Richard Kamins reviewed bassist/composer John Hébert‘s forthcoming debut, Byzantine Monkey (Firehouse 12 Records), this past week in his Hartford Courant blog, See! Hear!
The disc, which features Hébert’s band of the same name featuring Michaël Attias (alto and baritone saxophones), Tony Malaby (tenor and soprano saxophones), Adam Kolker (flutes and bass clarinet), Nasheet Waits (drums) and Satoshi Takeishi (percussion), officially hits the streets on June 16th.
“First and foremost,” Kamins writes, “Hébert has his own sound, not an easy accomplishment for a bassist. Big, rich tones and a penchant for melodic lines (even in the most frenetic pieces) makes his playing stand out. Byzantine Monkey takes the listener out of the everyday world into a landscape of mature melodies, splendid musicianship and highly creative interplay. It’s an aural landscape one can return to time and again, uncovering new paths to follow.”