Monday, January 24, 2011

Jerome Cooper - The unpredictability of predictability


"this is not just an album for drummers... anyone into music can dig it this music. Classical music peoplecan dig it because it's structured, people into rock because of the beat. people into jazz because of the improvisation aspect, and those into ethnic music because of the instruments involved."--Jerome Cooper

Not many jazz drummers present entire albums of themselves in solo format, but when they do, chances are they're going to haul out everything including the kitchen sink to dazzle the listener with their range and dexterity. Not Jerome Cooper. This superb musician, known primarily for his masterful and invaluable contributions to the fine trio Revolutionary Ensemble, treats his solo performances as free-standing compositions scored for only certain instruments from which he extracts huge volumes of sounds and rhythms. For example, "Bert the Cat" is written for balaphone (an African ancestor of the marimba), chiramia (a double-reed instrument that sounds liked a more softly-timbred shenai), bass drum, and sock cymbal. Using only these four elements, Cooper constructs a rich, propulsive theme so inherently fascinating that one soon forgets one is listening to only a solo percussionist. Cooper has no interest in wowing the listener by playing fast or loud, but simply desires to develop lovely rhythms and melodic patterns and allow them to flower. A fine recording and wonderful antidote for those who claim to be bored by drum solos. --Brian Olewnick

-Side a:
The unpredictability of predictability
Movement A,B - flute, whistle, chiramia, bass drum, sock cymbal (9.59)
Movement C - drums set (mallet) (4.29)
Movement C1 - floor tom-tom, bass drum, sock cymbal, voice (6.40)

-Side b:
Bert The Cat - balaphone, chiramia, bass drum, sock cymbal (20.37)

(1979, About time 1002)

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5 comments:

Tantris said...

Superb music on this great blog - thanks very much, mate.

-- T

Jizzrelics said...

thank you man! ;)

J-Bombay said...

Jizzrelics,

I just found your blog, and I can hardly pull myself together to write this. Where did you get all of these amazing albums? I was just listening to the Cooper album this morning (I hadn't even heard of the guy) and it was great. Just saw some of the stuff you put up today (especially the Evan Parker) and can't wait to get home and listen to it. Keep up the excellent work!!

J

j said...

many thanks, liked a lot this one,it give me a reminiscence of mexican prehispanic music, mainly the first track

Love Letters Journal said...

Thank you so much for this! Been looking for it forever. Please if anyone has his other solo album from this era, "root assumptions" (also long out of print) please share!