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Chris Pitsiokos / Javier Areal Velez / Kevin Murray: First Blush

By Mark Corroto
October 7, 2020
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Chris Pitsiokos / Javier Areal Velez / Kevin Murray: First Blush

Was this gig at New York's Downtown Music Gallery in January, 2020, a one-off performance? Saxophonist

Chris Pitsiokos

saxophone
b.1990

" data-original-title="" title="">Chris Pitsiokos was scheduled to perform solo, probably to promote his extraordinary solo release Speak In Tongues (Relative Pitch, 2019), but chose instead to expand to a trio. And a new trio at that. This wasn't one of his recent trios with

Max Johnson

bass
b.1990

" data-original-title="" title="">Max Johnson and

Kevin Shea

drums
b.1973

" data-original-title="" title="">Kevin Shea, Noah Punkt and Philipp Scholz, or

Daniel Levin

cello
b.1974

" data-original-title="" title="">Daniel Levin and

Brandon Seabrook

guitar
b.1984

" data-original-title="" title="">Brandon Seabrook. Nor was it his expansive CP Unit, which has some excellent recordings on Portugal's Clean Feed Records.

The magical combination for this performance includes the Argentinian guitarist named

Javier Areal Velez

guitar, electric

" data-original-title="" title="">Javier Areal Velez and drummer

Kevin Murray

drums
b.2000

" data-original-title="" title="">Kevin Murray. The trio's 1-track, 21-minute performance brings to mind the 1980s punk rock legends Minutemen. Not so much musically, but metaphysically. Velez is a member of several improv-noise- post-punk outfits including Calato, Coso, and el helic��ptero. Murray will be heard on the upcoming

William Parker

bass
b.1952

" data-original-title="" title="">William Parker multi-disc release coming in early 2021. Minutemen is mentiond because Pitsiokos' trio skates upon an gritty edge throughout the set. His alto saxophone sound can be described as that of a young

John Zorn

saxophone, alto
b.1953

" data-original-title="" title="">John Zorn with a dash of

Roscoe Mitchell

saxophone
b.1940

" data-original-title="" title="">Roscoe Mitchell. Skittering and incendiary notes are fired by both saxophone and guitar over the feral drumming of Murray, sounding not unlike a blender mix of

Paal Nilssen-Love

drums
b.1974

" data-original-title="" title="">Paal Nilssen-Love and

Chris Corsano

drums

" data-original-title="" title="">Chris Corsano. By now, adventurous listeners need no introduction to Pitsiokos; it is through the combination of musicians that makes for the combustible nature of this recording.

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Track Listing

First Blush

Personnel

Chris Pitsiokos

saxophone

Javier Areal Velez

guitar, electric

Kevin Murray

drums

Album information

Title: First Blush | Year Released: 2020 | Record Label: 1039 Records

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