"Politics are part of life. I would suggest that the critic/fans might better serve if they commented more about the music and less about the inspiration of the artists. The earlier Ben Allison masterpiece, Riding the Nuclear Tiger, was also inspired by political conviction. Tiger is a ground breaking album, and so appears to be Cowboy Justice. I will edit and update my comments after more study, but can say that the time signatures of this album are unique and wonderful, and that Allison and Ballard have a relationship that will be long remembered. This is as Longboarder suggests, a unique trumpet-guitar- bass and drums album. There is freshness to this sound I am really excited about. Collective trumpeter Ron Horton, whose earlier album was quite good but lacked the unifying ideas heard here, finds a setting for his exceptional talent. Notwithstanding the titles, the structures and melodies are pure Allison. I have already sent copies to friends."
The chalice of jazz
C. E. Silva Rios | Caracas, Distrito Capital Venezuela | 06/09/2006
(5 out of 5 stars)
"I wish I were a gifted writer, a monster of a jazz critic. It would be the only way to express the whole thing with Ben Allison's "Cowboy Justice" (I mean its music not its politic background). You know originality is the lost chalice of jazz. Nevertheless, I dare say this release is simply original. I am not saying Allison found the goblet, but he and his comrades are really close to the end of the search. "Cowboy Justice" is rhythmically rich and surprising; one can find out nuances of reggae, Venezuelan's joropo, waltz, and even of hard rock. It's a pretty inclusive gamut of colors, a wonderful range of great compositions and crafted improvisations. Ron Horton's clean and velvety tone gets by with Steve Cardenas subtle strings very well (have you heard Liberty Ellman?), while Jeff Ballard is a drummer instead of a mere cymbalist. Ben Allison himself gives an alternate role to the bass player. He's not a selfish leader, a loud voice in front of them all. He knows how to manage his presence among his companions. For instance, listen carefully the pacing "Midnight Cowboy" and you'll see. The whole band is like a last generation aesthetics processor. This is jazz of the 21st century and doubtless one of the best records of 2006. Bravo Ben!"
Rock-esque, but all jazz
Anthony Cooper | Louisville, KY United States | 12/05/2006
(4 out of 5 stars)
"I read Ben Allison chose the trumpet / guitar front line because he wanted to rock on this CD. It's not a loud CD, but it has some intense parts. Steve Cardenas on guitar strums a lot of chods, which is unusual for non-Django Reinhardt jazz songs. Sometimes he'll state the melody in unison or harmony with the trumpet. Ron Horton on trumpet carries a lot of the melodic and solo load. This is the first thing I've heard him on (Ben Allison too, truth be told), and he's very good. The songs are mostly written by Ben Allison, and they have strong melodies. Jeff Ballard's playing is the best I've heard him do, compared to what I've heard with Rosenwinkel, Mehldau, and Redman. The mood of the CD is part intense and part melancholy, which I think is the CD's purpose as Ben Allison's view of things happening in the world. It's not a rock or fusion album, but it is informed by rock, and perhaps jazz fans who also like rock might appreciate it more than those jazz fans who don't.
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Another great disc from Benny!
Sor_Fingers | Boulder, CO USA | 06/25/2006
(5 out of 5 stars)
"I really love what Ben Allison does. He really gets a lot of cool textures going in his music and this album certainly exhibits that aspect of his musicallity. He also really thinks outside the box when it comes to instrumentation. Who else gives a percussionist his daughter's baby rattle and takes his gutiarist's pick away and gives him a wooden doll instead? He really makes the trumpet/guitar/bass/drums combo work on this album. And his personel is extraordinary. Trumpeter Ron Horton adds a lot of lyricism to the album. His glass-smooth tone really just shimmers in the music. Guitarist Steve Cardenas executes several exemplary improvised solos and uses several unconventional comping methods to really add to the texture of the music. Jeff Ballard is a very versitile drummer in that he can lay back and just barely pitter-patter and then turn around and jab a drumstick in your eye. And Ben not only shows off his bass chops every once in a while but also establishes himself as a very accomplished composer. From the angry, in-your-face "Emergency" to the warm and lush "Ruby's Roundabout," Ben has figured out how to really write fascinating music that grows with every listen. And in his present setting, the music tends to work better with a smaller ensemble. It's hard to say which Allison record would be my favorite, but this one holds a candle to all the others."