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Guitarrasalto
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Edge City Collective
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Guitarrasalto
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Jon Madof guitars Michael Taylor double bass and bass guitar Jon Thompson tenor saxophone, flute and melodica Ranji Kumar accordion Scott Schaffer guitars, bass guitar and mandolin. |
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Guitarrasalto Reviews
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"The moment I received [Guitarrasalto] and put it on my CD player, I
knew that I had found a treasure... This [record] is a feast for the ear... intricate tangos mix freely with avant-garde fluidity and jazzy intaglios to
create a magnificent tableaux of fresh verve and exuberant vitality.
Surprisingly classical but, at the same time, audaciously new. This is a
great recording from these five independent, improvisational artists, to be had
and savoured all summer long!"
- Stavros Moschopoulos, FAO Casa Gazette, Roma
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| "This collection... is all
about emotion. At times reminiscent of Paulinho Noguira and other
great Brazilian jazz artists... "Upekuzi" is as pretty as
anything Henry Kaiser and Donald Lindley have discovered on their journeys
through Mozambique. When their pieces become harsher and more
experimental, as in the title track and "Fanatango Primo" (which
includes brilliant flute work by Jon Thompson), the pleasures are less
immediate, but once again strongly rewarding. Those who love every
aspect of the guitar will love this... The Collective's focus... is very
broad and diverse, appealing to fans of guitar work understated as Guy
Clark or as complex as Steve Reich." [full
review]
- Theodore Defosse, Splendid E-Zine
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| "The variety of sounds
they get with acoustic guitars, basses, sax, flute, melodica, accordion
and a touch of mandolin is astounding... creating a palette of emotional
soundscapes that is at once soothing and unsettling, urban with an
occasional touch of country roots. All instrumental, heady, and full
of feeling, [Guitarrasalto] is a fascinating
collection." [full
review]
- da Flower Punk, PauseRecord
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| "Edge City Collective is a
remarkable confederacy of quiet grace, swinging jazz and musical
invention. They are unclassifiable-and happily so... this is just
the beginning of far-reaching recognition of Philadelphia's burgeoning
avant-garde scene."
- Liz
Spikol, Philadelphia Weekly
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| "What is remarkable is that on most
tracks you may be hearing the first and only performance of a piece -- truly the act of
creation captured for the listener's enjoyment... be sure to check out Guitarrasalto
and give the Collective a critical listen." [full review]
- Guitar Nine Records Magazine
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| Who says music has to be
formulaic and structured? The group of musicians that make up the
Edge City Collective make it a point to take risks and explore the unknown
possibilities of music... The dixieland jive of
"Osweetmoses" merges into the experimental flamenco of
"Nippon Theme", which gives way to the percussive noises and
electric riffs of "Guitarrasalto." The driving sounds of
"Fanatango Primo" are dramatic and intense. "The
Portal" has a very modern and airy feel, and the classical guitar of
"Upaya" is romantic and sweet... The
experimentation keeps the music alive and enjoyable from beginning to
end."
- Mish Mash Indie Music Reviews
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| The players are all fine musicians, with chops a-plenty and the wherewithal to apply
them... Each title sounds very different from the one before or after it [yet] the group
does seem to maintain an identity. If your taste in listening runs toward the sweet and tonal, pick this up."
[full
review]
- Jeph Jerman, The Improvisor
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| "Four stars... an experiment in theme-based
free improvisation and guerilla aesthetics... "Osweetmoses" has both
Madof and Schaffer earning wows all around... "Fanatango Primo,"
[featuring] Ranji Kumar's accordion and Jon Thompson's flute, also stands
out."
- Jeff Morris, 52nd St. Jazz
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"[Guitarrasalto's] 15 tracks dip into
multiple cultural themes and offer up twists at each turn... Opener
"Citron" is a rather atmospheric guitar and bass contemplation;
"Osweetmoses" a Les Paul-ian rag; "Fanatango Secondo"
explodes with post-mariachi grandeur; while the title track bobs and weaves in a
John Fahey-esque lurch."
- Brian Howard, Philadelphia City Paper
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| "The Edge City Collective delivers on [its]
mission with heart and great passion. The music ebbs and flows with a sophistication
rarely heard in improvised music. Recommended."
- Drimala.com
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| "Four stars... This CD was full of
instrumental bliss."
- Kas Walters, Nefarious Magazine
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| "[Guitarrasalto
is] an eclectic, creative, improvisational
product... of course calling it a product is exactly what the artists are set against...
nuanced, melodious... avant-garde, experimental... the melding of genres and instruments
comes off well."
- Armand Canales, The Critical Review
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