{"id":3480,"date":"2019-11-06T20:04:17","date_gmt":"2019-11-06T19:04:17","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.murielgrossmann.com\/?page_id=3480"},"modified":"2021-09-26T21:40:08","modified_gmt":"2021-09-26T19:40:08","slug":"about-the-album-reverence","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/murielgrossmann.com\/?page_id=3480","title":{"rendered":"About the album Reverence"},"content":{"rendered":"

ALBUM<\/span> NOTES<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

for Muri\u00adel Gross\u00admann Rever\u00adence (RR<\/span> GEMS<\/span> Records, 2019),<\/span>
\nby Micha\u00adel Jack\u00adlin in con\u00adver\u00adsa\u00adti\u00adon with Muri\u00adel Grossmann<\/span><\/p>\n

                    The sources of jazz are to be found in Afri\u00adca, as any ency\u00adclo\u00adpe\u00addia of music will tell you. The poly\u00adrhyth\u00adms, syn\u00adco\u00adpa\u00adti\u00adon and impro\u00advi\u00adsa\u00adti\u00adon that are inte\u00adgral to jazz all stem from the musi\u00adcal tra\u00addi\u00adti\u00adons of Afri\u00adca. The\u00adse distinct aspects of Afri\u00adcan music tra\u00advel\u00adled to the Ame\u00adri\u00adcas with the slave-trade and, inter\u00adsec\u00adting in New Orleans with Euro\u00adpean instru\u00admen\u00adta\u00adti\u00adon and arran\u00adge\u00adment, crea\u00adted the foun\u00adda\u00adti\u00adons of a new sound. Through the twen\u00adtieth cen\u00adtu\u00adry Afri\u00adca con\u00adtin\u00adued its influence, as free jazz inno\u00adva\u00adtors inclu\u00adding Ornet\u00adte Cole\u00adman and Don Cher\u00adry tra\u00advel\u00adled the\u00adre in search of the roots of their art form, while at the same time Afri\u00adcan musi\u00adci\u00adans such as Abdul\u00adlah Ibra\u00adhim and Fela Kuti brought their music to Ame\u00adri\u00adca and Europe.<\/span><\/p>\n

                    The island of Ibi\u00adza lies in the Medi\u00adter\u00adra\u00adne\u00adan bet\u00adween Euro\u00adpe and Afri\u00adca and has been a mee\u00adting place of peo\u00adp\u00adles, cul\u00adtures, lan\u00adguages and music for ages. Muri\u00adel Gross\u00admann, who was born in Paris and grew up in Aus\u00adtria, moved to Ibi\u00adza in 2004 and the\u00adre she began to record some of the most exci\u00adting and inno\u00adva\u00adti\u00adve jazz of the new mill\u00aden\u00adni\u00adum. It is no sur\u00adpri\u00adse that with her latest album she turns to the well\u00adspring of Afri\u00adca, offe\u00adring eight com\u00adpo\u00adsi\u00adti\u00adons, explo\u00adring the essence of poly\u00adrhythm in a per\u00adso\u00adnal and com\u00admit\u00adted way. As Gross\u00admann says, \u2018What jazz and Afri\u00adcan music have in com\u00admon and what makes it so uni\u00adque is that at its very core, as the stron\u00adgest part of its foun\u00adda\u00adti\u00adon, each musi\u00adci\u00adan is deal\u00ading with a par\u00adti\u00adcu\u00adlar rhythm that con\u00adtri\u00adbu\u00adtes to the who\u00adle, the\u00adr\u00ade\u00adfo\u00adre gene\u00adra\u00adting mul\u00adti\u00addi\u00adrec\u00adtion\u00adal rhyth\u00adms also known as poly\u00adrhythm\u2019. This album is a ges\u00adtu\u00adre of ack\u00adnow\u00adled\u00adge\u00adment, thanks\u00adgi\u00adving and rever\u00adence for the musi\u00adcal tra\u00addi\u00adti\u00adons that Afri\u00adca has given jazz.<\/span><\/p>\n

                   \u2018Rever\u00adence\u2019 sees the same quar\u00adtet that per\u00adfor\u00admed on Grossmann\u2019s pre\u00advious three releases trans\u00adform into a quin\u00adtet. On this album, Gross\u00admann plays alto, sopra\u00adno and tenor saxo\u00adpho\u00adnes, Rado\u00admir Milo\u00adj\u00adko\u00advic is on gui\u00adtars, Gina Schwarz on bass, Uros Sta\u00admen\u00adko\u00advic on drums, and they are joi\u00adn\u00aded by Llo\u00adren\u00e7 Bar\u00adcel\u00f3 on Ham\u00admond. The colours and tex\u00adtures of the Ham\u00admond B3<\/span> organ are a per\u00adfect addi\u00adti\u00adon to the sounds of this alre\u00ada\u00addy tight\u00adly ali\u00adgned group, pro\u00advi\u00adding ever\u00ady\u00adthing from cos\u00admic swirls and chir\u00adped per\u00adcus\u00adsion to bril\u00adli\u00adant solos of exploration.<\/span><\/p>\n

                Afri\u00adca is refe\u00adren\u00adced in mul\u00adti\u00adple ways tho\u00adrough the com\u00adpo\u00adsi\u00adti\u00adons. The first track is titled \u2018Okan Ti Aye\u2019, a Yoru\u00adba phra\u00adse that means \u2018Heart of the World\u2019 and from its ope\u00adning sounds we can hear an urge for cele\u00adbra\u00adting Afri\u00adcan music from its anci\u00adent per\u00adcus\u00adsion tra\u00addi\u00adti\u00adons to more recent traces of Fela Kuti and Afro Pop. The num\u00adber cul\u00admi\u00adna\u00adtes in a bla\u00adzing solo by Gross\u00admann on tenor that sets a tone of cele\u00adbra\u00adti\u00adon for the enti\u00adre album.<\/span><\/p>\n

             This same high ener\u00adgy approach appears again on \u2018Cha\u00adse\u2019. At the foun\u00adda\u00adti\u00adon of this com\u00adpo\u00adsi\u00adti\u00adon is a powerful, moving, danceable bass line, while the rhyth\u00adms crea\u00adted on the organ and gui\u00adtar evo\u00adke the dual gui\u00adtar play that was a trade\u00admark of James Brown\u2019s sound. The drum work ran\u00adges from tight to more fle\u00adxi\u00adble groo\u00adves, while Gross\u00admann on alto pro\u00advi\u00addes deep, sin\u00adging melo\u00addies, simp\u00adle and direct, as if the saxo\u00adpho\u00adne too is a part of the rhythm sec\u00adtion. Gross\u00admann explains: \u2018Count Basie once said about his band that he wan\u00adted it sound\u00ading like one big drum. That\u2019s what I aimed for with my album \u201cRever\u00adence\u201d\u2019.<\/span><\/p>\n

            Other com\u00adpo\u00adsi\u00adti\u00adons are reflec\u00adti\u00adve and pen\u00adsi\u00adve. \u2018Uni\u00adon\u2019, for exam\u00adp\u00adle, is a nine-minu\u00adte medi\u00adta\u00adti\u00adon by Gross\u00admann on sopra\u00adno saxo\u00adpho\u00adne, working through varia\u00adti\u00adons on a simp\u00adle, beau\u00adtiful melo\u00addy while Schwarz groo\u00adves ste\u00adadi\u00adly on the bass, Bar\u00adcel\u00f3 makes his Ham\u00admond burb\u00adle, and Sta\u00admen\u00adko\u00advic sum\u00admons a shim\u00adme\u00adring, end\u00adless field of cym\u00adbal-tones. And \u2018Sun\u00addown\u2019 has Gross\u00admann on tenor again, in slow, wea\u00adving inter\u00adplay with Ham\u00admond b3 and Cel\u00adtic harp to pro\u00addu\u00adce a fee\u00adling of deep repo\u00adse, tru\u00adly a masterpiece.<\/span><\/p>\n

                    \u2018Water Bowl\u2019 refers to the dai\u00adly rou\u00adti\u00adne of women and child\u00adren in many parts of Afri\u00adca who walk long distances to fetch water for their fami\u00adlies, and who sing while doing so. Grossmann\u2019s alto moves through one melo\u00addic idea after ano\u00adther, as if sin\u00adging the mys\u00adtic mea\u00adning of things, while Milojkovic\u2019s solo reminds us of the blues as he plays soulful lines cha\u00adrac\u00adte\u00adristic of the soul-jazz of Grant Green or Boo\u00adga\u00adloo Joe Jones. Bar\u00adcel\u00f3 con\u00adtri\u00adbu\u00adtes beau\u00adtiful\u00adly on this num\u00adber, with his rich tre\u00adat\u00adment of the Ham\u00admond and its cha\u00adme\u00adleo\u00adnic pos\u00adsi\u00adbi\u00adli\u00adties of chan\u00adging sound and colors.<\/span><\/p>\n

                       \u2018Tri\u00adbu\u2019 opens with a sump\u00adtuous bass solo by Gina Schwarz that is melo\u00addic, rhyth\u00admic and deep\u00adly reso\u00adnant; one can feel the wood in its sound, and it evo\u00adkes the spi\u00adrit of many Afri\u00adcan instru\u00adments. To my ears, Tri\u00adbu<\/em> and Uni\u00adon<\/em> are uni\u00adque com\u00adpo\u00adsi\u00adti\u00adons in Grossmann\u2019s work, depar\u00adting from the swin\u00adging groo\u00adves found in her records \u2018Gol\u00adden Rule\u2019, \u2018Momen\u00adtum\u2019 and \u2018Natu\u00adral Time\u2019 and moving toward more RNB<\/span> ori\u00aden\u00adted groo\u00adves.  The the\u00adme on \u2018Tri\u00adbu\u2019, and that of the com\u00adpo\u00adsi\u00adti\u00adon which fol\u00adlows, \u2018Afri\u00adka Maha\u00adla\u2019, are, for this lis\u00adte\u00adner at least, total ear\u00adworms; they play on in the mind, unbidden, wit\u00adhout war\u00adning, and wit\u00adhout the aid of device or sound sys\u00adtem. \u2018Afri\u00adka Maha\u00adla\u2019 is also nota\u00adble for a fine gui\u00adtar solo by Milo\u00adj\u00adko\u00advic who then hands over to an inten\u00adse duo bet\u00adween Gross\u00admann and Sta\u00admen\u00adko\u00advic, evo\u00adking the spi\u00adrit of tho\u00adse bur\u00adning 60s saxo\u00adpho\u00adne and drum duos.<\/span><\/p>\n

                   A cho\u00adrus of Afri\u00adcan instru\u00adments intro\u00addu\u00adces \u2018Mor\u00adning\u2019, the final track, and leads into ano\u00adther irre\u00adpres\u00adsi\u00adble the\u00adme on alto, set\u00adting the mood for the day that comes, embra\u00adcing the cele\u00adbra\u00adto\u00adry spi\u00adrit, brin\u00adging lis\u00adten\u00aders, as Gross\u00admann puts it, into \u2018a ful\u00adfil\u00adled sta\u00adte of being\u2019.<\/span><\/p>\n

                       As with seve\u00adral of Grossmann\u2019s pre\u00advious albums, a distin\u00adgu\u00adis\u00adhing trait is the use of dro\u00adne-instru\u00admen\u00adta\u00adti\u00adon. Afri\u00adcan instru\u00adments fea\u00adture, inclu\u00adding bal\u00ada\u00adfo\u00adne, kra\u00adkebs, kalim\u00adba, ngo\u00adni and dun duns, along with cel\u00adtic harp, flu\u00adte and slide gui\u00adtar. The effects the\u00adse crea\u00adte are subt\u00adle; they aug\u00adment the group\u2019s per\u00adfor\u00admance and their lay\u00aders of sound are like the intri\u00adca\u00adte wea\u00adving of sin\u00adgle threads into pat\u00adter\u00adned colou\u00adred cloth, both deli\u00adca\u00adte and strong.<\/span><\/p>\n

                        Make no mista\u00adke: the music you will expe\u00adri\u00adence on \u2018Rever\u00adence\u2019 is not Afri\u00adcan; it is deep\u00adly spi\u00adri\u00adtu\u00adal jazz from the edge of Euro\u00adpe that gives thanks to Afri\u00adca for its know\u00adledge, its wis\u00addom, its beau\u00adty. And we now, in turn, give thanks for the\u00adse beau\u00adtiful sounds.
\nMicha\u00adel Jack\u00adlin in con\u00adver\u00adsa\u00adti\u00adon with Muri\u00adel Grossmann<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

REVIEWS<\/span><\/b><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Review of REVERENCE<\/span> in Jazz\u00adpo\u00addi\u00adum, May-June 2020, by Thors\u00adten Meyer<\/a>
\n\u201d One step fur\u00adther each time. \u2026 Gross\u00admann immer\u00adses with her group into the ecsta\u00adcy of rhyth\u00adms and sounds. \u2026 music with tonal depth and wide dyna\u00admic spec\u00adtrum.  A musi\u00adcal and hap\u00adtic moment of happiness.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201c<\/span>Gross\u00admann gets to the Roots of Rhythm\u201d by Deni\u00adse Sul\u00adli\u00advan Down\u00adbeat Feb 2020<\/a><\/span>
\n\u201c\u2026  her new album Rever\u00adence is a modern masterpiece\u201d \u2026<\/span>
\n\u201cMuri\u00adel Gross\u00admann cha\u00adrac\u00adte\u00adri\u00adses her Quintet\u2018s latest album, Rever\u00adence<\/em>, as a spi\u00adri\u00adtu\u00adal-jazz effort \u2014 the sum of her devo\u00adti\u00adon to a lifel\u00adong explo\u00adra\u00adti\u00adon of rhyth\u00adms, par\u00adti\u00adcu\u00adlar\u00adly tho\u00adse of Afri\u00adcan ori\u00adgin. The album is Grossmann\u2019s attempt to com\u00adbi\u00adne what she calls the \u201creassu\u00adring ele\u00adments of spi\u00adri\u00adtu\u00adal-jazz\u201d and its antecedents. \u2026 \u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Review of REVERENCE<\/span> in All\u00adMu\u00adsic gui\u00adde by Thom Jurek
\n<\/a>\u201c\u2026 That group is appen\u00added here by Mal\u00adlor\u00adcan Ham\u00admond B\u20113 orga\u00adnist Llo\u00adren\u00e7 Bar\u00adcel\u00f3, who\u00adse play\u00ading crea\u00adtes a wide palet\u00adte of tonal, rhyth\u00admic, and tex\u00adtu\u00adral pos\u00adsi\u00adbi\u00adli\u00adties. Grossmann\u2019s eight com\u00adpo\u00adsi\u00adti\u00adons con\u00adti\u00adnue to evo\u00adke Col\u00adtra\u00adne as a touch\u00adstone, but they also embrace the poly\u00adrhyth\u00admic tra\u00addi\u00adti\u00adons of the Afri\u00adcan con\u00adti\u00adnent and fil\u00adter their dis\u00adco\u00adveries through the band\u2019s inna\u00adte groo\u00adve con\u00adscious\u00adness. \u2026 Here, their inspi\u00adra\u00adti\u00adon, com\u00admu\u00adni\u00adca\u00adti\u00adon, and pro\u00adfound explo\u00adra\u00adti\u00adon, result in a new water\u00admark for excel\u00adlence in jazz.\u201d <\/span><\/p>\n

Review of Muri\u00adel Gross\u00admann REVERENCE<\/span> Vinyl in UK<\/span> Vibe, by Nick Schlitt\u00adner, Dec 2019<\/a>  \u201c\u2026 \u2018Rever\u00adence\u2019 is a record that con\u00adsis\u00adt\u00adent\u00adly and respectful\u00adly draws on Afri\u00adca influen\u00adces to crea\u00adte won\u00adderful, memo\u00adrable, mul\u00adti-laye\u00adred, ori\u00adgi\u00adnal and exu\u00adberant tunes. \u2026 It\u2019s a joy and a pri\u00advi\u00adle\u00adge to hear such a won\u00adderful album. If Gol\u00adden Rule was per\u00adme\u00ada\u00adted with the spi\u00adrit of John Col\u00adtra\u00adne then \u2018Rever\u00adence\u2019 which with its swir\u00adling organs, gor\u00adge\u00adous strings, and Rado\u00admir Milojkovic\u2019s dri\u00adving gui\u00adtar is explo\u00adring the paths first tra\u00advel\u00adled by Ali\u00adce Col\u00adtra\u00adne, Miles elec\u00adtric bands and Lar\u00adry Young. It is powerful, insis\u00adtent, crea\u00adti\u00adve and joy\u00adous music ancho\u00adred by an ama\u00adzin\u00adgly tight rhythm sec\u00adtion that groo\u00adves like hell\u2026\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Review of Muri\u00adel Gross\u00admann \u2014 REVERENCE<\/span> Vinyl by Andrew Frank\u00adlin<\/a>, Medu\u00adsa Records<\/span><\/p>\n

If you are fol\u00adlo\u00adwing the dis\u00adco\u00adgra\u00adphy, \u201cRever\u00adence\u201d is the fol\u00adlow up to @murielgrossmann cri\u00adti\u00adcal\u00adly acclai\u00admed \u201cGol\u00adden Rule\u201d. If \u201cGol\u00adden Rule\u201dis an awa\u00adke\u00adning or start of a spi\u00adri\u00adtu\u00adal jour\u00adney, then \u201cRever\u00adence\u201d is the dyna\u00admic ending.<\/span><\/p>\n

With news of Muri\u00adel Grossmann\u2019s new album \u201cUni\u00adon\u201d coming out next month and a reis\u00adsue of her ear\u00adlier album, \u201cNatu\u00adral Time\u201d debut\u00ading on vinyl, I find mys\u00adelf pul\u00adling the remar\u00adkab\u00adle album \u201cRever\u00adence\u201d from 2019; pre\u00adpa\u00adring mys\u00adelf for the new releases. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u201c<\/span>Rever\u00adence\u201d is an album that cap\u00adtures you right away. The album picks up imme\u00addia\u00adte\u00adly with \u201cOkan Ti Aye\u201d, as if you step\u00adped into some\u00adthing anci\u00adent and reoc\u00adcur\u00adring. Muriel\u2019s clas\u00adsic lin\u00ade\u00adup, now a quin\u00adtet, quick\u00adly latch on to you and sweep you off into the sound befo\u00adre you have a chan\u00adce to turn away. Next thing you know you are mel\u00adting into a jour\u00adney of cos\u00admic bliss with the rest of the band on the track \u201cUni\u00adon\u201d.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201c<\/span>Water Bowl\u201d is more of a hyp\u00adno\u00adtic ecsta\u00adsy that swirls around insi\u00adde your body. It stays with an unre\u00adlen\u00adting tem\u00adpo that beats with deep pri\u00admi\u00adti\u00adve urgen\u00adcy. Next is \u201cSun\u00addown\u201d which is more like a lush tra\u00addi\u00adtio\u00adnal spi\u00adri\u00adtu\u00adal song remi\u00adnis\u00adcent of Doro\u00adthy Ash\u00adby or Ali\u00adce Col\u00adtra\u00adne. This song is whe\u00adre the addi\u00adti\u00adon of Llo\u00adrenc Bar\u00adce\u00adlo Vives on organ real\u00adly shi\u00adnes. His play\u00ading and solo sends the sun mel\u00adting down past hori\u00adzon. Tog\u00ade\u00adther he and Muriel\u2019s tone are able to strip away your ego lea\u00adving you floa\u00adting cata\u00adto\u00adni\u00adcal\u00adly in pure bliss.<\/span><\/p>\n

The pau\u00adse is wel\u00adco\u00adme becau\u00adse it makes the fol\u00adlo\u00adwing track \u201cCha\u00adse\u201d feel fami\u00adli\u00adar as it swings back to a quick tem\u00adpo. At this point, you are one with sound and fee\u00adling. You are rea\u00addy for the \u201cCha\u00adse\u201d which pays homage to the late John Col\u00adtra\u00adne. The sen\u00adse of urgen\u00adcy returns until the pau\u00adse in the midd\u00adle; lea\u00adving space for con\u00adtem\u00adpla\u00adti\u00adon and con\u00adtrast. Rado\u00admirs play\u00ading is slow and cool and slow\u00adly builds the sus\u00adpen\u00adse as the\u00adre is still ple\u00adnty left to experience. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u201c<\/span>Tri\u00adbu\u201d is one of my favo\u00adri\u00adte songs on the album. This song shows the bril\u00adli\u00adance of the quin\u00adtet by high\u00adlight\u00ading each musi\u00adci\u00adan  through leads and solos. You see the skill and cha\u00adrac\u00adter of the artist as they gui\u00adde you through the sound. \u201cTri\u00adbu\u201d builds up momen\u00adtum into \u201cAfri\u00adka Maha\u00adla\u201d whe\u00adre this cos\u00admic trip rea\u00adches its pin\u00adna\u00adcle. Here you feel diz\u00adzy and rus\u00adhing, thin\u00adking and kno\u00adwing that the end of this fan\u00adta\u00adsti\u00adcal jour\u00adney through the cos\u00admos of your con\u00adsci\u00adence is nea\u00adring. Muriel\u2019s play\u00ading is screa\u00adming with decla\u00adra\u00adti\u00adon. The band is buil\u00adding a drum roll fina\u00adle. The\u00adre is anti\u00adci\u00adpa\u00adti\u00adon and exci\u00adte\u00adment as Muri\u00adel and the others wade through the star\u00adry mud lea\u00adding to the new world.<\/span><\/p>\n

Alas, \u201cMor\u00adning\u201d is here. You are light and free like the bree\u00adze. You are awa\u00adke. You are anew. You are you. Tru\u00adly you. This world that you\u2019ve arri\u00adved in is more beau\u00adtiful than you ever thought pos\u00adsi\u00adble. The \u201cMor\u00adning\u201d is your new fore\u00adver. Crea\u00adted by and gui\u00added by the quin\u00adtet you are thank\u00adful to be part of this experience. <\/span><\/p>\n

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\u21d0<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

ALBUM<\/span> NOTES<\/span> for Muri\u00adel Gross\u00admann Rever\u00adence (RR<\/span> GEMS<\/span> Records, 2019), by Micha\u00adel Jack\u00adlin in con\u00adver\u00adsa\u00adti\u00adon with Muri\u00adel Gross\u00admann                     The sources of jazz are to be found in Afri\u00adca, as any ency\u00adclo\u00adpe\u00addia of music will tell you. The poly\u00adrhyth\u00adms, syn\u00adco\u00adpa\u00adti\u00adon and impro\u00advi\u00adsa\u00adti\u00adon that are inte\u00adgral to \u2026 About the album Rever\u00adence<\/span> weiterlesen<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"wp_typography_post_enhancements_disabled":false,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-3480","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/murielgrossmann.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/3480","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/murielgrossmann.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/murielgrossmann.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/murielgrossmann.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/murielgrossmann.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=3480"}],"version-history":[{"count":14,"href":"https:\/\/murielgrossmann.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/3480\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5112,"href":"https:\/\/murielgrossmann.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/3480\/revisions\/5112"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/murielgrossmann.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=3480"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}