HAPPY APPLE

The Peace Between Our Companies

2006-01-02

Sunnyside Avant garde jazz from this hip three-person ensemble from Minneapolis * saxophone, bass and drums. The name comes from a Fisher-Price baby toy. Drummer David King is also in the same seat for another recent jazz addition to our library, The Bad Plus. Like those "Bad" boys, Happy Apple chooses a minimalist approach to the music, with clever titles to some of the songs (like "See Sun Spot Run"). This is not jazz for those desiring the melodic * and that's typically my style * but there's something interesting about the structure of the longer cuts that had me listening intently. There's method to the madness. At the same time, the short blasts of sound (#1, #3 and #8) are great, too. My favorite of the set is the quiet but meaningful "Ella by Midnight" (#7) * Talk about capturing a mood! If you're frightened from improvisation, stick with the quick cuts. -MJVD

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Compiled by the WYCE Journalism Club

The opinions expressed in these reviews are those of the individual volunteers that submitted the article and do not necessarily reflect the views of WYCE or GRCMC; nor its staff, donors, or affiliates.