“…an artistic work of passion.” – LA Jazz Reviews Harmonic Monk

Matt Lavelle & John Pietaro – “Harmolodic Monk”Hmonk1
Unseen Rain Records

Matt Lavelle, cornet/flugelhorn/alto clarinet; John Pietaro, vibraphone/bodhran/ congas/percussion.

Here is another artistic endeavor to celebrate Thelonius Monk’s historic compositions. Right off the bat, Lavelle’s horn grabs my attention, singing “Epistrophe” with Pietaro using percussion techniques and vibraphone to support Lavelle’s solo journey. I enjoyed the simplicity of sound that allowed Monks melodies to shine. For just two people to decide to provide an entire album of Monk’s music for our listening pleasure, I assume they must be improvisational wizards. Here is an artistic work of passion. Some of the songs are eight and nine minutes long. It takes talent, inspiration and tenacity for two people to fill up nearly ten minutes playing a single song. Lavelle takes time to talk to himself with his various horns on a single tune, laying down the cornet to pick up alto clarinet or flugelhorn. Pietaro, an adept percussionist, paints the tunes with various shades of instrumentation on vibraphone, bells, using whistle sounds, congas and various other percussive layers. This is an album of personal expression and passionate improvisation. – Dee Dee McNeil

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Wonderful Harmolodic Monk Review from Croatia

Sound Guardian Review of Harmolodic MonkUR9953.inside_right_For_CD

The title says it all! It reminds us of two jazz musicians who have marked the genre musical with innovation and distinctive authoritative work: saxophonist Ornette Coleman and pianist Thelonious Monk. While both early career met with incomprehension, even neglect, today they are celebrated as giants. Monk is one of the greatest composers in history of jazz, an author of a wealth of songs that have become jazz standards. His creativity is still an inspiration for new generations of jazz – and not only jazz musicians. Many of them are recorded themed albums with his compositions, among others the famous soprano saxophonist Steve Lacy, who was a great admirer of his work.

One of the most important representatives of free-jazz, Coleman founded his own musical concept – philosophy – which he called Harmolodics, and based it on his own composition/improvisation principles. Multi-instrumentalists Matt Lavelle and John Pietaro decided to record a theme album that honors both. The Monk’s works are processed in a manner close to Coleman harmolodics concept. The template for improvisation are found in some of Monk’s most famous songs: “Epistrophy”, “Pannonica”, “‘Round Midnight”, “Crepescule With Nellie”, “Ruby My Dear”, “Blue Monk”, “Monk’s Mood” and “In Walked Bud “, but also those less known to a wider circle of listeners, such as” Green Chimneys “and” Let’s Cool One “.

In addition to  the musical setting, Lavelle, who plays cornet, flugelhorn and alto clarinet, and Pietaro, who plays the vibraphone, bodhran (Irish drum similar to the Arabic instruments related defu), congas and percussion, their approach is based on the philosophy of a grand music. For example, there is the significant Coleman’s story about his appearance at the psychiatric ward of a hospital when, looking at the audience, he could not distinguish between physicians from patients, as well as Bartok’s belief that new music has to be deeply rooted in folk music, the world’s musical heritage. All these experiences and consolidate completely in their vision of contemporary improvised music.

Although they are virtuosos who play musical instruments, that aspect is secondary. Primary is a new approach to standards, sound research, communication and interaction. The music that We would be happy to listen to some of this music at the upcoming  Zagreb Biennial.

– Davor Hrvoj, Sound Guardian
Dragutin Andrić, Editor-In-Chief www.soundguardian.com

Suberb Review of Harmolodic Monk in Highland Magazine

Harmolodic Monk (UR9953)
Emblematic of bebop, growing out of stride piano playing including ragtime styles, Thelonious Monk is a jazz legend, a prolific composer and improviser of the highest level. He remains, in fact, a continual source of inspiration.

How do we then distinguish from the various tributes to his glory? Lavelle and Pietaro have the solution, applying Ornette Coleman’s Harmolodic theory to this music.

Explaining this seeming arcane musical vision is the challenge. It consists of a fusion of harmony and melody in a polyphony sans the usual constrictions. In a free jazz approach, this allows for more than one musician playing the same melody but starting at different pitches, so tonality per-se doesn’t govern the music but instead tones, rhythm, melody, tempo are all equal, which Ornette calls unison.

And what could be more natural than to see multi-instrumentalist Matt Lavelle present in this project? It is indeed his time with Ornette Coleman, which makes him all the more legitimate to carry this adventure. Playing in turn cornet, flugelhorn, pocket trumpet and alto clarinet, Lavelle is joined by John Pietaro on vibes, congas, percussion and the Irish drum known as the bodhran.

Ambitious and promising …

Epistrophy: The spooky atmosphere gives us a glimpse of this concept as Lavelle holds the melody from the top of his clarinet and Pietaro digresses nicely with percussion, together forming an inseparable whole. Captivating, enhanced by mic’ing closer to the instrumentalists. This complex piece is
tamed for us and all its subtlety is revealed.

Pannonica follows this line, with a more digressive Lavelle, though again in a harmonious musical symbiosis. Green Chimneys brings color to the music, thanks to almost tribal percussion followed by a warm flugelhorn at every turn.

Round Midnight is also fascinating with the first vibraphone alone,
suspending the time for three minutes, seemingly more traditional yet still so ethereal. A no less excellent version of a Monk title is Crepuscule With Nellie featuring a break in improvisation that is close enough to the original to be sobering. Lavelle grants himself the right to play solo, shattering everything with musical brilliance. If Monk fans are skeptical of the ownership
of these titles, this should settle them!

Ruby My Dear has the same relevance to original melody, but this time it’s Pietaro’s vibraphone. Equally adept, he repeats the feat by remaining close to the original while applying the theory of harmolodics solo! The result is even more convincing! Let’s Cool One is somewhat less powerful in its rendering, needing a more striking arrival.

Due to its length (nearly 10 minutes), Blue Monk is the most difficult of pieces to grasp. With Lavelle resolutely putting free jazz forward, some listeners may want to leave it on the side of the road on the way. However, if one perseveres, the experience is truly rich and powerful.

The most whimsical moment arrives with Monk’s Mood. With his famous bodhran, Pietaro breathes a different atmosphere into the proceedings, a world music approach, differently from Lavelle is doing. Pietaro plays his instrument fiercely, playing each breath to emit sounds that are amazingly refreshing and gratifying! In Walked Bud closes the album as it began, a harmolodic replica. A beautiful finale.

The bet was risky but it pays off: The formation of a charismatic duo – Lavelle and Pietaro keep their original commitment.

Sublimely produced by Jack DeSalvo, HARMOLODIC MONK is a beautiful album. Monk fans may not appreciate everything, but that’s what makes it so much than just a tribute

Since it may be difficult to approach for the uninitiated it deserves a good
listening because the effort is worth the reward.Though a tad long it lacks nothing in inspiration to keep us constantly surprised. You’ll enjoy a great experience finding out!
– Axel Scheyder

FULMINATE TRIO – TRIANGULATION Download Now Available

Fulminate Trio: Triangulation (UR9949)

Anders Nilsson (guitar), Ken Filiano (double-bass, effects),Michael Evans (drums-percussion)

HD Apple Lossless – $10.99


HD FLAC – $10.99


Apple Lossless – $9.99


FLAC – $9.99


mp3 320 kb – 8.99

Fulminate Trio is a union of astonishing improvisers who create vast soundscapes with guitar, double-bass, drums and effects that would make jazz aficionados best pals with Stockhausen and the great contemporary composers. Not to mention a Buffy Sainte-Marie tune thrown in for good measure.

Triangulation

  1. Maple Sugar Boy
  2. Otra Cosa Aparte
  3. Penumbra
  4. Sex and Violence
  5. Resectioning

Recorded February 24, 2014 Tedesco Studio, Paramus, NJ
Mixed and Mastered by Jim DeSalvo at Beanstudio, Wayne, NJDesign by Qua’s Eye Graphix
Executive producers: Gene Gaudette, Jim DeSalvo and Jack DeSalvo

Produced by Jack DeSalvo

JazzWeekly Reviews JULIE

Vocalist Julie Lyon has a voice that recalls Blossom Dearie, and also benefits from an air tight band, similar in makeup with Tom Cabrera/dr, Jack DeSalvo/g and Bobby Brennan/b but with the added attraction of trumpeter/clarinetist Matt LaVelle, who adds some nice horn sounds on the cheerful “Strollin’” and alto clarinet on the glistening “Dindi.” The band has a gentle stride going one step at a time on “Every Time We Say Goodbye” and while her voice sounds a bit distant on “Bye Bye Blackbird” and during the loosey goosey “Born to Be Blue,” the symbiosis of the band carries her over the River Jordan into the Promised Land.

http://www.jazzweekly.com/2015/02/canaries-ellen-lafurn-cest-la-furn-julie-lyon-quintet-julie/

JULIE CD Available HERE

NOW AVAILABLE!
Triangulation – Fulminate Trio

UR9949.folderFulminate Trio’s debut Unseen Rain recording – available now in HD and CD quality and mp3.


HD Apple Lossless – $10.99


HD FLAC – $10.99


Apple Lossless – $9.99


FLAC – $9.99


mp3 320 kb – 8.99

Triangulation

  1. Maple Sugar Boy
  2. Otra Cosa Aparte
  3. Penumbra
  4. Resectioning
  5. Sex and Violence

Fulminate Trio

Anders Nilsson (guitar), Ken Filiano (double bass, electrionics),Michael Evans (drums and percussion)

Recorded February 24, 2014 Tedesco Studio, Paramus, NJ
Design by Qua’s Eye Graphix
Mixed and Mastered by Jim DeSalvo at Beanstudio, Wayne, NJ
Executive producers: Gene Gaudette, Jim DeSalvo and Jack DeSalvo
Produced by Jack DeSalvo

  1. Maple Sugar Boy
  2. Otra Cosa Aparte
  3. Penumbra
  4. Resectioning
  5. Sex and Violence

Fulminate Trio
Anders Nilsson (guitar), Ken Filiano (double bass, electrionics), Michael Evans (drums and percussion)

Recorded February 24, 2014 Tedesco Studio, Paramus, NJ
Design by Qua’s Eye Graphix
Mixed and Mastered by Jim DeSalvo at Beanstudio, Wayne, NJ
Executive producers: Gene Gaudette, Jim DeSalvo and Jack DeSalvo
Produced by Jack DeSalvo