Home » Jazz Articles » Album Review » Harris Eisenstadt: Recent Developments

Harris Eisenstadt: Recent Developments

By Karl Ackermann
March 26, 2017
View read count

Canadian native and Brooklyn resident Harris Eisenstadt has built a solid reputation as a composer, matching accolades for his eclectic expertise as a drummer. His passion as a student of the art has taken him to West Africa, where he has studied the music of the Wolof people and Cuba, where he has delved deeply into Afro-Cuban music. A leader/co-leader on more than two-dozen releases, beginning with Last Minute of Play in This Period (Questionable Records, 2001), Eisenstadt is also a member of the Convergence Quartet with

Taylor Ho Bynum

cornet
b.1975

" data-original-title="" title="">Taylor Ho Bynum,

Alexander Hawkins

piano
b.1981

" data-original-title="" title="">Alexander Hawkins and

Dominic Lash

bass, acoustic
b.1980

" data-original-title="" title="">Dominic Lash. Eisenstadt is well known for his Canada Day series, currently including I-IV, and regularly featuring saxophonist

Matt Bauder

saxophone, tenor
b.1976

" data-original-title="" title="">Matt Bauder, trumpeter

Nate Wooley

trumpet
b.1974

" data-original-title="" title="">Nate Wooley and

Chris Dingman

vibraphone

" data-original-title="" title="">Chris Dingman on vibraphone.

The nonet featured on Recent Developments again includes Wooley as well as Eisenstadt collaborators, bassist

Eivind Opsvik

bass

" data-original-title="" title="">Eivind Opsvik from Canada Day II (Songlines, 2011),

Dan Peck

tuba
b.1983

" data-original-title="" title="">Dan Peck whose tuba was featured on Canada Day Octet (482 Music, 2012) , and trombonist

Jeb Bishop

trombone

" data-original-title="" title="">Jeb Bishop from the Eisenstadt's trio album Tiebreaker (Not Two Records, 2008). Also on hand are bassoonist Sara Schoenbeck, saxophonist Anna Webber, banjo/guitarist Brandon Seabrook, who recently played on MOPDtK's Loafer's Hollow, and the superb cellist

Hank Roberts

cello
b.1954

" data-original-title="" title="">Hank Roberts.

The fourteen compositions—half are two-minutes or less—do not play to theme, but as Eisenstadt often works, they are written to the strengths of the ensemble. A non-sequential selection of pieces, titled "Part 1" through "Part 6" cover a range of styles and combinations of instruments. "Part 1" opens with what is essentially an intriguing Peck and Seabrook duo, later joined by Wooley. The trumpeter takes the otherwise bucolic piece to a frenetic close. "Part 2" follows a similar pattern but with Eisenstadt stepping in to disrupt the pastoral pace.

Five "Interlude" improvisations are positioned behind sections of the previously mentioned series. These are designated as two duo, two group and one quartet interval. The music is as varied as the formations with "Interlude (Group 1)" being free and discordant, "Interlude (Quartet)" having an off-kilter classicism about it and "Interlude (Duo 2)" not being a duo at all. These pieces are bookended with an "Introduction" and "Prologue" up front, and a closing "Epilogue" to conclude the album.

Recent Developments took its name from a tongue in cheek anecdote regarding "development" as scalable points on a chart versus the photographic definition of the word. The latter is sense that Eisenstadt is conveying here and indeed, the album plays out as vignettes that are more connected by atmosphere than by a running narrative. The similarly titled tracks could be randomized with minimal effect to the listening experience. This is a highly unusual and appealing collection and features some of Eisenstadt's most creative writing and a remarkable assembly of talented musicians.

Learn more about our star rating system

Track Listing

Introduction; Prologue; Part 1; Interlude (Group 1); Part 2; Interlude (quartet); Part 3; Interlude (Duo 1); Part 4; Interlude (Group 2); Part 5; Interlude (Duo 2); Part 6; Epilogue.

Personnel

Harris Eisenstadt

drums

Jeb Bishop: trombone; Harris Eisenstadt: drums; Eivind Opsvik: bass; Dan Peck: tuba; Hank Roberts: cello; Sara Schoenbeck: bassoon; Brandon Seabrook: banjo; Anna Webber: flute; Nate Wooley: trumpet.

Album information

Title: Recent Developments | Year Released: 2017 | Record Label: Songlines Recordings

PREVIOUS / NEXT

Migration Blues
< Previous

N.O. Escape
Next >

Support All About Jazz

All About Jazz has been a pillar of jazz since 1995, championing it as an art form and, more importantly, supporting the musicians who make it. Our enduring commitment has made "AAJ" one of the most culturally important websites of its kind, read by hundreds of thousands of fans, musicians and industry figures every month.

Go Ad Free!

To maintain our platform while developing new means to foster jazz discovery and connectivity, we need your help. You can become a sustaining member for as little as $20 and in return, we'll immediately hide those pesky ads plus provide access to future articles for a full year. This winning combination vastly improves your AAJ experience and allow us to vigorously build on the pioneering work we first started in 1995. So enjoy an ad-free AAJ experience and help us remain a positive beacon for jazz by making a donation today.