Publisher : MixWaveWebsite : mixwaveFormat : KONTAKT 6.5.3+Quality : 24 bit 44.1 kHz mono
Thomas Pridgen Drums Description:
ReviewsAdd ReviewDowntownMusicGallery Oct 17, 2021Caret DownBanReportFeaturing Mike Sopko on guitar, Bill Laswell on bass, and Thomas Pridgen on drums plus Martin Dosh on keyboards, Michael Lewis (from Happy Apple) & Joshua Smith on saxes, and Hamir Atwal on percussion. I read a review of this disc in Jazzwise (UK jazz magazine) recently and decided I needed to get copies to check out and sell. In just a few days, these discs appeared, so here we are. I wasn’t quite familiar with Bay-area guitarist Mike Sopko before this although I was somewhat familiar with drummer Thomas Pridgen who played with Mars Volta, a popular prog band from El Paso, Texas, now defunct. It turns out that Mike Sopko has worked with Mike Watt, Jamie Saft, and Tyshawn Sorey. Mr. Sopko and Mr. Pridgen have a duo called Big Band that does play on occasion and decided to invite one of their heroes, bassist Bill Laswell, to this studio session. The music here was improvised/created in the studio and then Sopko and a handful of his colleagues added a few other parts. The results are astonishing: tight, powerful, wailing with the incredibly assured interplay between all three men. All three are in top form and integral to the group sound. In some ways, this disc is similar to Blixt, that incredible trio with Raoul Bjorkenheim, Laswell & Morgan Agren. Mr. Laswell plays an uptempo dub/funk line on “Detroit”, while Sopko and Pridgen get into and ride the groove. Mr. Sopko adds several sly guitar parts, while Laswell’s bass buzzes underneath. The production here is clean and warm and perfectly balanced. Laswell’s dreamy, hypnotic bass is featured on “Daybreak” while Sopko also creates layers of watery, cascading shimmers. Each member of the trio gets a chance to steer a couple of pieces, by kicking them off and providing the central riff/direction. On a piece called “Acres”, Mr. Laswell’s quick spiraling wah-wah bass and Mr. Pridgen’s laid-back drums provide a cosmic cushion for several alien (Frippish) guitars. Even better is “Airplane Mode”, where Laswell’s furious bass is at the center of the explosive trio with Michael Lewis’s sax also spinning along. Mr. Sopko plays acoustic guitar on occasion, adding bits of subtle spice a the right moments. Martin Dosh’s electric keyboards are also used as selective sonic seasoning at just the right moments. On a song called “Praxis”, Sopko plays some astounding high-speed Buckethead-like lines, which makes sense since the band Praxis featured Buckethead and Mr. Laswell. Mike Sopko’s daredevil, diverse guitar playing is featured throughout this disc, yet always working sympathetically with equally ultra-creative rhythm team and their guests. - Bruce Lee Gallanter, DMG Mail Reply ReplyTag Helpful
Add ReviewDowntownMusicGallery Oct 17, 2021Caret DownBanReportFeaturing Mike Sopko on guitar, Bill Laswell on bass, and Thomas Pridgen on drums plus Martin Dosh on keyboards, Michael Lewis (from Happy Apple) & Joshua Smith on saxes, and Hamir Atwal on percussion. I read a review of this disc in Jazzwise (UK jazz magazine) recently and decided I needed to get copies to check out and sell. In just a few days, these discs appeared, so here we are. I wasn’t quite familiar with Bay-area guitarist Mike Sopko before this although I was somewhat familiar with drummer Thomas Pridgen who played with Mars Volta, a popular prog band from El Paso, Texas, now defunct. It turns out that Mike Sopko has worked with Mike Watt, Jamie Saft, and Tyshawn Sorey. Mr. Sopko and Mr. Pridgen have a duo called Big Band that does play on occasion and decided to invite one of their heroes, bassist Bill Laswell, to this studio session. The music here was improvised/created in the studio and then Sopko and a handful of his colleagues added a few other parts. The results are astonishing: tight, powerful, wailing with the incredibly assured interplay between all three men. All three are in top form and integral to the group sound. In some ways, this disc is similar to Blixt, that incredible trio with Raoul Bjorkenheim, Laswell & Morgan Agren. Mr. Laswell plays an uptempo dub/funk line on “Detroit”, while Sopko and Pridgen get into and ride the groove. Mr. Sopko adds several sly guitar parts, while Laswell’s bass buzzes underneath. The production here is clean and warm and perfectly balanced. Laswell’s dreamy, hypnotic bass is featured on “Daybreak” while Sopko also creates layers of watery, cascading shimmers. Each member of the trio gets a chance to steer a couple of pieces, by kicking them off and providing the central riff/direction. On a piece called “Acres”, Mr. Laswell’s quick spiraling wah-wah bass and Mr. Pridgen’s laid-back drums provide a cosmic cushion for several alien (Frippish) guitars. Even better is “Airplane Mode”, where Laswell’s furious bass is at the center of the explosive trio with Michael Lewis’s sax also spinning along. Mr. Sopko plays acoustic guitar on occasion, adding bits of subtle spice a the right moments. Martin Dosh’s electric keyboards are also used as selective sonic seasoning at just the right moments. On a song called “Praxis”, Sopko plays some astounding high-speed Buckethead-like lines, which makes sense since the band Praxis featured Buckethead and Mr. Laswell. Mike Sopko’s daredevil, diverse guitar playing is featured throughout this disc, yet always working sympathetically with equally ultra-creative rhythm team and their guests. - Bruce Lee Gallanter, DMG Mail Reply ReplyTag Helpful.