| Focus | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | July 30, 2002 | |||
| Recorded | April 11, 2002 | |||
| Studio | Tedesco Studio, Paramus, NJ | |||
| Genre | Jazz | |||
| Length | 65:35 | |||
| Label | Savant SCD 2044 | |||
| Producer | Cecil Brooks III | |||
| Arthur Blythe chronology | ||||
| ||||
Focus, is an album by saxophonist Arthur Blythe which was recorded in 2002 and released on the Savant label the following year. [1]
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| Allmusic |   [2] |
| The Penguin Guide to Jazz |  [3] |
In his review on Allmusic, Scott Yanow stated: " In grooves ranging from New Orleans to R&B-ish, along with freer explorations, this is a continually colorful set of high-quality music". [2] On All About Jazz, Jon Wagner noted: "Focus sounds like it could have been conceived and recorded by some of the new crop of "downtown" musicians. The spare instrumentation and simple, elegant compositions sound fresh, relevant and forward-looking. But there's also a patina of maturity and self-assuredness that sets Focus apart from rawer, more experimental downtown sounds. That's because the musicians - supported on some tracks by special guest William Tsilis on concert grand marimba - have arrived at their maturity and self-assuredness through decades of experimental efforts. They've spent careers redefining jazz, and the fruits of their labor result in music that is relaxed and understated, yet emotive and powerful". [4] In JazzTimes, David Franklin wrote: "The primary attribute that distinguishes Arthur Blythe’s Focus is its sound. First there’s Blythe’s unique alto tone. Room filling and reedy (you can almost hear the individual vibrations) and ornamented by a quick, rhythmic vibrato, Blythe’s muscular sound identifies him immediately. Then there’s the quartet’s unusual instrumentation: tuba in place of string bass and marimba instead of piano. This special combination of sonic properties sets the recording apart from many others offering a similar stylistic approach. For aside from the extra latitude Bob Stewart’s tuba affords him in generating imaginative bass lines, the playing is essentially mainstream and straightahead". [5]
All compositions by Arthur Blythe except where noted
Arthur Murray Blythe was an American jazz alto saxophonist and composer. He was described by critic Chris Kelsey as displaying "one of the most easily recognizable alto sax sounds in jazz, big and round, with a fast, wide vibrato and an aggressive, precise manner of phrasing" and furthermore as straddling the avant garde and traditionalist jazz, often with bands featuring unusual instrumentation.
Bob Stewart, is an American jazz tuba player. He received his Bachelor of Music Education degree from the Philadelphia College of the Performing Arts and his master's degree in education from Lehman College Graduate School. Stewart taught music in Pennsylvania public schools and at the Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts in New York City. He is now a professor at the Juilliard School and is a "distinguished lecturer" at Lehman College.
Lenox Avenue Breakdown is an album by jazz saxophonist Arthur Blythe. It was released by Columbia Records in 1979 and reissued by Koch Jazz in 1998. The album reached No. 35 on the Billboard Jazz Albums chart in 1979.
Quartets 4 X 4 is a 1980 album by jazz pianist McCoy Tyner released on the Milestone label. It was recorded in March and May 1980 by Tyner with bassist Cecil McBee and Al Foster on drums featuring Freddie Hubbard, John Abercrombie, Bobby Hutcherson and Arthur Blythe each for one side of the original double LP. The album was digitally remastered and first issued on a single CD in 1993.
Special Edition is an album by Jack DeJohnette featuring David Murray, Arthur Blythe and Peter Warren recorded in 1979 released on the ECM label in 1980. The AllMusic review by Scott Yanow states, "The first of Jack DeJohnette's Special Edition ensembles offered a sound that in many ways was revolutionary in modern contemporary and creative improvised music circa 1980... This CD deserves a definitive five-star rating for the lofty place it commands in the evolution of jazz headed toward new heights and horizons". A JazzTimes reviewer selected it in 2012 as one of DeJohnette's key albums.
Metamorphosis is a live album by jazz saxophonist Arthur Blythe which was recorded at the Brook, New York City in 1977 and released in 1979 on the India Navigation label. The album was released on CD as a compilation with The Grip which was recorded at the same concert.
The Grip is a live debut album by jazz saxophonist Arthur Blythe which was recorded at the Brook, New York City in 1977 and released on the India Navigation label. The album was released on CD as a compilation with Metamorphosis which was recorded at the same concert.
Bush Baby is an album by jazz saxophonist Arthur Blythe which was recorded in December 1977 and released in 1978 on the Adelphi label.
In the Tradition is jazz saxophonist Arthur Blythe's first album for the Columbia label recorded in New York City in 1978.
Illusions is jazz saxophonist Arthur Blythe's third album for the Columbia label recorded in New York City in 1980.
Blythe Spirit is jazz saxophonist Arthur Blythe's fourth album for the Columbia label recorded in New York City in 1981.
Elaborations is jazz saxophonist Arthur Blythe's fifth album for the Columbia label recorded in New York City in 1982.
Light Blue: Arthur Blythe Plays Thelonious Monk is jazz saxophonist Arthur Blythe's sixth album for the Columbia label recorded in New York City in 1983. The album features Blythe's quintet performing six compositions by Thelonious Monk.
Sound Pieces is an album by American jazz composer, conductor and arranger Oliver Nelson featuring performances recorded in 1966 for the Impulse! label.
Priestess is a live album by jazz composer, arranger, conductor and keyboardist Gil Evans recorded in 1977 and performed by Evans with an orchestra featuring David Sanborn, Arthur Blythe, Lew Soloff, and George Adams.
Exhale, is the final album by saxophonist Arthur Blythe which was recorded in 2002 and released on the Savant label the following year.
Blythe Byte is an album by saxophonist Arthur Blythe that was recorded in 2001 and released on the Savant label.
Spirits in the Field, is a live album by saxophonist Arthur Blythe which was recorded at Bimhuis in Amsterdam in 1999 and released on the Savant label the following year.
Night Song, is an album by saxophonist Arthur Blythe which was recorded in California in 1996 and released on the Clarity Recordings label the following year.
Simple Pleasure is an album by saxophonist Vincent Herring which was recorded in 2001 and released on the Highnote label.