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Bob Gluck: Early Morning Star

By Karl Ackermann
June 1, 2020
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Composer/pianist/electronic artist

Bob Gluck

piano
b.1955

" data-original-title="" title="">Bob Gluck's musical repertoire is particularly diverse. Among his many electro-acoustic projects are the borderless duo album Textures and Pulsations (Ictus Records, 2012) with

Aruán Ortiz

piano
b.1973

" data-original-title="" title="">Aru��n Ortiz, Tropelets (Ictus Records, 2014) featuring improvisations based on Jewish biblical chants, and Infinite Spirit (FMR Records, 2016) where he pays tribute to

Herbie Hancock

piano
b.1940

" data-original-title="" title="">Herbie Hancock's Mwandishi Band. In the latter, Gluck brought in drummer

Billy Hart

drums
b.1940

" data-original-title="" title="">Billy Hart and trumpeter

Eddie Henderson

trumpet
b.1940

" data-original-title="" title="">Eddie Henderson from that relatively short-lived group. For Early Morning Star Gluck has brought together old and new colleagues in an eclectic program of social justice-inspired compositions.

He is joined by long-time collaborator, drummer

Tani Tabbal

drums

" data-original-title="" title="">Tani Tabbal whose impressive resume includes works with the

Sun Ra

piano
1914 - 1993

" data-original-title="" title="">Sun Ra Arkestra,

Roscoe Mitchell

saxophone
b.1940

" data-original-title="" title="">Roscoe Mitchell,

Anthony Braxton

woodwinds
b.1945

" data-original-title="" title="">Anthony Braxton,

Henry Threadgill

woodwinds
b.1944

" data-original-title="" title="">Henry Threadgill,

Geri Allen

piano
1957 - 2017

" data-original-title="" title="">Geri Allen and many other prominent artists. Syrian clarinetist and composer Kinan Azmeh is a graduate of Juilliard who has his background in classical music and is a member of Yo-Yo Ma's Silk Road Ensemble. Vocalist

Andrea Wolper

vocals

" data-original-title="" title="">Andrea Wolper has four previous recording as a leader/co-leader including Parallel Lives (Jazzed Media, 2011), an inspiring outing featuring

Kris Davis

piano
b.1980

" data-original-title="" title="">Kris Davis on piano and bassist

Ken Filiano

bass
b.1952

" data-original-title="" title="">Ken Filiano. Filiano is on board here as well. The New York native has hundreds of album credits—many as a co-leader—and has worked with Anthony Braxton,

Fred Ho

saxophone, baritone
1957 - 2014

" data-original-title="" title="">Fred Ho,

Nels Cline

guitar, electric
b.1956

" data-original-title="" title="">Nels Cline,

Bill Dixon

trumpet
1925 - 2010

" data-original-title="" title="">Bill Dixon, and dozens of other first-call jazz artists.

Wolper's commanding voice is a significant influence in four of the eleven tracks in which she participates. In the opener, "A Time of Singing," Gluck's melodic playing and Wolper's clear and nimble multi-language vocal light up the piece with interweaving melodies. They team up later on "Never Ceasing," a very different sensation with Gluck's thunderous chords accompanied by Wolper's expressionist vocal techniques falling between singing and speaking. "For Today" is an exquisite solo piano piece and Azmeh's clarinet and Filiano's bowed bass add a haunting and forlorn quality to "Friday Song."

Stratified charts, complex patterns, balance, and free improvisation are hallmarks of Gluck's work but change is the only constant in his music. However spiritually or politically disposed his work is, Gluck is deeply committed to the rudimentary systems of jazz music, its fundamentals, and its past. This underrecognized virtuoso, and this gifted group of musicians, continue to bring these elements together on Early Morning Star.

Learn more about our star rating system

Track Listing

A Time of Singing; Early Morning Star; Emerge-ency; Flowing; For Today; Friday Song; Here Now; Never Ceasing; Not For Today; Today Today; Tzur Mishelo/Los Bilbilicos.

Personnel

Bob Gluck

piano

Andrea Wolper

vocals

Kinan Azmeh

clarinet

Ken Filiano

bass

Tani Tabbal

drums

Album information

Title: Early Morning Star | Year Released: 2020 | Record Label: FMR Records

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