Category: Music
Average customer rating:
Media: Audio CD
Number Of Discs: 1
UPC: 783707684024
EAN: 0783707684024
ASIN: B00009AKKM
Release Date: 2003-04-20
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Category: Music Average customer rating:
Media: Audio CD Number Of Discs: 1 UPC: 783707684024 EAN: 0783707684024 ASIN: B00009AKKM Release Date: 2003-04-20 |
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Funny, Friendly, Fresh and Technically Fantastic..........2004-04-23
This offering from the MST solves my petty internal conflicts because 1) mostly all of the CD is original compositions from Matt Savage, 2) the standards that are covered by the trio are given wonderful new life and amazing depth, plus 3) Matt and the trio are obviously having such a great time that this recording from savagerecords.com is ANYTHING but dry.
Remember how you felt the first time you heard Thelonius Monk riffing out on the Black & Whites ? or how about the first swelling in your chest from a John Coltrane record ???
It's the same sensation listening to this [or any of] MST record > > > the process of genius is so finely tuned that it sounds like no wrong could be done that night but the players are also relaxed and confident in their craft that the work seems to flow effortlessly.
He is so gifted and we are so powerfully indebted to MomSavage & the many others who make this music available that the least you can do is surf on over to savagerecords.com and pick up this disc.
P.S. - if you need some altruistic reason to try out some amazing Jazz from the latest incarnation of Mozart then you should know that a portion of the proceeds go to autism research
P. S. S. - some proof that he's no "one trick pony" > > > Matt Savage recently won the regional National Geography Bee [the answer was Montserrat]
A sharp presentation of piano / trio genius caught live.......2004-03-08
Having said that, let's get right into this item!
"Chasing" is the most recent release from Savage Records (www.savagerecords.com) and the latest commercially available work from The Matt Savage Trio which has at its heart [& soul] the shimmering genius of then 10.75 year old Matt Savage. There is a well constructed discussion of Matt's savant-ness / autism in the December 2003 edition of "Wired" magazine but [very] simply put: Matt is a musical genius whose "head is full of math problems" and his mom is in no small way responsible for this, his musical outlet, to the enormous benefit of Jazz & Piano fans everywhere.
Material > the selection of songs on "Chasing" is a delight since it brings along the cream of the previous discs as well as the premier of four new tracks composed by Matt S. - - - it is a mark of his genius [at age twelve] that the material like "Forty Seven" plays as a polished standard in the hands of an ancient master. The premiers are an eclectic mix of styles from the fairly traditional to the smooth but quite non-traditional tones of "El Fuego". The three non-Matt tunes are flawlessly executed and [frankly] so wonderfully introduced that his connection to the history of piano craft is plain for all with eyes to see and ears to hear. To pick one song among these as a favorite is to miss the point; this is one of your "dessert island" discs, so all of the tunes are a delight to hear, whether "standard" for which you know every chord and bridge or one of Matt's original compositions.
Personnel > Piano by Matt Savage - pick some qualifier for this young man if you must, (savant, prodigy, high functioning autistic), and then throw it out the window... it wouldn't matter if Matt Savage had three eyes or perhaps a horn sprouting from the top of his head, the proof of his musical gift burns through like a radiant fire when he plays the 88. The humor and honesty of his personal affability during intros and the like will bring a smile to your face so long as you still draw air. Bass by John Funkhouser - in a trio of this construction if would be simple enough for the bass player to hide behind driving piano work, but much to his credit [and the benefit of the trio] Mr. Funkhouser is having none of that and drives the beat along with remarkable clarity but still cutting loose on the solos. Drums by Steve Silverstein - Jazz drummers have always held my deepest respect because the kit is so rarely viewed as a "jazz" instrument, but Steve S. does an outstanding job in 1) keeping pace with his two trio mates and 2) presenting the drums as a strong but well balanced instrument which deserves far more credit than the kit gets. The rendition of Billy Strayhorn's "Chelsea Bridge" is an excellent example of how these two "side" men move gracefully yet powerfully beside their piano wizard to create amazing depth from a three piece.
Recording > The recording of in concert affairs and this has ALWAYS posed a challenge to engineers, mixers and mastering people alike. Too much crowd and you miss the musicians, too little crowd and it just sounds like the noise in the next studio is bleeding through plus any interaction between artist and crowd is lost. The latter is of no small concern when a sprite like Matt is obviously involving the crowd in the show and wants to hear what they have to say. The engineering [Marty Mets / Saturn Sound], mixing [Jonathan Wyner] and mastering [Matt Azevedo / M-Works] have worked together to produce an exceptionally well balanced live recording. The crowd is obviously present and participating in this magical event but it is the musicians that shine through on the final product.
Over All Impression > I have to say that the final sentence of the above paragraph holds the key to my personal impression of this work. That being that this disc sounds so warm and balanced that even if the talent was not 110% top notch artistically [which, make no mistake, they are, Period.] it would be a joy to listen to for the technical aspects of the players abilities and the obvious rapport between these three musicians. Since my fan-ness has already been confessed, I will now admonish this disc with a little unabashed adoration - - - think of Matt Savage as the reincarnation of Thelonius Monk into a time when he can be properly celebrated as a genius and receive any special attention he may require / the word on the "vine" is that Matt's current works [sadly not commercially available] are light years ahead of this disc in complexity and scope which makes this disc even a greater listening adventure when the present works are considered / live recordings have tested the mettle of artists and technical personnel, but for all the world (and YES it is a clichý) it would seem that the MST don't care if the world or no one boyond that room was listening. This disc really does "put you in the room" as it were and only leaves you wishing for more, as well as wondering what young Master Savage is currently cooking up.
This disc and the others can be found through www.savagerecords.com or the Amazon marketplace thingy - - - the main difference being whether you'd like to give your money to Mr. Savage or Mr. Bezos, respectively. Besides directly supporting the artist, the Savage Records site is full of interesting facts & things which serve to round out the aspects of who Matt Savage really is, behind the 88 and beyond.
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