Personnel:
Kris Bauman (as), Kurt Rosenwinkel (g), Jochen Rueckert (d), Alexis Cuadrado (b)
Reference: FSNT-121
Bar code: 84 27328 42121 8
"On this album, I wanted to get away from "straight-ahead" jazz. Improvisational instrumental music is what I would call what we recorded. I wanted to get a sound that was representative of all of my influences in music, including rock, reggae, hip hop, Latin, and obviously jazz. Because of that desire I had a specific group of musicians in mind who had grown up with the same diverse background, and the openness to try these compositions. I have been friends with Jochen for years, and we have always connected on a musical and personal level since day one. I wrote these songs specifically for a guitar player, and I couldn't have imagined someone more perfect for this music than Kurt. my music requires the bass player to play in a much different way than in a straight-ahead setting, and I felt Alexis would work out just fine, as we had played together for around three years. thanks for listening."
"Alto saxophonist Kris Bauman debuts as a leader alongside Kurt Rosenwinkel on guitar, Alexis Cuadrado on bass, and Jochen Rueckert on drums. The disc begins and ends energetically, with the brisk tempos and arresting chordal figures of "I've Fallen and I Can't Get Up" and "Ain't That a Bitch." Mellower pieces like "Mild Hallucination" and "Still No Title" balance out more adventurous fare like "Taurine" and the out-of-tempo "Otis (Is a Cool Guy)." (The latter finds Rosenwinkel toying with wild backwards effects.) Bauman is a strong melody writer and a solid improviser, with plenty of expressiveness and control in the highest register of the horn."
David R. Adler (All Music Guide)
