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9 Levels
CD and MP3 available now!
Marshalling the new creative forces of some of today's strongest new young players, 9 Levels is the alto saxophonist/composer/bandleader/conceptualist's first album in three years. Refusing to coast on the success of his lengthy sixteen year run at Blue Note Records, the four-time JJA Award winner returns with this new lineup, playing songs that soundly detail his vision and perspective on the Zen like principles of "The 9 Levels of Humanity". Vocalist Sara Serpa, guitarist Nir Felder, pianist Adam Birnbaum, bassist Joseph Lepore and drummer Hamir Atwal make up the tightly hewn unit that interprets Osby's music as if Lady Destiny herself had ordained it.
This distinctive ensemble that Osby has gathered for 9 Levels exhibits a few major and dramatic departures from his normal sonic palette of the past few years - vocalist Sara Serpa, a vibrant newcomer from the leader's current touring band, hails from Lisbon, Portugal and is a perfect compliment to Osby's labyrinthine brand of melodicism. Her unique vocal stylings mirror his serpentine saxophone melodies in perfect synchronicity and provide a lighter touch to some of the more conceptual strains in the music without rendering it trite or simply reducing herself to "chick singer" status. As her solos show, she can clearly hold her own. Osby became acquainted with Serpa through a mutual friend on Myspace. After clicking on one of her audio examples, Osby heard something so unique and natural in her voice that he felt that she would work well with his band's new direction.
As usual, the Osby originals are delivered in his trademark style - detailed and experimental but with a signature approach that firmly denotes the era in which they were created, keeping, as Osby states, "one foot firmly planted on the ground for referential stability." The opener "Respectful" is "inspired by the sonic vortex that I found myself in whenever I played the music of Andrew Hill - with Andrew himself, of course." Osby asserts. "I employed a piano comping pattern that is my impression of something Andrew would play as a theme for the piece". Drummer Hamir Atwal embraces the rhythm demands of this piece with a finesse and confidence that belies his youth.
Press the play button to preview a track:
Principle
Tolerance
Humility
Truth
Less Tension Please
Resilience
Two of One
Innocence
Optimism
personnel: Greg Osby, alto and soprano saxophones - Sara Serpa, Voice - Adam Birnbaum, piano - Nir Felder, guitar - Joseph Lepore, bass - Hamir Atwal, drums
INCM CD 001 - Released August 5, 2008
Produced by: Greg Osby for Oztone Productions
Price: $15.00(plus S/H)
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