Blood Sutra

Blood Sutra Artist: Vijay Iyer
Label: Artist House
Category: Music



Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
Format: Hybrid SACD
Media: Audio CD
Number Of Discs: 1


UPC: 827867000925
EAN: 0827867000925
ASIN: B0000DZ3E9


Release Date: 2003-10-21

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Listmania:

  1. Some of the best jazz around right now.
  2. Recent jazz: some favourites
  3. Best of the Nu Jazz, Part II
  4. Best Jazz/Improv of 2003

Tracks:

  1. Proximity (Crossroads)
  2. Brute Facts
  3. Habeas Corpus
  4. Ascent
  5. When History Sleeps
  6. Questions Of Agency
  7. Kinship
  8. Stigmatism
  9. That Much Music
  10. Imagined Nations
  11. Because Of Guns (Hey Joe Redux)
  12. Desiring

Similar Items:

  1. Panoptic Modes
  2. Reimagining
  3. Black Water
  4. Mother Tongue
  5. 7 Black Butterflies

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars As good as music gets..........2005-05-18

This is art that I had not expected. I listened initially, not really believing that they were actually doing this. This music was very moving, and continues to be. For me, I sense an honesty and love that really kicks things up a notch. The same is true of Panoptic Modes; really a gift.

As always, I guess that there is a chance that this sort of sound just isn't your thing. I've got plenty of friends that I know would not really connect. This is strong, honest, powerful stuff; technically original and imaginative, hypnotic, passionate, and bristling.

5 out of 5 stars A stunner.......2005-04-04

I've been following Iyer's career ever since _Panoptic Modes_, & have also been listening to the work of his frequent collaborator Rudresh Mahanthappa; everything of theirs I've heard has been very strong, but so far this remains the best of the bunch by a nose. These are very serious players, & sometimes I've found their albums hard to take as a whole--every tracks just burns so hard, it can get a bit relentless. But _Blood Sutra_ manages to have just enough relaxation to it to keep it from seeming too unremittingly intense, & the occasional moments of calm ensure that the hot spots burn even more than usual--above all on the extraordinary 8-minute update of "Hey Joe" called "Because of Guns". The other big plus here is drummer Tyshawn Sorey, who is obviously destined for big things. He's also on the recent Bang-Sirone disc on Silkheart, but this is the place to hear him.

Anyone interested in what's new in contemporary jazz should have this one on their shelves.

5 out of 5 stars The sky's the limit for Mr. Iyer.......2004-02-04

With Blood Sutra, I believe we're witnessing the emergence of a major figure in the history of jazz. I don't say this lightly. After repeated listenings to this entirely remarkable disc, I can do nothing but conclude that Vijay Iyer just seems to have the chops, original concept, unique voice, and weird charism that marks the very top echelon of jazzmen.

A striking player (ha, ha), Iyer is one of the more percussive pianists in the history of jazz; he literally beats on--and beats up on--his instrument, pummels it into submission, as it were. Even on slower, balladic numbers (e.g., "When History Sleeps," "Desiring") he's still pretty much pounding the ivories within an inch of their life--just at a less frenetic pace. He's chosen bandmates that perfectly match his expressionistic approach: Stephan Crump on bass, himself a fine leader (check out his Accurate debut, Tuckahoe); Rudresh Mahanthappa on alto sax, fast becoming perhaps THE alto player of his generation (see his remarkable Black Water); and Tyshawn Torey, a name new to me (really, WHO IS THIS GUY?!), on drums. The latter seems the key player here. Since the leader has such an odd rhythmic sensibility, it takes a certain controlled mayhem to properly contextualize the vibe, which Torey seems always to nail.

What it all adds up to is an inherent restless probing, the band sticking its collective nose in any and every musical place that might have some interest. Not what one would call conventionally pretty--more angular and usually just flirting with tonality--the music nevertheless often stumbles on, one might say, passages of harsh beauty. What it lacks in traditionally regarded prettiness, it more than makes up for in sheer invention--rhythmic, melodic, harmonic, and interactive. One struggles to find analogs, and the only ones near to hand--Monk, Cecil Taylor, Ornette Coleman, Horace Tapscott, perhaps--seem outrageous when applied to one so young and just at the beginning of his career (this is about his fifth or sixth session as leader). But I believe Vijay Iyer can reasonable be spoken of in the company of these giants. Proof: his short solo number, "That Much Music" (as in, Who else can cram THAT MUCH MUSIC into 2:30?).

One must admit that listening to this music is anything but relaxing. Rather, it's more like an encounter with aesthetic suicide bombers: there's shrapnel and musical body parts strewn everywhere. One marvels that anyone can even survive such an event, and one is worn out just having experienced it, even vicariously. But I don't want to discourage anyone from picking this up; it is eminently worth hearing, even if it requires rather close attending and will take more than a little commitment and getting used to. Along the way, Iyer even throws little musical bones the listener's way, such as the closer, "Desiring," which is about a close as he ever comes to what might be regarded as conventionally pretty, although it still has an entirely cool edginess.

One hesitates to dub anyone the Next Big Thing in jazz, but if there's a qualifier, it's Vijay Iyer. You'd be smart to jump on this bandwagon before it becomes impossibly crowded.

4 out of 5 stars Great thinking, feeling, contemporary jazz on SACD.......2003-12-05

Vijay Iyer's Bloodsutra is everything contemporary jazz should be: politically relevant, unique and original, and compelling both intellectually and emotionally. The album title and track title such as "Habeus Corpus" and "When History Sleeps" indicate that this is not going to be easy listening. However, what is surprising for this kind of heady jazz is how much heart Iyer brings to it. The only song that is not entirely original, "Because of Guns (hey joe redux)" takes Hendrix's Hey Joe riff and brings a whole new context to it while retaining the blues of Hendrix's original. The music keeps my attention by not being predictable but still has melody and rythmn.

The SACD stereo sounds excellent, but the multi-channel mix is a bit disappointing. There is no subwoofer mix in the 5.1, and consequently the bass seems a bit lost in the surround. Still, I highly recommend this disc.

Music CD:

  1. Believe It ~ Tony Williams
  2. In Person: 1960-1967 ~ Ramsey Lewis
  3. First Light ~ Freddie Hubbard
  4. Rites ~ Jan Garbarek
  5. Squeeze, Squeeze ~ Ray Vega
  6. Magnum Force
  7. Toots Thielemans & Kenny Werner ~ Toots Thielemans & Kenny Werner
  8. The Survivor's Suite ~ Keith Jarrett Quartet
  9. Blues Dream ~ Bill Frisell
  10. 8:30 ~ Weather Report

Music CD

Music CD

Music CD

Walk into the Sun ~ Organized Konfusion

Catalpa ~ Jolie Holland

Remedy Lane ~ Pain of Salvation

Unstoppable Forces ~ Peter Himmelman

In a Paper Suit ~ Knoxville Girls

Turn of the Wrench ~ Lyons

Out of Season ~ Beth Gibbons & Rustin Man

Mercyland ~ Cowboy Mouth

On the One ~ Jalal

AttenCHUN! ~ Bone Crusher