Search - Michele Rosewoman :: Quintessence

A very nice discovery

Jazzcat | Genoa, Italy Italy | 07/30/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I found this cd in the blow out sales compartment of one of the big music stores that I visit occasionally. I considered this one few times earlier when it was full price but I skipped it because I didn't know who the leader was, even if I knew and loved Steve Coleman (that's the reason why this cd raised my interest). But I promised to buy the cd once it would go down in price. It happened so I now have the cd. It's very very nice! Five stars for me. Michelle Rosewoman is a very good pianist that plays in a very vivid, vibrant, intense improvisational style. There are a lot of different elements in her playing, there's some avant garde, there's some funky, there's the great school of modern american jazz piano (some Kenny Kirkland?!). Great, a very interesting "new" musician! Very good Michelle! In terms of overall music style I don't know how to call this. It's Modern Jazz in its full meaning that's for sure, it's a very vital post bop-avant garde-funky brand of Jazz, it depends on the tune. In some moments the music may recall some things from Ornette Coleman (Something else) or better Dave Holland maybe, but the music is a lot more tonal here. Yes, I don't want you to have a wrong impression about this music. Even if it's very modern and even avant garde in a sense, it's not atonal, it's not free. The swing is very evident, the tonal centres often very clear and the rhythmn parts always very interesting so we're very far from "free jazz" (which I don't go crazy for generally speaking). Sure there are some very weird moments, like in the opening of "Springular and Springle" which recalls a lot Cecil Taylor. But the music always swings and this to me is the essence of good jazz. You can use the most awkward compositions, you can go crazy with the free stuff if you want, but the music should always swing. It don't mean a thing if ain't got that swing! =)) It's so easy. This is the law, the sacred rule. And infact even if this tune is surely free jazz, the music remains interesting because it swings. I particularly love Steve Coleman and here he shines as always, he gives his full contribution. What you may expect from him. The band is very tight and expresses a full gratifying sound, thanks to the other musicians, very well assembled (Terry Lynn Carrington, Greg Osby etc). But this Michelle is the best discovery for me. An intelligent pianist, a very good composer and arranger."