Before Now After
CD sales Australia Only. Contact for O/S
CD Download |
|
Before Now After is a meditation upon time, a sonic homage to the evolutionary arc. Just as the coastline is shaped by tidal forces shifting the delicate balance of ocean and sand, The Java Quartet have sculpted a long form tryptic work from a singular cove.
Each song was composed through applying a different set of melodic parameters to the
Before Now After is a meditation upon time, a sonic homage to the evolutionary arc. Just as the coastline is shaped by tidal forces shifting the delicate balance of ocean and sand, The Java Quartet have sculpted a long form tryptic work from a singular cove.
Each song was composed through applying a different set of melodic parameters to the Dorian scale. Explored and crafted on the bass then arranged into three distinct pieces for the ensemble, each piece articulates the development of a new melody, mood and space from the same Dorian building block.
Simultaneously a macro (album) and micro (song) process of creation and evolution, the work reflects the Quartet’s 20 years of shared exploration. Before Now After beckons the listener to become a fellow traveler through this passage of time.
Review of Before Now After in Dingo Jazz Journal No 4 Spring 2022
The first track, "Before", opens with a very moody, almost sombre but thoroughly original bass introduction from leader Michael Galeazzi before pianist Greg Coffin adds colour and finally drummer mike Quigley and the sax of Matthew Ottignon complete the quartet. This builds for over 14 minutes of brilliance.
The tone is thus set for the whole album, just three lengthy tracks, between 14 and 18 minutes in duration, all with a similar structure. They are based on variations of the Dorian mode, but each track is different, compelling and a perfect distillation of Galeazzi's vision for this music. The closest comparison that comes to mind is The Necks and their slow build, although The Java Quartet has its own form and feel.
Essential to this brew is the original piano of Greg Coffin, from his colourful additions during the work's early stages to the rhythmic pulse and solos. Likewise, Matthew Ottignon, whose very distinctive tone provides a series of imaginative and thoughtful solos. it is hard to imagine that the music would be as successful in anyone else's hands.
From the opening blast of bass (each track starts with the same note) to its conslusion, this album has a high emotional content often missing in music today. That and its obvious originality, quite simply, explains The Java Quartet's success with this CD.
Michael Prescott
4.5/5 Stars
Review of Before Now After in The Weekend Australian 2-3 July, 2022
This is the Java Quartet’s eighth album, its first since 2014, once again manifesting the unusual but unique vision of double bassist Michael Galeazzi. He is supported by three great musicians: Matthew Ottignon (tenor sax), Greg Coffin (piano), and Mike Quigley (drums). A relatively short album of 50 minutes, it has three compositions by Galeazzi exploring the Dorian scale, described as “a meditation upon time, a sonic homage to the evolutionary arc.” Minimalism is operating here, giving the album its dominant character, that of introspection. It’s a slow burn, with the musicians aiming for mood, if not a spiritual experience. Coffin’s approach is somewhat reminiscent of Matt McMahon’s constrained pianism in Phil Slater’s celebrated album The Dark Pattern. Each piece begins with a bass statement from Galeazzi, with subtle support from Coffin, and it’s an energising trip for the listener, as the music builds from that intimate space. Peaks are reached, particularly in the superb solos of Ottignon, but the overall ambience is contemplative.
Eric Myers
4/5 Stars