#john escreet

[the-break-of-autumn]

[ceevee5]

[jazzviewswithcjshearn]

Antonio Sanchez & Migration: Lines In The Sand (CamJazz, 2019)

Antonio Sanchez: drums, voice, additional keyboards; John Escreet: piano, Fender Rhodes, Prophet synthesizer; Thana Alexa: voice and effects; Matt Brewer: acoustic and electric bass; Chase Baird: tenor saxophone and EWI. Elad Kabilio: cello on “Travesia” and “Long Road”; Nathan Shram: viola; Paola Gonzalez, Karla Gutierrez, Jonathan Mendoza: spoken word on “Lines In The Sand”.

The eighth album from drummer and composer Antonio Sanchez, Lines In The Sand functions compositionally as a sort of direct follow up to the album length Meridian Suite (CamJazz, 2015). More than anything, it  packs a moving sociopolitical message about what it means to be an immigrant in the United States. A stunning album with incredible musicianship and rapport between  the drummer vocalist Thana Alexa, saxophonist Chase Baird, keyboardist John Escreet and bassist Matt Brewer. it will also satisfy fans longing for cinematic compositions since the final album of the Pat Metheny Group, The Way Up (Nonesuch/Metheny Group Productions, 2005).

The Album

Sanchez uses his experience as a Mexican immigrant turned legal citizen as inspiration, but the album is something that can tell the story of all immigrants in this country regardless of their origin.  He also further fleshes out a few themes found on Bad Hombre using them as compositional grist for the mill, and taking them to new places.  For instance the opening of “Travesia” with it's 9/4 arpeggio is an extension of the arpeggio found on the former recording's “Nine Lives”.  The drummer fashions some rich written melodic material that takes full advantage of the expanded role that vocalist Alexa now has in the ensemble.  More so than ever she is a completely integrated member of the ensemble, through the use of several effects boxes, not only is she a singer, and instrument, but also synthesizer blending in naturally with Chase Baird's tenor saxophone and EWI with melody lines and tons of texture.  Nathan Shram's viola combines with Elad Kabilio's cello to create a virtual string section for a rocking section inspired by Radiohead ten and a half minutes into the piece. Sanchez used Logic to add some barely imperceptible MIDI to add some weight to the multi tracked viola and cello parts that are a segue to Escreet's energetic piano solo with Matt Brewer's power packed Paul Jackson spiced electric bass behind him.  “Long Road” brings strong emotion through melodic development of a simple seven or nine bar phrase sung by both Alexa and Sanchez heavily layered, Sanchez's drums adding commentary to a piece that brings ultimate melancholy.  “Bad Hombres Y Mujeres” reprises the bass line of “Bad Hombre”, but augmented by a mind melting, twisting melody with Alexa and Baird in unison.  Ultimately the knottiness turns into a memorable hook, and a thrilling battle between Baird's EWI and Escreet's Prophet synthesizer exploding into the cosmic atmosphere before a Sanchez drum solo, and the band grooves out on a 7/4 section to fade out.  “Home” is also reprised from Bad Hombre featuring Alexa's vocals, and turned into a nice pop song.  The title track at 26 minutes is quite moving summarizing thematic material from the suite and featuring  deeply emotional poem readings of “At The Wall, US/Mexico Border 2020” by Paola Gonzalez and Karla Gutierrez, and “Blood Country” by Jonathan Mendoza offering a satisfying close.

Sound

Lines In The Sand features expert engineering by Sanchez himself with assistance from long time engineer Pete Karam.  There are a lot of sub details in the mix such as panning, doubled snare hits, bouncing reverb and texture. The drums are very present in the sound stage with Alexa's layered vocals and effects providing a lot of sound stage depth in the foreground and background, Escreet's piano and Rhodes thick, and full bodied.  The mastering by Danilo Rossi is very dynamic and captures the peaks and valleys of the music, and Sanchez' hand at post production has become even more adept since his soundtrack work and Bad Hombre.

Closing

Overall, Lines In The Sand proves to be the most complete statement thus far of Antonio Sanchez as a composer to date.  Over the course of 8 albums in 12 years, the compositional growth has been stunning and with Migration he has a band that perfectly marries the composed and improvised aspects of the music. Indeed he has learned and applied multiple lessons from his membership in Pat Metheny's ensembles, and the format of Migration is akin to that of thee Metheny Group in that it's an open forum for genre less exploring and players with distinct personalities make their mark on the music.  An excellent and inspiring effort.

Music: 10/10

Sound: 8.5/10

[hadescavedish]

John Escreet Project at Duc des Lombards 2010

[fullyaltered2018-blog]

At the #NYCWJF this year, we're thrilled to have The Jamie Baum Septet + "Bridges" playing on our marathon's first night (1/12/18) @subculture_nyc at 7:40 PM. Baum has toured the US and over 30 countries performing at major festivals and concert halls throughout the world to much acclaim. She's been a regular on the DownBeat's Critics poll annually since 1998 in the “Top Flutists” category and was # 1 Rising Star Flutist in 2012. Her band is really top shelf and features some Winter JazzFest regulars – Amir ElSaffar (trumpet, vox), Sam Sadigursky (alto sax/bass clarinet), Chris Komer (French horn), Brad Shepik (guitar), John Escreet (piano), Zack Lober (bass, singing bowl), Jeff Hirshfield (drums). Don't miss this fantastic group!

We asked Jamie some questions which she was kind enough to answer – 1: How do you see your music as a catalyst for inspiration and social change? Our music represents a “bridge”, highlighting the similarities found in diverse religious music traditions that connect us, expressed in a modern jazz/improvisatory format played by musicians of those various backgrounds. Including influences from Jewish, Arabic/Muslim and HIndu/South Asian music, the band transforms Baum’s 2014 Guggenheim Award composition project into a unique, high-energy, exciting tapestry taking the listener into territory that feels both familiar and unknown. Compositions include “Song Without Words”, a gentle, soulful  ballad influenced by “Kol Nidre” (an Aramaic declaration recited in the Jewish synagogue before the beginning of the evening service on every Yom Kippur) sung by Amir ElSaffar; “Mantra”, a composition co-composed by Baum and Nepali musician Navin Chettri, based on a Hindu chant to help overcome the fear, and “Joyful Lament”, a high-energy, rock-tinged arrangement of the Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan song. The Jamie Baum Septet+ CD "Bridges," conceived in 2013, before there was any mention of a “Border Wall," feels more relevant, vital and necessary today then could have been anticipated!

2: What is Jazz? Jazz - a musical tradition that expands and embraces all influences.

[redshift-13]

I first saw Sanchez when he was playing with Path Metheny and was blown away.  Sanchez redefined the potential of the drum kit for me.  Never before had a percussionist reached so far into the realm of color, a domain traditionally occupied by tonal instruments and harmonic arrangement.  Long may he play, and all the rest, building up the world edifice of music, beautifying life and humanizing us all.

Drums and Band Leader- Antonio Sánchez

Saxophone- Chase Baird

Piano- John Escreet

Bass- Orlando le Fleming

Vocals- Thana Alexa

[gregritchiemusic-blog]

The Story @ Bimhuis, Amsterdam 

[onett199x]

Antonio Sanchez | The Meridian Suite

Antonio Sanchez is usually remembered as the guy who did the soundtrack for the 2015 film Birdman (the REAL movie about jazz drumming from 2015), but he also leads some fantastic bands.  He’s going to be in NC later this year for a concert (I think...  It might have already happened though), but it’s the Birdman soundtrack concert, so I’m not quite as excited, honestly.  Anyway, he also released two albums in 2015: the amazing Three Times Three, featuring three different trios (one with Brad Mehldau and Matt Brewer, one with John Scofield and Christian McBride, and one with Joe Lovano and John Patitucci), and this album, which features his Migration band.  The Migration band is his outlet for jazz fusion (or at least it is on this album) and includes saxophonist Seamus Blake, keys from John Escreet, Matt Brewer on bass, and special guest spots from Thana Alexa on vocals and Adam Rogers on guitar.  This album has the intense energy of Return to Forever, bursting right out the gate with Grids And Patterns, which was the most ‘traditional’ fusion track on here and also one of the best.  Following is Imaginary Lines, featuring words by Thana Alexa, and then the distorted, chugging Channels Of Energy.  Magnetic Currents is more of just a brief interlude before the massive Pathways Of The Mind, which feels like it has multiple movements to it and involves at least a little studio production magic to it.  

I haven’t yet heard an Antonio Sanchez album that didn’t stick out to me.  I’m definitely going to go further into his older albums, because this was excellent.