Search - Michael Moore, Lindsey Horner, Michael Vatcher :: Jewels & Binoculars: Music of Bob Dylan

The greatest jazz "cover" disc ever

Jan P. Dennis | Monument, CO USA | 03/20/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Michael Moore is among the most accomplished jazz wind players alive. And unless you have very wide musical interests, as well as access to some of Europe's more esoteric labels, such as Moore's own Ramboy, BVHAAST, Between the Lines, and Hat Art, all of whom he has recorded for, you've probably never heard of him. We can be thankful that Amazon.com carries a handful of his recordings (although, alas, none of his Ramboy stuff). During nearly the whole period of the nineties, he lead a remarkable trio variously called Clusone 3, Clusone Three, or Clusone trio, producing about a record a year. Besides Moore, the trio included two of Europe's top improvisers, Han Bennink on drums and Ernst Reijseger on cello. On his own Ramboy label, he has released about 15-20 discs, all of which are certainly worth obtaining if you can find them. I especially like his little big band recording, Available Jelly, as well as a duo recording he did with pianist Alex McGuire, and a thing he did with a Brazilian quartet called Choro Combinado. Besides his own recordings, he was a member of drummer Gerry Hemmingway's group for several years, he continues to play in Misha Mengelberg's Instant Composers Pool orchestra, leads a trio that includes cellist Tristan Honsinger and piano and "Keyolin" (an invented instrument) player Cor Fuhler, and was a member of Thirteen Ways, with Fred Hersch and Gerry Hemmingway. In other words, he keeps busy.His two main instruments are clarinet and alto sax; he also plays bass clarinet, melodica, and various percussion. He has an instantly recognizable tone on clarinet, unlike anyone else's in the history of jazz. It's very bright and meaty and solid-sounding - though he can also be quite delicate and breathy. His sound is so unique and unlike any other clarinet player (e.g., check out his multiphonics at the beginning of "With God on Our Side") that one wonders what kind of setup he has on his instrument. His alto playing is also completely his own. If one could describe his approach, it might aptly be compared to Michael Blake's tenor sound, again, very solid, somewhat breathy, huge chops lightly worn, "earthereal" (that is, earthy and ethereal at the same time), with absolute command of the entire range of his instrument.Jewels and Binoculars, which takes its title from a line from a Bob Dylan song, is a disc of all Dylan tunes, save for the traditional song, "Two Soldiers," which Dylan recorded. The most striking thing about the disc is the vast range of emotional territory it covers so effortlessly. The band's MO is a simple one: find the optimal interpretive approach to each song, and, using its characteristic emotive center construct an apposite soundscape and perform variously straightforward or more complex improvizations as are called for on each number. The overall mood could be characterized as poignancy, and this comes through most powerfully on "Pity the Poor Immigrant," "Visions of Johanna," "Dark Eyes," "Sign on the Window," and, almost overwhelmingly, on "Boots of Spanish Leater." There are also strong evocations of dark irony ("With God on Our Side," "Two Soldiers"), wistfulness ("Fourth Time Around"), and crazy blues ("Highway 61 Revisited," "Dear Landlord"). Sound simple? Not at all. The emotional content of this disc is as powerful as any I've ever run across, which is amazing for a record that features such spare instrumentation. One can only attribute it to the brilliance of the concept and the consummate skill of the players. The band carefully uncovers the heart of each tune, lays it bare, and communicates it directly to the listener with great artistry and sensitivity.Ravishingly beautiful, impossibly poignant, possessed of the highest level of musical integrity, this is one of the top five disc in my collection of over 3,000 and a wonderful introduction to one of the greatest unheard jazzmen alive.Very special, and not to be missed."

Superb!

Listener | 10/26/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"There are two artists whose sound is so special and unique that it's virtually impossible to cover their music without debasing it -- Jimi Hendrix and Bob Dylan. (It's no accident that the best Dylan cover ever was done by Hendrix.) The "solution", therefore, is to create something unique in itself, while respecting the feel and specialness of the music being covered. Nigel Kennedy ALMOST succeeds in this difficult task with the music of Our Beloved Jimi -- Michael Moore succeeds completely with this disc of the music of Our Beloved Bob. This album is simply superb. The songs are well chosen, the skills are remarkable, the musicians pay due respect to the often beautiful melodies (one of Bob's innumerable talents), and the album emerges, finally, as a wonderful jazz album which can be admired in its own right, even if the listener is not a Bob fanatic. I would srongly recommend this album to any music lover at all, certainly to any jazz lover, even if you've never heard of Bob. But to those of you who love Bob's music, and who have done for many years, I'd say do whatever you can to get this disc. It's exacly what how you want to hear someone else doing Dylan. If you dig into your collection and re-listen to all the originals first, this CD becomes even more compelling. There's only one major fault with this album -- should have been twice as long! Hope there's more on the way."

Thanks and a correction

Lindsey Horner | New York, NY | 08/08/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I'd like to thank all who have responded positively to our first CD, Jewels and Binoculars- play music of Bob Dylan, as well as to the second one, Floater.



There is a misconception being perpetuated that Michael Moore is the leader of this band and that this is his project. This is not the case.



JEWELS AND BINOCULARS/ MICHAEL MOORE, LINDSEY HORNER, MICHAEL VATCHER PLAY MUSIC OF BOB DYLAN is the full name of this band and project. It is a co-operative band, always has been, and the three of us share equally in the artistic direction of the group.



I appreciate the chance to put the record straight and please look out for a new recording in the not too distant future with the guitarist Bill Frisell as a special guest."