Search - Matthew Garrison :: Matthew Garrison

One of the Finest Debuts Ever.....

mike jacobs | Pennsylvania | 11/10/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Much has been written about Matt Garrison (and this recording) since its release way back in 2000. Quite unbelieveably, something still needs to be said here so I'll step up.



Having stumbled upon this record by seeing Matt's name appear persistently with the likes of Zawinul, McLaughlin, Scofield,and Hancock, I bought it almost soley on the strength of those associations - and was not disappointed.



More to the point, I was floored. Not just by his playing (which is fantastic), or by the nexus of stellar players that surround him here (many emerging stars in their own right), but by the depth and clarity of Garrison's musical vision.



The pieces here stylistically can cover a lot of ground in the space of one tune or differ radically from song to song, but yet never sound out of place for they all contain an ineffable unifying quality that is undeniable.



The compositions can be highly structured yet never do they inhibit the soaring play of all involved.



This is adventurous, "musician's music" to be sure - but it is crafted in such a balanced, inviting way that with every foray into uncharted sonic realms, the listener is never left feeling unguided, ungrounded.



And its music like you have never heard - embracing a diversity of influence as interesting as its unique sonic texture.



That this is a debut album is .... astounding, almost absurd.



And in a way, it isn't. For unlike many others, when Mr Garrison burst on the scene in the early 90's, he didn't unleash his young talent onto the world with the chops-a-blazin'/look-at-meeeee debut album we've unfortunately sometimes come to expect. No, he played sideman to the greats for years - not only honing his chops but his musicality - and his vision.



And we, the listening public, are all the better for it.



Forget about a debut, this a wonder of a record, then and now.



Snatch it up and enjoy.





Mike Jacobs



PS - Incidentally, I almost forgot to mention (perhaps because of how strikingly well-rounded a musician he is), Matt Garrison is also a phenomenal bass player who has redefined the boundaries of the instrument.



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