Acceptance

Acceptance by the Mat Maneri Quintet.

Mat Maneri, Viola; John Dirac, Guitar; Randy Peterson, Drums; Ed Schuller, Bass; Gary Valente, Trombone; (and his dad, Joe Maneri, Alto Sax on one track). A mix of standards and originals, this is a fun record. It is more “Jazz” than many of the Maneri family’s records, especially with the contributions of Gary Valente and Randy Peterson.

I especially enjoy the loose limbed drumming of Randy Peterson. Wasn’t familiar with him prior to listening to this release, but his kit drumming reminds me a bit of Hamid Drake, with more emphasis on cymbal work.

We visited Sonoma Valley Regional Park the other weekend. You can still see whole hillsides with trees blackened by fire, but the grasses and the wildflowers are already coming back. Miraculous, in nature’s way.

#TodaysCommuteSoundtrack #MatManeri #MatManeriQuintet #EdSchuller #RandyPeterson #JohnDirac #GaryValente #Amsinckia

Out Right Now

Out Right Now by Joe Maneri, Joe Morris, and Mat Maneri.

The father/son duo of Joe Maneri (woodwinds, voice) and Mat Maneri (violin) is joined by Joe Morris (electric guitar) on this live date of solos, duos, and trios from 1995.

Woodwind player Joe Maneri is a fascinating and idiosyncratic character. Early in his life he played Sax and Clarinet in Greek and Turkish and wedding bands. Later, he grew fascinated by the modern composers of the time, people like Schoenberg and Alban Berg. He is known for attempting to coax the notes between the notes in his clarinet and Saxophone playing.

His son, Mat, also experiments with microtonal playing and usually plays something that sounds between modern classical and jazz musics.

I really enjoy Joe Morris’ guitar. He is a music educator and something of an undersung modern improvising guitarist. On this date he sticks to a very dry tone, no discernible effects going on. He reminds me a bit in his strategies on this release of Derek Bailey. A lot of plucked sounds and more textural playing than melodic.

There is very little of jazz idioms in the playing on this release. It sounds more like improvised modern classical music. I really enjoy how the musicians don’t crowd each other’s ideas and give each other room to work out their ideas. Leave space for the music to breath.

#PacificCoastIris #JackLondonStateHistoricPark #PoisonOak #JoeManeri #MatManeri #JoeMorris #OutRightNow #HatHutRecords #IrisFernaldii

2017-05-23 Art of the Improv Trio Volume 2

. Whit Dickey, Mat Maneri, and Ivo Perelman.

Interesting how Mr Perelman tailors his Tenor playing to his partners. In this case he is matching Maneri’s cello with a formidable display of his glissando technique and upper register playing. Very different from Volume One.

#TodaysCommuteSoundtrack
#WhitDickey #MatManeri #IvoPerelman