“A wide-ranging funky sound that may or may not qualify as jazz. The five tracks feature grooves of various speeds and energy levels…sometimes venturing into more experimental territory. …Its music that satisfies on multiple levels, being fun and catchy on the surface, but with details and subtleties exposed upon closer examination. Beats by Balto! is a successful experiment, and I for one am in for a Volume 2.”
Tom Hull, ‘On the Web’ 11/11/19
The Best Jazz Albums of 2019
#58: Jon Lundbom/Bryan Murray “Beats by Balto! Vol. 1”
Tom Hull, ‘On the Web’ 08/12/19
“The beats provide a platform, setting the leads free without letting them fly off the rails. A-”
Mike Shanley, ‘JazzTimes’ May 2019
OPENING CHORUS: FIVE FOR GROOVING
“In Jon Lundbom’s group Big Five Chord, bouncy and free can coexist…influences blend together in satisfying ways; engaging melodies and free jazz interplay combine, without losing a sense of groove. …‘I think Jon’s always had his own voice and his own direction,’ [Bryan] Murray recalls. ‘He never tried to mimic someone else or sound like another player. He always had that drive, knew how he wanted to sound and worked at it.’ …It’s a provocative mix of grooves and tangled, last-moving themes…this guitarist aims to blow some more minds.”
Tim Niland, ‘Music and More’ 04/07/19
“Music that is complex but fun to listen to…a raw and real sound. The band really stretches out around the blowing, creating a very cool sound that is fresh and invigorating, with strong peals of sharp saxophone set against a buoyant backdrop. …[The ‘Beats by Balto!’] process worked very well and produced an album of real value… Hopefully this success will spur the musicians to further volumes and even more daring experiments.”