★★★★
“Chromatic passages mixing it up with free-funk motives and a gradual and well-worked development of the material that eventually leads to a noise based saturation point. The phrasing in [Lundbom’s] playing is a real joy and the way it sits within the rhythm will have you toe tapping before the track is out, worth getting just for [‘Ain’t Cha’]. …The emphasis is clearly on the tracks as a vehicle for improvised solo melodic lines and there is plenty of space for each of the soloists to stretch out and express themselves. …There is some great playing from the guitarist across these two EPs.”
Karl Ackermann, ‘All About Jazz’ 02/09/16
★★★★
“BVC expertly juggles boisterousness and refinement in an atmosphere of controlled chaos. …Lundbom is a master of animated and intensely concentrated improvisation and his playing is capable of producing a full range of moods. …JL&BVC tread dangerous waters on their recordings. The cooperative nature of improvisations and the willingness to play outside the formal limits of jazz, combined with touches of humor all make for challenging navigation. Nevertheless, they pull it off with largely successful results. If ‘Make Magic Happen’ [sic] is an indication of the upcoming EPs in the larger collection, it promises to be one of the significant music events of the year.”
Chris Spector, ‘Midwest Record’ 02/09/16
“Sounds church basement walls could not contain. This bunch has set sail for Mars and they’ve left enough room in their starship for you to join them.”
Dan McClenaghan, ‘All About Jazz’ 02/03/16
★★★★★
“One of the most adventurous, schizoid, raucous, rip-roaring rock/jazz/bass-and-drum-thumping/wild-men-at-the saxophones wailing/soaring guitar amalgams you’ll hear in modern music. …There is an underlying tightness and continuity of vision that holds this set together. …Odd and innovative, and compelling. Music that hits you in the gut.”
Jason Gubbels, ‘Cerebral Decanting’ 12/31/15
150 Albums: The Best of 2015, Roughly Ranked
37. Jon Lundbom & Big Five Chord ‘Jeremiah’
‘Avant Music News,’ 01/02/16
Avant Music News Best of 2015
Honorable Mentions
Jon Lundbom & Big Five Chord – ‘Jeremiah’
Jim Macnie, ‘Lament for a Straight Line’ 12/26/15
10 Fantastic Jazz Albums – 2015
At any given moment, these coulda hit the list. They are beauties all:
Jon Lundbom & Big Five Chord – ‘Jeremiah’
Chris Robinson, ‘Outside-Inside-Out’ 12/21/15
Outside-Inside-Out’s Top 10 of 2015
Albums that pained me not to be able to include:
Jon Lundbom & Big Five Chord – ‘Jeremiah’
NPR 2015 Jazz Critics Poll
Duck Baker (‘The Absolute Sound,’ ‘New York Jazz Record’)
8. Jon Lundbom [& Big Five Chord], ‘Jeremiah’
Mike Shanley (‘JazzTimes,’ ‘Shanley on Music’)
3. Jon Lundbom [& Big Five Chord], ‘Jeremiah’
‘The New York Times,’ 12/11/15
“A guitarist.”