AAJ Review: Zach Brock, Purple Sounds

[jkelman]

My review of violinist Zach Brock's Purple, today @ All About Jazz.

Virtuosity isn't defined by notes-per-minute; true virtuosity is instrumental mastery surrendering to the demands of the song. Sometimes that can mean shredding with furious intensity, yes; but the real deal also respects music that demands less, rather than more. Violinist Zach Brock is, indeed, the real deal, and Purple Sounds, his second release for Holland's Criss Cross label, finds Brock and his stellar quartet playing exactly what's needed: nothing less; but equally, nothing more.

Beyond two Brock originals, Purple Sounds pays direct tribute to a number of important touchstones for the violinist who, in addition to participating in projects by The Mahavishnu Project, Stanley Clarke and Kerry Politzer, is a member of the forward-thinking rising star large ensemble, Snarky Puppy. While he prefers to look forward, Brock isn't one to forget about the past, and Purple Sounds is a very personal look at influential violinists of the past, albeit performed by a rising-star quartet that imbues the music with a strong sense of tradition while keeping in mind present innovations and future possibilities.


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[No Pride]

Zach was briefly a member of Gary Sinise's Lt. Dan Band, which I've been in for a decade now. He quit to move to NYC, which turned out to be a wise move on his part. I have his first two "Zach Brock and the Coffee Achievers" albums, which are both very good. He's a terrific musician... quite a character too! I miss playing and hanging with him. I'd very much like to hear his new one.

[jkelman]

Zach was briefly a member of Gary Sinise's Lt. Dan Band, which I've been in for a decade now. He quit to move to NYC, which turned out to be a wise move on his part. I have his first two "Zach Brock and the Coffee Achievers" albums, which are both very good. He's a terrific musician... quite a character too! I miss playing and hanging with him. I'd very much like to hear his new one.

I've the Coffee Achievers' also, and they are strong; his first Criss Cross is also great, a piano-based trio behind him that turns in a killer version of Zbigniew Seifert's "Turbulent Plover," from Man of the Light, one of my true desert island discs. He's slowly garnering a strong rep; thanks for that info about Sinise's band - wish I'd seen it....

[FrippWire]

This CD came to my attention totally by accident. I work in a record store but was not hip to Zach Brock. While organizing some jazz CD's one day I had the occasion to move this disc. I noticed it had a Zappa cover and being a sucker for Zappa covers AND jazz violinists, I bought it. I was very pleased. What a great disc!