Fresh Cut Orchestra
From the Vine
Reviewed by: Andi Bricklin
Jazz. Did some of your stop reading already, rolling your eye thinking, “ yeah… not my thing.” For some music critics, jazz can be like the broccoli of the music genre, we all know it’s good for us, but not many of us choose to listen to it for pleasure.
Now along comes Fresh Cut Orchestra to break down this misconception with From the Vine. The album is the culmination of writings of three different bandleaders; trumpeter Josh Lawrence, bassist Jason Fraticelli, and drummer Anwar Marshall who were commissioned to produce an original work for a large ensemble. The bandleaders went to work putting together a 10-piece jazz ensemble and the Fresh Cut Orchestra was born.
From the Vine features soundscapes that reflects the music of the bandleaders’ various experiences that fuses into a unique blend of jazz, contemporary classical, progressive rock, hip hop and modern electronica. Most of the album tracks (1-7) are different movements of the same Suite. The theme of The Mothers’ Suite is a musical interpretation into the life-long relationship between mother and a child from conception through death to the legacy that they leave behind. These pieces are so well constructed, performed and recorded that I’m intrigued to hear every thoughtful nuance that has been carefully placed throughout the album so that each time you listen to it, you hear and feel something different in the tracks.
Experience these musicians perform live on Wednesday night, 2/18/15 at the World Café Live in Philadelphia as they celebrate the release of From the Vine! Musical awe is guaranteed.
Rating: Bad-Ass
