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Julian Siegel: Julian Siegel Quartet: Urban Theme Park
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Urban Theme Park
Basho Music
2011
Now of an age which places him at the crossing point between Young Turk and seasoned older statesman, London reeds player Julian Siegel's progressive classicism is growing more compelling with every new album. Siegel's first Basho Music release, the helter-skelter Live At The Vortex, made with his "American trio," featuring bassist

Greg Cohen
bass, acoustic
Joey Baron
drumsb.1955

Liam Noble
piano
Oli Hayhurst
bassFor his first quartet album since 2002's Close Up (SoundCD), which also featured Noble (along with bassist Jeremy Brown and drummer

Gary Husband
drumsb.1960

Ingrid Laubrock
saxophoneb.1970

Paul Clarvis
drumsb.1963
Factor in the powerhouse drive of Calderazzo and the deep grooves of Hayhurst, and the music here sounds, at times, like an acoustic cousin of that played in Siegel's ongoing jazz-rock band

Partisans
band / ensemble / orchestrab.1996

Phil Robson
guitarAbout half of the tunes on Urban Theme Park are burning, tenor-led workouts like those Siegel has developed with Partisans, their twisting structurescheck the complex West African-derived cross rhythms on "Keys To The City"worn lightly, yet demanding close engagement from the soloists. There are also two entrancing clarinet-led tracks: the delicate but sinewy "Heart Song"; and the bouncy, kwela-infused "Interlude," a dance outing, with Siegel on bass clarinet (which, despite its title, lasts over seven minutes, the average length of the tracks here). Noble moves to electric keyboards and circuit-bent, retro electronica (reminiscent of Brooklyn's

Marco Benevento
organ, Hammond B3With Partisans and his acoustic lineups, there is a cerebral, compositional quotient to Siegel's music which lifts it above the ordinary. This album's three-part "Game Of Cards" suite, for instanceat almost 13 minutes the album's longest trackborrows its form from a Stravinsky ballet score, while "Drone Job" plays with 12-tone saxophone lines. But in Siegel's bands, intellect never overwhelms depth of feeling or the sense of being in the moment. It is a rare and beautiful conflation that gives Urban Theme Park, like all Siegel's recent work, magnetism and depth. Highly recommended. ">
Track Listing
Six Four; One For J. T.; Heart Song; Keys To The City; Game Of Cards; Lifeline; Interlude; Fantasy In D; Drone Job.
Personnel
Julian Siegel
saxophone, tenorJulian Siegel: soprano saxophone, tenor saxophone, clarinet, bass clarinet; Liam Noble: piano, keyboards; Oli Hayhurst: double bass; Gene Calderazzo: drums.
Album information
Title: Urban Theme Park | Year Released: 2011 | Record Label: Basho Records
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