Aaron Choulai review at AMG

[Kenny]

FYI:

Place
Artist Aaron Choulai
Album Title Place
Date of Release May 11, 2004
AMG Rating ***
Genre Jazz

There are two ways to evaluate the music on pianist Aaron Choulai's Place. On the one hand, the musicianship is superior, trumpeter Scott Wendholt is in blazing form (he often steals solo honors), and the quintet is quite tight. The weak point to the set is that many of the selections (particularly "Place," "Tic Toc," and "Twenty One") sound as if they are being performed by the 1966 Miles Davis Quintet. Choulai's piano often is pretty influenced by Herbie Hancock and it is difficult to hear Tim Ries in this setting (on either tenor or soprano) and not think of Wayne Shorter. But even within its occasionally derivative nature, the music is stimulating, with highlights being "Dreams of Paper Roses" (which is partly in 7/4), the trio feature "Lotte," and "Twenty One," which in places sounds like an out-of-tempo abstraction on "All the Things You Are." — Scott Yanow

allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&uid=UIDMISS70311111927400974&sql=A14ue4jn76way

[Gideon]

So Kenny, What are your thoughts on Aaron's record?

Anyone else had the opportunity to listen to it thoroughly?

I heard one track on PBS the other day - I wasn't all that into what I heard to be totally honest; I certainly didn't hear Scott Wendholt in blazing form, in fact he sounded disjointed and i thought his solo was somewhat unrelated to the music/tune... but that was just one tune. Looking forward to getting my hands on a copy for a good listen.

[vic kee]

Heard some, didn't jump out at me. But I am going through a moody solo piano only phase at present.

BUT did anyone notice that recently two Aussie newspaper reviewers from different stables recently talked about a new jazz cd by an Aussie artist where the artist had "rehamornised a song from it's original form into a tango" or words to that effect. The 'coincidental' use of the same line (?) was funny enough, but "reharmonise into a tango": what on earth do they think they are they talking about?

Incidentally OJFs Kenny was not one of the critics. I don't think he has reviewed that CD yet.

The max 5 star system is of CD reviews is so very frustrating. I've read reviews that have raved about recordings that grant 4 stars, then the next one by the same critic says something is passable at 3 and 1/2 stars. Go figure. Why bother with the stars at all?

Or is it the Sesame Street system?

[Kenny]

I have reviewed it - in today's SHS. Gave it 3 1/2 stars I think. I like it a lot, the only drawback being that - given the artist's numerous interests around town - the album may typecast him as a somewhat regulation post-bopper. Unlike Yannow, I didn't pick up on any Miles stuff, but the two-horn front-line did make me think of Blue Note '60s albums a little. Because I am more interested in the leader than the superstar sidemen, I enjoyed the long trio feature for him the most.

But it's fine listening, and as it falls into my general realm of interest when listening away from oz/Melbourne, it fits in nicely.

BTW, Vicki, I may have used terms like "reharmonise" somewhere along the line, but mostly I stay well clear - not being a muso I don't want to make a complete ass of myself, although sometimes I do ask the musicians involved for more specific details. There was one lulu of a comment I read quite a few months back, and my only reaction was: WTF?

[Not Sylvia]

Oi Mr W, you totally CAN NOT drop that line and not quote it you bugger, that it is SO UNFAIR! You evil- murdoch-empire-torture-the-reader-with-titilation-hack, you

But seriously, I gotta tell you there are some writers /critics who write about jazz like poorly educated teenagers trying to be Sylvia Plath and for me it always makes for extremely amusing reading. And names: too many to list hear.

I don't write about music much these days but when I did my philosphy was if I don't like it I won't write about it. So I guess most of my stuff was a wee bit gushy but hopefully not a poor imitation or Robert Frost or Flaubert etc.