Billy Martin - Starlings (2006) {Tzadik}

Billy Martin - Starlings (2006) {Tzadik}
EAC Rip | FLAC with CUE and log | scans | 221 mb
MP3 CBR 320kbps | RAR | 120 mb
Genre: avant-garde jazz, jazz, improvisational

Starlings is the 2006 CD by drummer Billy Martin. Primarily known as one-third of the jazz group Medeski, Martin & Wood, Starlings is an improvisational/avant-garde album similar to what he has done with MMW between songs in a live setting. This was released by Tzadik as part of the label's Composer Series.

Billy Martin is better known to breaks-heads as Illy B or simply as Billy Martin, the funky drummer and percussionist with Medeski, Martin & Wood. On Tzadik we don't get anything that Blue Note would touch or the Bully heads would find inspiration to remix. Instead sourced from an earlier CD on his Amulet label ('Black Elk Speaks') comes a suite of african mbira tracks that here get orchestrated for a ten piece chamber orchestra by Anthony Coleman. Finding inspiration in Mingus's horn writing and in modern classical modes this suite feels slightly out of sync with the worlds of both jazz and classical, it mostly reminds me of Arthur Russell's writing for small ensemble as on 'Instrumentals'. Strangely for this MMW nut my favourite piece is the string quartet 'Strangulation' a ten minute piece featuring tense plucked strings and solemn bowed tones that cut to the core. For this piece alone I seriously recommend this CD.

01. Starlings 1 (1:55)
02. Starlings 2 (2:08)
03. Starlings 3 (1:44)
04. Starlings 4 (2:40)
05. Starlings 5 (3:17)

BLACK ELK ORCHESTRA
Jennifer Choi-violin
Jill Jaffe-viola
Okkyung Lee-cello
Trevor Dunn-bass
Helen Campo-flutes
Alexandra Knoll-oboe, english horn
Doug Wieselman-clarinet, bass clarinet
Charlie Porter-trumpet
Vincent Chancey-french horn
Jacob Garchik-trombone

Anthony Coleman-conductor

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06. Pelagos (3:44)
WHIRLIGIG PERCUSSIONISTS with BILLY MARTIN conducting
David Butler-percussion
Greg Burrows-percussion
David Freeman-percussion
Jonathan Grusauskas-percussion
Julia Jarcho-percussion
Mark Karwan-percussion
Brad Koegel-percussion
Jed Kosiner-percussion
Billy Martin-percussion
Andrew McLauley-percussion
Luke Schneiders-percussion
Aaron Shragge-percussion

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07. Soul Map (3:15)
SIRIUS STRING QUARTET with ANTHONY COLEMAN conducting
Jennifer Choi-violin
Gregor Huebuer-violin
Ron Lawrence-viola
Dave Eggar-cello

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08. Metamorphosis 1 (3:21)
09. Metamorphosis 2 (0:52)
10. Metamorphosis 3 (3:13)
BLACK ELK ORCHESTRA
Jennifer Choi-violin
Jill Jaffe-viola
Okkyung Lee-cello
Trevor Dunn-bass
Helen Campo-flutes
Alexandra Knoll-oboe, english horn
Doug Wieselman-clarinet, bass clarinet
Charlie Porter-trumpet
Vincent Chancey-french horn
Jacob Garchik-trombone

Anthony Coleman-conductor

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11. Stridulation For The Good Luck Feast (4:27)
WHIRLIGIG PERCUSSIONISTS with BILLY MARTIN conducting
David Butler-percussion
Greg Burrows-percussion
David Freeman-percussion
Jonathan Grusauskas-percussion
Julia Jarcho-percussion
Mark Karwan-percussion
Brad Koegel-percussion
Jed Kosiner-percussion
Billy Martin-percussion
Andrew McLauley-percussion
Luke Schneiders-percussion
Aaron Shragge-percussion

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12. Strangulation (9:45)

SIRIUS STRING QUARTET with ANTHONY COLEMAN conducting
Jennifer Choi-violin
Gregor Huebuer-violin
Ron Lawrence-viola
Dave Eggar-cello

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13. Exquisite Machine (2:27)
Billy Martin-mbiras

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