Excavation
SSC1157 2006-06-27
Track List
Mistral - 9:09
Luteous Pangolin - 5:50
Ellenville - 14:53
Sunny Manitoba - 4:37
Hatchet Face - 16:28
Etching - 6:32
Windowpane - 11:50
You Are My Sunshine - 3:36
Musicians
Ben Monder - guitar
Theo Bleckmann - voice
Skuli Sverrisson - electric bass
Jim Black - drums & percussions
Released in May 2000, EXCAVATION has been out of print and this is a long overdue re-release. The fans out there can’t wait for more of Ben Monder. “This groundbreaking work. If you want to know where music is going, start here.”
“This album is a fair representation of his style and ability. His technique is beyond anything normal players can hope for.”
“Ben Monder is really pushing the bar of what kindof sounds you can make on a guitar. His knowledge of chords is unbelievable.”
“His music draws from 20th century music and is always exciting. On this recording he uses voice where most peo¬ple might use sax or trumpet. It's exciting and complex... too complex for most listeners, but rewarding for those interested in modern music. Grooves like crazy.”
Reviews
Better to label him, quite simply, one of the finest players of his generation, ...Ben got a great knack for single- word titles for his projects, with �Excavation� especially fitting, as Ben and crew literally unearth layer upon layer of harmonic invention from the tunes and progressions. Another component of the term is that it involves heavy lifting in which these players, musically speaking, readily engage, because they are not content with conventional jazz harmony or conventional ways of stretching it. The listener must therefore prepare the ears for some heavy, but certainly not burdensome, lifting as well.All About Jazz - Phil DiPietro read the full article
