Press coverage
of
Avi Granite:6 - Red Tree
Guitarist
Avi Granite presents a well-balanced sextet on Red Tree (Pet Mantis 003;
52:10) ****. Driven hard by drummer Nick Fraser, the band works through
10 of Granite's spiny compositions, playing the leader's stinging tone
against the twin-sax/trombone front-line. "6th Man" best illustrates
the recording's strengths, as the piece shifts seamlessly from the guitarist's
solo introduction to a roaring, full-band climax. Granite writes well
for horns, and he blends voices effectively on "Life Fragments".
- James Hale, Downbeat Magazine, Feb. 2008
Avi Granite:6 - Red Tree (Pet Mantis Records) showcases the enterprising
guitarist leading his sextet through a 10-tune set of originals that showcase
slick charts and distinctive structures that suggest they're carved from
territory similar to that favoured by improvising orchestra NOJO. Thick
ensemble work, strong shape-changing melody narratives, diverse textural
colour and a kind of loose togetherness are all apparent. The flow of
ideas from Granite and sidemen Chris Roberts, Jonathan Kay, Tom Richards,
Neal Davis and Nick Fraser is continuous, needing neither volume nor electronic
bric-a-brac to maintain interest.
- Geoff Chapman, CODA, May 2008
Avi Granite and his serpentine guitar, half-intellect, half-instinct,
fatten up a whole new jazz sound with the saxes and trombone of Jonathan
Kay, Chris Roberts and Tom Richards. The music is at once cerebral and
playful, unpretentious despite its backward cannonball jumps off the experimental
diving board. Some of the experiments are meandering and indeterminate,
but mostly 6 Red Tree is flavourful and accessible, for jazz of such original
coinage. I loved it, most of it, especially New Rose Neurosis, 6th Man
and Life Fragments.
- Jeff Mahoney. The Hamilton Spectator 26/01/2008
Toronto-based composer and guitarist Avi Granite has been working hard
over the past couple years, honing his chops, and working on material
for his six piece instrumental modern jazz group. You really should look
up this kid. With the challenging overall warmth of a good number of 60s-timed
champions, not to mention Granite’s own rich and luminous guitar,
the all-new AG:6 Red Tree offering (to be released Nov 17 Pet Mantis Records)
provides a lot of juice with the fruits its cultivated. Joined by alto
sax man Chris Roberts, tenor Jonathan Kay, drummer Nick Fraser, bassist
Neal Davis, and Tom Richards on trombone, its upcoming organic charmer
is chalk-full of invigorating improvisational change-ups, restless rhythms,
and developing melodies that seep through like fresh moisture in a well-aged
barrel in the barn. I can only imagine the best is yet to come for Avi
(rumble young man, rumble) and his swingin' AG6.
- Eric Theriault, PanPot 28/10/2007
Toronto guitarist Avi Granite delivers an impressive collection of twisting
melodies and free-form arrangements on the follow-up to his debut Avi
Granite: 5. There’s a laid-back vibe to Red Tree, which allows for
the six-piece band to stretch out considerably. And since Granite doesn’t
provide much in the way of comping, his occasional countermelody or noodling
accompaniment lends an even more abstracted quality to the solos. While
the all the players skilfully elaborate on Granite’s clever melodies
— with Granite himself and drummer Nick Fraser chasing each other’s
rhythms on “6th Man” and tenor saxophonist Jonathan Kay working
a loose post-bop flexibility for a swarm of notes on “Ghetto Panda”
— the penultimate track “In 4 Scenes” develops the band’s
impressionistic ensemble ability, drifting between breakbeats and open
time, squeals and wails, and even featuring a slide whistle from the horn
section for four of the most avant-jazz movements on the record.
- Chris Bilton, EYE Weekly 14/10/2007
Toronto
guitarist Avi Granite’s 6 Red Tree eschews non-Western influences
for those of contemporary jazz. But still each of the 10 tracks offers
unexpected enhancements from members of the sextet. Building up from the
tough rhythms and near tom-tom-like rim shots of drummer Nick Fraser and
the steady lope of bassist Neal Davis, there’s enough space for
the front line, which includes keening vibrato runs from tenor saxophonist
Jonathan Kay, acrid undertones from alto saxophonist Chris Roberts and
the reverberations and shifting, tongue-fluffing of trombonist Tom Richards.
Polished and professional, Granite sounds most solid when involved in
subtle dual voicing of chromatic guitar runs with trilling horns. Throughout,
no one slips too far outside, with the few shrill and off-centre textures
very much a sideshow to the swinging main event.
- Ken Waxman, WholeNote Magazine Feb.2008
The Canadian guitar player and composer Avi Granite is very interesting
– His album solely his own composition surprises the music society.
Overseas people think his music is a thinking man's Jazz music. By looking
at the album cover one would think your looking at a film title not an
album cover. As the old saying goes what you see isn't always what you
get, This album cover exemplifies this saying. After listening to this
album several times I cannot tell if this music is easy to listen to and
there's little chance that you will hear this music coming out at 200
watts from the window of a BMW. Avi Granite represents a free music world,
its like spring without any shinning or hot air without any effort. However
if we listen to it with an open mind you can not only appreciate his composition
but also appreciate the deepness of the music and the artistic quality
of the music. This album beats throughout and gives you tense feelings
because Avi Granite uses a lot of wind instruments. You can feel that
the musicians take this music on their shoulders and play with feeling
to create this crafted music.
- Czékus Mihály HFP Protál (Hungarian)
