Search - Our Theory :: Our Theory

One of the more important bands to emerge in the new milleni

Jan P. Dennis | Monument, CO USA | 02/21/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

". . . along with Triosk, Orchestra Dim Bridges, The Claudia Quintet, Omar Sosa's new bands, and Jim Black's AlasNoAxis. What these groups have in common is a commitment to making genuinely new music in a jazz context while at the same time appropriating the fullest extent of live and post-production electronic effects. The results, when they work optimally, as they do with these groups, mark the emergence of not just new, exciting music, but almost a new KIND of music.



Admittedly, it's a little early in the game, and it remains to be seen if these bands can fully appropriate and advance their musical gains. The evidence presented by Triosk on Headlight Serenade, Semi-Formal by the Claudia Quintet, and Ersahin's Nublu Orchestra project indicates that they can.



In a way, I think Ersahin's Our Theory has a leg up on the other groups: Their take-no-prisoners approach to incorporating the latest electronic manipulations into a basically jazz sensibility sets the standard for future forays into this fertile musical amalgam: They somehow manage to sound absolutely up-to-date while still retaining a recognizable jazz feeling and creating music that won't dissipate after three listenings.



But it's really not a competition: each of the above mentioned groups deploys a handy and (one feels) lasting approach all their own. Our Theory seems infinitely capable of reeling off memorable statements even as it lays down the latest beats and incorporates cutting edge electronic manipulations. A key here, I think, is that all these groups essentially make music in real time, not in some cobbled together post-production candyland. The not-unsurprising result is music that retains a true sense of consequence, of heft--things often lacking in the woozy world of (nearly) pure electronica."

Fascinating Jazz-Electronica Hybrid

Stephen Silberman | SF, CA USA | 12/30/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"European trumpeter Erik Truffaz has been on the cutting edge of jazz/electronica cross-pollinations for years. His own recordings have merged hip-hop-influenced beats, acoustic bass, and Truffaz's lyrical and muscular trumpet to map out places that Miles Davis himself might have gone in the 21st century. On this superb record, Truffaz joins forces with Ilhan Ersahin, a composer, saxophonist, and new-jazz impresario whose projects Wax Poetic and Nublu have ventured into the territory where horns, guitars, and turntables create very fresh dialogues.



While electronica DJs sampling jazz riffs is nothing new, this is something different and better -- real jazz that is informed by recent evolutions in sampling and electronica. The word that Ersahin often uses to describe this music is "cinematic," and he's right. This is jazz for a new generation-- urban, occasionally hectic, drawing from a variety of sound sources, but never gratuitiously trendy. It truly swings, the horn playing is magnificent, and the use of sampling is extremely tasteful. I adore this record, and only wish there were 50 more that ventured into the same new directions.



If you like this disc, also check out Toshinori Kondo and DJ Krush's "Ki-Oku" from a couple of years ago -- Milesian trumpet meets turntables in a dark dream."

Electric jazz?

C. W. Hall | Atlanta, GA USA | 01/26/2008

(3 out of 5 stars)

"Ilhan Ersahin is the man at the center of an ever-growing circle of musicians centered around his Nublu nightclub in New York. Brazilian Girls, Kudu, Love Trio, and others have all spent time incubating in front of audiences at Nublu. Our Theory is Ilhan's latest creative endeavour.



Born of a chance meeting with French trumpet player Erik Truffaz, Our Theory is the result of their chemistry. The two clicked after an initial jam session and decided to record some material. They brought in Thor Madsen, Jochen Rueckert, and Matt Penman to fill out the line-up and recorded for two days. Those sessions happened over two years ago.



In the intervening time, the original sessions' funky jazz feel were embellished through the addition of electronic loops, effects, and samples. The result is a sort of beefed up jazziness that is wonderful to behold. While they are occasionally guilty of geeking out on the electronics and free jazz, the majority of this album provides potently good listening.



The title track is an easy-going course through what the group is capable of. A simple bass line and minimal electronic sprinkles provide a base for Ersahin and Truffaz' horns to take off from. The result is a haunting song drawn as much from the DJ Shadow school of hip-hop as it is from its more obvious jazz heritage.



That last sentence is actually a good representation of Our Theory's album. It is a marriage of DJ culture to traditional jazz instrumentation. Old next to new, acoustic with electronic, retro and progressive at the same time. Our Theory succeeds in looking backwards and forwards all at once."