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Dickey, Whit Quartet

Astral Long Form: Staircase In Space

Dickey, Whit Quartet: Astral Long Form: Staircase In Space (Tao Forms)

His 2nd album as a leader on Tao Forms, drummer Whit Dickey expands on his previous trio album with Rob Brown on alto sax and Brandon Lopez on bass, adding Mat Maneri on viola, bringing together four collaborative New York players that share a long history, evident in the confident interaction, freedom and momentum this band shows on five conceptually linked Dickey compositions.
 

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product information:

Personnel:



Whit Dickey-drums, composition

Rob Brown-alto saxophone

Mat Maneri-viola

Brandon Lopez-bass


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UPC: 642623800928

Label: Tao Forms
Catalog ID: TAO 009CD
Squidco Product Code: 31776

Format: CD
Condition: New
Released: 2022
Country: USA
Packaging: Digipack
Recorded at Park West Studios, in Brooklyn, New York, by Jim Clouse,

Descriptions, Reviews, &c.

"Since the launch of TAO Forms in 2020, Whit Dickey has curated an astonishing series of releases showcasing some of the most forward-looking voices in modern jazz and creative music. Among them is Jesup Wagon by James Brandon Lewis' Red Lily Quintet, which topped several year-end 'Best of 2021' lists, including #1 in JazzTimes Critics' Poll and the coveted top spot in the international Jazz Critics Poll established by Francis Davis.

The label has also provided an outlet for Dickey's own vital work - first with 2020's breathtaking trio date, Expanding Light, featuring his 30+ year colleague, maestro alto saxophonist Rob Brown, and young firebrand bassist Brandon Lopez. That trio returns in Quartet here - joined by violist Mat Maneri, another virtuoso with whom Dickey shares a long history. Astral Long Form is without doubt one of the drummer's most adventurous works to date. These five conceptually interwoven pieces, as performed by this intuitive new quartet, may well come to be considered his masterwork. Well, one of them..

"I asked Rob, Brandon and Mat to not think about time too much; I just wanted them to play; not to follow me or each other. There was a lot of freedom granted, and I hoped the lines would intersect with meaning."

For Dickey that freedom emerged, in part, from a period of profound loss, on top of the dispirited feeling we've all shared over the past couple of years. The album is dedicated to the drummer's mother, who died in late 2020. And, just ten days before the February 2021 recording session, Dickey's onetime mentor from his time at Bennington College, master percussionist and thinker Milford Graves passed.

"This album wasn't conceived with Professor Graves in mind," Dickey says, "but I can't help but pay homage to him when I play. His unique approach to the bass pedal and the way he used his feet had a big influence on me. And, I definitely felt a kind of freedom after my mom passed because she gave me the freedom to follow my bliss when I really needed it."

Whatever the sources of energy that ripple through the album, there is a sustained, enrapturing mode that unites its five parts. In keeping with the drummer's yin/yang view of musical balance - exemplified not only by the label name, but in the duality of his previous quartet release, Peace Planet / Box of Light, this album opens immediately into a heretofore under-explored expanse. "Staircase in Space" luxuriates in open space and atmospheres, untethered from the common notion of time.

Regarding the title, Dickey explains "It's a long form in the sense that the music stays in a long vibration ringing throughout its rhythmic underpinning. These vibrations form a growing staircase and the phenomenon goes on ad infinitum." He continues, "I was looking for something more relaxing, where I could ground myself, the way I can when I hear Cecil Taylor or John Coltrane. I like that feeling where everything seems to float - it's comfortable." "-Tao Forms


Artist Biographies

"Whit Dickey (born May 28, 1954, New York City) is a free jazz drummer. He has recorded albums as a bandleader, with David S. Ware, Matthew Shipp and others.

Free jazz drummer Whit Dickey first stepped into the spotlight as a leader with the release of his Transonic album from Aum Fidelity in 1998. Two years later, Wobbly Rail issued his Big Top release. Previously, he was best known for his solid work with Matthew Shipp and David S. Ware, with whom Dickey split in 1996. Early the following year, the drummer began composing the works that would be included on Transonic. Dickey penned all but two songs, "Kinesis" and "Second Skin," on the collection, and he even had a hand in those with the help of his fellow musicians on the album. The original compositions give a nod to the influence of "Criss Cross" and "Off Minor" from the legendary Thelonious Monk. Dickey recorded the album with the aid of Rob Brown on flute and alto saxophone, and Chris Lightcap on bass. In 2001, Dickey recorded half a dozen of his compositions with Mat Maneri, Shipp, and Brown under the name Nommonsemble, and put out Life Cycle through Aum Fidelity.

Whit Dickey made a name for himself as the former drummer of David S. Ware's famous quartet. Since then Dickey's musical contributions have gone well beyond his work as Ware's drummer. He is capable of tremendous power and yet has the ability for subtle gesture. Dickey is a composer as well as a drummer and his music has reached new heights in his recent small group work, with a coterie of great musicians including alto saxophonist Rob Brown. He has been performing with Matthew Shipp since 1991 and continues to play and record with Roy Campbell Jr., Mat Maneri, Chris Lightcap and many others. Since 2007 Dickey has been focussing on developing an integrative improvisational style while working with Shipp's Trio.

Daniel Carter and Dickey recorded an album pianist Eri Yamamoto in 2008.

The album Art of the Improvisor from The Matthew Shipp Trio received much critical acclaim and was listed as one of the year's best of 2011. Dickey has started a cooperative unit with Sabir Mateen & Michael Bisio, which is another example of post- Coltrane integral unity, and is call Blood Trio.

Shipp, Bisio and Dickey have also been working with Ivo Perelman in various configurations."

-Wikipedia (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whit_Dickey)
3/27/2024

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

"Rob Brown (born February 27, 1962) is an American free jazz saxophonist and composer.

Rob was born in Hampton, VA. He started playing saxophone at the age of 12 or 13. His first gigs were with a local Virginia and swing band. He eventually studied at Berklee College for two years and worked privately with both Joe Viola and John LaPorta. After a year on the west coast, Brown bounced back to Boston, where he met pianist Matthew Shipp. He moved to NY in 1984 where he enrolled at New York University, earned a music degree, and studied with saxophone masters such as Lee Konitz, but the teacher who had more influence on Rob conceptually was Philadelphian Dennis Sandole. Rob took the train to Philly once a week to study with him for a year and a half.

His first issued recording was the duet with Shipp Sonic Explorations and since then has been actively leading groups or working as a sideman with Shipp, William Parker, Whit Dickey, Joe Morris and Steve Swell.

He is a 2001 CalArts/Alpert/Ucross Residency Prize winner and has received many Meet The Composer Fund grants. In 2006 Rob was awarded a Chamber Music America New Works grant."

-Wikipedia (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rob_Brown_(saxophonist))
3/27/2024

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

"Mat Maneri was born in 1969, and started studying violin at age five. He studied privately with Julliard String Quartet founder Robert Koff, and with bass virutuoso Miroslav Vitous. Mat received a full scholarship as the principal violinist at Walnut Hill High School, but left school to pursue a professional career in music. By 1990, Mat founded the critically acclaimed Joe Maneri Quartet with Randy Peterson. Mat started releasing records as a leader in 1996, and has developed four working ensembles. Pianists Paul Bley, Cecil Taylor, Matthew Shipp, and Borah Bergman have called upon Matt to perform with them in such venues as the Montreal Jazz Festival, the Library of Congress, and concert stages across Europe. Mat also enjoys a strong relationship with bassists Ed Schuller, Mark Dresser, William Parker, Michael Formanek, Barre Phillips, and John Lockwood. Never to be boxed in, Mat has also worked with Joe Morris, John Medeski, Tim Berne, Cecil McBee, T.K. Ramakrishnan, Franz Kogelman, Roy Campbell, Spring Heel Jack, Draze Hoops, and appears on an Illy B Eats remix CD. Mat presently teaches privately and through the New School / NYC, and performs and records worldwide."

-Aum Fidelity (http://www.aumfidelity.com/maneri.html)
3/27/2024

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

"[..] Composer/bassist, Brandon A. Lopez, deemed "The Ubiquitous Free Improv Bass Ace" by the Village Voice and said to play with a "Bruising Physicality" by the Chicago reader.

He was born and raised in the splendors of Northwestern New Jersey, in the shadow of the (New York) city. It was there that he cultivated a taste for the left of center musics and subsequently, dug graves.

He's had the pleasures of working with many of the world's luminary weirdos. Here's a list: Nate Wooley, William Parker, Chris Corsano, Justice Yeldham, Weasel Walter, Peter Evans, Tyshawn Sorey, Gerald Cleaver, Ingrid Laubrock, Tom Rainey, Tony Malaby, Paul Lytton, Mette Rasmussen, Jooklo Duo, Michael Foster, Leila Bordreuil, Jaimie Branch, Joe Morris, Brandon Seabrook, Cactus Truck, John Dykeman, Daniel Carter, and many others.

He's currently leads a trio dubbed "The Mess", another one called the Brandon Lopez Trio, works as a soloist and is formerly/currently/latterly writing more and more music. He may play some it sometime soon (see "gigs").

He attended New England Conservatory."

-Brandon Lopez Website (http://www.brandonlopez.nyc/)
3/27/2024

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


Track Listing:



1. Blue Circuit 19:32

2. Space Quadrant 06:46

3. The Pendulum Turns 10:05

4. Staircase in Space 11:01

5. Signify 15:29

Related Categories of Interest:


Improvised Music
Jazz
Free Improvisation
NY Downtown & Metropolitan Jazz/Improv
Quartet Recordings
New in Improvised Music
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Tao Forms.


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