Sunday, May 20, 2012

Jack DeJohnette Group: Explosive

The Jack DeJohnette Group, which the great drummer started about two years ago, fuses his electric and free-jazz strains. It's very dense, powerful music, with a cast of monster players. When I listen to this band on YouTube, it makes me feel like I might explode.

I just became aware of an album by the band, Live at Yoshi's 2010. It's likely the most serious oversight of my music collecting life. More on this later.

DeJohnette does not always embrace this kind of high-energy music. He's part of the elegant Keith Jarrett trio, and he's made more than one album for mediation. I saw DeJohnette with this group's bass player, Jerome Harris, and Danilo Perez on piano. It was a volcanic trio; the music rocked and churned like a storm at sea. There was no lead-and-support format. Everyone seemed to be soloing at the same time yet in an interlocking way. 

The Jack DeJohnette Group has the same force, but it features individuals. George Colligan is one of the more dynamic pianists of recent years, and David Fiuczynski has always been a scary guitarist. With all that Rudresh Mahanthappa has going on, it's a blessing that he's playing in this group. He's the one who creates the tipping point for my listening experience, from enjoying to exploding.

1 comment:

Julianna B said...

Great article, like always! I am very much impressed with your work..