Post-Chromodal Out!

HAFEZ MODIRZADEH: Post-Chromodal Out!
Pi, 2012

AVANT-WORLD JAZZ – Saxophonist Modirzadeh attempts to fuse Persian, Iraqi, Filipino and Western musical temperaments into a single framework, also working in the rhythmic phrasing of West Asian poetry, and all in an avant-jazz context. That’s a tall order, but Modirzadeh has the chops and the bandmates to pull it off: Amir ElSaffar has been doing similar work on trumpet for some time now, Vijay Iyer sounds right at home on a specially retuned piano, and Ken Filiano and Royal Hartigan are a solid rhythm section blending western jazz and a world music flavor. The second part is more straightforward.

Fo’s Picks: 2, 4, 5, 6, 8, 12, 16, 20, 22, 24, 26, 27

“Weft Facets” (tracks 1-17)

1. 2:57 – fanfare & piano trills
2. 8:26 – unison intro, jazzy groove
3. 1:49 – low drums, careful horns
4. 2:44 – delicate piano/percussion
5. 1:46 – lovely perc, lumpy horns
6. 6:04 – low groove, cool soloing
7. 1:49 – quiet Persian interlude
8. 2:06 – gentle santur/piano duet
9. 0:41 – a brief statement
10. 3:12 – low melodic creep rises
11. 2:48 – solo bass, moaning horns
12. 3:36 – warped jazz abstractions
13. 1:47 – stretched sax, quiet piano
14. 0:55 – fragment and variations
15. 3:11 – odd melody, trumpet solo
16. 2:24 – calm abstraction w/guitar
17. 2:16 – slow-motion shattering

“Wolf & Warp” (tracks 18-28)

18. 1:57 – low jazzy wanderings
19. 0:57 – minimal solo piano
20. 3:40 – a very slow creep
21. 1:44 – flexible bass solo
22. 2:39 – relaxed jazzy stroll
23. 1:00 – calm rolling drum solo
24. 2:29 – all pitch in, a free groove
25. 2:41 – soulful sax, sawing bass
26. 2:44 – slouch w/sneaky trumpet
27. 2:43 – odd clockwork piano
28. 2:40 – slow, gentle and open

[ Fo ] - 25 August 2012