Matana Roberts "The Chicago Project"
Central Control
By Saby Reyes-Kulkarni on Apr. 30th, 2008
Full speed ahead. That's the rate at which alto saxophonist and Chicago native Matana Roberts, and the extraordinary band she's assembled for this extraordinary work, push forward into uncharted sonic terrain. It's not like we've never heard post-bop and free jazz in the same molds that Roberts, bassist
Josh Abrams, drummer Frank Rosaly, and Tortoise guitarist Jeff Parker explore here. But the quartet bends, warps, and distorts the music's existing parameters so that it sounds fundamentally altered on a microscopic level, and thus totally fresh. Roberts' radiance simply burns through the grooves, and the band keeps pace with equal determination and drive. Meanwhile, in a shrewd use of contrast, saxophonist, mentor, and Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians co-founder Fred Anderson guests on three duets with Roberts.
Josh Abrams, drummer Frank Rosaly, and Tortoise guitarist Jeff Parker explore here. But the quartet bends, warps, and distorts the music's existing parameters so that it sounds fundamentally altered on a microscopic level, and thus totally fresh. Roberts' radiance simply burns through the grooves, and the band keeps pace with equal determination and drive. Meanwhile, in a shrewd use of contrast, saxophonist, mentor, and Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians co-founder Fred Anderson guests on three duets with Roberts. 





User Comments
Here is what others say about this article. City Newspaper isn't responsible for the content of comments.
Be the first to add a comment about this Article!