Many thanks to Gene for writing up the AZUL disc. It's really a treat for me to see how different people react to the recording...

"AZUL’s self-titled debut album is a landmark progressive jazz work that explores the outer limits of the modern day trio. Their brazen approach to making an album is uncommonly innovative and simple; record a short session, completely improvised from start to finish, and then without changing the order of the tracks, release it with no overdubs as if it were a live performance. It sounds like a dare." read more: http://www.stick.com/features/cd/

AZUL is available from SE, and also amazon.com, iTunes, CDBaby and direct from http://greghoward.com/azul.

Wow. some review, Greg. gotta feel good for all of you. Question: would you have posted it if it was scathing?

Well, Gene is my friend, so I wouldn't expect him to write a scathing review, but I think his affection for the music is genuine...

I've only gotten a couple of bad reviews, including one from the New York Times about some teflon music I wrote for a modern dance piece ("cheap dance hall music" was how it was described, I believe...). The reviewer was a dance critic, not a music critic, but he obviously did NOT like it.

what did you think of the CD?

Me? AZUL? padon my french i think it's f*****g great.

thanks, no scathing reviews so far then

I believe that the trade of critic, in literature, music, and the drama, is the most degraded of all trades, and that it has no real value--certainly no large value...However, let it go. It is the will of God that we must have critics, and missionaries, and congressmen, and humorists, and we must bear the burden.
- Mark Twain's Autobiography

So there is my 2 cents on music critics.

The most impressive aspect of this "session", which is really what it is, is that it is being spontaneously created. I asked Greg if he performs any of this material live. Right? How does that work when there's some Stickist in the corner of the room (maybe they've had a few, maybe it's me) screaming for Wildlands?! I think he just laughed.

There are lots of bands that make stuff as they go. Ok, fair enough, but very few with the lyricism of John D'earth or creative energy of Brian Caputo.

I am partial to Frank Zappa's take on rock journalism:

“Definition of rock journalism: People who can't write, doing interviews with people who can't think, in order to prepare articles for people who can't read.”

AZUL is CD #1 in my car stereo since the day it arrived. It is hard to believe it was improvised. If the stars align, I will seem them live on 12/8 in Virginia!

Jeremy

The record is just flat out SO musical!! Wow! the sensitivity of the players, their skills at listening and interacting is so present and evident. Bravo… 5 stars… Has DownBeat reviewed it yet????

Thanks to all of you.

The Stick is a "high-speed idea conduit", an improviser's dream axe, or as I believe Bill T. Miller coined the phrase for his track on the Tappistry, Volume 1 compilation CD...

"an orchestra on a 2x4"

Thanks, Emmett, for creating such a grand tool for making music! This improviser has never been happier to be playing.

Just got another nice review, this one from Gary Funston, of WTJU, one of the countries oldest independent non-commercial radio stations, and the Charlottesville Jazz Society:


"The talented, versatile trio of musicians known collectively as Azul walk a high wire of daring improvisation without ever seeming to stumble.

In concert, a spontaneous composition can be instigated by the barest hint of an idea from any of the group’s members. Be it a playful rattle from Brian Caputo’s arsenal of drums, bells, and assorted toys; a growl, blare or a melodic pattern from John D’earth’s trumpet; or one of the myriad sounds, colors and textures from Greg Howard’s Chapman Stick, musical magic is always the result.

Likewise, repeated listening to their new CD continues to unveil musical treasures not readily apparent on first hearing.

The infinite possibilities for surprise and excitement from a group like this (not that there is another group like this), make Azul one of the most exciting band’s you’ll hear anywhere. Grab a copy of the CD, or better yet catch them live if you can.

Gary Funston
Assistant Jazz Director, WTJU
Program Director, Charlottesville Jazz Society