Chicago scene alert -- bassist-composer Jason Ajemian's

[Larry Kart]

--- with tenorman Tim Haldeman, trumpeter Jaimie Branch, guitarist Matt Schneider, Jason Adasiewicz on marimba. Haldeman, one hell of a player, was somehow new to me until about six weeks ago, when I heard him a group led by drummer Mike Reed -- he has hair, teeth, and claws, plus he sounds like an adult, not a kid, though he's probably short of 30. Jaimie is in great, relaxed form, almost Tony Fruscella-like at times; I've long been a fan of the not that often heard, even in terms of number of gigs Schneider, etc. The album was produced by the musicians themselves (in this case a very good thing) and recorded (beautifully) by Tanaka. Ajemian's soulful liner notes are worth a look too.

Disclaimer: My only connection with these people is music-based admiration and resulting (in some cases) "Hey, how are you?" acquaintances-friendships.

[Larry Kart]

I'm a good guesser; Haldeman is 29:

http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fusea...endID=122442377

[papsrus]

Thanks for the tip. Will search this one out.

[jimi089]

Yep, I just got it and agree 100%. I spun it twice in rapid succession when I first got it a few days ago and it has been in regular rotation ever since. FYI, Tanaka is going to be back in town in late April/early May for some gigs.

And I agree with the liner notes as well, but I wish someone had proofed them since there are some silly errors that could have been avoided.

Edited April 10, 2008 by The Danimal

[Joe]

Have heard Ajemian in duets with Josephine Foster (Born Heller) and Matt Bauder.

For those who know it, how does this release stack up / compare to the bassist's work with Bauder in particular?

[Larry Kart]

Have heard Ajemian in duets with Josephine Foster (Born Heller) and Matt Bauder.

For those who know it, how does this release stack up / compare to the bassist's work with Bauder in particular?

More straightahead, lyrical, and swinging for the most part, but Ajemian's inherent spacy (in the best sense) foxiness is omnipresent. The feel factor is just different and probably unique. Again, the liner notes make the nature and quality of the mind that's at work here pretty clear.

[jimi089]

Another new release with Ajemian and Tanaka I just found out about - a digital only release of A Cushicle, with Jeff Parker, that plays Tuesdays at Rodan (most recently with Josh Abrams and Frank Rosaly since both Ajemian and Tanaka left town) on Ropeadope Digital.

[rpklich]

I think the name of the group Haldeman was in with Mike Reed was called People Places and Things. Had Greg Ward and Jason Roebke too. Their repetoire was based on music from out of 50s and 60s Chicago (Clifford Jordan, Wilbur Campbell etc. tunes). Good band, can't wait to hear them again.

Ajemian seems to be in alot of really good bands, like Triage (w/ Rempis) and Dragons 1976 (w/ Aram Shelton). I only heard the first CD by Ajemian's group Who Cares How Long You Sink. The new Delmark has me curious enough to want to purchase their 2nd, "Folk Forms Evaporate Big Sky". Never heard them live.

Ajemian, of all the people participating in the Chicago scene seems to be the most willing to take chances (along with Matt Bauder who's relocated to NY). My only complaint about the guy is that he doesn't seem to be playing too many live dates of late, at least in Chicago.

[Larry Kart]

I think the name of the group Haldeman was in with Mike Reed was called People Places and Things. Had Greg Ward and Jason Roebke too. Their repetoire was based on music from out of 50s and 60s Chicago (Clifford Jordan, Wilbur Campbell etc. tunes). Good band, can't wait to hear them again.

Ajemian seems to be in alot of really good bands, like Triage (w/ Rempis) and Dragons 1976 (w/ Aram Shelton). I only heard the first CD by Ajemian's group Who Cares How Long You Sink. The new Delmark has me curious enough to want to purchase their 2nd, "Folk Forms Evaporate Big Sky". Never heard them live.

Ajemian, of all the people participating in the Chicago scene seems to be the most willing to take chances (along with Matt Bauder who's relocated to NY). My only complaint about the guy is that he doesn't seem to be playing too many live dates of late, at least in Chicago.

I love People, Places and Things the one time I heard them. The concept really worked -- the material is interesting (I'm old enough to have heard some of it the first time around), the heads were played accurately and with passion, and the soloists then were able to do their own things without breaking faith with the material. Ward was inspired.

Ajemian is a chance-taker, but I have heard a player on the scene (who admires Ajemian) say, "He can't really play the bass." I didn't quiz him on this but am pretty sure that he meant that Ajemian's musical skill-set is intense and novel but very home-grown and not broad, and if that he's faced with material that's not in his bag, he'd have trouble adjusting. On other hand, I believe (and I think my informant would agree) that if JA were that different along those lines, he might not be the unique, valuable musician he is. Further -- and this is my thought alone -- if my informant's view of JA is accurate, I think it's a tribute to and sign of the nature of this scene that a guy like JA is listened and reacted to by his colleagues with the interest and respect that he deserves. I may be wrong, I can imagine a lot of scenes where that wouldn't be the case.

[rpklich]

As I said, Adjemian doesn't seem to be playing too many live dates.... He relocated to New York last summer according to a recent Margasak posting on the Chicago Reader website. The relocation information wasn't very well spread. I recall a conversation about Adjemian's whereabouts in Feb. with Tushar Samant (the person who does the now-is.org calendar and someone who is very knowledgeable about the scene) and he didn't know. We speculated he was involved in one of his rock/hillbilly projects, as he disappeared for long periods of time in the past.

New York's gain.

[jimi089]

Yeah, I had heard that he had made a move to New York.

Anyone going to the record release tonight? I'm not going to make it unfortunately. I'm going to try and catch Nori Tanaka while he's in town at the Velvet this Friday with Jason Adasiewicz and Josh Abrams.

[Clunky]

Just picked this up, very interesting date, more laid back than I was expecting , quite cool in places really....

[.:.impossible]

I got this over the weekend. I love the feeling of the first tune.

[clifford_thornton]

Bought it on LK's recommendation a while back. It is excellent indeed.