John Hébert’s Debut CD Reviewed In Hartford Courant Blog

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.”

Argue’s Secret Is Out

The media build-up toward the May 12th release of Infernal Machines (New Amsterdam Records), composer Darcy James Argue‘s debut studio recording, and the official CD release concert on May 8th at Galapagos Art Space in Brooklyn, continued this week (see this earlier post about the feature in the current issue of Newsweek).

Hartford Courant blogger Richard Kamins writes, “Funded in part by donations from family, friends and fans, the recording is a wonderful combination of sounds, styles, moods and messages.”  

“Darcy James Argue has fashioned a recording that fulfills the promise heard in the many live sessions on his website.  Treat the CD like a favorite book or movie, one that you return to time and again, containing music that with each listening, something new stands out even as you are comforted by sounds you recall.”