Record Reviews

HAROLD RUBIN ~ 2`S + A QUIET PLACE FOR MR. K.K. NOT ON LABEL ~ ISRAEL ~ Jazz Recorded: 2000 - 2001 Released: 2001 This album marked Harold RubinFind albums by this artist`s return to active recording, after almost four years of silence. With the help of his old friend from ZaviotFind albums by this artist, Mark SmulianFind albums by this artist, who owns a small recording studio (called Digihipi), Harold recorded a series of three independently produced albums between 2000 and 2002, of which this is the first one. These three albums portray his extraordinary talents and visionary music at its best and are a wonderful document of his career as well as the local improvised music scene in Israel. The album includes 14 compositions, which are divided into two separate parts. The first part (2’s) is a series of duets with drummer Hagai FershtmanFind albums by this artist, where Harold plays clarinet and recites three of his superb poems, which are an integral part of the creation. The second part (A Quiet Place For Mr. K.K.) is a beautiful suite dedicated to King Kong and performed as a trio with bass player Eran BorovichFind albums by this artist. Please note that this suite gets another treatment on the third album in this series, this time as a solo piece. This is wonderful music, beyond description and beyond analysis – it should be heard and enjoyed and inspire.

CD-R 1 Recommend To A Friend

HAROLD RUBIN ~ BLUE BAG NOT ON LABEL ~ ISRAEL ~ Jazz Recorded: 1996 Released: 1997 Harold RubinFind albums by this artist is one of the very few true Renaissance men I’ve had the pleasure to meet and befriend over the years. An architect, a poet, a painter and an outstanding musician, but also a wonderful human being, who hates bullshit of any form and shape. This, often bold, honesty is present in every creative process Harold is involved with, and what makes his music so wonderfully different and outstanding. Blue Bag is a musical suite, a complete work of art, rather than a collection of separate and unrelated pieces of music. It is probably Harold’s most “accessible” album. It involves a larger group of musicians (as opposed to his regular trio / quartet setting) and for the first time also features vocals. Stylistically it involves, in addition to the obvious jazz contents, some rock elements (for the first time since Harold played with ZaviotFind albums by this artist), some theatrical aura and a much clearer melody lines. The entire album brings fond memories of Brecht’s operas and works by musicians like Gunter HampelFind albums by this artist and his wife Jeanne LeeFind albums by this artist or Mike WestbrookFind albums by this artist and Kate WestbrookFind albums by this artist. It also prominently features for the first time Harold’s poetry, which constitutes the libretto for the entire suite. The musicians playing with Harold include Mark SmulianFind albums by this artist, his partner in Zaviot, who proves he can play the guitar as skillfully as he can handle the bass, Smulian’s wife the wonderful singer Gani TamirFind albums by this artist, Israel’s best drummer Asaf SirkisFind albums by this artist (who plays on many albums released on my JazzisFind albums on this label label), extremely talented trombonists Reut RegevFind albums by this artist and Rafi MalkielFind albums by this artist, and bassist Amit CarmeliFind albums by this artist. Harold contributes his unique brand of clarinet virtuosity and occasionally recites / narrates his fantastic poetry with the music playing in the background (reminiscent of the wonderful “Jazz & Poetry” movement of the 1960’s). If I could, I’d make every person on this planer to listen to this Magnum Opus, but obviously I can’t do that. Hopefully some of you will read this and subsequently discover some of the best music ever recorded on this planet.

CD 1 Recommend To A Friend

HAROLD RUBIN / JEAN CLAUDE JONES ~ MUSE & MUSIC KADIMA COLLECTIVE 03 ~ ISRAEL ~ Jazz Recorded: 2004 Released: 2005 This album documents the musical / spiritual meeting between the two leaders of the Israeli improvised music scene. Harold RubinFind albums by this artist started the movement on the late 1980’s, after his legendary group ZaviotFind albums by this artist disbanded, leading a long series of ensembles active in the Tel-Aviv area, where he lives. Jean Claude JonesFind albums by this artist (or J.C. to his friends) arrived on the scene at about the same time, playing with another legendary group KedmaFind albums by this artist (both Zaviot and Kedma released their albums on JazzisFind albums on this label Records). Later on Jones played with many different ensembles in the Jerusalem area, where he lives, and founded the Kadima CollectiveFind albums on this label – an association of improvising artists (cross-genre), which now independently releases various projects on record. Their path crossed many times over the years but they somehow failed to record together and this much overdue album puts things right at last. The intimate duo of clarinet and electro acoustic bass is the foundation of the music, with Harold reciting / voicing his poetry on top and Jones adding live electronics occasionally, all of those based on musical telepathy and interplay between the creators. This is intense stuff, requiring total attentiveness and open-mindedness, but for people who are willing to stretch out their intellectual muscles the rewards are infinite. Sadly, there is very little music of such quality being made anywhere in the wold these days.

CD-R 1 Recommend To A Friend