City Newspaper Archives - 4/2007
Anat Fort "A Long Story"
ECM
Published by Ron Netsky on Apr 10, 2007
Most jazz albums are collections of tunes, standards and originals; some have an overall theme. But rare is the jazz CD that consists of tracks serving as movements in a larger, album-length work. That is the case in pianist Anat Fort's gorgeous debut on ECM. Fort's compositions have classical overtones, but they are played in a manner that recalls the hesitations and odd harmonies of Thelonious Monk. In addition to Fort's powerfully ethereal keyboard style, A Long Story is greatly enhanced by the nuanced drumming of Paul Motian and the subtle bass accompaniment of Ed Schuller. On the third track Perry Robinson enters on clarinet (and later on the whistle-like ocarina). Adding to the feeling of a single composition is the repetition of the opening track, "Just Now," in two variations, in the middle and at the end. In between are movements that dive head-long into avant-garde group improvisation.
