Alex Kontorovich's Projects

ALEX KONTOROVICH'S DEEP MINOR

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From the liner notes by Elliott Simon, AllAboutJazz-NY:
Clarinetist/saxophonist/composer Alex Kontorovich is well versed in the gospel according to Bird and Trane and while his jazz background is notable, his knowledge and familiarity with klezmer is equally impressive. A founding member of the electrifying klezmer aggregation, the Klez Dispensers he is much in demand as a sideman, adding his horns to the Klezmatics and Frank London's Klezmer Brass All Stars. His debut as a leader is entitled Deep Minor and it possesses a sound whose soul is composed of equal parts immigrant experience, bluesman's reflection and youthful optimism.

For this project, Kontorovich has assembled a captivating cast of world musicians who are as much at home with Parker and Coltrane as they are with Brandwein and Tarras or Zorn and Krakauer. Bassist Reuben Radding and drummer Aaron Alexander are two individuals who, like Kontorovich, have produced their own takes on the intermarriage of jazz and world music. Together, they form a rhythm section that fosters exploration of Kontorovich's varied compositions. Joining them is Brandon Seabrook, who has expanded the scope of the banjo while defining its place in modern jazz/klezmer fusion. His unique approach, more percussive than country, is a staple of the pioneering jazz/klezmer band Naftule's Dream and its more traditional alter ego, Shirim. He is the perfect foil for Kontorovich's musical vision and lends his inventive improvisations and stylings to this session. Doubling on electric guitar, he adds a searing edge to the proceedings. Together these artists create one of the most elegantly interconnected hybridizations of klezmer with modern jazz. Alex Kontorovich - clarinet, alto saxophone
Brandon Seabrook - banjo, guitar, tapes
Reuben Radding - bass
Aaron Alexander - drums