Benjamin Sutin & Klazz-Ma-Tazz
-
Papini
-
Sari Cicek
-
Thank You
-
Tangibility
-
Tbilisi
-
Misirlou
-
Speak The Truth
-
Requiem
-
Kluez
Personnel:
Benjamin Sutin: Violin and Tambourine
Elijah Shiffer: Alto Saxophone and Clarinet
Grant Goldstein: Electric Guitar
Ben Rosenblum: Piano and Harmonium
Mat Muntz: Upright Bass
Matt Scarano: Drums
Ani Challa: Tabla
Released September 1, 2015
Recorded by Alex Nackman at Vinegar Hill Sound, Brooklyn, NY October, 2014
Mixed and Mastered by Dev Avidon at Avidon Audio Labs, Roosevelt Island, NY April, 2015
Front Cover Photography by Monique Witt; Back Cover and Inside Photography by Anthony Dean
Graphic Design by Monique Witt and Dev Avidon
Produced by Benjamin Sutin: Executive Producer, Monique Witt
In loving memory of my teacher, mentor and guru, the late jazz violinist, John Blake Jr.
Founded by violinist and composer Benjamin Sutin, in 2014, Klazz-Ma-Tazz blurs the boundaries of labels and genres. Rooted in the jazz idiom, the music reflects the influences of folk music from around the world, but particularly from the varied ethnic backgrounds of its band members: Klezmer and Balkan Folk music, Indian Classical Music, Native American Tribal Dance and English Folk Music, among others. Tangibility is a musical journey that explores the unique chemistry of gifted musicians working to forge a new musical form. The resulting musical melting pot finds an authentic home and voice in a city that has always had its identity in the confluence of diverse cultures.
Following a trip to Israel in 2013, Sutin wrote Tangibility to embody his musical vision of fusing his cultural roots in klezmer with his love of jazz, and to offer a tangible form for this fusion. Motivated by this track, Sutin continued writing music in this vein, including Thank You, Speak The Truth, Kluez, and a fiery interpretation/re-harmonization of the Greek Folk Song Misirlou. Tbilisi, a composition of the band's bassist Mathew Muntz, is a Balkan- and African-inspired contra-fact and a play on words of the jazz standard, Sweet Georgia Brown. The album opens with the band's arrangement/medley of Papini, written by Sutin’s klezmer mentor, Yale Strom, and with the Turkish Folk Song Sari Cicek.
Review of "Tangibility" by RG Magazine