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Amsterdam - Michael Moore Quartet

Amsterdam
Amsterdam

Review by http://freejazz-stef.blogspot.be

Recorded in 2010 at the Muziekgebouw in Amsterdam, the quartet featured here is comprised of Moore on alto saxophone, clarinet and bass clarinet; Harmen Fraanje on piano; Clemens van der Feen playing bass; and Michael Vatcher on drums and percussion.

The concert starts out a little more raw and free than Rotterdam. The dialog between Moore and his group is high caliber and sections of the tunes feature syncopations, stops and starts that reward intensive listening. The opener, Round & Round, is full of exciting interactions and unanticipated concurrencies. Seven follows, which again features a free approach to the composition. Rapidly becoming my favorite track of the album, Moore's clarinet jumps through unanticipated intervals and delivers short melodic phrases while van der Feen's bass punctuates and propels. Throughout, the drums and piano are very economical and play just what is needed. A repeated theme that surfaces on occasion elevates the song a notch each time it appears. Other tunes like Lusty Bike have very beautiful moments that, while sometimes feel a bit whimsical, are also quite lyrical.

A mix of free and composed pieces, the album seems to start off on the freer side and weaves back and forth between structured and free playing. Moore's tone on the woodwinds stretches and bends but never breaks, and his group at times delivers a gentle sophistication that pops up between more strident moments like a soothing ointment. Moore has a rounded, breathy tone, that is not without teeth. Edgier moments like the more experimental Creeley provide a great balance to the set.

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