The Astral Revelations is a live album by the Jemeel Moondoc Quartet, led by saxophonist Moondoc, and featuring pianist Matthew Shipp, double bassist Hilliard Greene, and drummer Newman Taylor Baker. Moondoc's final recording prior to his death in 2021, it was recorded on February 5, 2016, at the Bimhuis in Amsterdam, and was released in 2018 by RogueArt.[1][2][3]
| The Astral Revelations | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Live album by Jemeel Moondoc Quartet | ||||
| Released | 2018 | |||
| Recorded | February 5, 2016 | |||
| Venue | Bimhuis, Amsterdam, Netherlands | |||
| Genre | Free jazz | |||
| Length | 53:26 | |||
| Label | RogueArt ROG-0081 | |||
| Jemeel Moondoc chronology | ||||
| ||||
Reception
edit| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| All About Jazz |  [4] |
| The Free Jazz Collective |  [5] |
Ken Weiss of Cadence included the album in his list of the "Top Ten Recordings" of 2018.[6]
In a review for All About Jazz, John Sharpe awarded the album a full 5 stars, stating that it "breathes new vitality into the legacy of the loft jazz era," and writing: "For those who haven't caught up with Moondoc before, this is the place to start."[4]
The Free Jazz Collective's Stef Gijssels called the album "great stuff," and commented: "Warmth and openness are the key ingredients of this music, inviting listeners in without any degree of shock or alienation, giving them a common platform of familiarity to explore its boundaries, but without overdoing it."[5]
Steve Loewy of The New York City Jazz Record described the album as "a splendid, though not critical, addition to [Moondoc's] discography," and remarked: "Moondoc does not set out to impress but, in his understated way, does exactly that: his performances are devoid of grandstanding, instead focusing on tightly structured group playing and intense solos."[7]
Writing for Point of Departure, Ed Hazell noted that the album "ranks with [Moondoc's] best efforts, an example of the unquenchable creative fire that lasted into his final years."[8]
Track listing
editAll compositions by Jemeel Moondoc.
- "Cosmic Nickelodeon" – 17:07
- "Blues for Katie" – 14:44
- "Here Now, Gone Now" – 14:17
- "Ornette Gone Bye" – 7:16
Personnel
edit- Jemeel Moondoc – alto saxophone
- Matthew Shipp – piano
- Hilliard Greene – double bass
- Newman Taylor Baker – drums
References
edit- ^ "Jemeel Moondoc - The Astral Revelations". Jazz Music Archives. Retrieved January 27, 2023.
- ^ "Jemeel Moondoc Quartet / The Astral Revelations". RogueArt Records. Retrieved January 27, 2023.
- ^ "RogueArt discography". Jazzlists. Retrieved January 27, 2023.
- ^ a b Sharpe, John (November 18, 2018). "Jemeel Moondoc Quartet: The Astral Revelations". All About Jazz. Retrieved January 27, 2023.
- ^ a b Gijssels, Stef (November 3, 2018). "Jemeel Moondoc Quartet - The Astral Revelations". The Free Jazz Collective. Retrieved January 27, 2023.
- ^ Weiss, Ken (2018). "Top Ten Recordings 2018" (PDF). Cadence. p. 45.
- ^ Loewy, Steve (June 2019). "Reviews" (PDF). The New York City Jazz Record. p. 22.
- ^ Hazell, Ed. "A Magnificent Midnight: An Appreciation of Jemeel Moondoc". Point of Departure. Retrieved April 27, 2023.