News

From the April issue of ‘Jazz Journal’ (UK):

“Big Five Chord…straddle the fields of bop and free jazz fairly successfully, producing a hybrid jazz that is based on solid values of improvising and swinging. The leader on guitar is adventurous without ever going so far out that he would lose half his potential audience. Some sections of these tracks are more free wheeling than others but a toe-hold is almost always provided for nervous listeners. Irabagon’s sax solo is pretty wild on Truncheon but he is calmer on the rest of the programme. Phoenetics is a gentle ballad, well structured by composer Lundbom and with good solos from all.”

I just posted a bunch of new videos from our last show at Goodbye Blue Monday.  Enjoy!

First off, from ‘Ritmos del Mundo,’ in translation by Margaret Swithenby:

“The guitarist Jon Lundbom has released ‘Accomplish Jazz’: five tracks in which there’s jazz – very good jazz – and with which he has made a big leap forward in relation to his earlier recordings. What’s noticeable is the self-confidence with which both he and his fellow musicians manipulate the elements that make up their musical language. Lundbom knows, and knows very well, the history of jazz and knows his instrument, he has great technique, but what’s more important is that he doesn’t become enslaved by it. On the contrary, he introduces elements that are alien to that whole tradition, which give the music a healthy speck of nastiness, with a tone that is at moments dirty, which is reminiscent of the sound of rock or rhythm-and-blues, and not of bona fide jazz.”

And then, from shanleyonmusic:

“Lundbom is an intriguing composer and an even more idiosyncratic guitar player, writing songs that have wonderfully odd melodic quirks and playing solos with a tone that wouldn’t be out of place in country music. Good country music.  …[Lundbom’s] crisp execution is spellbinding.  …Since it came out in December, it’s still eligible to wind up on 2010 year end lists, where it clearly belongs.”

“Lundbom’s third album with Big Five Chord is a decidedly more low-key affair. His thoughtful, somber melodies provide the backdrop for more intimate dialogues between Elliott and Irabagon.”

Read the whole thing here!

Hey there we’re playing the 10pm set Thursday night at Goodbye Blue Monday.  Swing on by and check it out!  And if you speak Spanish, check out some nice press we got here.

I just uploaded some of my most favorite Big Five Chord posters from past and recent years, including three with art by Scrapworm and one featuring the photography of Brett Beyer.  Awesome stuff, enjoy!

“Gloriously lumpy music that draws from bop-based traditions and reflects avant-garde freedom but doesn’t quite fit in either camp. Lundbom’s clipped guitar tone and Jon Irabagon’s eclectic alto sax acrobatics star, but the whole band rocks.”

Read the whole thing – including a lively tune-by-tune takedown – here

From “Guitar International” today…

“Few modern-jazz guitarists today are able to blend harmonic, melodic and structural ambiguity with such a cohesive voice as Lundbom achieves in his compositions… Lundbom’s guitar solos, like his compositions, will challenge the listener to think differently about the instrument and the genre…highly creative and inventive solos… A genre defying, barrier pushing album.”

Hey look some good word from the Pacific Northwest:

“Lundbom doesn’t pander to any thing or any body. These musicians stand on their own. Their full expression and collaboration is what’s here. Full expression and great ability…what else do you need?”

Read the whole thing here.

 

Wolfe & the Wayside CD Release at Glasslands this Thursday!!!