Matthew Shipp Music

This is one of Shipp's mid-90s efforts, accompanied by Mat Maneri (v), William Parker (b), and Whit Dickey (d). Parker and Dickey play a seemingly understated (mostly) background role on this album, pushing Maneri's violin and Shipp's piano playing to the foreground. Overall, the tone of the album is dark. The more tense moments (especially the title track and "Density and Eucharist") might fit nicely as soundtrack material for a suspense film. The middle track ("Virgin Complex") has a meditative, mournful quality to it. The interplay between the musicians is fantastic, and the pieces continue to reveal more of themselves with repeated listening.

With stunning use of lower end of piano, with clusters of dark sounds, Mr Shipp I fel sure is also quoting one of the masters of that end, Lennie Tristano, in particular, TURKISH MAMBO on Genetic Alphabet. ORBIT also suggests Mr Tristano. The vocalising? by Mr Parker or is JUST arco bass, is eerie and effective. A brilliant program of music.

Over the last decade Mathew Shipp has tirelessly produced a significant amount of work both in the recording studio and in live peformance. So much so that he has set himself apart as one of the more important improvisors on the scene, esspecially when one takes into account his role as an instrumentalist. When one undertakes to master the piano, there is a staggering ammount of history to assimilate and carry on one's shoulders. The modern piano keyboard has served as the periodic table for Western tonal theory for the last few hundred years so when one embarks to make music lacking Western conventionality, one might make it easier on one's self by choosing a more recent instrument like the saxophone. This does not mean to imply that people haven't succeeded in redefining the piano and how it is played. Such results were achieved by many jazz greats: Art Tatum, Thelonious Monk, Bud Powell, Bill Evans, Andrew Hill, Paul Bley... but the last person to pioneer the piano has been Cecil Taylor. Since the sixties Taylor has monopolized a great deal of what could, can and has been expressed on the piano in the context of improvisation. And everything that has come after him has always, perhaps out of necessity, resembled him. Mathew Shipp is an exception to this trend. Perhaps it is also out of necessity that Mr. Shipp is the first pianist of note to construct improvisations on the piano that do not detectably reference themselves to Taylor's aesthetic. On this release Shipp is joined by bassist, William Parker. (Incidentally enough, Parker served as the bassist of choice in many incarnations of the Cecil Taylor Unit over the course of several years.) Parker in recent years has made quite a name for himself as a composer, band leader, organizer and instrumental virtuoso of the highest calibre. It can be said that these two men go back. Both recorded as members of Roscoe Mitchell's Note Factory and served as half of David S. Ware's quartet. Parker has always been present in the various groups that Shipp has assembled and even recorded an album of duets previous to this date. ("Zo" Rise Records 126) The first track on DNA, "When Johnny Comes Marching Home" is a comparable demonstration of skill being that the selection is a traditional one and yet, in the hands of masters, can be negotiated in such a way that conjures a completely new face without sacrificing its recognizability. Five other dialogues commence afterwards. Shipp is agile without being anxious... subtle with contrast, authoritative with delivery... Parker's pizzacato is nimble. His arco penetrates all the appropriate spaces. His placement is deliberate and unselfconcious. The final piece closes this date with another traditional, "Amazing Grace" perhaps to show that the miraculously paradoxical first track was no accident. The music is overall frightening and beautiful, sudden and deliberate, accountable at all times. If this album is an argument, then it is defended formidably and well. If it is simply just a statement, then it is said with matchless elloquence and grace.

Equilibrium is pianist Matthew Shipp's newest synthesis of modern jazz and electronics. Integrating the rigid rhythmic structures of electronic music with the loose-limbed improvisational approach of jazz is tricky business, but fortunately Shipp and crew are adept players. While there are programmed beats, ambient synths and samples aplenty to be found here, the overall vibe of this recording is one of a classic swinging session.

2002's Nu Bop, with its funky beats and electronics, was Shipp's most conscious effort yet at genre cross-over, at least until his recent collaboration with experimental rappers Antipop Consortium. This latest release, while being plugged as Nu Bop's slightly more accessible follow up, is actually more reminiscent of the Modern Jazz Quartet or a 1960s-era Blue Note session from Bobby Hutcherson or Andrew Hill, albeit with an updated rhythmic sensibility.

While the album is tonally adventurous, it relies even more on a contemplative atmosphere and subtle grooves. Shipp's piano playing is exploratory and unfettered, but not as wild and wooly as that of his frequent employer David S. Ware. The rhythm section of bassist William Parker and drummer Gerald Cleaver manages to integrate a sense of swing into even the most rigid breakbeat rhythms. Khan Jamal's sprightly vibes provide a wonderful foil for the bandleader's excursions.

And subtle is the word to describe the electronic component of this disc. FLAM might be the resident programmer and synth operator, but you won't find him taking centerstage here. Acoustic piano, vibes, upright bass and a drum kit, that's primarily what you'll hear, with some very, very subtle electronic accompaniment. Perhaps as a result, the integration of synths and programmed beats with live acoustic instruments works marvelously well. Improvisation is pushed to the forefront, and places this album more squarely in the jazz camp than among the groove collective.

Shipp has been charting an interesting course for himself over the past few years, and if this album is any indication, all bets are off as to where his next foray might take him. As long as that voyage continues to place improvisation above slavish marketability, I'll be right there behind him.

(This review was originally written for the online webzine: junkmedia.org, and was published there April 29, 2003)

Just listen to the sound samples... Need I say more? I enjoy Shipp's simplicity approach. Less is more. He's one of the few (relatively) new piano players that has a sound all there own. Thru the simple passages comes Shipp's signature sound. This is one of Shipp's better albums too. William Parker is always a pleasure and one hopes that Shipp starts playing more with Drummer Guillermo E. Brown again, as well. Brown's latest recording "Soul at the hands of the machine" is facinating, articulate, modern, unique and powerful. I'd recommend that CD to anyone who even remotely finds this album appealing.

This is only my second exposure to matthew shipp (my first being on spring heel jacks "masses", where he appears only on a few tracks and tends to play quite sparingly), and I have to say that I don't understand the comparisons that people draw between shipp and other great pianists such as cecil taylor or (according to amazons reviewer) mccoy tyner.

To my ears, shipp (at least on this album) has close to no rhythmic creativity, his improvised melodies are dececnt but unimaginative, and his playing seems too heavy-handed, so he can't seem to create much variety in his tone. On the other hand, I do find some of the themes interesting, as well as some of his harmonies. However, "adventurous" he is not.

I have immense respect for william parker, and i think that of all the present-day upright bassists, he achieves the best balance of cerebral and intuitively enjoyable playing. However, we rarely glimpse his real talent on this album. He sounds mostly uninspired, though he always holds down a solid groove.

I don't know the guy on vibes, but he suffers similarly to Shipp. His improvisations are only slightly more interesting than shipps, but again, lack in rhythmic ideas.

But my worst complaint is the electronics guy, Flam. Aside from the fact that he is barely perceptible, when you DO pay attention, even his seemingly unintrusive ornamentations seem superfluous or awkward (the last track is maybe the exception). This may not detract from the album depending on what you are hoping for. I was looking for a new approach to the combination of jazz and electronica. If that is what you are looking for you will be disappointed.

I'm not interested in the question of whether or not this is "jazz", because it is just as valid a musical expression as any traditional jazz. But the fact remains that this is really nothing more "adventurous" than anything miles was doing in the 70's, but a whole lot less interesting.

If you want an interesting experiment in jazz and electronica with a beat, try the spring heel jack stuff on thirsty ear instead. If you're feeling particularly adventurous, get the evan parker electro-acoustic ensembles "drawn inward". This cd is not bad, but it doesn't provide many reasons in the positive sense to warrant much attention.

For a Label that is largely known by word of mouth, and people willing to look a little further afield for their Jazz, rather than just relying on the "Blue Note" label, the avant-Jazz label "Thirsty Ear" has had its fair share of outstanding releases. Matthew Shipp has released one of his most fully realised albums with this album of experimenting Jazz, Nu-Jazz, Post-bop. This is a album that is (reasonalby) accessible for those relatively new to the genre, without completely alienating them with unlistenable passages of instrumentation that is unfocused and literally all over the place. And yet remains experimental, unique and leftfield enough, to still find an audience that regularly cut their teeth with this expressive form of music.

The first track "Equilibrium" is a sparse, spacious and enchanting opener, Instead of deafening with instruments suddenly popping in and out of the composition, it's using of basic melodic lines with mood textured perfromances, work aptly with hushed and restrained playing, that somehow comes together as a seamless whole.

"Vamp To Vibe", is a significant change of pace, replacing the icy cool of the first track, with a fusion of breakbeat, coupled with free-Jazz. Although the splicing of beats with jazz is nothing new, it's in its implementation here, that makes it so invigorating. Compelling drums, a memorable piano riff arrangement with innovative electronic beats underpinning the whole thing, Matthew works so well when he shifts into these sorts electronic fusions (as evidenced by his sublime contribution on the "Good and Evil Sessions, album).

"The Root", again works this template of using electronic music to forward the music, or at the very least present it in new and interesting ways. but this time instead of using lurching breakbeat, the mood here is more akin to downtempo music, and more exploratory and sophisticated, even elements of Hip-Hop are subtly introduced, but never taking away from the importance of the Jazz element here, which is wonderfully incorporated to complement the electronic elements, rather than suffocate them. Think a more cerebral Jazz/Electronic fusion, thats works more on mood than propelling movement.

"Portal" is a very short piece that is Conservative in comparsion to the previous track, and possibly acts more as a exquisitely arranged interlude to the following track, such is it brevity. No less accomplished however, than what went before, with subtle piano and stately vibes of an almost instrument introspection that contribute to the conservatory feel.

The album closer "Nu Matrix", gives the lions share of the performance to Matthew Shipp, with his exceptional performance (him, being one of the finest avant-garde pianist helps too). Matthew is an exceptional pianist of that there is no doubt, but here he's given more free reign to express his piano arrangements in a truly affecting manner, with the rest of the perfromaces restrained in an effort to give Matthew, the perfect synthesis of the directions he's been taking lately; free-floating, complex, intricate & electrified.

So there you have it....an album that looks to push the confinements of its genre, yet being melodic and multi-faceted & well perfromed enough, to not sound like an unlistenable mess of instruments all fighting each other for recording time. An album that feels very slight on the first couple of listens, yet its complexity is revealed on multiple plays.

But before you all see my 5-Star rating for it, and run out and consider buying a copy, this isn't something that I'd recommend to everyone, as its painfully subdued in comparsion to some of the other offerings on "The Blue Series" label. It's a far more considered album, and the album generally follows every modernist upbeat electronic/Jazz track with the next track being a far more contemplative, gentlee, and introspective piece, that is at odds with what went before. It's an album that doesn't really make many allowances for the people new to the whole 'Experimentive' ethos that the 'Blue Series' trades in. It's an album that assumes that you've previously sampled the labels work, and can get straight down to the business of pushing boundaries. And there's a worry that first timers will struggle to some degree. But if you are willing to persevere, it will (given time) eventually win you over, not immediately, but every listen will unearth something new, or ignite a new found respect for the album. And its here that it's true 5-Star appeal begins to shine thorough.

If, you are new to the label (like I am), then I strongly recommend that you do what I did, and try one of the more accessible, electronic minded albums in the series. (Like the tremendous "Blue Series Continuum - Good & Evil Session"), and after you've completely digested, that album and are looking for something a bit more challenging to cut your teeth on, then I'd gladly point you towards this underrated little gem, as it's not as instantly accessible or indeed likable (It took me a 3-4 listens, to truly appreciate what's going on here), but (hopefully) like me, It's grab your attention fully, and start you on the road of starting to seek out, the many other artists on this extraordinary label.

According to the liner notes, this is the fourth CD of Shipp's Blue Series, a continuation of his experiment with jazz as a contemporary recording art, and its goal is to "take your mind on a trip." Whether this album meets that goal, given its intended experimental nature, is a very subjective matter, and while I personally think it does succeed at that, I also think -- experiments aside -- there's some very worthwhile, inventive music on this disc that should get more attention from jazz and other musicians than it'll probably get (I say that as a "jazz and other" musician myself).

For the casual listener accustomed to music geared to a commercial market, I suspect this album would seem inconsistent at best. But for those willing to be taken on Shipp's idea of a head trip, there's more reward than first hinted at. First of all, Shipp is in control of his game here. This CD's blending of jazz and electronic/ambient forms is the beneficiary of previous experimentation and Shipp has learned well how to use both jazz and electronica elements as he sees fit rather than being at their mercy. Being in control of one's tools rather than being control by the tools is the difference between good music (acoustic, electronic or anything in between) and soulless dribble. This refinement of his craft puts Shipp in a leading position in the "jazztronica" field at the present, and because of the all too often mediocre and sometimes downright fraudulent attempts at jazztronica by other jazz artists (Dave Douglas' overhyped, contemptible Freak In is a good, recent example), other musicians currently exploring electronica could certainly learn something from his example.

Compositionally, Shipp is working within a context rather than collecting individual pieces (this explains why there's only nine tracks of music totaling slightly more than 40 minutes). When listened to in context, the music spirals along in a stream evoking a diversity of shifting moods and depths, from ambiance setting title track to the darkly groovin' "Vamp to Vibe" to the spacey music caverns of "Nebula Theory" to the jazzy trip-hop meld "Cohesion" to the subtly askew "World of Blue Glass." A midpoint is marked by the unsettlingly incomplete "Portal," and three more tracks -- "The Roots," an edgy trip-hop piece featuring vibist Khan Jamal, the swinging and slightly creepy "The Key "(also featuring Jamal) and the free-formed, FX'd "Nu Matrix" -- take this exploratory music adventure to its trippy, ambient finish.

I suspect the contextual aspect will keep this album from being very accessible for some. Also, I'm sure some "purists" will be immediately turned off by its experimental quality and electronica elements. Such people I doubt will not give this album a beneficial second (or further) listening that it really deserves. I found repeated listening helped get past the contextual and experimental aspects to discover some rather impressive qualities of Shipp's musicianship. One strength Shipp clearly possesses is the ability to bring mood and depth to his music despite its experimental nature. In addition to being obviously cerebral, the music as a haunting, mistakably spiritual quality not unlike someone like John Coltrane. Even though I wouldn't yet call Shipp a genius as I would Coltrane, he definitely carries that spiritual depth throughout his diverse compositions, evidence that Shipp's craft is as passionate and personal as it is cerebral and inventive. Also to his credit, as this project's captain, Shipp takes up leadership and makes his presence known without crowding the other members of his ensemble, a mark of a mature and attentive musician. Each member is thus able to give their own distinctive voice to the creative whole and help make Shipp's compositions that much richer. Once these strengths of this recording are recognized, then most of the tracks no longer seem as dependent on their context and can stand alone better as individual pieces. All in all, these positive aspects of this album, combined with its explorations of further possibilities in bringing jazz into the 21th century, make this album very meaningful, relevant and enjoyable.

Don't expect to find any of Matthew Shipp's usuall lyricsim I tend to associate with his piano playing on this disc.

Here Mr. Shipp seems to play just hard, there's alot of heavy notes (probably egged on by the presence of Mat Maneri on the violin). This album is much more percussive and noisy rather than the heavy intelleculism that is featured on Matthew's Thirsty Ear dates.

This is still music that you're unlikely to hear anywhere else, so pick this one up if that's your bag.

Avant garde jazz pianist Matthew Shipp continues down the path of electro-acoustic jazz with "Harmony and Abyss." Curator of Thirsty Ear's experimental jazz program, The Blue Series, Shipp is one of the series' leading proponents of combining electronica and post modern beat technology with the classic acoustic jazz tradition.

"Harmony and Abyss" is perhaps his most successful attempt at combining the two seemingly disparate styles yet. His two previous albums from 2002, "Nu Bop" and "Equilibrium" found Shipp and his rhythm section accompanied by guest soloists, this time the core trio is joined only by producer FLAM. The results are more organic and subtle than any Shipp has delivered before. A few tracks are devoid of any electronic tinkering, while some are dominated by sampling technology and studio manipulation. Cuts like "3 in 1" and "Galaxy 105" are pure acoustic piano trio improvisations and wouldn't sound out of place on an old 1960's Blue Note record in the vein of say Andrew Hill or Cecil Taylor. Whereas tracks like "String Theory" and "Abyss" are so electronically augmented and manipulated, that one wouldn't initially think they were listening to a "jazz" album at all, but perhaps instead to a new electronica disc. It's on a more definitive cut like "Blood 2 The Brain" where the electro-acoustic elements merge seamlessly to become a new entity. Driving drum n' bass rhythms contrast with and complement the acoustic piano trio in new and invigorating ways. The predominantly dark introspective vibe is maintained across the whole of the record however, despite the variations in electronic and acoustic sound.

Even more focused and consistent than his previous efforts in the genre, "Harmony and Abyss" sets a high water mark for like-minded jazz musicians to aspire to.