Tragicomic
SSC1186 2008-04-22
Track List
The Weight of Things - 2:17
Macaca Please - 4:54
Aftermath - 6:20
Comin’ up - 4:23
Without Lions - 2:54
Mehndi - 6:51
Age of Everything - 5:24
Window Text - 5:44
I’m All Smiles - 4:44
Machine Days - 7:29
Threnody - 6:08
Becoming - 3:38
Musicians
Vijay Iyer - piano
Rudresh Mahanthappa - alto saxophone
Marcus Gilmore - drums
Stephan Crump - acoustic bass
The ability to approach both composition and improvisation in such a cerebral manner is a unique quality of the composer/pianist Vijay Iyer. His music encapsulates a vast knowledge of form and a tremendous imagination. Iyer's new CD, Tragicomic, documents his recent progress in the fields of composition and improvisation, backed by his favorite musical companions in a number of settings (trio & quartet). Iyer is accompanied by an amazing group of musicians on Tragicomic: alto saxophonist Rudresh Mahanthappa, bassist Stephan Crump and drummer Marcus Gilmore.
Reviews
The pianist Vijay Iyer has a mathematical mind; in his compositions there is much to take in. Steve Greenlee, JazzTimes - June 2008 read the full articleThe material on Tragicomic comes from several sources - including a suite by the same name, a theatrical dance work and Michael Leonard's oft-covered "I'm All Smiles" - yet there is a vein of commonality running through everything here.
James Hale, DOWNBEAT - July 2008 read the full article
Best of 2008 on NPR : Vijay Iyer and Kenny Barron both were chosen for the " Geniuses collide in 2008's Best Jazz" while Moss was included in the "The 10th Annual CD, Er, MP3 Gift Guide" and Francesco Tristano figures in the selection for "WNYC's Genre Mix: Top 10 Albums Of 2008".
Shaunna Morrison Machosky, NPR - December 2008 read the full article
Ned Wharton, NPR - December 2008 read the full article
John Schaefer, NPR - January 2009 read the full article
2008 Village Voice Jazz Poll winners include Guillermo Klein's Filtros and Vijay Iyer 's Tragicomic in its top ten albums
Francis Davis, the village VOICE - January 2009 read the full article
Fantastic review in French jazz magazine Jazzman. Highest rating.
Thierry Lepin, Jazzman (France) - November 2008 read the full article
Great review in Jazzwise UK from Sept. 2008.
Kevin Le Gendre, Jazzwise UK - September 2008 read the full article