Wednesday, September 28, 2011

Anne Mette Iversen-Milo songs (Brooklyn Jazz Underground Records 2011)


Anne Mett' s previous recording, the double-disc Best of the West/Many Places, was unanimously praised, with the Rochester City Paper stating that the music is, absolutely electrifying . . . adventurous tunes with plenty of room for superb solos, and NPR commenting that, Few other arrangers can deter schmaltz when putting strings to swing. And even fewer possess her sense for dulcet harmonies and exquisitely developed form. Rarer still is the mind that could put it all together in a way that proclaims itself as the work of an improvising musician. Beauty may be hard to find in jazz, but as Iversen proves, that doesn't mean it's dormant in familiar elements, waiting to be expressed. JazzTimes Magazine stated that, Anne Mette Iversen shows a masterful reach across jazz and classical music in Best of the West . . . Leaving the strings behind for the second disc, Iversen's group alternates between forceful postbop themes, aching ballads and darting, slippery grooves, and Allmusic.com was equally emphatic, saying that, Both discs are a creative success, and both are enjoyable demonstrations of what Iversen has to offer as an acoustic bassist, composer, producer and arranger. --RedCat Publicity, May 2011

Product Description

MILO SONGS features ANNE METTE IVERSEN (bass, compositions), JOHN ELLIS (tenor saxophone & clarinet), OTIS BROWN III (drums & cymbals) + DANNY GRISSETT (piano). On May 24, 2011, Brooklyn Jazz Underground Records released the latest burst of creativity and beauty from the fertile and imaginative mind of bassist/composer Anne Mette Iversen; with a little help from her young son, Milo. All of the music on Anne Mette Iversen Quartet Milo Songs, grew from a little melody that Milo made up when he was two, which can be found in all of the compositions on this album. The music reflects on, and pays tribute to, a child s world, through the exploration of his experiences and perspective. Each composition aims to tell stories about the life of a child, such as the turbulence of a new sibling in the home, the ability to exclude the world around you, the intense focus on something seemingly unimportant to others, the fantasy world, the stubbornness, the strong will and fight for ideas and wants, the dreams shared with mom in the morning, and so forth.