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Review of Aaron Koppel Quartet

Posted in Uncategorized by Administrator on the November 16th, 2009

Aaron Koppel will be a guest artist (electric guitar) with CUBE on our April 8, 2010 concert at Sherwood Conservatory at Columbia College.

Here is a recent review of his new album with his quartet

Downbeat Review:

Falling Together Falling Apart showcases guitarist Aaron Koppel’s writing and arranging skills ahead of his playing. This translates into more solo time for what amounts to more then a quartet with pianist Matt Nelson, drummer Robert Tucker, and bassist Graham Czach being joined by alto saxophonist Greg Ward and tenor saxophonist Geof Bradfield on selected cuts… Across 10 originals, the emphasis is on group interplay, with active basslines and lively arrangements… Among the standouts is pianist Nelson, who gets the nod more often than not. His close connections with Czach form the basis of many songs, among them the serene ballad “The Bad Decision” and the lively multi-layerd ‘The Big Tease” which opens the album… There are a fair number of introspective moments on Falling Together Falling Apart, thanks again to Nelson’s knack for getting off the beaten path, but there is the occasional up tune that suggests these guys might be used to people dancing at their shows. “Electric Cowgirl Boogaloo” is just such a number,  featuring some bouncy funk swing with saucy playing from Ward along with lots of spritely lines from Czach, his bass playing a driving if delicate force.  In the end, what makes this disc enjoyable is the way the 26-year-old Koppel takes a conventional form (mainstream jazz) and makes something of it, breaking up the material, avoiding the tendency to just write blowing vehicles…” – John Ephland, Downbeat, December 2009.

Check out: www.myspace.com/aaronkoppelmusic

Thanks,

Aaron Koppel

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