Reviews

• John Lindberg Quartet
  Winter Birds
  Between The Lines, 2005
  
  From his auspicious beginnings in the late 1970's loft jazz scene; co-founding the String Trio of New York and on to leading a number of small ensembles, bassist John Lindberg is more than just a reliable sideman. A writer of engaging and enjoyable melodies, it is a shame that wider exposure has eluded him for so long. This second recording from his quartet will help make amends.
  
  A continuation of sorts to 2003's Ruminations Upon Ives and Gottschalk, Lindberg's new quartet album consists of material honed on the road, then perfected and expanded in the studio.
  
  Lindberg leads a quartet with international flavor. The leader's bass playing veers from exploratory percussive manipulations and resonant bowing to in the pocket grooves, while Susie Ibarra's incomparable percussion excursions embody tonalities found the world over. Steve Gorn spends equal time not only on the more traditional soprano saxophone and clarinet, but bansuri flute as well.
  Baikida Carroll doubles on trumpet and flugelhorn for alternately brash and lyrical playing.
  
  The tunes themselves are marvels of restrained exuberance. The five thematically connected miniatures that open the album display the quartet's ability to swing in different time signatures and genres. Vivid riffing and buoyant rhythm section work lead into the more meditative title track, a gentle excursion in mellifluous, relaxed swing. "Resurrection of a Dormant Soul" begins with adroit call and response between vigorously plucked bass and manic hand drumming before a bluesy line emerges with the bass gently walking into a funky vamp for Carroll's pliant trumpet and Gorn's exotic bansuri flute. Otherworldly tonalities introduce the ghostly, Asiatic meditation, "Ether." Lindberg's neo-classical bowing can be heard to best effect on the "The Siladette Awakening," a stately chamber-esque opus. Closing out the record on a high note, "The Chicken Fix" is down home gritty free bop with soul, replete with Carroll's gutbucket s mears and growls.
  
  Lindberg is well respected in the closed but fertile scene he inhabits, but this album should find him the sort of expanded audience his talent deserves.
  

• Troy Collins
  June 20, 2005

JOHN LINDBERG with BAIKIDA CARROLL/STEVE GORN/SUSIE IBARRA - Winter Birds

(Between the Lines 71203/Germany) Featuring Baikida Carroll on trumpet & flugelhorn, Steve Gorn on bansuri flutes, soprano sax & clarinet, John Lindberg on contrabass & compositions and Susie Ibarra drums & percussion. This master bassist, John Lindberg's second disc with this superb quartet and about his 15th date as a leader. The quartet had just played thirteen concerts throughout Europe and sound particularly strong in the studio afterwards. They start with a sort of suite, called "BAM!", "Quatre" is an odd, suspense-filled oft-kilter almost funk thing. John writes rather quirky songs, which move in strange ways.

Both Baikida (trumpets) and Steve (reeds) have a more restrained sound, a warm tone that gives the quartet a more cerebral, dreamy vibe. The bass and drums are often the central force, providing the thread that holds it all together.

Many of the pieces are very short, they just seem to create a certain mood and then quickly fade away. I hadn't heard Mr. Gorn play clarinet before this, but his playing is most impressive with that Jimmy Giuffre-like glow and grace. The title track features a fine, subtle percussion solo from Susie, as well as exquisite, spacious horns. "Resurrection of a Dormant Soul" has an amazing drums and bass duo that really works well in the first section, then expands to a strong quartet with more fine flugel and some enchanting wood flute. John's bowed bass and Steve's bansuri flute sound just right together on the haunting piece, "Ether", with Susie also joining on those gamelon gongs, adding to the mystery. A quietly provocative offering that is perfect for inner dream sequences. - BLG, Downtown Music Gallery

 

• Winter Birds
  John Lindberg | Between the Lines (2005) By Francis Lo Kee
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John Lindberg is a deep musician. In almost thirty recordings as leader or co-leader, he has assembled some of the most interesting collections of great players you will ever find. Some of his so-called sidemen have included trumpeter Wadada Leo Smith, drummers Andrew Cyrille and Ed Thigpen, the recently departed Albert Mangelsdorff, and Steve Lacy. Probably what intrigues such important musicians enough to play with Lindberg is that his compositions are not only interesting, but they communicate emotion. His rhythms and melodies bring out happiness, sadness, humour, and more.

Winter Birds builds from the same quartet that brought us Lindberg's highly acclaimed Ruminations Upon Ives and Gottschalk. "Bam! Quatre" begins. It’s a strangely subtle suite, a sort of minimalist approach to backbeat music. Imagine Frankenstein walking across a dance stage while the band interprets his motions in music. The improvising is kept to a minimum, the short piece clocking in at only two and a half minutes.

"Bam! Cinq" swings in five and the pattern for the suite is set—five short pieces, ranging from one and a half to two and a half minutes, in the time signature that the French word implies. Ending the entire suite is "Bam! Sept,"
starting with, you guessed it, a bass part in seven, though with a little more improvisation this time and an attractive clarinet counterpoint against the bass part.

Moving into the title track, the band becomes more confident (sometimes in the Bam! suite it sounds hemmed in by or unsure of the written material). By "Resurrection of a Dormant Soul," you really feel it opening up and hitting its stride; an explosive bass and drum duo eventually leads into a swinging bass line that moves into one of the strongest, most attractive compositions of the session.

Trumpeter Baikida Carroll's solo is one of the highlights, followed by probably the highlight by Steve Gorn. Gorn plays clarinet, soprano saxophone, and the Indian bansuri flute, on which he is a recognized master (that's him playing in the Academy Award-winning Born into Brothels). His solo on the wind instrument here is breathtaking.

The sonically amazing "Either" is really where this quartet excels and sets itself apart from the hard core free jazzers on one side, and the "new mainstreamers" on the other. "Siladette Awakening" starts with Susie Ibarra’s subtle drum solo while the beautiful melody weaves in and out between bass, trumpet, and soprano sax. "The Chicken Fix" has a Mingus-like quality, starting with a bluesy dialogue between growling trumpet and arco bass, eventually giving way to a jam over a propulsive bassline that evokes memories of "Haitian Fight Song"... a great way to end the recording!

This is another fascinating chapter in the work of John Lindberg and the second chapter of this particular quartet, which will hopefully continue to grow and record.

Track listing: BAM! Quatre; BAM! Cinq; BAM! Neuf; BAM! Onze; BAM! Sept; Winter Birds; Resurrection Of A Dormant Soul; Either; Siladette Awakening; The Chicken Fix.

Personnel: Baikida Carroll: trumpet, flugelhorn; Steve Gorn: clarinet, soprano saxophone, bansuri; Susie Ibarra: percussion, drums; John Lindberg: bass.

Style: Modern Jazz/Free Improvisation

 

• One of John Lindberg's most enduring distinctions is that he demonstrates how much having fun could-probably should-be central to modern-jazz dynamics.  It seems like Lindberg is one of the few bassists who actively pursues this emanation of Charles Mingus' smile.    What makes his recent Bounce such a rewarding listen is that his sense of humor and dexterity balances and sparks the acumen of a particularly like-minded quartet.  Lindberg's own words in the liner notes, mentioning how his compositions are tailored to convey a "relaxed enthusiasm," are accurate. 
       Lindberg's most striking new collaborator is trumpeter Dave Douglas, whose technique and imagination continues to astound. On the disc's opener, "Firewood Duet," Lindberg's syncopated vamps provide the ideal launch and exchange for Douglas' sidelong growls.  The rhythm section of Lindberg and drummer Ed Thigpen also pushes Douglas to soar on "Fortune on a Sphere."   About a third of the way through that piece, Lindberg suddenly shifts the mood by switching from a dark arco to more beat-laden pizzicato while Thigpen responds with a brush-and-cymbal combination. During this substitution, Douglas swings from a muted to a brightly unbridled tone.
       Throughout the disc, the quartet's jocularity takes on different forms. The aptly named title track draws on a sack of upbeat vamps that are the quartet's answers to Lindberg's call. On the same tune, saxophonist Larry Ochs draws on his freewheeling experience from the ROVA Saxophone Quartet with his fragmented solo. Lindberg's snappy vibe on "Common Goal" opens up a path for Thigpen's brief explosions. Ochs also uses these techniques on the charmingly crackpot march "Eleven Thrice" as a combination to Lindberg's high pitch.   Subversively, Thigpen's shuffling drums and cymbals change the otherwise plaintive effects of the quartet leader's Bartokian bow work on "Off Right."
       Fifteen years ago, when then 23 year old Lindberg recorded the notable Give and Take, his group's take on whimsical free improv embraced slurps and gasps into their palette.  While that approach didn't cover up for a lack of skill back then, Bounce shows how accomplished Lindberg's technique is now by any traditional measuring stick. Lindberg and his pals also still know how to avoid becoming too ponderous.
  -Aaron Cohen, Down Beat ()
  

• Long the bassist with the String Trio of New York, Lindberg also has an impressive list of solo projects to his credit.  This latest brings him together with the redoubtable jazz drummer Ed Thigpen, trumpeter Dave Douglas and saxophonist Larry Ochs. The album's title hints at Lindberg's inclinations: his compositions, often angular and melodically abstract, always bounce, whether with a swing beat, a march or a hint of a funky third line.
       Douglas gets most of the lead work-the full quartet appears on only two of the seven tracks-and proves to be a witty and expressive trumpeter with no shortage of ideas.  But the album belongs to Lindberg, featuring his compositions exclusively.  He spends much of the time playing bowed bass, with the album's closer, "Off Right," a virtuoso showpiece.  He also shows his
  prodigious plucked technique on "Common Goal," but switches to the bow after working through a taught duet with Douglas.   Throughout, Lindberg maintains both a drive and a rare sense of fun to his music.  Add the fact that Thigpen is rarely heard in a non-mainstream context and this CD becomes one of the jazz treats of the year.  -John Baxter, Option
  
  
• Bassist John Lindberg, an unheralded master if there ever was one, has released another creative gem.   A consistently imaginative composer-arranger, and a virtuoso instrumentalist, he is also a leader of stellar bands, including his latest quartet with trumpeter Dave Douglas, saxophonist Larry Ochs, and drummer Ed Thigpen.  Lindberg's compositions display both classical and jazz leanings with equal measure as they roam through a catholic range of jazz idioms, from the hard-swinging title track to the pointillistic free group improvisations on "Eleven Thrice."  Douglas is in exceptional form throughout, especially when he's blending his own wide spectrum of tone colors with Lindberg's on the opening "Firewood Duet," and intertwining his lines in counterpoint with Lindberg on "Fortune on a Sphere."  Larry Ochs joins the trio on the title track and "Eleven Thrice," adding gritty textures and a wilder emotional edge to the more-contained trio. And the veteran Thigpen swings gamely no matter what context Lindberg's music thrusts him into. -Ed Hazell, Worcester Phoenix
  

• John Lindberg's ensemble is one of those unconventional outfits that can make a stellar record by subtly turning the normal jazz framework on its edges, and coloring outside the lines.  With the freedom to romp all over the place, Lindberg on bass, trumpeter Dave Douglas, drummer Ed Thigpen and saxophonist Larry Ochs gleefully make music that defies easy categorization.  In a sense, the four operate with style similar to Ornette Coleman's classic quartet, full of unruly prancing, graceful gestures, unexpected turns and joyous little musical ideas that flit by so fast you can't keep up with them all.   In particular, Douglas' trumpet work stands out throughout the album's seven cuts - much of the record seems to be Lindberg and Douglas sparring off each other's ideas while Thigpen and Ochs fill out the background.  Faves include the title track, "Firewood Duet," "Eleven Thrice," and the elegant intro that opens "Fortune on a Sphere," with Douglas' restrained trumpet meshing with Lindberg's bowed bass and Thigpen's brushwork.
  -James Lien, CMJ Online
  
  
• It's somehow comforting to know that John Lindberg is still playing, still recording, still there.   The bassist has injected a certain abandon into more familiar musical styles and come up with one of the most invigorating mixes around.  And if you want a mix, Bounce is the place to find it.  Just a quick glance at its core trio (saxophonist Larry Ochs is added on two tracks) should cause the ol' elevator effect to hit your eyebrows.  The maverick trumpeter Dave Douglas would seem to fit right into Lindberg's quirky world, but Ed Thigpen?   Mr. Taste?  Best known for his association with the Oscar Peterson Trio?
       As it turns out, it's a good fit. Thigpen provides some ballast while Douglas and Lindberg are at play.  Kindred spirits, those two, full of humour and wit.  Lindberg has an honest, woody sound and will do anything that's called for, including turning his bass into an all-purpose percussion instrument ("Firewood Duet").  Indeed, this is highly rhythmic stuff, and the group often turns to a head-pounding funkiness (not Funk, capital F, mind you), as on "Common Goal."  It's all about the quest for some weird groove.
       Douglas is in fine form throughout, glib when he wants to be, but mostly just smart (not to mention pretty when the spotlight turns on him on "The Terrace").  He's at the top of his game on "Bounce," as is the rest of the quartet (Ochs joins in with some Archie Sheppisms on tenor), who jostle merrily along.
       Watch out if the kids get wind of what Lindberg is doing. Bounce is acoustic jazz with a hardcore edge.   It thrashes with the kind of intensity reminiscent of Charles Mingus and a very small handful of others.  This is, quite surprisingly, Lindberg's twenty-second recording as a leader.  We should count ourselves lucky. -Jeff Morris, Musica (½)
  

• Bassist John Lindberg is best-known as the bottom third of the String Trio of New York, but he's actually made 22 albums as a leader.  On this absolutely delightful new release of seven original tunes, Bounce, he teams up with trumpet wizard Dave Douglas, a drummer from the previous generation, Ed Thigpen, and saxophonists Larry Ochs.  The chemistry is bubbly and playful, with an updated version of the quiet dynamics and private-party intimacy Jimmy Giuffre patented so long ago
       On "The Terrace," a pensive, minor ballad that accelerates to a shuffle, Douglas shows his trademark, zig-zag stuff, as Lindberg walks and Thigpen strikes up a parade feel.  Lindberg's velvet sound, cushiony attack and unstoppable flow of ideas are marvelous to behold.  As Thigpen picks up his brushes for a quick strut on the tune "Common Goal," Lindberg cuts loose with some comedic hi-jinks, then suddenly descends to burry lows and slap shots.  But it's the delicate, organic groove of the ensemble as a whole, especially the way Thigpen fits so snugly, that really makes this album a pleasure.
       In his excellent liner notes, Lindberg calls his approach to composition and improvisation "relaxed enthusiasm."  Nicely put.   Catch it on the bounce. It feels good.
  -Paul de Barros, All About Jazz
  
  
• In the Jazz vs. Rock debate, one point on which Jazz always comes out ahead is in its handling of the All-Star Session.  For whatever reason, dates on which several star jazz musicians come together, even if only for a few hours, can frequently shoot off sparks, while rock stars getting together to "jam" more often than not turns into a runny, gooey mess.  Go figure.
        Bounce is a multi-generational, all-star affair that often lands in the "sparks" category.   Bassist John Lindberg, a vet of the 70's "Loft Jazz" scene and member of the String Trio of New York, leads even-more-veteran drummer Ed Thigpen (Oscar Peterson's famed stickman) and relative newbies Dave Douglas
  (of New York's Zorn scene) and Larry Ochs (saxophonist in the weird and wooly ROVA Saxophone Quartet).  Shifting through duets ("Firewood Duet"), trios ("The Terrace," "Fortune on a Sphere," "Common Goal" and "Off Right") and quartets
  ("Bounce" and "Eleven Thrice"), Lindberg allows each player plenty of room, and smartly allows lots of air to pass between the players and through the performances.  Douglas shines especially - he's easily one of the brightest young stars in modern jazz.  Lindberg clearly has open ears and mind (his bowing and plucking don't always sound like the same musician) and good taste in collaborators.
  -Brian Glaser, Digital City Philadelphia
  
  
• The pairing of bassist John Lindberg and drummer Ed Thigpen seems strange at first blush.  For seven years beginning in 1959, Thigpen, known as "Mr. Taste," anchored the very best Oscar Peterson Trio.  Lindberg, born in 1959, is a resolute modernist.  His thirteen recordings with the String Trio of New York and his 22 other recorded projects as a leader, plop him squarely in the circle of avant-gardists.
       On Bounce, the pair's third collaboration for Black Saint, these two unlikely mates lift the fertile imaginings of trumpeter Dave Douglas and saxophonist Larry Ochs onto a high improvisational plain.  The aptly named title composition swings hard, propelled by Lindberg's lumbering bass and Thigpen's dancing rim shots.  On "Firewood Duet," Douglas and Lindberg play the demanding head in unison, then launch into a light-hearted dialogue highlighted by the leader's percussive bass-rapping solo.  All seven Lindberg originals are smartly written, full of humor and played with insouciance.  Douglas is masterful, earning every bit of his newfound reputation as the darling of the new music scene.  Ed Thigpen is the personification of what Mary Lou Williams, Steve Lacy and others have tried to teach us: that good music is good music, regardless of the technique used to make it, or the label the industry puts on it. 
  -Glenn Siegel, Arts & Entertainment (***½)