Berenson: Lumen AAJ PDF

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Adam Berenson: Lumen

By KARL ACKERMANN
March 18, 2015
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More than forty years ago, Harry Nillson coined the phrase
"A point in every direction is the same as no point at all"
and as an axiom it has stood the test of time very well.
However, Adam Berenson topples the adage with his
unlimited imagination and a refined command of weaving
multiple genres and sub-genres into a coherent and
exceptionally engaging program. Having worked with
pianist Paul Bley as a student of the New England
Conservatory of Music, the Philadelphia-area pianist and composer cites influences as
diverse as Frank Zappa, Beethoven, the Beatles and Ornette Coleman. Berenson's
inspirations are couched by a personal resolve that owes little to any individual and on
Lumen he creates a moving work of art that is stunning in scope and unique in
creativity.
This double-CD offers a sprawling collection of string quartet compositions, multiple
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music" in the composer's mind. It's hard to argue with his hypothesis when this
enormous collection flows seamlessly, logically and beautifully from one exploratory ♥
piece to the next, breathing, expanding and contracting like a living entity.
Lumen features almost as many personnel variations as styles of music. Bassist

Scott Barnum has played with saxophonist Dave Liebman, pianists and Bill Carrothers
and—importantly, given the content here—Ran Blake. Drummer Bob Moses knows
something about working with bassists having sat in with Charles Mingus at the age of
twelve. He went on to work with saxophonist Rahsaan Roland Kirk, Gary Burton and
Pat Metheny among other notable figures. Philadelphia area percussionist Bill
Marconi—with a diverse jazz background—contributes both in the rhythm section and
with electronics. The very avant-garde JACK Quartet and an additional group of string
musicians participate in the two string quartet pieces.
A gong, bells, chimes and other percussion usher in the spellbinding duo performance
on "Transpersonal." The piece sets up the first of four sonic explorations in the
non-sequential versions of "Jnana" which—along with "Spooky Action at a Distance"
—represent the most experimental of the pieces on Lumen. Employing prepared piano
and electronics, Berenson explores a range of tones, sonorities and genres from noise
to neo-classical. His solo piano pieces, such as "Stars 1" and "Yasujiro Ozu" offer
respite from the more intense and unorthodox pieces but still encompass a tension
between structure and invention.
The jazz trio utilizes an irregular approach resulting in multifaceted sound, by turns
forceful and—only occasionally—melodious, propelled by Barnum and Moses (or
Marconi) and Berenson's impressive range of expressive character. The avant-garde
"Emotional Idiot," "Ricercar (For Sven Nykvist)" and "Very Soon Mankind Will No
Longer Be a Useless Passion (Broadway Melody of 1996)" present a variety of textures
and modulating tempos within complex pieces. More melodic are the third-stream like
"Rainer Maria Rilke," the appropriately childlike "A Little Boy Opened a Window" and
the bluesy "Ingrid Thulin." Each of the two discs concludes with a string quartet, the
first "String Quartet #3" featuring the JACK Quartet is every bit as unorthodox as the
most experimental pieces performed by the jazz group. At more than fifteen minutes
in length, it is sometimes as quiet as a whisper and at others, agitated and noisy. The
five movement "String Quartet #1"—performed live and recorded in 1997—closes the
second disc and is more traditional, often beautiful in comparison to the adventurous
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Lumen is a greatly ambitious and uncompromising collection whose diversity never
trips it up. Berenson's cerebral process and understated—but unmistakably—dramatic ♥
sense of time and placement bring his vision into sharp relief. From free jazz to
classical dance influences, he manages a balance between austere and radical, not
playing into the hand of either, but producing something that feels organic. Lumen is
an outstanding artistic creation from a limitless composer.
Track Listing: Disc 1: Transpersonal; Jnana, Pt. 10; Late 20th Century Stomp;
Emotional Idiot; Prose Surrealism;Very Soon Mankind Will No Longer Be a Useless
Passion (Broadway Melody of 1996); Jnana, Pt. 13; Rainer Maria Rilke; Ricercar (For
Sven Nykvist); ... Was Near the Black Plague..; A Little Boy Opened a Window 3; ...
Searching... Everywhere..; Dithyramb; Jnana, Pt. 8; Treaty of Dancing Rabbit Creek;
String Quartet #3. Disc 2: "I"; Respectable People; Stars 1; The Adytum; Tickled to
Death; Jnana, Pt. 18; Ingrid Thulin; Through This Stillness; Yasujiro Ozu; Spooky
Action at a Distance; String Quartet #1: Pt. I; String Quartet #1: Pt. II; String
Quartet #1: Pt. III; String Quartet #1:Pt. IV; String Quartet #1: Pt. V.
Personnel: Adam Berenson: piano, synthesizer, live electronics, and composition;

Scott Barnum: double-bass, prepared double bass, live electronics; Bill Marconi:
percussion, live electronics; Bob Moses: drums; JACK Quartet: John Pickford Richards:
viola; Ari Streisfeld: violin; Christopher Otto: violin; Kevin McFarland: cello; Yukako
Funahashi: violin; Annete Chan: violins; Ilana Schroeder: viola; Sigurgeir Agnarsson,
cello.
Year Released: 2014 | Record Label: Dream Play Records | Style: Fringes of Jazz
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Adam Berenson: Lumen https://www.allaboutjazz.com/lumen-adam-berenson-dream-play-re...

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Adam Berenson: Lumen

This double-CD offers a sprawling collection of string quartet compositions, multiple

& Sign Up Sign In %

Lumen features almost as many personnel variations as styles of music. Bassist

& Sign Up Sign In %

Personnel: Adam Berenson: piano, synthesizer, live electronics, and composition;

& Sign Up Sign In %

About Adam Berenson *

Read more articles *

CD/LP/Track Review CD/LP/Track Review

CD/LP/Track Review CD/LP/Track Review

CD/LP/Track Review CD/LP/Track Review

& Sign Up Sign In %

& Sign Up Sign In %

Survival Meets Style

Lumen Lumen by Adam Berenson

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Survival Meets Style

Hybrido - From Rio To Wayne Shorter

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Sponsor: ECM RECORDS | READ REVIEW | BUY IT

VISIT US FOLLOW US DOWNLOAD US

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