Live EP
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Recorded March 28, 2005 at The Clown Lounge, St Paul, MN
and March 30, 2005 at The Acadia Theater, Minneapolis, MN
1 Lenny
2 Line
3 Look Around
4 Runoff Water
5 I Was Behind the Couch All the Time
Steve McPherson of Pulse Magazine
One of the Top Ten CDs of 2005 (#7)
Glen Hall of Exclaim! Canada's Music Authority
A meaty, full-bodied presence that rewards repeated listening.
This 31-minute EP is a promising first release from this Minneapolis/NYC unit. The tenor/cello/bass/drums configuration gives the five pieces on the disc a rich palette from which to paint a diverse sonic canvas. The funky bite of saxophonist Nathan Hanson's Lenny opens the set. Insistent drums from Rome-born Federico Ughi propel the strong tenor line, while the pitch-bending cello melody by Jacqueline Ferrier-Ultan takes an exotic path leading to a striking solo culmination. The next three compositions, two by Ughi and one by bassist Brian Roessler, produce a triple view of thematic chamber improvisation, freely stated unison or harmonised melodies slowly unfolding with tinges of Jan Gabarek and Albert Ayler filling out the moody similar themes. Hanson's I Was Behind the Couch All the Time brings the disc to a muscular close. The resonant blend of tenor sax, cello and arco bass imbue the groups sound with a meaty, full-bodied presence that rewards repeated listening.
Massimo Ricci of Touching Extremes
These people know what theyre doing
Debut EP for a quartet playing an exquisite assortment of contemporary styles and whose lineup comprises Nathan Hanson (tenor sax), Jacqueline Ferrier-Ultan (cello), Brian Roessler (bass) and Federico Ughi (drums). Although some incontrovertible influences are caught here and there - Curlew circa Tom Cora, to name one - these people know what they're doing; desolate themes, vigorous lines and engaging improvisations are intertwined with delicate concentration and a masterful pacing of every section, the tension/release ratio remaining at a constantly balanced grade. On top of everything, the musicians look for a collective coherence rather than straining themselves to put their excellent technical value in front of the listener, which is a major plus in this 30-minute CD anticipating a full-length album that I'll be very curious to listen to.