Steve Swell’s Slammin’ The Infinite | 5000 Poems | nottwo records | metropolis the shop for jazz & poetry online

Steve Swell’s Slammin’ The Infinite | 5000 Poems

5000 Poems

Not Two, 2009 | MW 827-2 | CD

Steve Swell – trombone, compositions | Sabir Mateen – alto sax, tenor sax, clarinet, alto clarinet, flute | John Blum – piano | Matthew Heyner – bass | Klaus Kugel – drums

All compositions by Steve Swell ( Steve Swell Music / BMI). Recorded live at Park West Studios, NYC January 24, 2007. Engineer: Jim Clouse. Producer: Marek Winiarski. Photos: Nuno Marins, Cees van de Ven, Michael Wilderman. Cover: “The Face” by Andrzej L. Turek (stick-in picture on paper 15cm x 19cm). Design: Andrzej Wojnowski

Tracklist: 1. Not Their Kind [08:32] 2. Sketch 1 [08:05] 3. Where Are The Heartfelt? [12:28] 4. My Myth Of Perfection [14:20] 5. The Only Way.Out [15:33] 6. Sketch 2 [04:01] 7. The Darkness Afoot [13:46] Total time: 76:45

Download listen to Steve Swell’s Slammin’ The Infinite | Not Their Kind (excerpt)

16 EURO incl. shipment cost world-wide

Slammin’ IV – 5.000 Poems

The title for this fourth installment of Slammin’ The Infinite takes its name from an essay by Walt Whitman. His theme in this essay, briefly summarized, is that in all art, and life too for that matter, being prolific, hardworking and productive in all you do, including trying those things whose outcome may not be exactly perfect in one’s mind, will eventually lead to that one good idea or work of art.

Farmers after all plant many seeds, not just one, in the hope that some of those seeds will yield a nourishing crop. So it is with how I view my own work as an improvising musician and composer. Only by constantly creating can there be any hope that some of that creating will yield something worthwhile. Something that will mean something to someone, making that connection to even that one listener that might be moved and nourished by this most human of endeavors.

I am fortunate to have a band that is still working together planting those seeds as a band and as individuals throughout the world always in the hope of creating that one crop of abundance that might fill the listener with strenght and hope and life.

Also, there would be no ground to plant these musical seeds if it weren’t for the likes of Marek Winiarski, the wonderful people of Alchemia in Krakow and that most gentle and wisest of gardeners, Barbara Backer Manes. Thanking them all here does not even scratch the surface of their commitment to this music and to me personally. To all of them and the amazing musicians on this recording that I have been fortunate to work with, I am humbly grateful. – Steve Swell

Steve Swell | Photo by Michael Galinsky

Steve Swell

“One of the most adventurous and prolific members of the New York free-jazz community” according to Ed Hazell of Signal To Noise , Steve Swell’s reputation, work ethic and committment to excellence has kept him in the forefront of improvised music and a leading voice on his instrument for more than 20 years. Born in Newark, New Jersey, Steve Swell has been an active member of the New York music community since 1975. He has established himself as a premiere leader and sideman of some of the most exciting groups ever assembled, giving performances at festivals, clubs and theaters in Africa, Asia, Europe, North and South America. His composing talents have been recognized the world over. His “Suite for Players, Dreamers and other Listeners” was voted number 2 in the 2006 Cadence Reader’s Poll.

Swell’s curiosity and need to create has led him to becoming a much heralded sideman affording him the opportunity to participate as an integral part of groups led by some of the most renown musicians in the jazz and improvised worlds. Among those notables are Lionel Hampton, Buddy Rich, Anthony Braxton, Cecil Taylor, William Parker, Alan Silva, Roswell Rudd, Jemeel Moondoc, Ken Vandermark, Makanda Ken McIntyre, Roscoe Mithcell, Rob Mazurek, Dave Burrell, Elliott Sharp and Bill Dixon to name a few. Swell has thirty recordings as a leader or co-leader and is a featured artist on more than ninety other releases. He has taught master classes at universities, elementary schools, high schools, shelters and community centers all across the U.S, and Europe. He is also a teaching artist in the NYC public school system working mostly with special needs children and was awarded a Jubilation Foundation Fellowship Award of the Tides Foundation in 2008 for recognition of that work. Steve is constantly searching new ways in which to express his restless imagination in his music through his composing and trombone playing.

Touchingextremes.com says of Swell’s trombone playing : “We are ever so lucky to have friends like Steve Swell, who plays the damn thing as if that was the last day of his life, injecting the music with huge soul, gravitational pulls towards the right energy channels and astounding technical wizardry.” In 2008 he was nominated Trombonist of the Year by the Jazz Journalists Association and was named Trombonist of the Year, 2008, 2009 & 2010 by the Argentinean journal, “El Intruso.” Steve was chosen for the Trombone category of the 2010 Downbeat Critics Poll.

Download listen to Steve Swell’s Slammin’ The Infinite | Not Their Kind (excerpt)

16 EURO incl. shipment cost world-wide

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