| Scratching the Surface | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by Rob Brown and Lou Grassi | ||||
| Released | 1998 | |||
| Recorded | October 6 & 7, 1997 | |||
| Studio | The Spirit Room, Rossie, New York | |||
| Genre | Jazz | |||
| Length | 64:38 | |||
| Label | CIMP | |||
| Producer | Robert D. Rusch | |||
| Rob Brown chronology | ||||
| ||||
Scratching the Surface is an album by a quartet co-led by jazz saxophonist Rob Brown and drummer Lou Grassi, which was recorded in 1997 and released on CIMP. They are joined by Israeli tenor saxophonist Assif Tsahar and bassist Chris Lightcap.
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [1] |
| The Penguin Guide to Jazz |  [2] |
In his review for AllMusic, Steve Loewy states "High points include the wonderful tunes and arrangements by Brown, as well as his highly inventive soloing. If the horns sometimes seem to fly in different directions, the lengthy improvisations should be a sax lover's delight." [1]
The All About Jazz review by Derek Talor notes that "All four men are at the height of their game on this session and the compositions, authored mainly by Brown, are designed with maximum improvisational opportunities in mind." [3]
The Penguin Guide to Jazz observes that "Bob Rusch's sleeve-note seems to hint at a disappointment that this band is playing in a fundamentally conservative style as far as free music is concerned... The result is surely the best record Brown's put his name on". [2]
Assif Tsahar is an Israeli tenor saxophonist and bass clarinetist. He has lived in New York City since 1990.
Transonic is the debut album by American jazz drummer Whit Dickey, which was recorded in 1997 and released on AUM Fidelity. For his first record as leader, Dickey went into the studio with long-time associate, saxophonist Rob Brown, and then relative newcomer to the scene, bassist Chris Lightcap. He notes that many of the cuts were inspired by two Thelonious Monk compositions, "Off Minor" & "Criss Cross", along with the magic of tenor saxophonist David S. Ware.
Big Top is the second album by American jazz drummer Whit Dickey, which was recorded in 1999 and released on Wobbly Rail, a short-lived imprint started by Merge Records/Superchunk principal Mac McCaughan. For this record, Dickey expanded to a quartet consisting of the trio with whom he recorded Transonic, with the addition of guitarist Joe Morris. They played Eric Dolphy composition "The Prophet", from the album At the Five Spot, and Thelonious Monk's "Skippy".
Sunrise in the Tone World is an album by American jazz double bassist William Parker, which was recorded live in 1995 and released on the AUM Fidelity label.
Posium Pendasem is an album by American jazz double bassist William Parker, which was recorded live during the Workshop Freie Musik '98 at The Akademie der Künste in Berlin, and released on the German FMP label.
The Peach Orchard is a double live album by American jazz bassist William Parker and his group In Order to Survive, which was recorded at various venues in New York City in 1997-98 and released on the AUM Fidelity label.
Mass for the Healing of the World is a live album by American jazz double bassist William Parker & the Little Huey Creative Music Orchestra which was recorded live in 1998 but not released on the Italian Black Saint label until 2003.
Jumping Off the Page is an album by American jazz saxophonist Rob Brown released in 2000 on No More, a label founded by producer Alan Schneider. It features a quartet with trumpeter Roy Campbell, bassist Chris Lightcap and drummer Jackson Krall.
New World Pygmies is an album by American jazz saxophonist Jemeel Moondoc and bassist William Parker, which was recorded live at the Fire in the Valley Festival in 1998 and released on the Eremite label. It was Moondoc's first recorded encounter with Parker since Nostalgia in Times Square. "Another Angel Goes Home" is a tribute to drummer Denis Charles.
Spirit House is an album by American jazz saxophonist Jemeel Moondoc, which was recorded live in 2000 at the Magic Triangle Jazz Series organized by the University of Massachusetts Amherst and released on the Eremite label. It was the debut recording by the Jus Grew Orchestra, a large ensemble founded by Moondoc in the early 80s. For this concert Moondoc studied Butch Morris's conduction techniques of guided improvisation with hand gestures. Morris was the original conductor of the band.
Revolt of the Negro Lawn Jockeys is an album by American jazz saxophonist Jemeel Moondoc, which was recorded live at the 2000 Vision Festival and released on the Eremite label. It was a reunion with vibraphonist Khan Jamal, who recorded with Moondoc before on the album Konstanze's Delight. The quintet also features Nathan Breedlove on trumpet, John Voigt on bass and Codaryl Moffett on drums.
Unexplained Phenomena is an album by American jazz saxophonist Rob Brown, which was recorded live at the 2010 Vision Festival and released on the French Marge label. He leads a new quartet with vibraphonist Matt Moran, bassist Chris Lightcap and drummer Gerald Cleaver.
Atmospheels is an album by American jazz trombonist Steve Swell, which was recorded in 1998 and released on CIMP. He leads a trio with Will Connell on reeds and Lou Grassi on drums. They first played together on Grassi's PoBand. This was Connell's first recording in eighteen years.
Companions is an album by American jazz trumpeter Raphe Malik, which was recorded live at the 1998 Vision Festival during a Jimmy Lyons tribute and released on the Eremite label. Malik leads a quartet with the members of the Trio Hurricane: tenor saxophonist Glenn Spearman, bassist William Parker and drummer Paul Murphy.
Papa's Bounce is an album by Ethnic Heritage Ensemble, a jazz band formed by percussionist Kahil El'Zabar, who is joined by trombonist Joseph Bowie, saxophonist Ernest Dawkins and percussionist 'Atu' Harold Murray. It was recorded in 1998 and released on CIMP.
One World Family is an album by American jazz percussionist Kahil El'Zabar with saxophonist David Murray, which was recorded in 2000 and released on CIMP. They recorded previously the 1989 duo album Golden Sea.
Composition No. 94 for Three Instrumentalists is a live album by composer and saxophonist Anthony Braxton featuring two variations of the title piece recorded in Italy in 1980 and first released on the Golden Years of New Jazz label in 1999.
Utterance is an album by the American jazz saxophonist Glenn Spearman with drummer John Heward. It was recorded on October 28, 1990, at Silent Sound Studio in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, and was initially released on cassette by the Canadian label Dictions in 1990. In 1999, the album was reissued on CD by Cadence Jazz.
Live in the Netherlands is a solo album by American jazz saxophonist David S. Ware, which was recorded in 1997 at Zuid-Nederlands Jazz Festival in Eindhoven and released on the Italian Splasc(H) label.
Deals, Ideas & Ideals is an album by drummer Rashied Ali, bassist Peter Kowald, and saxophonist and bass clarinetist Assif Tsahar. It was recorded on May 23 and 24, 2000, at Survival Studio in New York City, and was released in 2001 by Hopscotch Records.
