| Year of the Snake | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | April 4, 2012 | |||
| Recorded | January 2011 | |||
| Studio | Avatar Studios New York City | |||
| Genre | Jazz | |||
| Length | 60:42 | |||
| Label | ECM ECM 2235 | |||
| Producer | Manfred Eicher | |||
| Fly chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Mark Turner chronology | ||||
| ||||
Year of the Snake is the third album by Fly, consisting drummer Jeff Ballard, bassist Larry Grenadier and saxophonist Mark Turner, recorded in January 2011 and released on ECM in Aprilthe following year. [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6]
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [7] |
| All About Jazz |  [8] |
| The Guardian | [9] |
The AllMusic review by Thom Jurek states "Of Fly's three recordings to date, Year of the Snake is the most unusual and beguiling; it unhinges preconceived notions about the saxophone trio with complete freedom minus the chaos of disorder." [7]
All About Jazz reviewer John Kelman said, "what Year of the Snake demonstrates with crystal clarity is that each player's language, command and sophistication continue to evolve as the result of their efforts; but it's only as Fly that they can truly exercise everything they've honed with complete and utter freedom. Year of the Snake will undoubtedly challenge those familiar with Turner, Grenadier and Ballard's work in intrinsically accessible contexts." [8]
The Guardian's John Fordham awarded the album 4 stars noting "the New York trio Fly is an exchange between equals, not a sax-led charge over a rhythm section. Though it falls into the territory sometimes dubbed "chamber-jazz", Year of the Snake is up there with Fly's best work, with its rustling fast grooves and languid horn lines, and pieces that open on almost impossibly pure high-register long tones." [9]
In JazzTimes, Thomas Conrad observed that "Fly plays cerebral, rapt, interactive chamber jazz, deriving a wide range of textures and colors from three instruments. Mark Turner often ascends to the tenor’s piping, keening altissimo register. Larry Grenadier often plays arco bass, in drones and murmurs and sighs. The asymmetrical, spare designs of drummer Jeff Ballard imply time rather than keep it ... The music of Fly is sophisticated and sincere and enormously competent. These are important virtues, but likely to inspire more admiration than love." [10]
All compositions by Jeff Ballard, Larry Grenadier and Mark Turner except where noted
Larry Grenadier is an American jazz double bassist.
Mark Turner is an American jazz saxophonist.
Fly is the cooperative jazz trio of saxophonist Mark Turner, drummer Jeff Ballard and bassist Larry Grenadier.
Jeff Ballard is an American jazz drummer. He has played with Ray Charles and Pat Metheny and played periodically with Chick Corea in many groups such as Origin and the Chick Corea New Trio. He also played with many New York–based jazz musicians such as Reid Anderson, Brad Mehldau, Kurt Rosenwinkel, Mark Turner, Miguel Zenon and Eli Degibri. He has also played with the Joshua Redman Elastic Band.
The Door is the debut studio album by Norwegian trumpeter, composer and multi-instrumentalist Mathias Eick recorded in September 2007 and released on ECM in August the following year.
All Our Reasons is a jazz album by drummer Billy Hart, recorded in June 2011 and released on ECM in March the following year.
Trios is an album by American composer and pianist Carla Bley with saxophonist Andy Sheppard and bass guitarist Steve Swallow, recorded in April 2013 and released on ECM later that year. This was the first occasion on which these longtime collaborators had worked as a trio since 1994's Songs with Legs.
The Sirens is a 2013 studio album by jazz saxophonist Chris Potter, recorded in September 2011 and released on ECM in January 2013, his first venture for the label. It features Potter with longtime collaborators, pianist Craig Taborn and bassist Larry Grenadier, along with keyboardist David Virelles and drummer Eric Harland.
Mágico: Carta de Amor is a live album by saxophonist Jan Garbarek, guitarist Egberto Gismonti and bassist Charlie Haden recorded in 1981 and released on ECM three decades later in 2012. The album follows the trio's first two recordings Magico (1979) and Folk Songs (1981).
Day Is Done is an album by the Brad Mehldau Trio released on the Nonesuch label in 2005. The album was Mehldau's first to feature Jeff Ballard, who replaced the Mehldau Trio's original drummer Jorge Rossy.
Brad Mehldau Trio Live is a live album by American pianist and composer Brad Mehldau's Trio released on the Nonesuch label in 2008.
Rava on the Dance Floor is a live album by Italian jazz trumpeter and composer Enrico Rava with Parco della Musica Jazz Lab, performing songs by Michael Jackson recorded in Italy in 2011 and released on the ECM label.
Mutations is a studio album by American jazz pianist Vijay Iyer recorded in September 2013 and released on ECM the following year.
One Is the Other is an album by jazz drummer Billy Hart, released on ECM Records in 2014.
Damaged in Transit is a live album by bassist Steve Swallow recorded in France in December 2001 and released on the Xtra Watt label in 2003.
Imaginary Cities is a 2015 studio album by American jazz saxophonist Chris Potter, his second released on the ECM label. Featuring the return of his ‘Underground’ quartet with keyboardist Craig Taborn, guitarist Adam Rogers and drummer Nate Smith along with vibraphonist Steve Nelson, bassist Scott Colley, bass guitarist Fima Ephron and a string quartet.
Trio Libero is an album by British saxophonist and composer Andy Sheppard recorded in Switzerland in July 2011 and released on ECM in January the following year.
Surrounded by Sea is an album by British saxophonist and composer Andy Sheppard recorded in Switzerland in 2014 and released on the ECM label the following year.
Fly is an album by the band Fly, drummer Jeff Ballard, bassist Larry Grenadier and saxophonist Mark Turner which was recorded in 2003 and released by the Savoy Jazz label the following year.
Sky & Country is the second album by Fly—consisting drummer Jeff Ballard, bassist Larry Grenadier and saxophonist Mark Turner—recorded in 2008 and released on ECM the following year.