Jack West & Curvature
Big Comet Headed for Earth
© 1998 Ahead Behind Music (801060001224)
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Live progressive acoustic jazz featuring acoustic guitar, sax, marimba, and percusion with emphasis on highly original compositions, smokin' improvisation, and deep grooves.
tracks
- 1 Closer to the Sky
- 2 Oil Vein
- 3 Helicopter
- 4 Big Comet Headed for Earth
- 5 Moon with a View
- 6 Duck
- 7 Feel Your Way
- 8 Laughter/Remembrance
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albums you will love
- JACK WEST & CURVATURE: As We Know It
- JACK WEST & CURVATURE: Big Ideas
- JACK WEST & CURVATURE: Continuum
- JACK WEST: Sound Pulling Curves in Time
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Recorded live in the studio, this CD captures the essence of the Curvature Quartet with the brilliant saxophonist Calder Spanier (of Charlie Hunter Quartet fame). Mind-blowing improvisational interplay, unusual rhythms, and instrumental virtuosity combine to create a highly original and progressively funky acoustic jazz sound. The ensemble includes Jack West on acoustic guitar, Calder Spanier on soprano and alto saxophones, Joel Davel on marimba, and well-known Bay Area drummer Ricky Carter performing on his hybrid percussion/drum kit, with a guest appearance by Brian Hill on guitar.
Carving out new territory in the world of acoustic sounds that you can actually listen to without hurling, Big Comet Headed for Earth steers completely clear of the "smooth jazz" and "out jazz" population centers. This is real, creative music played by four real people live in the studio.
Truly a musician's musician, West pulls off some acoustic guitar work that is nothing short of ground breaking. This "explosion of acoustic guitar" (Dirk Richardson, KPFA) includes everything from chopper-like percussive neck beating on "Helicopter" to simultaneously performed counterpoint bass and melody lines (bass line in 9/4, melody in 6/4 at the same time) on "Closer to the Sky" to smokin' and mysterious slide playing on "Moon with a View" to darkly melodic interplay with sax on "Oil Vein".
Of particular note on this CD is the incredible horn playing of the late musical genius Calder Spanier. A very close friend and band-member with Jack West, Charlie Hunter, and many other musicians around the world, Spanier's tragic death on December 4, 1997 was a great loss to the musical community. Big Comet Headed for Earth is Spanier's last recording and is dedicated to him and his music.
"I really enjoyed listening to Big Comet Headed for Earth. It's better than good for an independent recording. The concept was realized well and the compositions are great!" - Lee Townsend, Producer and VP of A&R Verve.