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Scott Neumann/Tom Christensen: Spin Cycle

By Mark Corroto
May 13, 2016
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Scott Neumann/Tom Christensen: Spin Cycle

The new ensemble led by

Scott Neumann

drums

" data-original-title="" title="">Scott Neumann and

Tom Christensen

saxophone, tenor

" data-original-title="" title="">Tom Christensen is called Spin Cycle. It could, maybe should, have been dubbed The Chameleonic Quartet. Along with the virtuosic sidemen, guitarist

Pete McCann

guitar
b.1966

" data-original-title="" title="">Pete McCann and bassist

" data-original-title="" title="">Phil Palombi, the ten tracks spin-off varying styles and musical modes, from blues to ballads, punk to funk.

Such catholic tastes are not unexpected from drummer Scott Neumann, who was raised on the jazz-rock fusion of

Joe Zawinul

keyboards
1932 - 2007

" data-original-title="" title="">Joe Zawinul and

Wayne Shorter

saxophone
1933 - 2023

" data-original-title="" title="">Wayne Shorter, then went on to tour with The Woody Herman Orchestra,

Dave Liebman

saxophone
b.1946

" data-original-title="" title="">Dave Liebman,

Ben Allison

bass, acoustic
b.1966

" data-original-title="" title="">Ben Allison, Jazz Mandolin Project, and Brother

Jack McDuff

organ, Hammond B3
1926 - 2001

" data-original-title="" title="">Jack McDuff. His Neu3 Trio with

Michael Blake

saxophone, tenor
b.1964

" data-original-title="" title="">Michael Blake and

Mark Helias

bass

" data-original-title="" title="">Mark Helias released the 4.5 star Blessed (Origin, 2013). Likewise, saxophonist

Tom Christensen

saxophone, tenor

" data-original-title="" title="">Tom Christensen has performed with The Toshiko Akiyoshi Jazz Orchestra, The Gil Evans Project, Paquito D'Rivera, Joe Lovano, and Cheap Trick.

Spinning the cycle here is like the board game Twister. Your ears may get tied in knots. Opening with the stop/start "Rainbow Shoelaces" the band releases the beast inside McCann's guitar, letting him shred the melody followed by Christensen's high-wire solo. Likewise, "Hamsters, Hamsters" mines that tight swinging blues, Palombi's finger-fast bass chasing the saxophone from beginning to end, only pausing for Neumann's propelled solo. But then, just when you've pigeonholed the band, they shift into the gentle melody of "Drift," which conjures the later work of

Paul Motian

drums
1931 - 2011

" data-original-title="" title="">Paul Motian's bands. Cymbal accents highlight the pastel wash of guitar and saxophone. Spin again and you're gob smacked by faux-punk oxymoron "Smart Aleck" ("smart stupid"). Rock drumming frames the school-boy-punk of McCann's glam solo and Christensen's overblown antics. If this were a garage band, the police would have been called.

The ballad "Trust" follows, yielding another of Palombi's proprietary solos that absolutely melt into McCann and then Christensen's luscious take on the melody. In a similar vein is "Crystalline," with McCann switching to acoustic guitar and Christensen to soprano saxophone. The music is picture painting perfection. Just depends on what picture they plan to paint.

Learn more about our star rating system

Track Listing

Rainbow Shoelaces; Spin Cycle; The Groove; Funky Sea; Drift; Smart Aleck; Trust; Nevermind; Crystalline; Hamsters, Hamsters.

Personnel

Scott Neumann/Tom Christensen

Tom Christensen: tenor saxophone, soprano saxophone; Pete McCann: electric guitar, nylon-string guitar; Phil Palombi: acoustic bass, electric bass; Scott Neumann: drums.

Album information

Title: Spin Cycle | Year Released: 2016 | Record Label: Sound Footing Records

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