Claudia Quintet/John Hollenbeck: Ted Reichman (accordion); Chris Speed (clarinet); Matt Moran (vibraphone); Drew Gress (acoustic bass); John Hollenbeck (drums).
The Claudia Quintet always keep one guessing. From drone pieces to quiet sound explorations, from passionate interplay to ensembles that seem lighter than air, this group has always had its own musical identity. Ted Reichman's accordion adds a lot to the unique ensembles, as does Matt Moran's vibraphone. Bassist Drew Gress and drummer/composer John Hollenbeck are loose and not shy to offer surprisingly sparse accompaniment. Some of the selections are so laid-back as to be sleepy (such as "This Too Shall Pass"), so it is best to listen to these performances (which includes a rather offbeat version of "The Peanut Vendor") at a high volume and lose one's self in the unusual music. ~ Scott Yanow
Professional Reviews
The Wire (p.60) - "Speed's facility on clarinet as well as tenor adds further possibilities of colour and timbre, and Ted Reichman's accordion is prominent, for instance on the quirky 'Rug Boy'."
Down Beat (p.62) - 4 stars out of 5 -- "FOR's rhythmic propulsion, bursts of blues feeling and first-rate soloing should make it attractive to swing purists..."
JazzTimes (p.85) - "The works are uniformly well performed. Music so elaborately conceived requires a great deal of preparation, not to mention skill. Certainly, Hollenbeck and company were up to the task."
