01 5:13 synergy
02 4:40 hypatia
03 5:23 this moment
04 4:59 heliopause
05 5:27 in our mind
06 5:51 the celestial mill
07 5:25 proxima centauri
08 5:20 lightning strikes once
Recording credits:
recorded and mixed by marc wagnon
at buckyball music studio, new york, ny
drums (3,4,5,6) recorded at boom crash drum tracks
studio, philadelphia, pa
trumpet recorded at sound qs studio, lake carmel, ny
acoustic bass recorded at ear gallery music studio, los angeles, ca
mastering by michael fossenkemper turtletone studio, new york, ny
cover photos by heidi arens
cover design buckyball music
Reviews:
Swiss born, New York based percussionist Mark Wagnon should need no introduction to long-time readers of Exposé, but since this is his first release in almost ten years, all should know he has a long history as a member of some of the finest bands around New York City area, including Tunnels with Percy Jones, Brand X, and Doctor Nerve before that. Interesting Times is Wagnon’s fourth solo album on his own Buckyball label, on which he composed all of the music, played vibraphone throughout, and drums on four of the album’s eight tracks, six of which could be considered vocal jazz, and feature gifted singer Sarah Pillow, who crosses numerous musical boundaries with her jazz quartet, her group Nuove Musiche, and her early music ensemble Galileo’s Daughters, plus she has featured on previous Marc Wagnon albums, as he has on hers, and on the album at hand, where there are lyrics, she wrote them or had a hand in writing them, and their creative muse fuses seamlessly The rest of the players are all top-shelf, including tenor saxophonist Maria Grand, much credited trumpeter Tim Ouimette, alto saxophonist Kevin Oliver, trombonist Kevin Moehringer of Breakdown Brass and a multitude of sessions, guitarist Van Manakas who played with Scott Cossu on several of his Windham Hill era albums. There are several different exceptional bassists featured, and on the tracks where Wagnon doesn’t drum, the featured drummer is John O’Reilly Jr. One of the album’s two instrumentals “Heliopause” occasionally reminds me of early-70s Zappa — the entire band is on fire. The lyrics cover a number of subjects, from the Drake equation (“Proxina Centauri”) to ancient Egypt (“Hypatia”) to more conceptual tunes like “In Our Minds” and “This Moment.” The opening cut, “Synergy,” features singing and spoken parts, plus a spoken clip from Buckminster Fuller; while I’m not a big fan of spoken words over music, this one seems to work and has a lot of good things to say. The instrumental closer, “Lightning Strikes Once,” is a gently laid-back funky piece that gives the horn section and Manakas plenty of space to stretch out, plus a beautiful vibraphone solo. All taken, Interesting Times is another superb offering by Marc Wagnon and friends. by Peter Thelen Expose Magazine
Intricate enchanting engaging jazz Marc Wagnon - INTERESTING TIMES: I don't often think of a jazz album in the context of "science" and "history", but this marvelous set of creations from Marc and his players (Sarah Pillow: voice; Maria Grand: tenor sax; Tim Ouimette: trumpet; Kevin Oliver: alto sax; Kevin Moehringer: trombone; Van Manakas: guitar; Leo Traversa: bass; Jonathan Price: bass; Tony Green: acoustic bass and John O'Reilly Jr.: drums) does that and much, much more... I was first exposed to his intricate. enchanting and highly engaging style when I reviewed his "Earth Is A Cruel Master" (quite some time back), and gave him high marks then. you'll see why I'm even more impressed as you watch the official release video for "Heliopause"..
you'll find MANY more highly creative videos from Marc, as well as other Buckyball artists. when you SUBSCRIBE to the Buckyball YouTube channel, too I subscribed right away. One of the most engaging, laid-back and mellow jazz performances I have heard (yet) in 2020 is the 5:22 "This Moment". I predict that DJ's of every stripe and persuasion around the globe will be spinning this full-bodied tune frequently! If you just love vibraphone work, you won't find any that's more creative than what Marc creates for you on the beautiful "Hypatia"_ Sarah's vocal will transport you to "higher ground", and together with the other players, gives you a real sense of motion and travel; in fact, the song takes you to the very outer reaches of the galaxy. I get a kind of "outdoorsy" vibe as I listen to the splendid closer, "Lightning Strikes Once" every note is "on time", the recording is flawless, and there's a nice "ride groove" going on all the way through the tune. There was no question in my mind what my choice for personal favorite was going to be on this album. "Proxima Centauri" (nearest star) has a LOT of vibraphone woven into and through some totally splendid sonic beauty... I absolutely LOVED this song!
I give Marc and his players a MOST HIGHLY RECOMMENDED rating, with an "EQ" (energy quotient) score of 4.99 for this most memorable exploratory jazz excursion. Get more information on the Buckyball Music web page for the release. Rotcod Zzaj Contemporary Fusion Reviews