Samuel Blaser— Quoteswww.samuelblaser.com
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Wednesday, August 20th, 2008 3:24 AM
What the press saidENGLISH Paristransatlantic Clifford Allen December 2009 "Unlike a lot of young upstarts with jazz chops to spare, Blaser is equally convincing working in more exploratory, collectivist forms of improvisation, and the result on Pieces of Old Sky are thoroughly convincing." Downbeat January 2010 James Hale "... Playing against type for trombonists, Swiss-born Samuel Blaser sounds more like a cantor than a blues shouter... his solo begins and ends like a prayerful Jazzreview.com December 2nd 2009 Dave Wayne "...Blaser is simply amazing – his soloing reaches amazing heights of creativity and technicality... "Pieces of Old Sky" is an equally impressive and inspired recording by four of the finest young musicians around today." Free Jazz Blog December 2nd 2009 by Stef "...Blaser's trombone-playing is what it should be in my view, slow, measured, giving his instrument its full-toned expressivity... In all, a great album, with a very powerful musical vision of aural delicacies, a gourmet of sounds to savor, each individually and combined." Blogcritics November 20th 2009 Jordan Richardson "...Pieces of Old Sky is a haunting and exhilarating collection of work from the Samuel Blaser Quartet. Exemplifying the attention to detail and carriage of the leader while honouring the traditional skill of each individual player, this is a jazz record that respects the silence and stillness as much as it respects the driving heartiness of well-played jazz." Just Jazz Bob Bernotas November 2009 This new release by the accomplished young Swiss trombonist-composer Samuel Blaser and his working quartet is challenging, stimulating, and totally original. His music is not just on the cutting edge of jazz, it's on the razor's edge, peeling away familiar banality, shaving off comfortable clichés, slicing to the core of true creativity. Lucid Culture October 20 2009 "...one of the best jazz albums of 2009..." Cadence Magazine Oct - Nov - Dec 2009 David Dupont "...an impressive display of trombone playing..." Something else! October 21st 2009 Pico "...Blaser is a lot more apt to be compared to Grachan Moncur III... The rapport he creates with this somewhat unusual combination of voices sets apart Samuel Blaser and his Quartet from other trombone-led small groups..." All About Jazz New York October 20th 2009 Marc Corroto "...The dreamlike and ponderous pace acts as a slow motion series of features for brooding trombone and guitar..." Stash Dauber October 10th 2009 "...Blaser's an expressive instrumentalist...but really shines as a composer; his writing is as interestingly knotty and impressionistic as Andrew Hill's, displaying the influence of modern classical composers..." IMPROVIJAZZATION Nation Dick Metcalf September 2009 "I'm used to trombone players that sort of "take over" the music, but Blaser is a master at making sure that everyone gets in the mix - and that makes the jazz come ever more alive for me... great balance between the players here" See! Hear! Richard Kamins September 2009 "...Samuel Blaser aims to seduce the avid listener on this recording... In this time when consumers are used to fast-talking pitchmen and agitated political talk-show hosts, Samuel Blaser has created a program that often whispers and does not scream. Pay attention and you'll discover that this music goes in very interesting directions." Tusconstage.com September 2009 "...This is a recording for the listener who appreciates classical music as much as jazz, a person who can hear structures being built from chord progressions. And who can give substance to silence, imagining glass blocks of emptiness supporting creativity by artists using the spontaneity of improvisation like pointing a flashlight into the darkness." Jazz Times Susan Frances September 4th 2009 "...Swiss-born Samuel Blaser displays an insightful understanding of the many moods that the trombone is capable of projecting making it a tool for jazz music in a way that no other instrument is unable to do." All About Jazz New York Dan McClenaghan September 4th 2009 "...Pieces of Old Sky has the feeling an enriching depth due, in part, to its start-to-finish cohesion of one slice of Blaser's musical vision, with its consistently spectral mood, and the feeling that there are jazz ancestor spirits lurking in the spaces between the notes. Pieces of Old Sky is a fine and riveting set, with Blaser's rising star shining brightly." eJazz News & Jazz Review.com Glenn Astarita May 1st 2009 "...the musicians convey a great deal of poise and strength flex while rendering strong compositions that impart a lasting impression. It is a standout release, indeed." All About Jazz New York Wilbur MacKenzie March 8th 2009 "... Braff's prepared piano and Blaser's extended trombone vocabularies expand the textural palette, while at the same time highlighting the rhythmic aspects of the duo's interactions...The interactions remain nuanced and intricate, with sublimely delicate moments balanced with a general penchant for pursuant momentum." Temporary Fault Massimo Ricci February 2 2009 "...Blaser´s stout phrasing, in addition to his purposeful soloism, shifts the axis of the pieces towards more eccentric environments at times..." All About Jazz Andrey Henkin February 2009 "...Solo Bone is an eminently listenable album that shows much promise..." Signal To Noise Fall 2008 All About Jazz New York Times All About Jazz Gazeta Ejazz News Glenn Ferris John fedchock FRENCH So Jazz Magazine Alexandre Caldara December/January 2009 "Samuel Blaser Coulisse Heroe" La Liberté November 18th 2009 Benjamin Ilschner "...maître confirmé et explorateur infatigable des mille possibilités de son instrument..." Impartial November 13th 2009 Fabrice Duclos "...Le jazz avant-gardiste de Samuel Blaser ne s'inscrit dans aucun courant ni école. Au carrefour de multiples influences, ses compositions puisent leur force aussi bien dans le free jazz, dans la musique contemporaine savante que dans des sonorités ethniques..." Courrier November Christian Steulet "...Blaser sait faire parler son instrument dans un style personnel." DNA Mathieu Lavarenne September 17th 2009 "...Samuel Blaser a tenu en haleine le public altkirchois, faisant tellement corps avec son instrument que cela lui donnait un petit air de « monstre » (étymologiquement: ce que l´on ne peut que montrer sans pouvoir le nommer) venu d´une autre planète." Express Denise De Ceuninck April 21st 2009 "...Paganini du trombone, Samuel Blaser entraîne le percussionniste dans les sonorités graves. La réplique de Pierre Favre est instantanée, agile, fine et aiguë. Puis les musiciens partent sur un rythme, qu'ils colorent, chacun à sa manière..." Culture Jazz Yves Dorison April 5th 2009 "L´homme est prolifique : un CD en quartet, un en duo et un en solo (exercice redoutable). Visiblement, il aime à mêler les genres, sans brouiller les pistes, avec un souci constant de l´improvisation innovante qui le rend très attractif, non sans raison..." Jazz Magazine Franck Bergerot March 2009 #601 "Samuel Blaser étoile montante du jazz suisse sort deux disques coup sur coup, un solo...et ce séduisant duo avec l'adepte des transes pianistiques et des hymnes panafricaines. Caravan mouvementée, émouvante Manon de Serge Gainsbourg." Journal Le Phare Arnaud Robert February 2009 "...Son génie à Blaser ? Avoir compris que le trombone, cet objet de seconde voix, autorise les contresens. C´est un grand à venir. Autant l´écouter quand peu le savent encore." Murmures Magazine October 13th 2008 "...Le jeu de Samuel Blaser est impressionnant de maturité: Graves, aigus, polyphonie, rien de lui fait peur, et pourtant l'emphase dégouline rarement du pavillon... Déjà si bon, et ce n'est que le début!" Jacques Prouvost Express Jazz Magazine Murmures Magazine Helene Koch Express Le Nouvelliste Le Temps Repuplicain Migros Magazine Express GERMAN Graz Zeitung November 11th 2009 "...eine selten erlebte emotionales Strenge..." Jazz Podium Hans-Jurgen Von Osterhausen June 2009 "... Man wundert sich dann uberhaupt nicht, dass er in kurzer Zeit hintereinander zwei ziemlich aufregende CDs auf den Markt bringt... einer ausserordentlich zufrieden erscheinenden Selbststandigkeit und virtuosem Einfallsreichtum..." Südosschweiz Graubünden Hanspeter Hänni March 5th 2009 "...Die Musik kocht und brodelt, das Publikum staunt... Gemeinsam mit seinen drei amerikanischen Mitmusikern nimmt er (Samuel Blaser) aktuelle Strömungen sensibel auf und integriert sie in seine eigenständige Musik deren Wurzeln bei Ornette Colemans Freejazz-Quartetten zu finden sind. Süddeutsche Zeitung Andreas Pernpeinter March 3rd 2009 "...ein lautmalerisches Musizieren von herrlicher Feingliederigkeit und Klangkonzeptionellem Geschik... es ist die Stärke dieses Quartetts, dass hier eine ideale Verbindung der Feinheiten des Arrangements und der grossen dramaturigischen Linie gelingt... Solothurner Tagblatt February 27th 2009 "Samuel Blaser schaffte, wovon viele Schweizer Jazzer nur träumen: Der Posaunist hat sich in der New Yorker Jazzszene etabliert. Zürcher Kultur February 27th 2009 Ueli Bernays "... dass sich der Schweizer Posaunist Samuel Blaser, unter amerikanischen Musikern bereits einen hervorragenden Ruf erworben bat:durch seine technische Virtuositàt ebenso wie durch eine Musikalitât, in der sich die Genauigkeit klassischen Spiels und klassischer Tongebung paart mit improvisatorischer Phantasie... Die Stimmführung liegt zumeist beim expressiven Posaunisten, die ungewohnt freien Begleitstimmen aber variieren zwischen kontrapunkti-schen oder parallelen Linien..." Jazz'n'more Magazine January 2009 "...Die Musik ist da, ohne Anfang, Hohepunkt und Ausklang... Beide spielen wie Sie sind, frei von der Leber weg..." Bund Jazzpodium Jazzthetik JazznMore Mathias Ruegg ITALIAN All About Jazz Italia Giuseppe Segala December 18th 2009 "...Tali motivi sono portati in questo disco ad un grado elevato di maturazione, equilibrio e personalità, centrando l'attenzione su una musica rarefatta e meditativa, sulla linea di una certa estetica sviluppata negli anni dal batterista Pierre Favre, compatriota di Blaser, con il quale il trombonista collabora in modo sistematico..." Music Boom Frank Lacy July 24th 2009 "...Bella performance live..." Giornaledeallmusica.it Marco Maiocco June 2009 "...una vera prova d'autore... una gemma." Jazz Colours Antonio Terzo June 2009 "...fa invece risaltare tutte le qualita di questo giovane trombonista... in una sintesi di musiche e stili che rende questo musicista uno straordinario talento, ancora tutto da scoprire." All About Jazz Italia Vincenzo Roggero March 24th 2009 "...autore di una prova di grande maturità e autorevolezza... Dolce ed essenziale. Come l'intero album" All About Jazz Italia Vincenzo Roggero February 12th 2009 "...YaY possiede un'energia contagiosa...Braff sciorina un pianismo ritmicamente esuberante che non disdegna incursioni in aree di estrema liberta, dal canto suo Blaser mette pulizia di timbro e facilita di fraseggio al servizio di una fantasia inesauribile." All About Jazz Italia Vittorio Lo Conte February 25th 2009 "...il trombone di Samuel Blaser dai mille borbottii, ma anche abile ad inseguire momenti molto puliti con Peter van Huffel." All About Jazz GREEK Diskoi October 2009 "...Το φερώνυμο 17λεπτο κομμάτι που ανοίγει το άλμπουμ, δείχνει, με τον πιο απερίφραστο τρόπο, πως ο Samuel Blaser δεν είναι, απλώς, το επόμενο μεγάλο ταλέντο στο τρομπόνι, μα κι ένας συνθέτης περιωπής...." SPANISH Tomajazz Pachi Tapiz November 6th 2009 "...un virtuoso del trombón..." DUTCH Kwadratuur November 10th 2009 Joachim Ceulemans "...De ster van trombonist Samuel Blaser is rijzende" Kwadratuur.be Joachim Ceulemans November 17th 2009 "...beschouwd als the next big thing op zijn instrument..." |