Don Byron - Romance With The Unseen (10 tracks) +Album Reviews

Highly recommended!

Ronald Lyles | West Hartford, CT | 09/22/1999

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Each of Don Byron's projects that I have heard are different while at the same time very similar. They are different in that each explores different contexts for improvisation e.g. latin, or swing. They are all similar in that they each extend upon the jazz tradition as opposed to just restating what has already been said. Romance With the Unseen is no exception. The cd challenges and rewards the listener who makes the attempt to hear what is going on. It is also a very accessible cd and a good place to start for those who have never heard Don Byron before. I have owned the cd for less than twenty four hours, but I have already listened to it several times. Each time reveals something new that I did not notice previously. The interaction between the four musicians is exceptional and Don Byron proves once again that he is the most original clarinet player on the scene today. I admit to being a big fan of Don Byron since hearing him on Ralph Peterson's "Presents the Fo'Tet", but that in no way prejudiced my opinion of the cd. I highly recommend this cd to anyone interested in high quality musicianship combined with an extension of the boundaries of the genre."

Much more like it

George Grella | Brooklyn | 05/22/2000

(4 out of 5 stars)

"This is probably Byron's best record to date, and is incredibly refreshing after his argumentative failure of "Bug Music" and the trying-much-too-hard "Nu Blaxploitation." Here, it's simply Byron playing the clarinet, and what a player he is. A sweet, sweet tone, still full in the higher registers which he seems to prefer and a fluid, personal style which brings perhaps the most traditional jazz instrument into these times.There is a wonderful tinge of the bittersweet, an enigmatic quality of expression to this album, which is a considerable addition of depth to Byron's work. Mainly, it's because he's playing and expressing himself as a musician, through music, not by trying to make a political/historical point with music. Like all the best jazz musicians, he hints at greater emotion below the surface, yet leaves an ambiguity that draws the listeners attention.I have to hold off the last star because the material is good, but not great. "Homecoming" is magnificent, but "One Finger Snap" takes a while to focus and some of the other originals are slightly thin. DeJohnette is an interesting addition to the group, and while he doesn't always fit in perfectly, his voice certainly pushes Byron and Frisell into sustained, clear expression. And Byron's playing is simply wonderful to listen to. This CD gets better with every play."

Breathtaking, swinging, stylish clarinet-led jazz

Rick Mathis | 09/22/1999

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Why, oh, why is the clarinet so ignored today? Snap those soprano saxes in half and dig the thrilling tones of the clarinet! Do you need another opinion? Check this disc out and be awed! Graceful and funky! Man, oh, man! I so love this disc!"

A Clear Vision

Rick Mathis | 03/06/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"It is truly a pleasure when one comes across an artist, especially one of Don Byron's age, who has a true vision of his art. So many young muscicians, either due to lack of a clear direction or because of economic conciderations, seem to rehash the same music that we have heard for the past fifty years. Not so with Don Byron. He has taken an instrument, which other than a few notable exceptions, has not seen the light of day in modern jazz and has turned it into a mode of expression which is mind-boggling. His command of his instrument, the clarinet, allows him the ability to take either new material or old and shape it into something that is uniquely his own. This album, which also features the phenominal Bill Frisell on guitar, was obviously a joy for him to make. Byron and Frisell have met on each others albums several times in the last few years and it shows. Their familiarity with each other allows for some wonderful interaction. Drew Gress on bass and Jack DeJohnette on drums rounds out this group. If you, as I do, love to hear creative musicians at the height of their art, then I highly recommend this cd."

A solid disc

N. Dorward | Toronto, ON Canada | 03/16/2001

(3 out of 5 stars)

"A good disc that is nonetheless slightly disappointing given the enormous expectations that it has to live up to given the musicians involved. What catches the eye is the combination of a trio of young musicians from jazz's current left-field--Don Byron on clarinet, Bill Frisell on guitar, Drew Gress on bass--and the great drummer Jack DeJohnette. The program is a mixture of covers of a studiously disparate batch of tunes--Duke Ellington's "A Mural from Two Perspectives"; Lennon/McCartney's "I'll Follow the Sun"; Herbie Hancock's "One Finger Snap"; and Juan Tizol's "Perdido"--and some Byron originals. His penchant for blunt political commentary only surfaces on the splendidly named "Bernhard Goetz, James Ramseur, and Me"; basically this is Byron's most straightahead disc to date.The results are never less than interesting, but only occasionally more compelling. The best track is probably the gentle & beautiful "I'll Follow the Sun", one of the few jazz renditions of a Beatles tune I've heard that actually works. "A Mural from Two Perspectives" is nicely done, too, gradually unfolding out from an initial bass solo to Frisell's pithy comments & finally Byron's very wideranging solo. & there are a number of other successes. On the other hand there are some deadspots--in particular, the second half of the disc is patchy, with three overlong & inconsistent tracks in "Homecoming", "One Finger Snap" & "Basquiat". -- On the whole it's Frisell who impresses most: he's one of the few players who can suggest something of the spirit of Thelonious Monk's music in its combination of dissonance, good humour & an utter disregard for excess notes. I don't think deJohnette fits in very well--the slightly off-kilter exchanges with Byron on "Perdido" are a good instance. Byron is his usual unpredictable self, but his playing is less consistent of vision & purpose than on, say, his debut, _Tuskegee Experiments_.A pleasant, listenable album. It's only a problematic recording if one's hoping for a little more."

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