(Review by Steve T)
The
notes tell us ' Austrian band Shake Stew has become something of a phenomenon.'
I can hear why, this is terrific stuff, precisely where I think jazz should be
at this moment in time; of its time and forward thinking, unlike anything from
jazz's rich history but with total respect for where it's come from.
Having
heard it a couple of times before reading the notes, I was totally surprised by
the configuration of instruments: comprising two drummers, two bass players and
three horns, though the heavy percussion barrage is hard to miss and always a
winner for me.
The
notes also tell us they're due in the UK next year at a festival as yet
unannounced - no doubt to increase anticipation - and I hope it's one of the
ones I get to and it will be interesting to see how they're presented.
High energy is right and a polite audience breaking their silence to applaud solos isn't going to work. Young people on a dancefloor with the lights down is order of the day but this shouldn't deter listeners from checking out the album. Grilling Crickets in a Straw Hut part two would be the one I'd recommend to dip your toe and with their previous album - Rise and Rise Again - featuring Shabaka Hutchings, I'm off to dip my toe in that.
Gris Gris came out last month.
Steve T
Lukas Kranzelbinder: Double Bass, E-Bass, Guembri, Shaker, Bandleader.
Clemens Salesny: Alto Saxophone, Stritch, Opera Gong, Flexatone.
Johannes Schleiermacher: Tenor Saxophone, Flute.
Mario Rom: Trumpet.
Oliver Potratz: Double Bass, E-Bass, Shaker.
Nikolaus Dolp: Drums, Percussion, Thai Gongs.
Mathias Koch: Drums, Percussion.
+ Special Guest Tobias Hoffmann: E-Guitar, Shaker (Grilling Crickets in
a Straw Hut)
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