Blue Buddha (Tzadik)

Blue Buddha (Tzadik)

Blue Buddha

Released August 21, 2015

DownBeat Four-and-a-Half-Star Review

YouTube:

https://music.youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_lJh8CS-tgrnlgfIb9Tivh2b0wN8r0UA4M

Spotify:

About:

Tenor saxophonist Louie Belogenis plays with a luminous open heart, and a tone reminiscent of Albert Ayler. Cutting his teeth with masters such as Rashied Ali, Sunny Murray and Borah Bergman he has recorded several CDs under his own name, and now presents his most unique and adventurous group to date. Featuring an all-star ensemble of three of the most exciting musicians working today, this brilliant group performs as if part of a sacred ceremony, seamlessly weaving together diverse traditions. Uncompromising improvisational music that speaks to the spiritual.

Track Listing:

1. Purification 12:14

2. Double Dorje 5:29

3. Renunciation 8:11

4. Truth of Cessation 9:40

5. Wrathful Compassion 3:54

6. Diamond Vehicle 6:54

7. Lineage 6:53

Personnel:

Louie Belogenis: tenor saxophone

Dave Douglas: trumpet

Bill Laswell: bass

Tyshawn Sorey: drums

Recorded February 27, 2015

Producer: Louis Belogenis

Recorded and Mixed by James Dellatacoma

Mastered by Scott Hull

Design: Heung-Heung Chin

Executive-Producer: John Zorn

Associate Producer: Kazunori Sugiyama

Review:

Unfettered free-jazz sessions are a dime a dozen, but every once in a while, a recording stands out. Blue Buddha is one of them. Tenor saxophonist Louie Belogenis, trumpeter Dave Douglas, bassist Bill Laswell and drummer Tyshawn Sorey—a cast assembled by John Zorn—exude a positive energy that is hard to resist. Belogenis is the driving force. The seven fully improvised pieces are infused with his longtime practice of Buddhism. But make no mistake: The music is far from serene. “Purification” surges to a climax, while “Wrathful Compassion” is ferocious and direct, playing with widespread misconceptions about Buddhist teachings. Belogenis has clearly been influenced by the New Thing, and has worked with at least two of its major figures: drummers Rashied Ali and Sunny Murray. His intense and passionate playing commands attention. Facing Belogenis, Douglas engages in stimulating call-and-response sequences. His playing provides stark contrast to the saxophonist’s howling. Sorey, the youngest in the group, shows all the qualities of a veteran, reaching for the brushes when most drummers would opt for bombast. Finally, Laswell’s singular bass sound—alternately spacey and throbbing—produces a contemplative hue that suggests a profound sense of mysticism.

Alain Drouot (DownBeat)