Danielle Mays (Flute, Alto Sax, Clarinet, Bassoon)
Alex Myers (Alto Sax, Flute)
Matt Dickson (Tenor Sax, Flute)
Aran Tanchum (Bari Sax)
Jordan Townsend (Trumpet)
Matt Rubin (Trumpet)
John Lugo (Trombone)
Rhodell Sudduth (Bass Trombone)
Philip Rankin (Piano)
Paul Christensen (Guitar)
Jeff Schwartz (Bass)
Brian Watson (Composition, Traps)
Tim Friedlander (Conductor)
Etkilendikleri
Hindemith, Philip Glass, Mingus, the Coltranes, David Shire, Devo, Mark Mothersbaugh, Bartok, Stravinsky, Arvo Part, Bach, Bernstein, Ives, Shostakovich, Terry Riley, Buddy Rich, David Axelrod, Eric Dolphy, Ornette Coleman, Neu.
From FOXY DIGITALIS
Here’s a homebrewed crime jazz soundtrack, noir steeped and ready for beat cop voice over. Despite lack of formal music training, Jail Weddings drummer Brian Watson wrote two suites of music, recruited players via Craigslist APB, and rehearsed, recorded, and released the evidence on Kill Shaman. And amazingly, what could have been a disaster comes off with nary a misstep, leaping out fully formed as if from the head of Zeus with thrilling bop chases, syncopated intrigue, and cliffhanger endings.
You’ll hear Monk and Mingus, and the atmospheric motion of Angelo Badalamenti for sure, but Watts Ensemble is something unique. The tight drumming is a contributor, but it’s a modern classical influence which ensures “Crime and Time” balances melody and swing with mood and texture. Stravinsky is Watson’s top suspect, and the Russian master is investigated thoroughly. The stakeout reveals a surprising commonality between a work like “The Rite of Spring” and free jazz- for in both, instruments cycle and dart around an unfixed center as meter loosens its grip. It’s at this unlikely crossroads that Watts Ensemble are at their most transfixing.
The release would still slay if Watson had been at this for years. For a first effort, it’s a marvel. There’s great musicianship joined with the risk and excitement of trying something new and having no idea where exactly it will lead. You can feel the sense of discovery in a tactile and dynamic way. Closer, “Fall” ends with a mysterious haze of piano, brass, and strings, hopefully leaving the door open to a sequel.
10/10 -- Mike Pursley (22 September, 2009)
From LA WEEKLY
Drummer Brian Watson supposedly launched the Watts Ensemble on a dare, waging whether he could not only write cohesive music for 10 or so players, but to also recruit and retain them. In a city as diverse as L.A., Watson knew they were out there, but the real challenge was where to find them. Months of Craigslist ads (seeking those mutually interested in Stravinsky, Devo and the Coltranes), friend-to-friend references and music store leads steadily built an amalgamated mutt of an outfit, but a smart and sassy one too, and tight as a drum – even though, at times, the Charles Mingus influence is overshadowing. Mostly it’s a blast to see and hear a live, knowledgeable ensemble like this on stage. At times the sounds are low – meandering flutes and winds, soothing-to-nonexistent strings, and just one waning refrain the only connection to the larger piece of work. Then, just like that, the bottom and bass rattle back in, motivated by Mingus’ Pithecanthropus Erectus stumble and inspired by the cinematic hues of Taxi Driver’s nighttime drives.
-Wendy Gilmartin
From LA RECORD
Jazz arkestra Watts Ensemble’s Crime & Time introduces itself with a ringing in your ears not unlike a gentler version of post-concert hearing loss—either as a disclaimer or an aural warm-up to the 13 musicians and 18 or so instruments they play (which grace the album cover in a stylish Blue Note-esque portrait) all about to drop in on your party with the most delicious 31-layer dip that you’ve ever tasted. In the aforementioned “Suite for Crime: Good Morning,” the staccato grated-cheese ringing gives way to squelchy piano and brass melodies unified by crisp drumming and a lilting woodwind tune. In “Suite for Time: Winter,” a lone piano drips onto the track—on the verge of snapping as you watch, brow wrinkled in suspense and lightly beaded with sweat. “Suite for Crime: Train to Algeria” could be the score to a silent Agatha Christie-James Bond filmic partnership. “Suite for Crime” on the whole sounds shifty enough to deserve its title, and the evocative mutations of both suites together could easily land the Ensemble a regular gig scoring anything from Busby Berkeley films to episodes of Entourage to animated epics. Fantasia 2010, anyone? Or you can just use the album as your own personal biopic score as appropriate. You doing the crime or the time?
—Ayse Arf
