Solid Sender

Solid Sender

Solid Sender

ASIN: B00003OP0Q

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
Sex Mob mastermind Steven Bernstein enjoys the distinction of being the world's best (read: only) slide-trumpet player. As musical director for John Lurie's Lounge Lizards, Bernstein developed his trumpet skills as well as an offbeat sense of humor and a rampant unpredictability. On their second CD, Sex Mob mixes raucous free jazz and inventive original compositions with instrumental versions of songs by folks like Kurt Cobain ("About a Girl"), Duke Ellington ("The Mooch"), Jerry Garcia ("Ripple"), and the Rolling Stones ("Ruby Tuesday"). Assimilating Dixieland jazz, modern funk, hip-hop, dub, and a myriad of rock influences, Bernstein, alto saxophonist Briggan Krauss, bassist Tony Scherr, and drummer Kenny Wollesen engage in a kaleidoscopic tour of the postmodern world. Freewheeling and displaying plenty of soul, this is solid entertainment. --Mitch Meyers

From Jazziz
Solid Sender is the new Knitting Factory album by Sex Mob, slide trumpeter Steven Bernstein's irreverent, dirty-grooving quartet. Sex Mob - Bernstein, alto saxophonist Briggan Krauss, drummer Kenny Wollesen, and bassist Tony Scherr - first drew attention four years ago, playing at New York's Knitting Factory. Since then, the quartet's mix of free-jazz, sleazy grooves, and fun covers - as well as Bernstein's charismatic stage banter - have won over audiences throughout the U.S. The new album continues in this tradition, presenting Bernstein originals and odd covers of Kurt Cobain's "About a Girl," Ellington's "The Mooch," Jerry Garcia's "Ripple," and the Stones' "Ruby Tuesday."

--- JAZZIZ Magazine Copyright © 2000, Milor Entertainment, Inc.

Solid Sender,Sex Mob,Knitting Factory,Jazz,Jazz Music,Modern Creative,Pop
Solid Sender
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • "Kurt Cobain, meet Louis Armstrong ..."
  • Let's just cruise...and give thanks to the drummer.
  • Just received the CD, Simply Awesome!!!
  • "About A Girl" Sums up my last relationship
  • "About A Girl" Sums up my last relationship
Solid Sender
Sex Mob
Manufacturer: Knitting Factory
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Avant Garde & Free JazzAvant Garde & Free Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music
GeneralGeneral | Jazz | Styles | Music
GeneralGeneral | Miscellaneous | Styles | Music
Jazz Jam BandsJazz Jam Bands | Jam Bands | Rock | Styles | Music
GeneralGeneral | Jazz | Indie Music | Stores | Music
JambandsJambands | Rock | Indie Music | Stores | Music
Similar Items:
  1. Din of Inequity
  2. Dime Grind Palace
  3. Sex Mob Does Bond
  4. Sexotica
  5. Diaspora Blues

ASIN: B00003OP0Q
Release Date: 2000-01-25

Tracks:

  1. Solid Sender
  2. About A Girl
  3. Fernando
  4. Human Bidet Part I
  5. The Mooch
  6. Rear View
  7. Human Bidet Part 2
  8. Crazy Beat/Don't Be Cruel
  9. Ripple
  10. The Grind
  11. Human Bidet Part 3
  12. For What It's Worth
  13. Human Bidet Part 4
  14. Ruby Tuesday
  15. Please, Please, Please
  16. Human Bidet Part 5
  17. Not Boweevil
  18. Human Bidet Part 6
  19. Billy Preston

Amazon.com

Sex Mob mastermind Steven Bernstein enjoys the distinction of being the world's best (read: only) slide-trumpet player. As musical director for John Lurie's Lounge Lizards, Bernstein developed his trumpet skills as well as an offbeat sense of humor and a rampant unpredictability. On their second CD, Sex Mob mixes raucous free jazz and inventive original compositions with instrumental versions of songs by folks like Kurt Cobain ("About a Girl"), Duke Ellington ("The Mooch"), Jerry Garcia ("Ripple"), and the Rolling Stones ("Ruby Tuesday"). Assimilating Dixieland jazz, modern funk, hip-hop, dub, and a myriad of rock influences, Bernstein, alto saxophonist Briggan Krauss, bassist Tony Scherr, and drummer Kenny Wollesen engage in a kaleidoscopic tour of the postmodern world. Freewheeling and displaying plenty of soul, this is solid entertainment. --Mitch Meyers

Customer Reviews:

4 out of 5 stars "Kurt Cobain, meet Louis Armstrong ...".......2004-05-16

Solid Sender is Sex Mob's follow up to their brilliant debut - Din of Inequity. For the uninitiated, Sex Mob is Steven Bernstein's zany downtown cover band. A free wheeling jazz quartet that has a predilection for covering pop songs, both past and present. Bernstein was also the trumpeter and musical director of John Lurie's Lounge Lizards. You can see here how both artists aesthetic sensibilities and musical sense of humor cross common paths. The final Lounge Lizards album featured a piece where all the "lizards" were yelling in unison, and here Bernstein uses a children's choir on one track.

The core group consists of band leader Steven on slide trumpet, alto sax shredder Briggan Krauss, drummer Kenny Wollesen and upright bassist Tony Scherr. Considering this is supposed to be Steven's foray into "sexy" music, there are lots of screaming horn lines accompanied by a steady back beat. This straight up rhythm section approach allows an easy pathway towards the interpretation of pop and rock song covers.

The group's first album found the quartet joined by a few guest guitarists, and some hammond organ jamming ( courtesy of MMW's John Medeski ). Except for two guest appearances by DJ Logic, the group has mostly forsaken electric instruments this time around for the occasional company of strings. Logic's contribution to the title track however is stunning and is sorely missed on the rest of the album. Imagine a sort of down home dixieland stomp spiced up with madly scratched turntables.

As for the pieces themselves, there are covers of Nirvana - About a Girl, AABA - Fernando, and Elvis - Don't be Cruel. There are a few others including Ellington's - Mooch and the Rolling Stones - Ruby Tuesday. All these cover tunes are uniquely conceived and arranged. The Elvis piece is almost unrecognizable in it's edgy deconstruction. The Nirvana tune starts out as a snappy New Orleans shuffle that devolves into a thunderous blow-out, one that eclipses even the original tunes' climax. Fernando is given a treatment that segues from somber introspective free jazz to anthemic riffing. And the Stones classic starts off somber and elegant, but gradually picks up it's stride for a raucous burn out , only to be ended in dub like fashion.

The originals are mostly in standard stomp and grind mode with the thick, fat bass lines and steadfast drum beat providing a rock-solid backdrop for Bernstein's slurred yowls and Krauss' Zorn-like peals and squeals.

Overall this is one rockin' affair, definitely not your father's jazz. Even the production values on this disc are set to rock music standards, heavy on the bass and volume.

My only complaint is the inclusion of some short noisy segue pieces, the "Human Bidet" series, parts one through five, that crop up intermittently between full length tracks. They come off as needless filler. But otherwise, this is one solid effort. He he. Sorry, just had to do that.

But seriously folks, this is a perfect entry point for listeners curious about the downtown jazz scene, but who were unsure where to start. As for the converted, let's just say this has got all the gusto and vigor with none of the meandering squeaky door noodling all too commonly found in this sort of affair.

5 out of 5 stars Let's just cruise...and give thanks to the drummer........2002-06-26

I only review things I really like. So here's Solid Sender.

I doubt if it's helpful to try to label this music. Here's my advice. Try not to listen too hard. Don't make it into work. Let this CD sneak up on you.

Like so.

Imagine a summer night. In an open slow moving car, you are cruising a street of Memphis clubs, passing open doors. Atonal arhythmic horn squawksýsomeone tuning up, maybeýgive way to loosely disciplined drum and bass lines from the club next door. Still you hear those raggedy horns. Further up the street you hear bits and pieces of...something. You sniff a melody you might have heard before. ...but,...maybe not. You round a corner.

WHAM! you're slapped up straight by a Salvation Army Band...playing...wait...a burlie-Q version of...for a minute or three they ride a salacious and juicy groove...I know that song! But someone holds a note just a millisecond too long, slurring the rhythm. The other horns are knocked off the wagon. Well, itýs been a long night for the band, and hey, they're tired, but oops, now the whole thing is falling apart. Now what we're listening to is a drunk and tired Salvation Army band playing burlie-Q.

But, wait! Hear that? Underneath it all is a throbbing sound. From a low-rider coming up the street, the bass player (hanging with the drummer til now) steps out with a snatch of melodyýit's just a reminder, donýt you know? ýbut it's as if he's thrown those rowdy horns a rope andýOh sweet redemption!ýhe tows them back to virtue!

You loop the block. You canýt pick the club you want, so you loop again. And again. Half a dozen times you recognize something you know, played just as surely it was never meant to be. Dissonance scritches your spine, but the next minute you're laughing out loud at the pure joy of recognition and the audacity of being alive.

The whole funky scene is just too much. We don't need a club. We'll cruise, we'll catch a couple lines here, a scritch and a scratch there, pick up and lose bits of jazz and gospel and funk and rock and hip hop, and blur them all into a summer night.

I came to this music by way of Tom Waits, to John Lurie and Marvin Pontiac, to Steve Bernstein, to Sex Mob. That's not to say that if you like those guys you will like Sex Mob, nor is it to say that if you don't like them you won't like Sex Mob. It's just telling you how I got here.

Delia says this music is like fingernails on a blackboard. I try not to comment on her pedestrian tastes, but I listen when sheýs not around. Better yet, I program this music not to come on until the party gets really loud. After a while peopleýwho werenýt really listening til the groove suddenly jumped up and bit themýcome running over saying ýWHOýWHATýWAS THAT!?ý

"Well," I smug, "it's pure noisy raucous fun by stone musicians who don't play genres. They just play." (And, they mix and match and transition everything. They know just what theyýre doing. But still, let's give thanks to the drummer for holding the raggedy thing together.)

Amazon is going to ask you if this review was helpful. It's the wrong question. I want to pique your interest. Give this music a try. It's outrageous and it's fun. (And your friend/spouse/lover/mother may just hate it.)

5 out of 5 stars Just received the CD, Simply Awesome!!!.......2002-04-18

If you're a fan of jazz, r&b, soul or not, this album is an ABSOLUTE MUST. They are the masters; I bow down in humble appreciation to their God given talents. If you have any doubts, listen to "About A Girl" in the free downloads section.

5 out of 5 stars "About A Girl" Sums up my last relationship.......2002-04-09

Refreshing alternative to Jazz. I was downloading free clips and heard your "About A Girl", it's awesome!

Please come to Seattle

5 out of 5 stars "About A Girl" Sums up my last relationship.......2002-04-09

Refreshing alternative to Jazz. I was downloading free clips and heard your "About A Girl", it's awesome!

Please come to Seattle
Boom Boom (20 tracks) [on Charly Records / Import] Dimples, Every Night, Little Wheel, You Can Lead Me Baby, I Love You Honey, Maudie, I'm In The Mood, Boogie Chillin', Hobo Blues, Crawlin' Kingsnake, Drive Me Away, Solid Sender, No Shoes, Want Ad Blues, Will The Circle Be Unbroken, I'm Goin' Upstairs, Boom Boom, Bottle Up & Go, This Is Hip, Big Legs Tight Skirt
Average customer rating: Not rated
    Boom Boom (20 tracks) [on Charly Records / Import] Dimples, Every Night, Little Wheel, You Can Lead Me Baby, I Love You Honey, Maudie, I'm In The Mood, Boogie Chillin', Hobo Blues, Crawlin' Kingsnake, Drive Me Away, Solid Sender, No Shoes, Want Ad Blues, Will The Circle Be Unbroken, I'm Goin' Upstairs, Boom Boom, Bottle Up & Go, This Is Hip, Big Legs Tight Skirt
    john lee hooker
    ProductGroup: Music
    Binding: Audio CD
    ASIN: B000N4KYUY
    Solid Sender
    Average customer rating: Not rated
      Solid Sender
      Sex Mob
      Manufacturer: Evolver
      ProductGroup: Music
      Binding: Audio CD

      Avant Garde & Free JazzAvant Garde & Free Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music
      GeneralGeneral | Jazz | Styles | Music
      GeneralGeneral | Miscellaneous | Styles | Music
      Jazz Jam BandsJazz Jam Bands | Jam Bands | Rock | Styles | Music
      Similar Items:
      1. Dime Grind Palace
      2. Din of Inequity

      ASIN: B0002ZDWE4
      Release Date: 2004-09-28

      Tracks:

      1. Solid Sender
      2. About a Girl
      3. Fernando
      4. Human Bidet, Pt. 1
      5. Mooche
      6. Rear View
      7. Human Bidet, Pt. 2
      8. Crazy Beat/Don't Be Cruel
      9. Ripple
      10. Grind
      11. Human Bidet, Pt. 3
      12. For What It's Worth
      13. Human Bidet, Pt. 4
      14. Ruby Tuesday
      15. Please, Please, Please
      16. Human Bidet, Pt. 5
      17. Not Boweevil
      18. Human Bidet, Pt. 6
      19. Billy Preston

      Jazz Music:

      1. Straight from the Gate [Original recording remastered] [Import]
      2. Streams of Consciousness
      3. Swings in Hi-Stereo/My Very Good Friends the Bandleaders
      4. That Satin Doll/The Theme from Beyond the Fringe and All That Jazz
      5. The Complete Okeh and Brunswick Hits
      6. The Genius of Charlie Parker [Original recording remastered]
      7. The Ivory Hunters-Double Barrelled Piano
      8. The Kenny Drew Trio
      9. The October Suite [Original recording remastered]
      10. The Prestige Legacy, Vol. 3: The All Star Jam Sessions

      Jazz Music

      Jazz Music