====================================
***OUTASITE MUSICAL COLLABORATION BAND SITES
====================================
2003 TED SIROTA’s REBEL SOULS http://www.tedsirota.com
*(as of 03/07/2003)
LEADER
TED SIROTA (drums)
SAXYs,
etc
Kevin Kizer (tenor, alto) http://www.jazzhope.com/MusiciansSaxy_KevinKizer.htm
BONE
Jeb Bishop http://www.jazzhope.com/MusiciansBones_JebBishop.htm
GUITAR
Jeff Parker
RHYTHM SECTION
Josh Abrams – bass
Ted Sirota – leader, drums
Performances
FRI MAR
7 9PM-1AM @ the Green Mill (4802 N. Broadway/773-878-5552)
SAT MAR 8 8PM-12AM @ the Green Mill (4802 N. Broadway/773-878-5552)
THU MAR 13 9PM-12AM @ the Hot House (31 E. Balbo/312-362-9707)
Performance
Reviews
http://www.jazzhope.com/review_2003_03_08.htm
CHICAGO READER
03/07/2003 – Critic’s Choice on
TED SIROTA'S REBEL SOULS
Friday and Saturday 3/7-8, Green Mill; Thursday 3/13, HotHouse
The Rebel Souls, led by drummer Ted Sirota, play all around Chicago all the
time--just not together. The quintet is made up of several of the city's most
provocative young jazzmen, including its newest addition, trombonist Jeb
Bishop, and guitarist Jeff Parker, who's lent his porous tone and discrete
phrasing to groups as varied as Tortoise, the New Horizons Ensemble, and the
Chicago Underground Orchestra; saxist Kevin Kizer (a founding Soul) and bassist
Josh Abrams complete the lineup. It speaks to Sirota's leadership that he's
provided a framework flexible enough to encompass the whole bunch but strong
enough to give this band its immediately recognizable sound. On their 2000
disc, Ted Sirota's Rebel Souls vs. the Forces of Evil, the group's
repertoire stretched from updates on the hard-bop aesthetic to the reggae
"Tubby" to tunes clearly inspired by Ornette Coleman and Stevie
Wonder. Like all the best drummer-bandleaders, Sirota maintains control by
setting the pace and lifting his soloists instead of grabbing the spotlight
with intrusive colors or rhythms or empty improvisations; when he does take a
solo, it's always well placed, standing out for its painterly musicality, not
the rapidity of its flailing. Sirota pushes against musical boundaries both
onstage--whether driving the early-morning shows by the Sabertooth Organ Quartet
each weekend at the Green Mill or sitting in with poetry slammer Marc
Smith--and offstage, where a dispute with Naim Records has led to his albums
disappearing from the catalog. (They're currently available from Sirota.)
Friday, March 7, 9 PM, and Saturday, March 8, 8 PM, Green Mill, 4802 North
Broadway. 773-878-5552. Thursday, March 13, 9 PM, HotHouse, 31 East Balbo;
312-362-9707. --NEIL TESSER
Prior
collaborations
SAXYs,
etc
Kevin Kizer (tenor, clarinet)
Geof Bradfield (tenor, alto, bass clarinet
TRUMPs, etc
Rob Mazurek (cornet)
GUITAR
Jeff Parker
RHYTHM SECTION
Noel Kupersmith – bass
Ted Sirota – leader, drums
A
note about drummer and leader Ted Sirota
http://www.slampapi.com/new_site/band/ted_sirota.htm
Ted
Sirota is currently in his twentieth year of playing the drums. Sirota attended
Berklee College of Music in Boston, where he graduated magna cum laude with a
bachelor’s degree in performance in 1991. While in Boston, Sirota spent much of
his time jamming and performing with such other young musicians as Joshua
Redman, Mark Turner, Antonio Hart, Roy Hargrove, Jeff Parker, Kurt Rosenwinkle,
Seamus Blake, Chris Cheek, Dwayne Burno, Lalah Hathaway, and many other “young
lions”. Sirota studied privately with legendary drummer / teacher Alan
Dawson and Berklee teacher Joe Hunt.
Sirota eventually relocated to
Chicago in the fall of 1992 with the now defunct band, The Last Kwartet (Jeff
Parker, Sara Smith, Chris Lopes), and quickly became active on the Chicago jazz
scene. Since his move to Chicago Sirota has performed with many of the
city’s finest musicians including Von Freeman, the late bassist Fred Hopkins,
Lin Halliday, Ira Sullivan, Rob Mazurek, and many others. Sirota has also
toured with saxophonist Christopher Hollyday and guitar legend Phil Upchurch.
In the winter of 1993 Sirota began
a two-year tenure with blues great Eddie Kirkland. With Eddie Kirkland’s
Energy Band, Sirota traveled throughout the U.S. playing blues clubs and
festivals. Ted has also performed with other fine blues musicians
including pianist Pinetop Perkins, singer Johnny Adams, guitarists Little
Smokey Smothers and Dave Specter, and organist Tony Z. Ted spent the summer of 1994 abroad with the
Chicago Jazz Machine performing at Somerset’s Lounge-Singapore’s premier jazz
club located in the Westin Hotel.
Sirota has also performed in a
handful of professional stage productions including The Song of Singapore,
…Always Patsy Cline, and currently Hello Muddah, Hello Fadduh an Allan Sherman
musical. As a member of the Sabertooth
Jazz Quintet (Pat Mallinger, Cameron Pfifner, Dan Trudell), Sirota has spent
late night Saturdays for the past four years performing at Chicago’s highly
acclaimed jazz club, the Green Mill.
Sirota went on to form his own band,
Ted Sirota’s Rebel Souls, in the early part of 1996. The group recorded
their debut “Rebel Roots” for the British label Naim in June of ’96, and has
received much critical acclaim since the CD’s release in December ‘96. The
Chicago Music Awards nominated Sirota for Best Jazz Recording of 1996. Rebel
Souls second recording for Naim, “Propaganda”, was released in May ’99. (Recording reviews integrated below)
-Mark Kelly Smith
Note: Ted Sirota’s Rebel Souls vs. the
Forces of Evil was recorded in 2000 and released in 2001.
-Rebecca Hope
Recordings:
pictures from http://www.decibel.com.pl/plyty.php
I. Rebel Roots
MUSICIANS
SAXYs, etc
Kevin Kizer - tenor
GUITAR
Jeff Parker
RHYTHM SECTION
Jeff Hill – bass
Ted Sirota – leader, drums
SONGS
1. Four Folks (Jeff
Parker-Umjabuglafeesh Publishing/BMI) (7:57)
2. East Broadway Rundown (Sonny
Rollins, Duchess Music Corp/BMI) (6:05)
3. Wait (Jeff Parker-Umjabuglafeesh
Publishing/BMI) (7:39)
4. Brilliant Corners (Thelonious Monk,
Thelonious Monk Music Corp/BMI (6:21)
5. Song For Mumia (Ted Sirota-Rebel
Soul Publishing/BMI) (8:17)
6. Voids (Kevin Kizer-Kevin Kizer
Music/BMI) (6:39)
7. Ornettish (Kevin Kizer-Kevin Kizer
Music/BMI) (7:22)
8. Mannerisms (Jeff
Parker-Umjabuglafeesh Publishing/BMI) (6:10)
9. WRU (Ornette Coleman, MJQ Music/
BMI) (8:01)
10. First Song (Charlie Haden,
Liberation Music Corp/BMI) (6:41)
Total Time: 71:12
RECORDING INFO
Produced by: Ted Sirota
Recording: Ken Christianson
Mastering: Julian Vereker
Recorded: at Goodspeed Hall, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL on June
24, 1996
LINER NOTES
”I’m not out to prove that we’re the most innovative thing out there and I’m on
the cutting edge, or anything like that.”
Perhaps this sentiment will seem strange coming from the leader of a
group calling itself Rebel Souls. But
Ted Sirota recognizes the subtle way that politics are infused into both the
jazz industry and everyday life.
Sirota’s not worried whether the music he makes has “never been done
before.” And he’s not interested in
conforming to a mainstream cookie-cutter mentality either. He’s concerned with making his music fresh,
making it sound like a group. “I wanted
it to be people playing from their souls, communicating,” he explains. “There’s a lot of young musicians who play
that way, but then when they make a record it sounds like the record company
had some predetermined concept, and the music ends up sounding stale.”
On Rebel Roots, the 27-year –old drummer’s debut, you’ll find music
steeped in the sound of early free jazz.
Harmonically unstable, melodically open, with the vitality and energy of
wing, that music seems to offer limitless possible reworkings, new takes and
surprising manipulations. Especially in
the light of the current conservative stronghold in jazzland, the argument over
that era’s significance takes on a renewed relevance. “There’s a period that’s been totally neglected,” suggests
Sirota. “A lot of older musicians that
were around then just stopped off at hard bop.
And a lot of younger musicians, of my generation, they learn the music
through CD reissues and used records. A
certain section of the music was overlooked and still needs to be re-examined.”
”The Shape of Jazz to Come came out in 1959 – that’s almost 40 years
ago! Ornette Coleman’s music led to
other things, which built on it. Bit it
should be a part of the repertoire, it should be part of jazz musicians’ tree,
you know? Everybody knows Blue Note
records, Miles, etc. But you go to a
jam session, you can’t call any Ornette tunes unless it’s ‘When Will the Blues
Leave’ or possibly ‘Lonely Woman’.
Other than that, nobody knows those tunes.” In its own way, this philosophy is extremely rebellious, seeking
as it does to pry open the clam-like jazz canon and insert the still living
pearls of Ornette, Don Cherry, Ed Blackwell, Billy Higgins, et al., in their
rightful spot. “I’ve always loved that
music,” Sirota exclaims glowingly.
“When I heard it, it just hit me in the gut. Eventually, I learned how that style was different, as far as not
having a pre-set form and chord changes.”
Having music that hits you in the guts is part of the Rebel Souls’ deep seated
agenda, an idea that’s been building momentum since a 16-year-old Sirota
(already studying drums for six years) was first inspired to play jazz after
hearing Max Roach at the Jazz Showcase.
Born in Champaign, Illinois, and raised in the south suburbs of Chicago,
Sirota cites the major impact of Blackwell and Higgins, as well as Roy Haynes
and Pete LaRoca, “Guys who played really strong time, even if they didn’t play
time all the time,” he adds. Sirota met
guitarist Jeff Parker as a student at Berklee College of Music in Boston, where
he was classmates with a who’s who of the young and lionized. While in Beantown, Parker and Sirota formed
a collective ensemble called the Last Kwartet, which included trombonist Sarah
Smith and bassist Chris Lopes; that group lived on as its members eventually
resettled in Chicago in 1992.
A Sirota report that Last Kwartet was “like family, anything could happen and
everyone would be together on that one tip,” but adds it was “too close,
almost.” After that group split, Sirota
played an extended gig in Singapore, where he became fast musical friends with
bassist Jeff Hill; together they played in the Sabertooth Jazz Quintet for a
couple of years, though Hill has recently relocated to New York. Through a fellow musician, the drummer heard
a tape of tenor saxophonist Kevin Kizer, who was working in Champaign. “I had heard that he was really into Lockjaw
Davis, Gene Ammons”, says Sirota. “Then
I heard this tape and it reminded me of Ornette on tenor, but I could tell that
he wasn’t just faking it, he was playing what he was hearing. It was raw; he had the sound I was looking
for.” Rehearsing lesser-known Monk,
Coleman and some originals, Sirota felt he had found his kindred Rebel Souls,
and the final touch was, as he puts it, “plugging in” the incredibly flexible
guitar of Jeff Parker. Over the course
of just tow days, with two mics, Ted Sirota’s Rebel Souls made Rebel Roots in
the beautiful wooden acoustics of Goodspeed Recital Hall, at the University of
Chicago, hence the warm, live feel of the recording. Most tracks required only one take, the way it should work for a
cohesive ensemble.
“I want to play music that’s ‘free’, music where people in the group can really
express themselves without having boundaries set up”, details Sirota, “but I’m
also thinking about not only reaching intellectuals and scholars and jazz
listeners who sit there and smoke their pipes and stuff. I’m always thinking: what if some kids from
the projects walked in here, or people who didn’t listen to jazz all the
time? Would they be able to feel what
was going on? I try to find a way, even
if it’s just by playing with a lot of emotion and feeling, that people can
relate.”
Again, the genuinely political statement may not be revolutionary or visionary,
but simply down to earth. A brief jaunt
into the Souls’ version of Sonny Rollins free-period classic “East Broadway
Rundown,” replete with hip-hop grove courtesy of Sirota, should be evidence
enough of the record’s cumulative listenability. Jeff Parker’s composing talents are coming into full flower, as
you can hear on “Four Folks”, “Wait”, and “Mannerisms” – chameleonic, he’s
capable of the full range of moods from Bill Evans/Jim Hall impressionism to
Sonny Sharrock bone-shake. And Kizer
contributes two, too: the aptly named
“Ornettish” and rolling “Voids”. The
group’s interpretation of Monk’s challenging “Brilliant Corners” was inspired
by the Steve Lacy/Roswell Rudd version School Days, and they venture
into Coleman’s “WRU”, a nugget from his transitional, exploratory record Ornette!
Sirota’s own piece, “Song For Mumia”, points in the direction of Don
Cherry’s tune “Mopti” as well as West African and Afro-Cuban drum music the percussionist
has been checking into lately. The
piece is dedicated to Mumia Abu Jamal, the journalist/activist on death
row. “I’ve been a supporter of his for
about ten years-he’d be the first political prisoner executed in the U.S. since
the Rosenberg’s. It’s a really
important struggle.” The Rebel Souls
also cover the “First Song” by Charlie Haden, the bassist and bandleader well
known for incorporating overtly political elements into his music. Sirota takes the opportunity to reiterate
his commitment: “Music shouldn’t just
ignore the fact that art is political.
Musicians and artist need to start taking more of a stand in society.”
Sirota hints that the Rebel Souls’ next record may find them pushing a
different envelope. Rebel Roots
plants the seed and sends the group’s tubers far down into the soil,
establishing a solid platform from which future branches can reach for the
clouds.
-John Corbett, Chicago, August 1996
(John Corbett writes for Down Beat, Pulse! and the Wire, and
his book “Extended Play: Sounding Off from John Cage to Dr. Funkenstein”
was published by the Duke University Press in 1994).
Acknowledgments from Ted:
I would like to thank the following people who helped make this recording
possible…the two loves of my life, Janvier and Taima, for their unwavering
support and love. And my parents,
Stuart and Glenda Sirota, for their unconditional support over the years. Extra special thanks to Ken Christianson for
all of his help, especially the wonderful job with the recording. Also, thanks to radio station WHPK and the
University of Chicago for helping to make this recording possible. Big thanks also to Christine Hill, Jeff
Ross, Pat Noland, Julian Vereker and everybody at Naim. Thanks also to Chris Lopes and Sara Smith
for the years of friendship and musical inspiration. Last but not least, thanks to Mrs. Bertha Tanner without who this
recording might never have happened.
Extra special thanks to Jeff, Kevin and Jeff for their time,
compositions, and for inspiring me to want to keep playing jazz. I’d like to dedicate my portion of the music
on this CD to the memories of Alan Dawson, Ed Blackwell, Don Cherry and Sun Ra,
all of who inspired me enormously. Thanks
also to Julia at Finesplice, Richard at Koch, Paul at Naim and Philippa at Graffix.
REVIEWS
Cadence magazine declared, “Rebel Roots is inspired, adventurous music and is
strongly recommended.”
Listener magazine says “this young man is a remarkable musician” and “frankly,
there have been few jazz debuts in recent years which have shown such
ability.”
"Chcę grać muzykę, dającą
poczucie "wolności", w której muzycy tworzący
zespół mogliby swobodnie wyrazić to, co mają do przekazania.
Ciągle zastanawiam się czy ludzie, którzy przypadkowo
usłyszą to co robimy, wiedzieliby o co nam tak naprawdę
chodzi. Próbuję znaleźć drogę, nawet jeśli to jest
tylko granie na emocjach i uczuciach, do której słuchacze mogliby
się odnieść". - Ted Sirota
You
don't have to get past the second track on this debut from Chicago drummer Ted
Sirota to take a guess at the age of the players: I doubt anyone but a
well-schooled Generation-Xer would think to use a hip-hop beat to reprise the
Sonny Rollins free-jazz theme "East Broadway Rundown." Sirota's Rebel
Souls offer an especially good representation of young jazz in Chicago,
identifiable by its side-by-side emphasis of both traditional forms and the
city's avant-garde legacy. The quartet's tenor man, newcomer Kevin Kizer, has a
wide expressive range that allows him to shriek effectively on the Rollins
tune, to caress the album's two lullabies, and to hungrily chomp the chords to
Thelonious Monk's "Brilliant Corners." The unassuming bassist Jeff Hill
has a lovely sound that supports both the ensemble and his own firmly rooted
solos. Sirota himself provides a sure and relatively spare drive; this allows
you to pay full attention to his meticulous use of drum timbre and the
imaginative rhythms with which he embroiders the beat (all of which comes to a
head in his extended solo on his own composition, "Song For Mumia").
And the band's repertoire balances between noteworthy originals and a focused
examination of the canon: in addition to Monk and Rollins, Ornette Coleman and
Charlie Haden are represented.
Still, Jeff Parker threatens to
quietly steal the show. The Souls' accomplished young guitarist solos with the
effortless lope of Wes Montgomery but the open ears of the AACM players in
whose groups he often appears. Parker's improvisations take one step back from
Kizer's full-tilt energy to offer a symbiotic contrast, and his chords and
colors help lift this from a smart rhythm section to an exceptional one. The
entire project, released on an English label (with U.S. distribution) benefits
from the garage-band tilt of the sound mix; it slightly muddies the outlines,
resulting in a coherent sonic signature just the opposite of "slick."
Sirota and company don't need antiseptic studio techniques to make their music
jump out of the box. –NEIL TESSER JAZZTIMES
II. propaganda
MUSICIANS
SAXYs, etc
Kevin Kizer (tenor)
TRUMPs, etc
Rob Mazurek (cornet)
GUITAR
Jeff Parker
RHYTHM SECTION
Noel Kupersmith – bass
Ted Sirota – leader, drums
SONGS
1. Geronimo’s Free (Ted Sirota-Rebel Soul Publishing/BMI) (6:19) – dedicated to
Geronimo ji Jagal
2. Ten (Rob Mazurek–Ohio/ASCAP) (9:46)
3. Carolynn’s Blues (Kevin Kizer-Kevin Kizer Music/BMI) (6:39)
4. Propaganda (Ted Sirota-Rebel Soul Publishing/BMI) (6:50)
5. Lonely People (Rob Mazurek–Ohio/ASCAP) (6:05)
6. La Danse de Janvier (Ted Sirota-Rebel Soul Publishing/BMI) (9:31)
7. Little Spots (Jeff Parker-Umjabuglafeesh Publishing/BMI) (6:59)
8. Hemiola (Jeff Parker-Umjabuglafeesh Publishing/BMI) (8:52)
Total Time: 64 min
RECORDING INFO
Produced by: Ted Sirota
Recording: Ken Christianson
Mastering: Julian Vereker
Recorded: at Union Church, Hinsdale, IL on October 12 & 13, 1998
RECORDING INFO
Produced by: Ted Sirota
Recording: Ken Christianson
Mastering: Julian Vereker
Recorded: at Union Church, Hinsdale, IL on October 12 & 13, 1998
LINER NOTES
none available
REVIEWS
http://www.allaboutjazz.com/reviews/pf_r0799_45.htm
Propaganda Ted Sirota's Rebel Souls |
Naim
Personnel: Kevin Kizer-tenor saxophone; Rob Mazurek-cornet;
Jeff Parker-guitar; Noel Kupersmith-bass; Ted Sirota-drums
I was immediately hooked by this
album's first track: a loose, free-wheelin' tune called "Geronimo's
Free" that laces jazz solos over a ska backbeat, recalling the best of the
Skatellites. But don't expect just one sound or style from Chicago drummer Ted
Sirota and his band, the Rebel Souls. Propaganda offers a little bit of
everything: bebop, avant jazz, jazz-rock, even a touch of the blues - not
surprising since Sirota was once a member of blues great Eddie Kirkland's band.
But the overriding inspiration for
this daring, piano-less quintet appears to be the great bands of Ornette
Coleman. The title tune, for example, is a free-jazz journey propelled by
Sirota's ferocious drumming. "La Danse de Janvier," another Sirota
original, layers funky dance and rock grooves over African percussion. Other
numbers, like cornetist Rob Mazurek's "Ten" and guitarist Jeff Parker's
"Hemiola", stick closer to home, building on catchy bebop riffs, but
letting the soloists venture off into uncharted territories.
What sets this group apart from
the crowd, in addition to fine chops, is its open ears and adventurous spirit.
The Rebel Souls cover a lot of ground stylistically, but it never feels forced
or unnatural. Here's a smart, forward-thinking band that knows how to swing. Definitely worth a listen.
~ Joel
Roberts
Neil
Tesser of the Chicago Reader recently wrote: “Chicago's jazz scene is awash in
celebrity: we have a new MacArthur fellow (Ken Vandermark), a perpetual Grammy
nominee (Kurt Elling), a breakthrough songwriter and performer (Patricia
Barber), and a national radio host (Ramsey Lewis). But so far this year none of
these stars has come up with a better album than Propaganda (Naim), by drummer
Ted Sirota's Rebel Souls, whose combination of adventurous improvising and
driving lyricism stuck in my head for days after I first heard it.”
Downbeat magazine states “Ted Sirota and his fine quintet, the Rebel Souls,
disseminate their jazz ideas with the kind of fun-loving gusto and grit that
makes for an immensely satisfying listen. It's that simple: This CD bears
repeated spins, which is a rare triumph for any recording these days.”
Music critic Peter Margasak of the Chicago Reader claims, “With the new-jazz
scene's current emphasis on free improv, high-octane blowing, and bold style
blending, we don't hear this kind of stuff enough.”
If the purpose of propaganda is to further one's cause,
drummer Ted Sirota has made me a believer. His second album as a leader,
Propaganda, is brimming with bracing ideas, from the ska jumper
"Geronimo's Free," featuring Ryan Shultz's bulky bass trumpet, to the
lightly Latin, '70s fusion groover "La Danse de Janvier," where both
Rick Gehrenebeck's Fender Rhodes and Jeff Parker's guitar are so satin smooth
that their notes blend and bend into an amorphous whole.
Parker and cornetist Rob Mazurek
also play in the Chicago Underground Duo and Isotope 217 and those groups'
abstract cool informs much of Propaganda. Mazurek has a lean sound, often
tightened further by a mute, and favors gorgeously small melodic statements instead
of long winding (or winded) tales, while the always impressive Parker plays
partially clipped post-bop chords that are then abstracted through subtle
rhythmic variations, as well as jittery melodic lines that don't so much dance
as wiggle. "Carolyn's Blues" shares a chord sequence similar to
"My Favorite Things" and a lightly swinging feel that gives way to
the slightly messy, free-for-all title track. But the ballad "Lonely
People" rights things with saxophonist Kevin Kizer and bassist Noel Kupersmith
giving the tune its pathos-laden emotional mooring through their film noirish
interplay.
Throughout the CD, Sirota plays with
an effortless touch, giving the songs and the musicians plenty of space to
breathe and narrate their tales. All of which makes this Propaganda very
convincing.
Reviewed
by Christopher Porter in the CD Reviews section of the April 2000 issue.
"Niewiele było
ostatnimi laty jazzowych debiutów, które pokazałyby takie
zdolności" napisał Phil Brett (The Listener) w recenzji
pierwszej płyty Ted'a Sirota nagranej dla Naim Label. Jego drugi album,
Propaganda, wywrze z pewnością podobne wrażenie. Ten
fantastyczny krążek powstał dzięki współpracy Ted'a
i jego Rebel Souls z muzykami takich formacji jak Tortoise, Isotope
217 i Chicago Underground Orquestra. Osiem świetnych utworów napisanych
zostało przez Ted'a przy aktywnym udziale innych członków
zespołu. z pewnością są one odzwierciedleniem
ponadprzeciętnego talentu wszystkich muzyków. Gdy Ted swoim
charyzmatycznym bębnieniem prowadzi zespół poprzez meandry jazzowego
grania, nie można oprzeć się wrażeniu ogromnej pasji
jaką muzycy mają dla instrumentów i granej muzyki.
http://search.centerstage.net/music/whoswho/TedSirota'sRebe.html
This
jazz group -- which consists of Ted Sirota (drums), Jeff Parker (guitar), Rob
Mazurek (cornet), Kevin Kizer (tenor sax), and Noel Kupersmith (bass) --
recently released their second release on Naim Records. Propaganda is
the follow up to their debut record, Rebel Roots.
III. ted sirota’s rebel souls vs. the forces of
evil
SAXYs,
etc
Kevin
Kizer (tenor, clarinet)
Geof Bradfield (tenor, alto, bass clarinet)
TRUMPs, etc
Rob
Mazurek (cornet)
GUITAR
Jeff
Parker
RHYTHM SECTION
Noel
Kupersmith – bass
Ted Sirota – leader, drums
Tunes include “Becky’s Bash”
SONGS
1. Grendel (Geof Bradfield-Geocentric
Music/BMI) (8:43)
2. Tight rope (Rob Mazurek-Ohio
Music/ASCAP) (6:00)
3. You know me (Jeff
Parker-Umjabuglafeesh Publishing/BMI) (5:22)
4. Tubby (Ted Sirota-Rebel Soul
Publishing/BMI) (7:14)
5. Dig to China (Noel Kupersmith-LMNO
Music/BMI) (3:09)
6. Becky’s Bash
(Kevin Kizer-Kevin Kizer Music/BMI) (8:00)
7. Impengu dek bengikeai
(traditional/arr. Geof Bradfield/Geocentric Music/BMI) (5:58)
8. Wonder (Geof Bradfield/Geocentric
Music/BMI) (7:56)
Total Time: (52:42)
http://www.tedsirota.com/forces%20page.htm
From Ted’s page.
MP3's
Grendel - geof bradfield/geocentric music-bmi - 08:43
Tight
Rope - rob mazurek/ohlo music - ascap - 06:00
You
Know Me - jeff parker/umjabuglafeesh publishing - bmi - 05:22
Tubby
- ted sirota/rebel soul publishing - bmi - 07:14
Dig
To China - noel kupersmith/lmno music - bmi - 03:09
Impengu
Dek Bengi Kai - traditional/arr. geof bradfield/geocentric music - bmi -
05:58
Becky's
Bash - kevin kizer/kevin kizer music - bmi - 08:00
Wonder
- geof bradfield/geocentric music - bmi - 07:56
RECORDING INFO
Produced by: Ted Sirota
Recording: Ken Christianson/Pro Musica, Chicago; Matt Dever, assistant
Recorded: direct to 2-track at Union Church,
Hinsdale, IL on May 30, 31 + June 1, 2000
all music live, no editing
for booking information contact
Ted Sirota’s Rebel Souls
7511 North Winchester Avenue
Suite Number 1
Chicago, IL 60626
fax: 773-381-2604
email: booking@tedsirota.com
http://www.tedsirota.com
LINER NOTES
none written.
Acknowledgments from Ted:
Ted would like to thank his family: Janvier, Taima + Safiya for their loving
support
REVIEWS
To trzeci album Teda i jego 'Zbuntowanych Dusz' nagrany dla The Naim
Label. Ci, którzy zakochali się w dwóch poprzednich wydawnictwach
powinni sięgnąć i po to. Dlaczego? Ponieważ jest
absolutnie r e w e l a c y j n e !!! Do zespołu
dołączył Geoff Bradfield, który oprócz wkładu
kompozytorskiego (trzy utwory) wniósł także swój talent jako
instrumentalista, grając na tenorowym, altowym i basowym klarnecie.
Zespół Siroty ma może 'zbuntowaną duszę' ale przede
wszystkim wielkie serce... – DOWNBEAT
http://www.newinsight.co.uk/musicreview_may.htm
The Forces of Evil was recorded live in a church in Chicago, with no editing,
and as with all Naim releases, the quality is excellent. A couple of years ago we
reviewed Ted Sirota's second album, Propaganda, which had a few more free-jazz
moments than this recording, but overall the feel is similar. But there has
been a progression in the music. The addition of an extra horn gives more depth
to some of the arrangements, and the band seem more comfortable with each
other, bouncing effortlessly between solos. There's also more diversity in the
tunes, mostly written by the band, including a ska/reggae number. The members
of the band are all highly competent musicians, and this album has a great
feel, jazz at the free end of the spectrum, but with plenty of musical
interest.
http://www.allaboutjazz.com/prevcdreviews.htm
IN ITALIAN
http://www.allaboutjazz.com/italy/reviews/R1201_016_it.HTM
La musica che ci arriva dalla ventosa Chicago č decisamente variegata.
Dallo stesso manipolo di musicisti possono arrivare proposte decisamente diversificate
che spaziano da situazioni di post-rock, come nel caso dei celebri Tortoise
e di tanti altri, fra i quali ci piace ricordare i meno famosi ma decisamente
interessanti The Sea and Cake [per leggere la recensione del loro
recente album Oui clicca qui], a territori piů di frontiera, come nel caso
degli Isotope 217 [per leggere la recensione di Who Stole the I
Walkman? clicca qui] e dei Chicago Underground
Duo/Trio/Quartet/Orchestra [per la recensione di Flamethrower clicca qui, per quella di Chicago Underground Quartet
clicca qui].
In questo caso il batterista Ted Sirota č alla testa del suo gruppo Rebel
Souls che comprende il chitarrista Jeff Parker, il cornettista Rob
Mazurek [per leggere l'intervista col musicista di chicago clicca qui] e il bassista Noel Kupersmith spesso
presenti nella maggior parte dei gruppi sopra citati, ai quali sia affiancano i
due saxofonisti Kevin Kizer e Geof Bradfield.
Il gruppo č giŕ alla sua terza uscita discografica e continua a percorrere una
strada che č piů spostata in territorio jazzistico, rispetto alle altre
proposte di cui si parlava all'inizio. Non ci sono tastiere, non ci sono
campionatori. Gli strumenti sono utilizzati per cosě dire nella loro componente
acustica, e persino la chitarra elettrica di Parker č utilizzata
piuttosto come una variante elettroacustica dello strumento, con poche
indulgenze verso effetti e alterazioni brutalmente elettriche. Ci troviamo di
fronte ad un gruppo che pare voler portare avanti con grande passione le
situazioni musicali che siamo soliti associare ai gruppi di Art Blakey,
all'Ornette Coleman del periodo Blue Note, persino al celeberrimo
quintetto di Miles Davis pre-In A Silent Way. Ovviamente, il tutto
riveduto e corretto alla luce delle modifiche del linguaggio jazzistico
affermatesi negli ultimi decenni.
I musicisti sono particolarmente attenti a interagire con grande precisione
nelle parti scritte e poi si librano in ottimi assoli che dimostrano la grande
padronanza strumentale raggiunta e la capacitŕ di raccontare storie attraverso
i loro strumenti. Jeff Parker č in gran spolvero e ci offre una sua
personale rilettura del ruolo della chitarra elettrica nel jazz attuale, con un
accompagnamento nervoso ma particolarmente efficace e ottimi assoli decisamente
angolari ma del tutto originali e coerenti con la musica che gli gira attorno.
Ted Sirota si dimostra ottimo leader e sa ben coordinare il lavoro degli
altri musicisti con il suo lavoro percussivo che spesso si alimenta di felici
intuizioni poliritmiche, un po' alla Ed Blackwell. I due saxofonisti sono
autori di ben tre brani (e Bradfield cura anche l'arrangiamento
dell'unico brano tradizionale presente) e paiono ben calati nella tradizione
dei grandi saxofonisti americani, pur avendo la capacitŕ di proiettarsi senza
alcuna remora verso situazioni decisamente innovative, quando la musica lo
richiede.
I rimanenti brani sono equamente divisi, per quanto riguarda la scrittura, fra Parker,
Sirota, il bassista Kupersmith e Mazurek. Quest'ultimo
offre una prova davvero convincente, dimostrando grande padronanza del
linguaggio jazzistico, andando molto al di lŕ di quello che si poteva intuire
dall'ascolto dei suoi dischi precedenti. I brani hanno spesso quella sorta di
fierezza che caratterizzava le migliori produzioni del jazz degli anni
sessanta, anche se qui ci troviamo a passare disinvoltamente dalle influenze
'reggae' che caratterizzano il bel brano "Tubby" a una sorta di hard
bop del nuovo millennio che apre il successivo "Dig To China", una
vera passerella per il leader Ted Sirota che approfitta delle angolari
frasi dei fiati come se fossero un trampolino di lancio per dare sfogo alle sue
pulsioni ritmiche.
La registrazione č avvenuta incidendo direttamente sulle due tracce finali,
senza alcun intervento di editing a posteriori.
Nessun trucco quindi, per questa eccellente formazione che ancora una volta ci
regala un ottimo album.