Search - Sam Newsome :: Global Unity

Deceptive Simple Masterpiece

Jan P. Dennis | Monument, CO USA | 11/18/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"What I call "World Jazz" or "Jazz Beat" is something that a lot of musicians are trying but few are succeeding at. It reminds me of the American microbrew movement, where too often brewers think if they just brew a hoppy ale, they've got a great beer. Nope. You can't just EVOKE hundreds of years of brewing experience.The musicians that make jazz beat work, like Egberto Gismonti and Jane "Habana Juana" Bunnett, have immersed themselves in the musical culture they seek to mesh with jazz. So has Sam Newsome--I don't know how or when; he started out as just another post-bop young lion, but somehow he has remade himself into one of the masters of jazz beat.About the music. Much of it's Middle Eastern-tinged, especially Into-Nation of Islam, with its definite North African groove, its dumbek and assorted other Arabic percussion, Elisabeth Kontomanou's ethereal vocals, and Newsome's sinuous soprano sax. But there also Asian-flavored numbers (Dance of the Deli Lama and A Night in Indonesia, with Adam Cruz's steel drums producing a weird gamelan-like effect), Caribbean influences (Dread Man Walking, which sounds like no other island music you've ever heard), and striking musical hybrids like An Afrasian Occasion. Newsome keeps the instrumentation fairly simple, with lots of skin drums, mallets, piano, guitar, and Ugonna Okegwo's earthy bass, topped off by his own mesmeric soprano playing and the haunting wordless vocals of Ms. Kontomanou.Amazingly, everything sounds perfectly natural, like some kind of ur-folk music, like music emerging unmediated from the heart of ethnic people everywhere. In other words, there's nothing studied or stilted or mannered about this music. It's totally organic. Truly, this is some of the most beautiful music being made today.Nobody, however, seems to be listening. Do yourself a favor and get on board with this amazing artist on his musical adventure. I guarantee, you won't be disappointed."

Excellent record

Dub | Osan AB, S Korea | 08/25/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I wish there was more stars to put behind this record because this was fantastic. It took Amazon 2 1/2 months to get this to me and believe me it was well worth the wait. Every single track is unique and has its own great sound to it. I have alot of jazz records but this one goes straight up the list to top 5 mainly because every track is great. Just pop it in and listen to the notes and then relax. This was the first record of Sam Newsome I bought, but believe me I'll by more because this was a masterpiece."