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Evan Weiss: Math or Magic
ByMath or Magic is a big band record for the 21st centurythere's nothing remotely

Duke Ellington
piano1899 - 1974

Steve Reich
composer / conductorb.1936

Miles Davis
trumpet1926 - 1991

George Russell
composer / conductor1923 - 2009

Jimmy Giuffre
clarinet1921 - 2008

Gil Evans
composer / conductor1912 - 1988
Weiss has a knack for juxtaposing riffs and instrumental interplay in highly rhythmic waves. His melodies wander into unexpected places, sometimes sinister, sometimes abstract. It is highly cinematic and very emotional music that is difficult to absorb in one listen and always unveils some new surprise in subsequent plays. There's an endless supply of interesting ideas, and for a guy this young, it's a remarkably mature work. Weiss' compositions are at the forefront here, and not Weiss himself; his improvisations prove that he has some chops and a good melodic sense, but they are infrequent and unobtrusive, and rarely does he carry the melody. Juri Levicek gets a few nice piano solos, and drummer

Ross Pederson
drumsAt times, Math or Magic suffers from the problem of many a debut: Weiss wants to show us all his tricks and sometimes his compositions can't hold them all. However, it's a terrific record, made by a guy who wants to transcend genres to create something quite personal, and he succeeds. It's one thing to get a quartet together to blow through some standards; it's quite another to write some original compositions and bring together an orchestra to record them. Math or Magic is an ambitious and accomplished record that bodes well for what Weiss does next. ">
Track Listing
Math or Magic; Left of Center; Triptych I; Incidents of Half an Hour; Cicuitous Circuits; Triptych II; The Beginning; Enigma; The End; Painting With Numbers; Triptych III; Beast Fear Us; What We Make Of It.
Personnel
Evan Weiss
trumpetEvan Weiss: trumpet; Hildegunn Gjendren: vocals; Julee Kim Walker: flute; Chris Bullock: Clarinet; Jager Loyde: bassoon; Fredrick McKee: violin; Imelda Tecson: viola; Shawna Hamilton: cello; Juri Levicek: piano; Ryan Hagler: bass; Ross Pederson: drums; Michael D'Angelo: percussion.
Album information
Title: Math or Magic | Year Released: 2011 | Record Label: Inner Circle Music
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