[b]Matana Roberts[eb] - altovski saksofon, klarinet
[b]Josh Abrams[eb] - kontrabas
[b]Chad Taylor[eb] - bobni, tolkala

jazz

Legenda pripoveduje, da so [b]Sticks & Stones[eb] - še preden so se lotili snemanj in turnej - štiri leta redno, prav vsako nedeljo igrali v znamenitem čikaškem klubu Velvet Lounge (njegov lastnik, točaj in prvi špilavec je starosta svobodnega saksofona Fred Anderson). �e na prvi posluh je jasno, da gre za trio, ki je medsebojno sposobnost za komunikacijo razvil do skrajnosti, tako da jim prehodi iz, denimo, plesnega funka Fela Kutija ali upičenega duba Leeja "Scratcha" Perryja v eksplozivne free jazz originale ne delajo prav nikakršnih težav. Sticks & Stones zvenijo neverjetno dobro in spominjajo na "stare-dobre" čikaške čase Air in podobnih zasedb. V zasedbi so sijajna glasbenika in sijajna glasbenica: za bobni je nam dobro znani ud projektov Chicago Underground [b]Chad Taylor[eb], piha najnadarjenejša mlada čikaška saksofonistka ta hip, [b]Matana Roberts[eb], ena izmed redkih žensk članic slavne AACM [L]http://aacmchicago.org/[EL], kontrabasist pa je [b]Josh Abrams[eb] - tako član zelo hvaljenih Town & Country kakor tudi eden izmed ustanoviteljev kultne hip-hop skupine The Roots.

Med številnimi varovanci Freda Andersona je tudi pihalka Matana Roberts. Pridružena članica Združenja za napredek kreativnih glasbenikov (AACM) danes smelo reprezentira tretjo generacijo bojevito-subtilne "velike črne godbe" - igra, uči mlade, raziskuje, prevprašuje ... Njena igra je izrazito nepretenciozna, zmerom postavljena "na mesto", po svojem velikem mentorju je podedovala hkraten občutek za delikatno melodiko in suvereno moč. Med mladimi pihalci redko najdemo koga s tako zrelim ušesom in občutkom za melodične gradacije. V triu Sticks & Stones se ji pridružujeta uveljavljena glasbenika, basist Josh Abrams in bobnar, tolkalec Chad Taylor. Njihov drugi skupni album z naslovom [i]Shed Grace[ei] (Thrill Jockey, 2004) letos navdušuje tudi najresnejšo kritiko:

[L]http://www.mladina.si/tednik/200437/clanek/kul-plosce--iv/[EL]
-- [b]Ičo Vidmar[eb], recenzija albuma [i]Shed Grace[ei] v [i]Mladini[ei] 37, 2004

" ... this trio proves that it knows its stuff, and demonstrates that the new generation of free jazzers is alive and thriving."
--[i]Signal to Noise[ei]

" ... the sort of transcendent musicality and versatility that has characterized the development of free jazz."
--[i]New Music Box[ei]

"A few generations after the rise of the great Chicago improvisers of the 1960s, it turns out that their legacy has taken a somewhat unexpected turn. Low-key collective improvisation and highly melodic composition within a small group framework have been the features of their jazz inheritors. One of the best recent examples on disc is Sticks and Stones’ [i]Shed Grace[ei]."
--[i]Down Beat[ei]

"Like his partners, Taylor’s technical ability is matched by a willingness to listen to what's going on and respond sensitively to it. Which is what jazz is all about, isn't it? Highly recommended."
--[i]BBC[ei]

"With the recent passing of some of the AACM's old guard, it's good to see that the organization has some very talented young members to keep the flame lit. Well done."
--[i]allmusic.com[ei]

Jazz trio [b]Sticks and Stones[eb] formed years ago when drummer [b]Chad Taylor[eb] (Chicago Underground, Sam Prekop Band, Active Ingredients), bassist [b]Josh Abrams[eb] (Town and Country, Sam Prekop Band, David Boykin Expanse, Nicole Mitchell Black Earth Ensemble, The Roots) and alto saxophonist [b]Matana Roberts[eb] met each other at a performance space in Chicago. Roberts and Abrams had played extensively at open jam sessions at Fred Anderson's legendary Chicago club, The Velvet Lounge. The three immensely enjoyed playing together, and thanks to Fred Anderson soon became the house band at the Sunday night Velvet Lounge sessions. It took nearly four years of playing together before they adopted the name "Sticks and Stones", (the name of a favorite song of Chad Taylor), and an even longer time before the released their first album, 2002's [i]Sticks and Stones[ei] (on Chicago's 482 Music).

Their second and newest release, [i]Shed Grace[ei], is their first on Thrill Jockey. It was recorded at Semaphore Studios with Ken B. Brown (Directions in Music, Tortoise, Pullman). The album was recorded in two February sessions following their first ever US tour (February of 2003), and a third and final session in October. It was recorded live to tape using no edits or overdubs, preserving all of the spontaneous energy and raw excitement of their live shows. [i]Shed Grace[ei] is largely original compositions (songwriting split equally among the three). The eclectic selection of covers includes songs by Fela Kuti, Thelonious Monk, and Billy Strayhorn.

Bass player Abrams and drummer Taylor are well established and prolific jazz musicians, both of whom have recently released albums on Delmark Records. Abrams' album, [i]Cipher[ei], has been met with rave reviews and is his first since last year's Busride Interview. Taylor's group, active ingredients, recently released their debut, [i]Titration[ei].

Saxophone player Matana is a truly exciting and revelatory presence on [i]Shed Grace[ei]. Roberts (who now lives in New York), an associate member of Chicago's AACM, and though there are many women involved in the jazz world, Matana is one of the few gaining recognition. Perhaps this is because she has played with such luminaries as as Steve Lacy, Eugene Chadbourne, Henry Grimes, Anthony Braxton, Ravi Coltrane, Don Byron, Fred Anderson, Nicole Mitchell, Angelica Sanchez, Peter BrA¶tzmann, Jeff Parker, Butch Morris, Ras Moshe, Matt Lavelle, Robert Barry, Joe Maneri, Tony Malaby, Daniel Givens, Ralph Alessi, Vijay Iyer, David Boykin, and Rob Mazurek, among many others. Matana is currently working on a recording of her solo compositions, a large ensemble project to premier in New York in October 2005, and is collaborating with writer/ director/poet Reg E. Gaines and choreographer/actor/dancer Savion Glover on a tribute project for saxophonists John Coltrane and Eric Dolphy. She is also a member of the New York based Afro/funk/punk/rock/jazz chamber ensemble Burnt Sugar. Roberts spends her days busking in the New York City subways (and writes about it in her zine, WORDS). Much like a mentor of hers, Fred Anderson, she finds a pristine balance between being delicately melodic and powerfully headstrong, It is unusual to find someone so young with such a mature ear, and melodic sense. Matana Roberts stands out as an exuberating new face, and together with Abrams and Taylor, [i]Shed Grace[ei] is their strongest statement yet.

pripravil [b]Miha Zadnikar[eb]