LES DISQlJES• NOW ORCHESTRA &MARILYN CRISPEL <> I. Pola(Coat Cooke-Socan) 3'021! 2. Yin.,Yang (MarilynCrispell-BM!) I5'33" 3. March(Coat Cooke-Socan) 2'59" 4. M.C.(RonSamworth-Socan)12'3I" 5. BrokenDreams(CoatCooke-Socan}12'12" 6. Suffused with BlueLight(CoatCooke-Socan) I 0133'1 NOW ORCHESTRA Coat Cooke, directionartistique Kate Hammett-Vaughan: voix Bruce Freedman : saxophone alto Graham Ord: saxophonestenor et soprano, flute Saul Berson : saxophone alto, darinette, flute John Korsrud: trompette, bugle Kevin Elaschuk: trompette, bugle Rod Murray: trombone Brad Mukhead : trombone basse Ron Samworth : guitare Paul Blaney: contrebasse Clyde Reed: contrebasse Dylan van der Schyff : batterie Coat Cooke : saxophonesbaryton et tenor, flute Invitee: Marilyn Crispell : piano ®uow0rehe$tro • @ les EdffionsVICTORIAVILL6 el LesDisque• VICTO,$0CAN 2005 1 111111111111111111 m11n 1111 77405 00972 U2 Enregistreau studioThe Factoryde Vancouverles 26 et 27 novembre2004. I regard the NOW Orchestra as one of the finest large creative ensembles active in the last decade. The combinations of high levels of individual creativity and virtuosity with a strong sense of collectivity is a rare and treasured combination that the NOW Orchestra manifests very strongly ... 11 ••• 11 George Lewis, Earshot Jazz C.P. 460, VICTORIAVILLE, QUEBEC, CANADA, G6P 6T3. TEL.: (819) 752-7912 FAX: (819) 758-4370 info@victo.qc.ca www.victo.qc.ca NQWOrchestrawith MarilynCrispell Pola VrcTo Vancouver saxophonist Coat Cooke's 13piece NOW Orchestra might be most notable as one of the largest backing bands in jazz, having worked with George Lewis and Rene Lussier, among others. This time out, they're ably joined by pianist Marilyn Crispell, who isn't there as a featured soloist but an integrated band member - the way it oughta be, even if it might disappoint some who look to the disc for the sort of energetic playing her own records have shown less and less of in recent years. The studio session starts off strong, with a quick, three-minute romp by Cooke that shows the ensemble'sstrength and gives the record its title.They then move in to Crispell'sone composition here,the 15-minute ''Yin Yang,"which shows a strong integration of composing, arranging, conducting and playing.Two more Cooke pieces and one by guitarist RonSamworth complete the set.Throughout, scattering horn lines,fluid piano and driving energy make the whole affair more than a little reminiscent of the Michael Mantler/Carla Bley JazzComposer'sOrchestra of the late '60s and early '?Os. The orchestra marks 20 years of playing together-sometimes with ongoing weekly engagements-next year,and the clean movement and keen playing built over that time are well evident here. If Crispell fans would hope to hear more of her than the disc offers, her contribution to the set list alone is worth the price of admission. .... ...· i < , Lfv;h,NJolde , ..• · • • , Pola •NowQrchestraJMarilyn · ... Crispell (Victo) • > •. . . . >by Jadith InseH . . . ·.•..• WJ;teri>three ~stabli;hed jaz~. pi~sts pair up with thre~JciI~e enseD1ples, ho.wcould you go wrong? In th~~ tlt:r~~_cas~~everyt):i,ing goes justtight! ,.... . . . • • Marilyn Crispen cin.d~):teNow O!chestra 6£fer up wonderful ava,nt garde in:te:raction.son Pola. Crispell' s piano. becomes. a thread in .a mu.sicaltapestry of Colors andKate Ha~ett-V aughan' s voice •appears throughout, adding rich and vibrant .texture. Much .of the CD featurel> soloists J:t'eely imprt;,vising over • densely ~omposed ·•b&ckground structures. Each instrmnen~alist in the Now Orchestrc1.is· a top-notch mugician, improvising solos that. stretch the limits of their instruments. Pola represents freeja.zzinthe,most positive light. • • • • •Corea,c Camilo and Crispell are brav:~ly pursuing the exploration of newjazz territories. Check out these CDri, theychallenge and excite the ears. • KuJITGoTrscHALK 18 mai 2006 NOW Orchestra & Marilyn Crispell- (Victo) Pola Rejean Beaucage .... Chick Coreaf.frondheim Ja;zz brche~tra (MNJ) R.hq:psodyin Blue Michel Camilo (Telarc) Voi A.- McJ-rP.iAL C'est le deuxieme disque de l'orchestre de Vancouver sous etiquette Victo, apres celui enregistre avec Rene Lussier. lei, il est augmente de la magnifique pianiste Marilyn Crispell, une favorite de !'etiquette, qui y apparait pour la sixieme fois. II ne s'agit pas de l'enregistrement d'un concert au FIMAV, mais d'un projet de studio, enregistre en 2004. Quatre des pieces sont du saxophoniste et directeur artistique de l'orchestre, Coat Cooke, qui delaisse souvent le grand ensemble au profit du travail sur de petites cellules; une autre est du guitariste Ron Samworth et une demiere de la pianiste invitee, que l'on est heureux d'entendre chaque fois qu'elle se presente au milieu de l'orchestre, ce qui pourrait arriver plus souvent. ' NOW Orchestra & Marilyn Crispell P@i&J Victo CD • The Now Orchestra- Pola i (VICTO CD 96) Due out in October, this brand new offering by Vancouver's perennial musical collective NOW • may well signal a new chapter in its history. 1 • Best known for its collaborations with cuttingedge composer-performers such as George Lewis, Barry Guy or Leo Smith, this band has brought back into the fold one of its past contributors, pianist Marilyn Crispell. In spite of her formidable musical presence, she is not ' put in the spotlight continuously, and avoids the trappings of a star soloist rambling on in front of a backdrop orchestra. In conatrast, she integrates herself intelligently into the proceedings, soloing with as much panache and concision as well as accompanying to best effect. Six tracks cover this 57-minute side, four by the group's artistic director, reedist Coat Cooke, one by guitarist Ron Samworth, I the final item ('Ying Yang") by the keyboardist, the latter being a veritable chiaroscuro of orchestral and soloistic colours. BY MARC CHENARD CODA The NOW Orchestra, thirteen musicians strong is here embellished by pianist Marilyn Crispell. This improvising ensemble is part of the Canadian New Orchestra workshop Society, an artist-run collective formed in 1977. Po/a offers six tracks, all under the direction of saxophonist Coat Cooke. Crispell's appearance marks a return for her, having performed as guest soloist with the orchestra in 1988. Five of Cooke's compositions are joined by Crispell's "Yin Yang," which, as the title suggests, moves from breathy wisps to pummeling density over the course of it's fifteen-plus minutes. Elsewhere, "Broken Dreams" is a study in other contrasts. Deeply resonant horn figures are encircled by flutes before Crispell's tentatively entering chordal bursts take the reins, building into a fury that beckons the whole orchestra back in. This is followed by a shift as a second movement brings the focus back down to smaller voiced minutia. David Greenberger ------SIGNAL to NOISE I issue 42 :: summer 2006 Now Orchestra and Marilyn Crispell: Pola Victo CD097 ****** Made up of some of the strongest voices on the Vancouver scene, the Now Orchestra is an i ensemble with a difi ference, focusing on collective improvisation. This latest release finds them with an old friend and former collaborator, pianist Marilyn Crispell, who contributes the 1 slowly evolving, contrast-rich "Yin Yang". Four , of the other compositions are by artistic director Coat Cooke, and one comes from guitarist Ron Samworth. All six tunes could serve as models of thematic conciseness, balanced with collective development via improvisation. Two of Cooke's shortest pieces are compressed vehicles that show the band's ability to burn within the rigours of closely controlled writing. The musicians blaze with just as much intensity on the other, longer vehicles - notably Samworth's "M.C.", which embeds one of the most lyrical brass lines on the album, Cooke's ominous, almost Wagnerian "Broken Dreams," ! and the pointillist and poetic "Suffused with Blue Light". PS the music scene spring 2006 NOW Orchestra and Marilyn Crispell Pola. VICTOcd 097. . by KernWaxman Without a whiff of prima-donnameets-local-musicians attitude, Woodstock, N.Y.pianist-composer Marilyn Crispell is the newest outof-town guest on this collaboration with Vancouver's venerable creative music collective, the New Orchestra Workshop (NOW)Orchestra. Consisting of a clutch of Vancouver's top improvisers, who also lead their own bands, the thirteen-piece NOW Orchestra has in the past worked with Quebecois guitarist Rene Lussierand California-based trombonist George Lewis.Unlike those strong personalities, Crispell-bestknown for her tenure in reedist Anthony Braxton's 1980s-1990s quartet-assumes the piano chair on Pola as if she has been part of the ensemble for years. There are detriments as well as benefits to this approach. Performing one of her own •compositions, three by NOW artistic director, multi-woodwind suMMER 2006 player Coat Cook, and one by band-member guitarist Ron Samworth, the attitude-free pianist seemsto demand no more than her allotted time on each track. A more dynamic and assertive stance on her part could perhaps have constrained some of the CD'sweaker spots. A prime example is the final track, Cook's more-than-tenminute "Suffused with Blue Light." Although it consists of macro (whole band) and micro (soloist) fluctuations similar to those of the other tunes, the overall muted, massed harmonies are so understated that you suspect aimless noodling in some sections.. A double double-bass duo from Paul Blarney and Clyde Reedis a highlight of the CD: with one of them striating the strings near the pegs and the other strumming fullfingered tremolos in mid-range, they become one eight-stringed monster, controlling the action with a steady drone. The downside, however, is the overly dramatic acting out of an impressionistic poem by vocalist Kate HammettVaughan, whose whispering reading brings an unneeded solemnity to the proceedings. On the upside, Crispell's "Ying Yang" and Samworth's "M.C.," (the latter likely written for the pianist), are two bang-up examples of what the NOW contributes at its best. On the former piece, the guitarist's rough plinking circles through tones, as the orchestra slowly insinuates itself onto the track. As the accompaniment moves from being feltto being heard,. successivesolos involve closely breathed flute lines, a sputtering double bass,and some contrapuntal hide-and-seek among trumpet, trombone, and tenor saxophone. After a display of near recital-like piano patterning, Hammett-Vaughan's wordless soprano moaning brings things to· a fitting end. The vocalist's purported speaking in tongues meets up with traffic-jam-like reed squeals and clashing cymbals from drummer Dylan van der Schyff in the climax of "M.C." Beginning with heraldic brass and bird-like reed squeals, the first variation on the initial elegiac line is superseded by strummed arpeggios and patterning from Crispell, unaccompanied, until a stretched octave turns the climax into a finale of measured tonality. I #95 musicworks GAZ-ETA I recenzje- numer46 - SIERPIEN2006 NOW ORCHESTRA & MARILYN CRISPELL Pola [Victo, www.victo.qc.ca} Vancouver-based powerhouse, NOW Orchestra [New Orchestra Workshop] has been churning out records with guest artists for around fifteen years now. Everyone from Barry Guy, George Lewis, Butch Morris, Wadada Leo Smith, Rene Lussier and countless others have been in residence with the Orchestra or have recorded a record along with them. They have such a strong following in the Vancouver area that nearly every other year, Vancouver Jazz Festival mainstay Ken Pickering books the Orchestra back again with the addition of a new guest artist. Though opportunities are rare in terms of travel [which tends to be expensive for a group of fourteen people], concerts have happened in the past at Victo [where I caught them a while back with Rene Lussier], Toronto and in places as far as Portugal. Their music was always a tightly knit, semi-composed, semiimprovised rendition of adventurous big band music. Recorded two years ago ln Vancouver, their latest offering "Pola" is centered around the many talents of pianist Marilyn Crispell. In fact, it's her poly-rhythmic, percussive keystrokes that are featured throughout the piece that are the highlight of many of the pieces. Thick clusters she is known for from many records in the past [especially solo ones] are evident everywhere. This doesn't necessarily mean Crispell overpowers any member of the orchestra. It'.s just that her style in itself is powerful enough to shake the waHs. Kate Hammett-Vaughan's vocal chords are front and centre as well. Trumpets are especially strong this time around as both John Korsrud and Kevin F!aschuk duel out in constant fu!! frontal attacks. Rod Murray's downright soothing trombone work is an antithesis to all the chaotic movements. Each movement is so different from the next and each one has a world of possibilities to offer, Running the gamut from big band music, improvisation, and finally stopping in the new music field, the Orchestra is once again alive with the world of possibilities. Whether provoking the listener into a situation or creating new events out of thin air, NOW Orchestra have once again risen to the task at hand. - Tom Sekowski •http://www.gaz-eta.vivo.pl/gaz-eta/recenzje/gazeta.php?nr=46&id=s_5 NOW Orchestra & Marilyn Crispell: Pola (2004 [2005], Victo): NOW stands for New Orchestra Workshop, not that that helps much. Based in Vancouver under baritone saxophonist Coat Cooke's artistic direction, they've been around in some form or other since 1987 (or maybe 1977). With 14 musicians, including a vocalist used mostly for sound, they're a large, potentially ungainly, group, but I'm more struck by how they pull together. Their recordings seem to be tied to guest opportunities -- Barry Guy, Rene Lussier, George Lewis -and Crispell fills that role here. In fact, she's worth concentrating on. Especially if you thought her ECM albums have been a bit tame lately, she gets plenty rough here. [B+(***)] Jazz Prospecting (CG #10, Part 8) - Tom Hull http://www.tomhulLcom/blog/archives/268-Jazz-Prospecting-CG-1 0,-Part-8.html NOW ORCHESTRA & MARILYN CRISPELL Pola (Les Disques Victo, VICTO 097): Das kanadische NOW Orchestra, geleitet vom Bariton- & Tenorsaxophonisten Coat Cooke, der auch mit ,Broken Dreams', ,Suffused with Blue Light' und den Miniaturen ,Pola' und ,March' der Hauptstuckelieferant ist, gehort zu den schnittigen unter den A vantblaskapellen. Bei der er,sten Begegnung noch Vehikel fur Rene Lussiers Le Tour du Bloc-Eskapaden (Victo, 1995), ist dasl3-kopfige Ensemble nun Gastgeber fiir die Pianistin Crispell, die mit ,Yin Yang' eine der sechs Kompositionen beisteuerte, eine Meditation aus Haltetonen mit zartem Gitarrengefunkel, die ihren Gegensatz schon in sich triigt, aber auch die Kraft, wieder ins Gleichgewicht zurlick zu finden. Geblieben ist bei NOW die Besetzung mit Dylan van der Schyff am Schlagzeug, dem Gitarristen Ron Samworth, der mit ,M.C.' ein Stuck fur den Ehrengast komponiert hat, mit zwei Kontrabassen und auf der Blechseite sogar noch verstarktem Geblase. Die Vokalistin Kate Hammett-Vaughan agiert dazwischen als Klangspritzer und giftiges Wollknauel. Sie lasst sich selbst beim furiosen Getrote von ,March' nicht vom Hosenbein schiitteln. Furios bis zum Anschlag ist auch das M. C. gewidmete Holterdipolter mit einem Saxophon, das sich erst nach acht Minuten biindigen lasst, wobei die Ruhe nach dem Sturm verdachtig wie eine Ruhe vor dem Sturm grummelt. Und tatsachlich, bei den Aufriiumversuchen tritt jemand dem SchoBhundchen des Orchesters auf die Pfote, mit verheerenden Folgen, bis endlich Madame Crispell personlich auf den Tisch klopft. Uber brummigen Brassbassen und Gewuhle in den tiefen Registem des Pianos schimpft anschlieBend eine Posaune tiber die Storung ihrer Traume. Die V/ogen glatten sich, das ganze Ensemble versinkt in Traumereien, auch die Posaune findet ihren Frieden zwischen Tag und Traum. Als ob sich ,Broken Dreams' so einfach kitten lieBen. ,Suffused in Blue Light' springt als Pollock ab, verwandelt sich im Sprung in einen Yves Klein, aus