KLANG
James Falzone: clarinet
Jason Adasiewicz: vibraphone
Jason Roebke: bass
Tim Daisy: drums
Description
Recordings
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Reviews
Additional MediaDescription
Clarinetist/composer James Falzone founded KLANG for a pending January 2006 gig at a now-defunct improvised music series in Chicago. He used that opportunity to recruit three other mainstays of the city's creative music scene he had always wanted to work with, Jason Adasiewicz, Jason Roebke and Tim Daisy. Driven by their common interests in the clarinetvibes sound and the vast musical legacy of the legendary Jimmy Giuffre, the quartet has worked together ever since, performing at prominent festivals, series and venues around the country.Brooklyn Lines . . . Chicago Spaces, 2012, Allos Documents 008
Other Doors, 2011, Allos Documents006
Tea Music, 2009, Allos Documents 003
KLANG: Live, Luminescence, 2008
For 2012's Brooklyn Lines . . . Chicago Spaces
"Clarinetist James Falzone casts a wide net on Brooklyn Lines . . . Chicago Spaces, the terrific fourth album by his quartet KLANG . . . full of original compositions, rife with the kind of collisions—between lines, between atmospheres, between aesthetics—alluded to in its title. The music is thoroughly contemporary—even the elegant swing number "Carol's Burgers" pulls and pushes its tempo—and the structures allow deft movement between composition and improvisation. On the shape-shifting Ukrainian Village" for instance, a composed passage of hydroplaning sound (shimmering vibes, sizzling cymbals, vibrato-laden long tones) subtly becomes a launchpad to high-level, texture-oriented free improvisation." ~ Peter Margasak, Chicago Reader
"James Falzone is such a terrific clarinetist, it would be easy to simply dwell on the sound he commands on the instrument. But when you listen to KLANG’s new album, Brooklyn Lines … Chicago Spaces, you don’t really focus on the clarinet. And as strong as Falzone’s partners in the group are, including the amazing vibraphonist Jason Adasiewicz, you don’t focus on their individual contributions, either. Falzone writes and plays in such a way that you’re engaged first and second by the larger imprint of the works, emotionally and aesthetically. As with visual art, the details reveal themselves slowly, and rewardingly. Falzone is as motivated by basic themes of beauty and strength and compassion as narrative events. The new album is full of disarming feeling, whether engaging in fetching swing or abstract improvised tones.
~ Lloyd Sachs, Jazzespress/WDCB Radio"This isn’t music to make first-blush assumptions with. That what sounds like modern jazz edging near the avant-garde/free improv border will do some surprising things that you should’ve expected in the first place . . . that Falzone may often sound on clarinet like he’s trying to elude a tail by perpetually doubling back, making sharp turns, and heading the wrong way into traffic, well, he is just as able to gently drift in space, like on the beautiful “It Felt As If Time Had Stopped.” Spend some time with this music. This is music that intrigued me with my first visit, a little more with my second, and then after some time away, I find myself listening to it pretty frequently, my admiration and enjoyment increasing along with the time spent. The music becomes more friendly the more one gets to know it. Some music is like that."
~ Dave Sumner, Bird Is The Worm"Tremendous record from this young group – a set that embraces a range of modern jazz traditions, then pushes them forward strongly to the next generation! The lineup here features some of the sharpest talents of the current Windy City underground – James Falzone on clarinet, Jason Adasiewicz on vibes, Jason Roebke on bass, and Tim Daisy on drums – all players who feel each others' strengths instantly, and find ways of coming together that are even greater than the sum of the already-strong parts! Falzone's clarinet is especially amazing – a fresh new voice on the instrument that pushes past even John Carter or Jimmy Giuffree – showing us that the instrument can really carve strong modern lines, when in the right hands. Adasiewicz's vibes are always a treat – and ring out beautifully – and both Roebke and Daisy have the right sort of freewheeling rhythms to set even more fire to the other two players" ~ Dusty Groove America
"As a group, they achieve a driving sound that is at the same time light and buoyant. Throughout the album, the melodies and counter melodies are imaginative and creative and the rhythm section ably supports and pushes the music forward. The more you listen, the more depth, crosscurrents and patterns you realize. It is deceptively seductive in this manner and quite easy to recommend highly." ~ Paul Acquaro, Free Jazz Collective Blog
"The blend of clarinet and vibraphone is what sets this quartet apart. That and Falzone’s bold yet still very jazz-like writing. Recommended" ~ François Couture
"A Chicago quartet of modern-jazz all-stars makes up this band, led by clarinetist Falzone. And while it's his stop-and-go, complex but catchy compositions that give the group its marching orders, Jason Adadiewicz's work on vibes threatens to steal the spotlight now and again: his work ranging from percussively prickly to being drenched in a dreamy, Twin Peaks-style excess of reverb. Odd-structured tunes like "Brooklyn Lines" dominate at first, but the gorgeous "It Felt As If Time Had Stopped" and the sprightly lyrical "Carol's Burgers" show that avant-energy isn't all this group offers.."
~ Seth Colter Walls, Rhapsody"Falzone combines the Chicago spirit with the music and vibe he picked up in Brooklyn during a recent visit. The music is angular and bracing, reminding me of one of my favorite albums, Eric Dolphy’s Out to Lunch. The fresh and invigorating quality to the music comes from the sharp corners supplied by Adasiewicz and Daisy, that supply a percussive foundation for the bass and clarinet to bob and weave around in interesting ways. . . . a captivating performance as the energy waxes and wanes in a rewarding fashion."
~ Tim Nillans, Jazz and Blues BlogSpot"Styles do not cross hairs as much as they are masterfully texture and kept intentionally distinct. “Carol’s Burgers” evokes ice-cool New York swing, while the eerie whimsy of “Alone At The Brain” exudes a chilling variation of peripatetic free-jazz. Falzone cements the arrangements with mind-blowing altissimo. The overall construction—brought together through the voicing of vibraphonist Jason Adasiewicz and the bop nuances of bassist Jason Roebke and drummer Tim Daisy—never falters against the rip currents of an approach reminiscent of Roscoe Mitchell or straight-shooting New York undertones."
~ Hilary Brown, DownBeat
"Although the instrumental make-up of the unit recalls the swing era clarinet and vibraphone combos popularized by Goodman and Lionel Hampton, Falzone’s four-piece actually belongs to an innovative clarinet-centric continuum that includes the introspective musings of Jimmy Giuffre and the avant-garde innovations of John Carter. Drawing on years of experience playing together, Falzone and Adasiewicz are a finely tuned front line. The leader’s serpentine phrasing boasts a dark, woody tone that courts dramatic dissonance without abandoning conventional harmony; his plangent lyricism is further underscored by Adasiewicz’s kaleidoscopic palette, which ranges from luminescent shadings to metallic shards. Roebke and Daisy provide able support, executing quicksilver shifts in mood with a combination of responsive timing, rhythmic versatility and timbral finesse."
~Troy Collins, Point of DepartureFor 2011's Other Doors
4 Stars - DownBeat Magazine, June 2011
"Despite a lineup that includes clarinet and vibes, Klang was not an obvious choice to pay tribute to Goodman. While the quartet's leader, clarinetist James Falzone, is, like Goodman, well steeped in both swing and classical music, his allegiance lies more with Jimmy Giuffre and the music of Brittany and the Middle East. But that distance is part of what makes this album stand apart from the repertory exhumations that clog the jazz bins in those few stores that still carry jazz records. There's no musty stench of antiquity about these performances. While they honor much that Goodman stood for—"AC/DC Current," for example, is full of joy and swings like mad, and the musicianship on "Stompin' At The Savoy" is of the highest level—they don't forget who they are or where they come from. Their shared history in groups like Vox Arcana, Engines, and the Valentine Trio is as much an inspiration as Goodman's tunes for the masterful mixing of tight ensemble playing, free improvising and exploratory atmospherics found on Other Doors." ~ Bill Meyer, DownBeat
"So unmistakably right, a genuine understanding of the Ur-material projected into the present. Subtle thing. Not easy to convey. Immensely impressive . . . this is music driven along by Falzone’s remarkable, capacious imagination and grasp of group dynamics. The municipal hype delivers big on Other Doors. KLANG made a remarkable start with last year’s Tea Music. This consolidates the debut, adds a layer, and does thoughtful honor to Benny and Hamp and Charlie and Gene, which is no small feat." ~ Brian Morton, Point of Departure
"Throughout the 15-track session, quartet members and their guests gleefully experiment with counter melodies and conflicting tempos to expand the scope of their - and their listeners' - musical horizons. From the title track's chamber-music air to what might be called "space-age avant-swing" on works such as "The 4:08," KLANG delivers unexpected delights." ~ Mark Holston, Jazziz
"By interpreting hallowed material from a personal viewpoint, rather than mere repertoire, Other Doors embraces the same longstanding concepts jazz musicians have endeavored to explore throughout the decades. Blending new pieces with startling arrangements of old standards, the record provides a fresh look at the legacy of a respected icon. Throughout the date, Falzone and company bring a kaleidoscopic array of moods to Goodman's work . . . Despite his enthusiastic delivery, Falzone never merely imitates Goodman's jubilance; his robust, woody tone and bold phrasing skirt the edges of conventional harmony without drifting beyond the boundaries of tonality. Supported by the lively contributions of his sideman Other Doors easily sidesteps the nostalgic clichés that plague many similar homage's by bringing a freewheeling and modernistic vitality to the enduring work of a celebrated innovator."
~Troy Collins, All About Jazz"It all clicks amazingly here, with swing, chamber and free-jazz meshing together, sometimes in the same piece, creating a unique presentation of historical continuum. Falzone's playing is rich and elegant but never conservative, and his arrangements bear the same qualities. The contributions by the guests are very valuable as they expand the sound palette and provide some nice soloing. The chemistry of this group is what really makes it all click - excellent job creating the sense of unity in the diversity is what makes this album such a success really . . . with an abvious nod to a history, this project is not a history lesson. Highly Recommended. ~ The Jazz Alchemist, Poland
"When the Chicago Jazz Festival asked James Falzone to pay homage to Benny Goodman in 2009, the centennial of his birth, the local clarinetist wasn't known as a practitioner of the buoyant swing that Goodman turned into some of the most popular music in 1930s America. Falzone is always game for a challenge, though—he'd already interpreted Messiaen as well as traditional French and Arabic music—and he created relatively faithful arrangements of Goodman classics for his quartet Klang (vibist Jason Adasiewicz, bassist Jason Roebke, and drummer Tim Daisy). But when he finally got around to recording the project for the superb new Other Doors, he transformed that swing-era music into something much more personal and contemporary. On "Memories of You" he elongates the melody almost unrecognizably over a funereal tempo, and on "Rose Room" he updates Goodman's intimate small-group aesthetic, particularly in his beautiful pinpoint interactions with Adasiewicz. In the album's liner notes, he writes that one thing he likes about those small-group records is that "personality is as important as notes," and the members of Klang demonstrate similar priorities, especially on Falzone's new compositions for the project." ~ Peter Margasak, Chicago Reader
"Clarinetist James Falzone brings the music of Benny Goodman into an entirely new, strange universe with a retro/futuristic mix of reimagined favorites and original tunes. KLANG’s bright, sparkling sound incorporates touches of swing here and there, but they also spend a lot of time floating through mysterious, angular realms." ~ KZSU Radio, Stanford, CA
"The second album by Klang (a creative jazz quartet led by excellent clarinetist/composer James Falzone) is actually a project of jazz tradition redevelopment. Half the tracks were written or popularized by the King of Swing Benny Goodman. Nothing nostalgic or passé here; simply, Falzone is using Goodman’s repertoire as a springboard for his own writing and arranging. Falzone brilliantly succeeds in giving his twist to this swing. The result is a delightful creative jazz record, with intelligent and thoughtful writing."
~ François Couture, Monsieur Délire, Montreal Canada"With Other Doors, Klang leader and clarinetist James Falzone has documented a body of music he worked on, after being invited to celebrate what would have been Benny Goodman's 100th birthday, at the Chicago Jazz Festival back in 2009. As he's a highly creative individual in his own right, he hasn't gone for any sterile Swing Era reconstruction, instead fashioning a program which makes for rewarding listening even while it doesn't lose sight of its original stimulus . . . To be sure, the ability to do something transformative is a mark of this ensemble, as it proves on Eubie Blake and Andy Razaf's "Memories Of You," which receives one of the most radical readings it's ever received on record . . . the music is so unassumingly persuasive . . . Ultimately both the specific and the general impressions are of something transformed, and the fact that everything in this program works is testament to the substance of the iconoclastic approach." ~Nic Jones, All About Jazz
"The young set of Chicago jazz musicians currently blowing a storm in the Windy City continue to display respect and reverence for the city's musical tradition. Now, clarinetist James Falzone digs back even further with his quartet KLANG's third album, investigating fellow Chicagoan Benny Goodman's 30s/40s legacy. But as you'd suspect from some of the more leftfield jazz musicians currently operating in the US, this is far from a simple run through the reperoire. Falzone's interpretations of standards like "Stompin' at the Savoy" mix jaunty, small-group swing with interludes of abstract improv, with Jason Adasiewicz's vibes adding a dreamy weightlessness. It all adds up to a neat, intelligent and economical little package." ~Daniel Spicer, JazzWise
"An obvious conclusion could be that Falzone is looking back. But, to the contrary, Falzone is absolutely in present time, heading forward to demonstrate how music evolves. It swells, caresses and becomes downright orchestral at times . . . No musician in the quartet misses a solo spot. The music never falters because these instrumentalists are inherently superb."
~ Lynn Horton, JazzTimes"The way the clarinetist and his bandmates dive headfirst in the "Goodman material" clearly demonstrates the fun they have performing this music—and it is infectious . . . a recording that is alternately stark and breezy."
~ Alain Drouot, Jazz Institute of Chicago's JazzGram"What makes this disc so wonderful is that it has a perfect balance with one foot in the distant past and the other in the present, some eighty or so years later. KLANG continue to show that Chicago remains one of the most advanced and reverent music scenes in America today."
~ Bruce Lee Gallanter, Downtown Music GalleryBest of Lists for Other Doors in 2011
The year’s best jazz CDs ~ Neil Tesser, Examiner.com
Top 10 New Releases of 2011 ~ Lyn Horton, Rhapsody Jazz Critics’ Poll
Top 10 New Releases of 2011 ~ Derek Taylor, Rhapsody Jazz Critics’ Poll
Favorite 20 + 3 for 2011 ~ John Braithwaite, CKUT 90.3 FM
Albums of the Year: Honorable Mentions ~ The New York City Jazz Record
Best of 2011 ~ Antonio Terzo, Jazz Journalists Association
Top 13 of 2011~ Neil Tesser, Jazz Journalists AssociationReviews For 2009's Tea Music
"On Tea Music, the band plays music that's controlled on the the surface and wriggling inside: tight, cruising arrangements of thoughtful and stylish music, with vibraphone shimmers and Mr. Falzone's handsome tone over bass and drums that rumble freely, without fixed rhythm, but that never make a big deal out of it. (Once in a while, in an allotted area, Mr. Falzone really stretches out, playing hard, gestural solos, getting almost wild in small spaces.) The band is having everything at once, of course: structure and freedom, tunes and the open imagination."
~ Ben Ratliff, The New York Times"Provocative and daring . . . this extremely talented quartet has everything it takes to be a major force on the creative improvised music scene for a long time. Tea Music comes highly recommended, no matter your beverage preference."
~ Michael G. Nastos, All Music"KLANG's debut, Tea Music, projects more than just sound; it goes deeper than that . . . haunting and colorful tunes . . . nothing less than satisfying."
~ Lyn Horton, All About Jazz"The level of rapport is extraordinary and the malleability of each player's role in the ensemble provides a broader range of instrumental color than you might expect. Great stuff, with more to discover in the music each time around. Highly recommended."
~ Stuart Kremsky, Cadence Magazine"The first recording of Chicago clarinetist James Falzone's quartet, KLANG, comes on strong with bold playing, smart compositions and empathetic group interaction. What makes for such pleasing listening is the beautiful blending of the warm clarinet and the glistening sheen of the vibes - a really cool combination. Tea Music is steeped in the modern jazz tradition and is all the better for it. Definitely check this out."
~ Glen Hall, Exclaim.ca"Throughout the set, Falzone and Adasiewicz's rapport veers from caustic to sonorous, fractious to lilting, as Roebke and Daisy accent each charge with eloquent restraint. An adventurous yet accessible effort from the Windy City's finest young improvisers, Tea Music is another compelling album in a long line of stellar releases documenting the new Chicago scene."
~ Troy Collins, All About Jazz"Possibly the best jazz CD I've heard this year. Highly recommended."
~ François Couture, Monsieur Délire"The music, written by different players, is sly and smart, centered on composition and cleverly precise. Their collective approach to improvisation is passionate and sharp; Falzone's orderly clarinet and Adasiewicz's crisp vibraphone travel to another plane. It's an extraordinary recording from an outstanding quartet."
~ Mark Corroto, All About Jazz"The musicianship itself is first-rate, the group able to stop on a dime throughout. The players’ performances blend to give the band a unique voice, one rooted in swing and cool but cognizant of all events transpiring since."
~ Marc Medwin, Dusted MagazineBest Of Lists for Tea Music in 2009 and Significant Radio Play
All About Jazz
David Adler's Blog
Alarm Magazine (Best album of the week, August 25)
#1 on Earshot and CHARTattack Jazz Charts
3 weeks in College Music Radio Top 20
All About Jazz: Best of 2009
Chicago Examiner/Neil Tesser: Best of Chicago Jazz 2009Additional Media
KLANG performing on Chicago Public Radio's 848 program regarding their 2009 performance at the Chicago Jazz FestivalInterview with James at the Jazz Institute of Chicago about KLANG and the band's performance at the 2009 Chicago Jazz Festival
Interview and guest DJ set playing music that influenced Tea Music at WNUR
KLANG playing Fickle from Tea Music, live at Strobe Studio in Chicago, April 2009