member of the band, the other co-producing it) Alessi isn't really against anything or in favor of something; he acts as a bridge uniting these seemingly disparate worlds of jazz. Here, we find a loving respect for the tradition, but also a commitment to take jazz to the next step. This is post-bop in its most refined manifestation, boiling hot but elegant, performed by an all star cast of musicians."-Clean Feed


Artist Biographies

"Trumpeter/Composer Ralph Alessi was born in San Francisco,CA, the son of classical trumpeter Joe Alessi and opera singer Maria Leone. After taking degrees in jazz trumpet and bass-he studied under the legendary Charlie Haden at CalArts-he lit out for New York, where he swiftly became an ubiquitous presence on the downtown scene. He's been a frequent collaborator with such notable musicians as Steve Coleman, Jason Moran, Don Byron, Ravi Coltrane, Fred Hersch, Uri Caine and Marc Copland. Alessi has recorded nine albums of original compositions which draw on everything from post-bop to neo classical music. He currently records for the ECM record label including his 2016 release Quiver. In 2018, he will release a new This Against That record on the label. As an educator, Ralph is an Assistant Professor of Jazz Studies at University of Nevada-Reno as well as the director of the School for Improvisational Music."

-Ralph Alessi Website (http://www.ralphalessi.com/html/about.php)
3/13/2024

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

"Drew Gress (born November 20, 1959) is an American jazz double-bassist and composer born in Trenton, New Jersey, raised in the Philadelphia area, and currently based in New York City.

Biography

Gress became interested in jazz and the double bass while a teenager, joining the Pennsbury Concert Jazz Band, a nationally-prominent high school jazz ensemble, in 1975, spending two years as bassist and arranger for the group. His interest in composing original material for large ensembles, such as those of Johnny Richards, Billy May, and Pat Williams, led him to Baltimore's Towson State University in 1977, where he studied composition and counterpoint with Hank Levy, known for his work with Don Ellis and Stan Kenton. While at Towson, Gress established a playing relationship with saxophonist Ellery Eskelin, with whom he cofounded Joint Venture with Paul Smoker and Phil Haynes. They released three albums on Enja Records between 1987 and 1994.

During the 1980s in the Baltimore/Washington DC area, he played with Sonny Stitt, Clifford Jordan, Albert Dailey, Mose Allison, Zoot Sims, Cab Calloway, Buddy Hackett, Phyllis Diller, and pianist Marc Copland, with whom he still plays today. He also served on the faculties of the Peabody Conservatory, Towson State University, and the Baltimore School for the Arts. He formed a quartet, Tekke, in 1989 with David Kane, Glenn Cashman, and Michael Smith.

In 1997, he cofounded the cooperative improvising trio Paraphrase with saxophonist/composer Tim Berne and drummer Tom Rainey. Together, they pursued a compositional approach to free improvisational practice. They recorded three live albums together and toured extensively.

In 1998, he released his first album as leader, Heyday, with his band Jagged Sky (featuring David Binney, Ben Monder, and Kenny Wollesen). 2001 saw the release of Spin & Drift with Uri Caine, Berne, and Rainey, in which he played pedal steel guitar for the first time.

Earlier in the 1990s, he served tenures as artist in residence at University of Colorado-Boulder and at Russia's St. Petersburg Conservatory.

Since 1992, Gress has maintained an extensive touring schedule, traveling to Europe, Asia, and South America. Those with whom he has and continues to work include Tim Berne, Ravi Coltrane, Uri Caine, John Hollenbeck, Fred Hersch, Marc Copland, Don Byron, Steve Coleman, Dave Douglas, Jack DeJohnette, John Surman, Ray Anderson, Erik Friedlander, Kenny Werner, Bill Carrothers, Ralph Alessi, Tony Malaby, Steve Lehman, and Edsel Gomez. To date, he has appeared on over 140 recordings, 4 of which have received Grammy nominations.

Gress' own ensembles have toured Europe four times since 2002, in addition to isolated festival appearances in Italy and Portugal. In 2004, the UK's BBC Radio and London's Guardian selected his quartet's live radio broadcast as Jazz Concert of the Year.

Composition awards include an NEA grant (1990), funding from Meet the Composer (2003), a Chamber Music America New Works Grant (2005), a CMA French-American Exchange Grant (2007), and an Encore Grant from that same organization (2008). He continues to compose for larger groups and has begun experimenting with virtual synthesizers."

-Wikipedia (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drew_Gress)
3/13/2024

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

"Drummer Mark Ferber can be heard on nearly 200 recordings. Ongoing projects include ECM recording artist Ralph Alessi's 'This Against That', the Marc Copland trio, the Brad Shepik Organ Trio, and his twin brother, Alan Ferber's Grammy nominated big band and nonet.

He currently maintains a busy freelance schedule throughout New York's jazz clubs, recording studios, and international touring circuit. Past work includes tours and recordings with Lee Konitz, Gary Peacock, Jonathan Kreisberg, John O'Gallagher, Don Byron, Fred Hersch, Tony Malaby, Anna Webber, Mark Helias, Pete McCann, Matt Pavolka, Michael Attias and Billy Childs, among others.

Mark has taught extensively in the United States and Europe. He has worked as a faculty member for the California Institute of the Arts, the Tavira Jazz Workshop in Portugal, the School of Improvisational Music (SIM), The Maine Jazz Camp and The Lafayette Summer Music Jazz Workshop. He currently teaches privately out of the City College of New York.

He was born and raised in Moraga, CA and received a degree in Biogeography from UCLA."

-Mark Ferber Website (https://www.markferber.com/bio)
3/13/2024

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


Track Listing:



1. Clown Painting 1:06

2. Station Wagon Pump 5:56

3. Pudgy 1:19

4. Medieval Genius 8:07

5. Halves and Wholes 5:56

6. Racy Banter 1:23

7. A Dollar in Your Shoe 5:38

8. Humdrum 4:39

9. 20% of the 80% 5:21

10. Sock Puppeteer 6:51

11. Mira 3:19

12. Celebrity Golf Classic 1:06

13. Cobbs Hill 6:36

14. Bizarro - World Movement 8:45

15. Wiry Strong 5:51

Related Categories of Interest:

Clean Feed

Improvised Music
Jazz
NY Downtown & Metropolitan Jazz/Improv
Staff Picks & Recommended Items
Quintet Recordings

Search for other titles on the label:
Clean Feed.


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