Artist: New York Free Quartet
Title: Free Play
Label: self produced
Genre: jazz/contemporary
CD Review by Dawoud Kringle
What happens when you combine four master musicians who believe in the redemptive healing power of music, have devoted their lives to perfecting their craft, and to bringing it to the public? You get the New York Free Quartet.
Artist: Michael Moss and the Accidental Orchestra
Titel: Helix
Label: self produced
Genre: contemporary/jazz/modern world
Buy and listen to CD here: https://michaelmoss.bandcamp.com/album/helix
CD Review by Dawoud Kringle
Artist: Mehmet Polat
Title: Ageless Garden
Label: Aftab Rec
Genre: oriental music/oud music
Review by Dawoud Kringle
The word “Hasret”is an Urdu word (derived from the Arabic word “Hasrah”) meaning “unfulfilled wish,” and a popular term for Urdu poets in India and Pakistan. “Hasret,” is also the first track on Mehmet Polat’s new CD Ageless Garden. The opening notes of Polat’s oud speak in a quiet yet authoritative voice against a subtle percussion background. As the piece progresses, unusual melodies and startling harmonies create an emotional intensity that eloquently expresses the longing within an unfulfilled desire. It ends with a return to the introductory melodies, except with a sad resignation.
Artist: George Crotty and Kirk Starkey
Title: Vidi Aquam
Label: self produced
Genre: electronica/nu music
CD Review by Dawoud Kringle
Vidi Aquam is the name of an antiphon (a short Psalm-texted chant), which is sung during the Roman Catholic Mass. It is also the tiltel of the recent release of the collaborative project between George Crotty and Kirk Starkey.
Artist: Amy Denio
Title: The Big Embrace
Label: Spoot Music
Genre: folk rock/world/contemporary/field recordings/jazz; and improvised music
CD Review by Dawoud Kringle
Amy Denio is an interesting musician. Based in Seattle, WA, she is known internationally as a record producer, composer, improviser, singer and multi-instrumentalist (voice, alto saxophone, clarinet, accordion, acoustic and electric guitars, electric bass, and theremin). Denio co-founded The Tiptons Sax Quartet and Drums, recorded with Bosnian metal/punk/folk group Kultur Shock, recorded and toured with Austrian trio Die Resonanz Stanonczi, and co-founded Ama Trio with Correo Aereo. She toured as a solo artist, and has collaborated and recorded with Matt Cameron, Bill Frisell, Chris Cutler, Guy Klucevsek, Pauline Oliveros, Tarik Abouzied, Francisco Lopez, Danny Barnes, the Relache Ensemble, Faust, Fred Frith, Hoppy Kamiyama, KMFDM, Il Parto delle Nuvole Pesanti, Ronin, and Chuck D’s Fine Arts Militia (as part of the Experience Music Project in Seattle). Denio scored two animated films by Thomas Edward: Pangaea’s Brood, and Synchrony in Estrus. She also scored Jamie Hook‘s feature film The Naked Proof. She also produced the soundtrack for choreographer Pat Graney‘s piece Girl Gods, and the soundtrack to choreographer David Dorfman’s piece Sky Down. She’d earned many awards and fellowships, and recently became a member of Musicians for Musicians (MF).
