While I've received many insightful verbal reviews from friends of mine over the past few months:
"Dude. Nice ending." - J-Dubba-Doobie
"I could hear the angels singing." - Kathleen
"Sometimes solo sax just isn't the way to go." - Anonymous
This is my first REAL review. Written by an impartial party even.
Stef at Free Jazz Blog had some very nice things to say in his review of "Vartan Mamigonian" on October 4, 2008.
When deciding to release a solo album, you think you have something to tell which cannot be expressed in the context of a band. The musical result is often much more intimate, more immediate in its expressivity, more personal, like a diary, clearer in its diction, not only because there is no need to adapt to others, but especially because whatever you do, good and bad, is all attributable to you. The big risk is that you have to make sure to keep the attention going, you need loads of ideas and performing skills to avoid boring your audience to death. So, here are two great additions to the solo sax catalogue, one by an angry old man, and one by an open-minded young man, both in their own way, wanting to escape the US.
Vartan Mamigonian (CDBaby, 2008) ****
Vartan Mamigonian is the artist's name of saxophonist Patrick Breiner, used when he performs solo, ... and well, this is his first solo album. Vartan Mamigonian is also a historical figure, the hero of the Armenians, a captain who died in the 5th Century AD when trying to defend his country against the Persians. He is said to have been both a saint and a sinner, hence the attraction for Breiner to use his name. Apart from two titles on the album that refer to this Vartan Mamigonian, there is nothing in the music on this album that even vaguely corresponds to that time or region : don't expect world music, or any other historical references. Regardless, Patrick Breiner has his story to tell, and one that needs no references, as it can stand on its own. His playing is hypnotic, often as the result of his rhythmic circular breathing technique, with long repetive phrases and slight shifts in tone. His playing is good, with lots of double-toned playing, very warm in timbre, very sensitive at times, agonizing at others, making sure that there is enough variation to keep attention going. It all sounds improvised, but clearly with preconceptions about the techniques and approaches to be played on each track. And the result is excellent, he may not create history here as his namesake did so many centuries ago, but the whole album is very enjoyable, with all pieces of the same high quality level.
Listen to
But I've Never Been To WhitehallThe Madison ProjectListen, download or buy from
CDBaby."
Stef -
Free Jazz Blog