Patrick Zimmerli Composer
Scott Yoo Violin
Michael Mermagen Cello
John Novacek Piano
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"Mr. Zimmerli works in jazz and classical music, and his Trio No.1 (2002) draws on both worlds. Often throughout Trio No. 1, a four-movement work, the piano spoke in the harmonies and inflections of jazz, while the violin writing was more formal, and the cello line moved freely between them. But the score's irresistible energy seemed to come from everywhere: classical structure, jazz harmonies, an Arvo Pärt-like meditativeness and fleeting touches of cheerfully melodic pop were all on tap, and the final bars were pure Romanticism."
—Allan Kozinn, NY Times, July 11, 2006
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Album released by Arabesque Recordings Patrick Zimmerli Composer Scott Yoo Violin Michael Mermagen Cello John Novacek Piano LISTEN |
"This recent release is my first encounter with the name and music of Patrick Zimmerli. The notes accompanying the recording offer little biographical or background information, but a bit of research on the Internet reveals that he was born in 1968 in New York City, and graduated from Columbia University, where he studied with Fred Lerdahl. It appears that he is somewhat better known as a jazz saxophonist than as a composer of 'concert music'; his Web site offers a backdrop of static 'sonic environment' music. But neither of these conceptual strands suggests the music found on the compact disc submitted for review. // Having listened several times now to both these piano trios, I must say that they are simply sensational! Both works were composed between the years 2001–03, and they are similar enough that my reactions really apply to both of them more or less equally. (Presumably, differences will emerge with greater familiarity.) To begin with the basics: each work comprises four movements and lasts approximately half an hour. Both strongly reflect a derivation in the ethos, aesthetics, rhetoric, and general style of the piano trios of Brahms: strongly potent statements that seem to reach beyond the intimate composure of conventional classical chamber music to a near-symphonic grandeur, while retaining a strong connection to their classical formal roots. This gives the music a much more conservative profile than that of, say, Paul Moravec, another excellent traditionalist composer championed by Arabesque and recently discussed in these pages. Zimmerli's own program notes speak of his mixing classical and jazz idioms in both works, but I don't hear it that way at all. To my ears, he has simply infused his language with many of the developments in harmony that evolved during the 20th century. Let me hasten to add that this is to its distinct advantage: I have always found jazz-classical hybrids—especially those with elevated pretensions, that alternate back and forth between the two poles—to be contrived, self-conscious, and exceedingly tedious gimmicks—more concerned with their concept than with their substance. I suppose one might point to Zimmerli's expanded harmonic language as overlapping somewhat with the language of jazz, and I guess he must see it that way; but it is all thoroughly integrated into one very cogent means of expression. // Both trios start with sonata allegro movements of tremendous emotional force and unflagging urgency, while the subsequent movements maintain an extraordinarily high level of interest. The music is motivically driven, contrapuntally strong, melodically generous, and vigorously rhythmic. The instrumental writing shows great proficiency (the Scherzo of Trio No. 2 is a dazzling workout for the violinist). Both works offer wholly satisfying musical experiences that leave one eager to learn what else this relatively young composer has to offer. Not to be overlooked is the quality of the performances, which feature the members of the Seattle Chamber Music Society, who commissioned and premiered both works. They play with technical brilliance, emotional exuberance, and whole-hearted conviction. Highly recommended."
—Walter Simmons, Fanfare Magazine
"This year I was able to arrive at only four recent releases that met my criteria of great, little-known recent repertoire, beautifully performed, and superbly recorded... Patrick Zimmerli, born in 1968, is the youngest composer cited here. Although he is active as a jazz musician, his two piano trios (reviewed in 29:4) are highly traditional in style, harking back to similar works by Brahms. However, Zimmerli speaks through his models with such urgency and authenticity that the results are irresistibly compelling, while their impact is enhanced by these virtuosic performances."
—Fanfare Magazine
"I'm afraid this review requires a longish lead-in: About 15 years ago, I reviewed a lot of new music for Fanfare. That diminished for two reasons: most important, we were fortunate to get a few young composers to write for us; I certainly could not match Robert Carl's knowledge and feeling for new music. It was also the case that the directions of new compositions changed, at least of those that got recorded. The long fight against modernity and complexity finally won out, to my dismay, and I thought that a great deal of what was appearing sounded watered down, even dishonest, as if it really were written just to please the public, or at least to avoid offending it. Of course, I could have been dead wrong; perhaps it was just my reaction, not the composers' intentions, so I didn't want to write about it. I really love the complex, dense, serious music written throughout the second half of the 20th century: Dutilleux, Henze, Erb, Tsontakis . . . not serialism per se, but some of its purveyors. // The point of all this is that the 21st-century music on this disc convinces me. It does have qualities that should please an audience, yet I feel certain the composer is writing for himself. On the one hand, it is old-fashioned: a pair of four-movement piano trios, no less! On the other hand, I find it all original, serious, and well written. There is a lot of jazz lurking in the background, often in the foreground as well; nevertheless, it sounds like serious, formal music, though not like any one composer, nor any combination of them. The Allegros are wild, often furious—they must be hell to play—and the slow music is lyrical without being maudlin. The music is conventionally tonal, at least to my ears, so happily accustomed to dissonance, polytonality, even atonality; but it does contain a lot of interesting harmonic action. Variety abounds, within movements as well as between them, yet I sense a consistent, satisfying whole. Is this, then, easy music? No, it is still dense and often complex (remember Beethoven?), but it has a vibrant spirit that comes across at first hearing. Although these trios sound nothing like Brahms, they create the kind of excitement one hears in gung-ho performances of the Brahms Piano Quintet, such as that by Leon Fleisher. These three young musicians, too, give a gung-ho performance: virtuosic, confident, and focused. They obviously know the music well; it's hard to imagine a better representation of these works. The recording is all one could desire. // In his notes to this disc, Patrick Zimmerli tells us nothing about himself, only his music. The accompanying promo material says he received a B.A. from Columbia University in 1990, so that would put him in his mid-thirties now, unless he was a child prodigy, which he well may have been. He studied composition with Fred Lerdahl and earned a D.M.A. in composition in 2000. A freelance jazz saxophonist, Zimmerli splits his life between the two musical poles that he melds so smoothly here. The trios were written in 2001–02 and 2003. // I realize that we at Fanfare are prone to say that a disc is a must for every collection, so I won't. But if my first paragraph evokes any sympathetic response in you, this may be the time to jump."
—James H. North, Fanfare Magazine
Well-crafted and played: there's plenty of life in the piano trios. The first thing to hit you is the rhythm—a cascading flow that sweeps all before it. Then you start noticing what else has been caught up in the flow—exotic pentatonic modes, jazzy syncopations, jagged faux-Arabic metrical constructions, even enough pop-tune motifs to keep listeners on their toes. If it weren't for the instrumentation and fairly classsical structures, you could at times almost imagine a jazz set. Though not exactly mirror images these trios commissioned by the Seattle Chamber Music Festival make perfect companions for a disc-length programme. An amazingly broad range of musical and emotional resources unfold with nearly unerring sense of balance and when to change course..."
—Ken Smith, Gramophone Magazine
"... [the trios] contain a very individual mix of traditional classical, jazz and contemporary styles. Zimmerli seeks to embody European sensibility and American energy in these works. His intention is to write chamber music that shares recognized features of the genre, but shakes up the primacy of the standard chamber repertory with some wholly contemporary but accessible music. That's a perfect description of what he achieves in these expressive and very original trios. Some fairly avantgarde techniques show up here and there, but couched in a safe context that makes them more palatable to all. And I'm automatically attracted to any concert music works that display a jazz influence, so am primed for Zimmerli's approach in these trios. The three performers, from the Seattle Chamber Music Festival, are highly skilled and the sonics are transparent with attractive string tone."
—John Sunier, Audiophile Audition
"Substantial, four-movement works, they are primarily tonal, every movement ending on a strong triadic chord, and fairly conventional in form and technique, employing imitation, unison, and improvisation. The piano writing features a lot of powerful chords and running, agitated passagework, giving the music a somewhat aggressive quality. This is relieved by the strings' contrasting, sustained singing lines, often in individual or combined double-stops. There is much contrast of tempo, idiom, dynamics, and texture, including every kind of colorful sound effect the instruments can produce, such as ponticello, pizzicato, even plucking the piano strings..."
—Strings Magazine
"...highly accessible contemporary music. There is much to admire, especially the seamless manner in which [Zimmerli] weaves various musical styles together and the attractiveness of his tunes...Zimmerli has a long association with both art music and jazz, so his ability to go back and forth with skill comes naturally. Many notes are to be found in this piece, often served at breakneck speed. Nothing easy here, but violinist Scott Yoo, cellist Michael Mermagen and pianist John Novacek played with verve and handsome style."
—R.M. Campbell, Seattle Post-Intelligencer
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Phoenix' debut album, released by Songlines Recordings Patrick Zimmerli Composer & Soprano Saxophone Scott Yoo Violin I, Yoon Kwon Violin II Mycek Banaszek Viola, Inbal Segev Violoncello Kevin Hays Piano, Stomu Takeishi Fretless Electric Bass Satoshi Takeishi Percussion, Drum Programming & Electronics LISTEN |
"Zimmerli, a NYC-based musician, says this is the most experimental of the six CDs he has done, but it should appeal to listeners in many different areas. He has combined his sax, piano and electric bass with a string quartet and synths to create a rich and varied sonic tapestry influenced by many different elements. There is creative interplay of the electronic instruments with the acoustic ones, some touches of ambient music, minimalist approaches, and Middle Eastern music. My personal favorite jazz album has long been Stan Getz' Focus, which escapes the usual corny solo-instrument-and-strings genre with the imaginative compositions of Eddie Sauter. Zimmerli gives us a 21st-century version of that project, which benefits from his experiences in not only the jazz world but also classical, electronic, popular and film music. One track is not his original, and I think it's the most tasteful arrangement of the bossa nova hit How Insensitive that I've ever laid ears on. He states that he can't escape from pop music and wouldn't want to because there is so much creative work going on in it today. What he aims for is 'a contemporary, aesthetically viable, pan-stylistic art music.' Quite a mouthful - but sit back and bathe in the striking sounds that surround you in this audiophile-quality 5.0 SACD mix and the terminology will be secondary..."
—John Henry, Audiophile Audition
"The notes accompanying this sixth release from Patrick Zimmerli, a New York-based composer/saxophonist, give no hint of when he may have fallen to earth from parts unknown, bringing with him an unclassifiable mix of jazz, strings, and electronics. The set opens with the dreamlike landscape of M, which is dramatically revisited later mid-set with Kevin Hays' piano carrying the theme, only to re-emerge in more subdued fashion for the finale. Subsequently Hays turns positively frolicksome in the company of Zimmerli's sax and Satoshi Takeishi's percussion on Only Surround. Overall the swirls and clouds of sound that emerge in the set are varied expressions of Zimmerli's adventurousness. Styles are mixed, unrestricted by the boundaries of traditional categories like jazz or classical. Most of the pieces are Zimmerli compositions dominated by the interplay between electronic and acoustic instruments. Yet the bossa nova rhythms of Jobim’s How Insensitive, floating gently on violins, sax, and piano, also fit quite nicely here. Away From You is a jaunty, sax-led acoustic trip, not unlike Grofe’s Grand Canyon Suite as it might have evolved had it been played by violins spiked by just a tad of acid. Each of these pieces creates its own mood. The common thread throughout is a real sense of commitment in to exploring fresh possibilities."
—Andrew Velez, allaboutjazz.com
"Excellent sound and accurate surround mix across all channels. There is real rythm and it is melodious, despite the 'experimental' classification he gives himself. How Insensitive is borrowed and beautifully rendered, but the rest are his compositions, sometimes rapid and jazzy, other times entering a trance with long string and sax sections and various percussions. You'll need patience, and absolute silence, to enjoy the subtle broken rythms, the slow piano, the special effects. An 'emotional journey'. Very enjoyable."
— sa-cd.net
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Album released by Songlines Recordings Composed for and performed by Octurn Bo van der Werf Baritone Saxophone & Leader Patrick Zimmerli Soprano Saxophone Ben Monder Guest Soloist on Guitar LISTEN PURCHASE |
from Hot Box reviews in Down Beat Magazine, March 2003:
"...an impressive accomplishment....Whether from the point of view of Zimmerli's compositions, which are complex and rich especially in terms of rhythm, or the high quality of the performances, which must have been an absolute bear given such tricky material, The Book of Hours is a mighty success...[Zimmerli's] a composer with an outstanding ear for layers and a personal way of creating transformations within a given piece, and he's an excellent soprano saxophonist." —John Corbett
"...intriguing, often quirky strokes of modernistic composition..." —John McDonough
"Impressive stuff." —Jim Macnie
"Fresh writing couples with strong ensemble work from saxophonist Zimmerli. Each song, much like the one that precedes it, is a marvel of group cohesion..." —John Ephland
"A superior exercise in chamber jazz...Moving faultlessly through a variety of time signatures, harmonies, melodies and compositional colors, the band members play their parts seemingly without a note out of place...Zimmerli has taken the outlines of a pious ceremony and used compositional alchemy to make the multi-movement suite both secular and energetic..."
—Jeff Kaiser, Jazz Weekly
"...the album presents music of great beauty and melodicism; Zimmerli employs often bright and crisp colors and textures (fully realized here by the ten likeminded musicians of Octurn), and there is also a warmth that suggests the post-Gil Evans approaches of a composer like Maria Schneider. In short, The Book of Hours is engaging and accessible throughout...listeners with a non-traditional streak should find favor in the polyphonic complexity of Zimmerli's scores, which avoid the typical head-solos-head structures of much conventional jazz (the canon-like "Interlude" segments have a particularly strong classical influence, beginning in duet form and adding instruments cumulatively during trio, quartet, and sextet iterations interspersed among the other album tracks). Thematic material (signifying the many moods of a passing day) is stated and restated in variation as soloists enter and exit against an always surprising and involving backdrop - this is music that could keep even the most dedicated avant-gardist on his or her toes with its constantly evolving permutations...Zimmerli's music can be bold, energetic, and propulsive ("Night"), yet it often maintains a subtle and understated quality; even the seemingly highly improvised dialogue between baritone saxophone and percussion on "Noon" suggests a conversation rather than a shouting match. As for Zimmerli the saxophonist, his soprano solo on the lovely "Sleep" that concludes the disc is a thing of true beauty and one of the album's most striking improvisational moments, even as the piece tends to calm rather than excite the listener's heart..."
—Dave Lynch, All Music Guide
"...the writing here is strong and performed warmly with soft, rich and elegantly flowing harmonies. Monder plays exquisite acoustic guitar with the dreamy horns swirling around and the subtle percussion chattering eloquently. This is superb chamber-jazz and obviously a great deal of work went into the composing of this warm, intriguing and well performed ensemble music...There is a stream of great solos from many of the fine musicians here...The interlude sections do a fine job of balancing the flow of the more dense sections, by streamlining and adding suspense as the interludes increase in the number of players involved. What is wonderful about this entire 56 minute suite is that it is adventurous throughout, without getting too dark or disturbing. Rather Zappa-like, especially the percussion, in its complexities without the angst or unnecessary humor."
—Downtown Music Gallery
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Album released by Songlines Recordings Patrick Zimmerli Tenor Saxophone Ben Monder Guitar Stomu Takeishi Fretless Electric Bass Satoshi Takeishi Percussion LISTEN PURCHASE |
"Zimmerli writes a catchy tune...He's very much within the current school of American free jazzers who swap fearsome complexity for a degree of accessibility to a non-specialist crowd...the intention seems to be to couch this undeniably difficult stuff in the language of the neo hard bop one hears everywhere these days passed off as new jazz. His peers in this quartet help reinforce this, giving Zimmerli an interesting, unusual setting for his prowling tenor, a setting which is generally pulsed and structured by a different kind of jazz than that which informs a Charles Gayle quartet, for example. While many (musings) readers will prefer Gayle's approach, most jazz fans won't, and Zimmerli's real talent is to make a music which radio stations might play and the public at large might actually get into."
—Richard Cochrane, Geocities
"...Zimmerli is one of an increasing number of jazz players who are breaking down traditional barriers with contemporary classical music...The intriguing "Sand" is additionally inspired by Hindustani classical music and the Japanese Gagaku. "The Elements Suite" is kaleidoscopic and jazzier, with Ben Monder's fluid guitar lines a vital element. The original compositions are demanding listening in comparison to two delightfully refreshing interpretations of jazz standards - Thelonious Monk's "Evidence", itself based on "Just You, Just Me", and Bronislaw Kaper's "Invitation". Here, Stomu Takeishi's fretless electric bass provides the propulsion and Satoshi Takeishi offers enchantingly oblique percussion rather than trap drums. I'd love to hear an entire album of standards by this band. Another challenging and impressive production from the Songlines label."
—Andy Hamilton, Classic CD
"A 1993 winner of jazz' prestigious BMI/Thelonious Monk Institute Composer's Competition, saxophonist/composer Patrick Zimmerli's 2000 release, titled Expansion, represents the artist's third recording as a leader and signifies his penchant for combining multifarious musical elements with poignant, breezy themes amid wavering rhythms and engaging group dialogue. A distinct sense of flotation prevails yet Zimmerli, guitarist Ben Monder, bassist Stomu Takeishi and percussionist Satoshi Takeishi are quite adept at melding fragmented motifs into comprehensive statements that intertwine and redevelop into climactic opuses featuring Zimmerli's extended notes and richly melodic lyricism. Throughout, guitarist Ben Monder counterbalances the saxophonist with deft single note leads and subtle chord voicings while the Takeishi Brothers provide the predominately linear underpinnings. However, the saxophonist employs a shift in strategy as he turns in a softly stated and stunningly beautiful rendition of the time-honored standard, "Invitation". With photos of our expanding universe gracing the CD liners, the Patrick Zimmerli Ensemble achieves the desired or perhaps implied effect of defying time and space while performing with quiet fire and blithe spirit along with a relaxed sense of urgency. Zimmerli's impressionistic dreamscapes amid the band's heated flurries and circuitous discourses signify a mark of invention while the saxophonist pursues a sound and style that is clearly his own!"
—Glenn Astarita, AllAboutJazz
"...Like Explosion (1995) the quartet clarifies their approach with the familiar. On Explosion they covered Miles Davis' "Seven Steps To Heaven," here it is Thelonious Monk's "Evidence" and the classic "Invitation." They cover Monk much like Kahil El' Zabar's Ethnic Heritage (percussion) Ensemble would, except for the percussion part! Satoshi Takeishi's stripped-down drumset includes a traditional Japanese taiko drum and minimal cymbals. He approaches rhythm as an equal to the horn, guitar and bass. His hand drumming on "Evidence" doesn't keep time as much as it honors it. The quartet plays as if the songs are given and their role is simply to fill in the color and shading...Guided by world, classical, and a post-Coltrane vision, Zimmerli's saxophone plays a layering game. Solos are contextual not grandstanding. His playing, like his writing and sense of time, relies upon length, blossoming and resignation."
—Mark Corroto, AllAboutJazz
"...Throughout this record Zimmerli and his associates bring advanced performing skills and great intelligence to bear on the interpretive challenge he sets, producing highly polished, exciting, unique music that suggests new creative directions beyond labels."
—Verge Music Distribution
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Album released by Arabesque Recordings Patrick Zimmerli Tenor Saxophone Ethan Iverson Piano Reid Anderson Bass John Hollenbeck Drums, Percussion & Marimba LISTEN PURCHASE |
"The world of free jazz includes a lot of territory, from chordless bop to textural soundscaping to deconstructionist posing, but it is still unusual to hear an artist stake out an area that seems completely unlike something you've heard before. Zimmerli does this by an original synthesis that draws on general elements of mid-century serial music without worrying with the impossibly demanding structures of the post-Webernites. He uses the most attractive aspects of the modernists' work - freely atonal melody and the concern with space and color - very effectively, and his group's creation is much easier to approach than poeple like Boulez. Pianist Ethan Iverson, bassist Reid Anderson, and percussionist (in the broadest sense) John Hollenbeck are very impressive players, and Zimmerli has found his own way to add to the post-Coltrane tenor lexicon. At a time when real originality is rare, Zimmerli is a boy to watch."
—Duck Baker, JazzTimes Magazine
"A gutsy move by a little-known tenor player. Patrick Zimmerli went into the 1996 recording date that culminated in Twelve Sacred Dances after months of preparation, and you can see why. Zimmerli's devotion to the structure of the album is almost mathematical, to the point that even he makes reference to "the organization of bodies into a moving geometry of form" in the accompanying notes...Zimmerli's "The Tenor Alone" is a delight. He doesn't just run fingering exercises, but mounts a swooping, unpredictable, thoroughly assured exhibit. Much the same goes for his single-handed shepherding of the trio through the dramatic "Anaptyxis," and it whets this listener's appetite for more of Zimmerli's robust sound and adventurous flair."
—Jeff Morris
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Album released by Songlines Recordings Patrick Zimmerli Tenor Saxophone Ben Monder Guitar Stomu Takeishi Fretless Electric Bass Satoshi Takeishi Percussion LISTEN PURCHASE |
"Patrick Zimmerli is a young tenorman looking in a different direction, expanding on modernist concepts initiated by the late Warne Marsh, and, by extension, Anthony Braxton. On Explosion, he insinuates melodic shapes that teeter on the brink of atonality without sounding clinical or dispassionate. Zimmerli may caress a theme with acidic intervals ("Where Have I") or flit from pitch to labyrinthine pitch ("Rings"), but never overreaches himself. The quartet doesn't play totally free, but devises well-crafted tunes of ambiguous harmony and surprising details. Guitarist Ben Monder's reverb-drenched, Frisell-like chording cushions Zimmerli's sharp angles, and Stomu and Satoshi Takeishi make for a sensitive rhythm team - especially Satoshi's carefully pitched percussion..."
—Art Lange, Pulse!
"What makes this debut recording so interesting is the way in which composer and tenor saxophonist Patrick Zimmerli incorporates an entirely unique compositional aesthetic. Joined only by electric guitarist Ben Monder, electric bassist Stomu Takeshi and percussionist Satoshi Takeishi, Zimmerli melds advanced contemporary classical technique with offbeat jazz rhythms, leading to a fascinating blend. For all its complexity, there is something deliciously accessible about the music, although melodies are rare, harmonies are layered and solos are angular. Monder proves himself a wonderfully innovative soloist, void of cliché. The two standards - Victor Feldman's "Seven Steps to Heaven" and Richard Rogers' "Where or When" - are marvelous recreations, pointing to entirely new ways of interpreting traditional patterns."
—Steve Loewy, AllMusicGuide