Jason Moran: Ten

Listen to music from Ten Here

One of the highlights of my career to-date has been working with pianist Jason Moran. Besides being an outstanding human being, he is one of the most understated musical geniuses I've come across in any genre of music in my years of listening. His new album Ten (out now, Blue Note) finds Moran in full control of his varied influences, and playing with the mature confidence of a musician well aware of his own (and band's) talents, but not willing to play their full hand all at once. Moran, along with bassist Tarus Mateen, and drummer Nasheet Waits toy with listeners, offering 20 seconds of straight swing, before pulling it back into syncopation, or disjointed rhythm; 30 seconds of beautiful classical chord structures, then transitioning back to powerful minor keys, and dissonant intonation. Ten is a snapshot of one of music's current greats, at the height of his powers. The album as a whole plays like a larger composition in and of itself, rather than a collection of smaller pieces; a composition that seems, at times, larger than the "Jazz" genre - this is simply great music, whatever you want to call it. Jason Moran, and The Bandwagon play The Village Vanguard October 5-10. Do NOT miss it.


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