Dirty Show Tunes

Reid Anderson Quartet

5***** by All Music Guide

Ben Ratliff wrote in the New York Times : “A debut by a young jazz bass player who writes witty, thoughtful, sweet-and-sour small-group music... Anderson’s time is precise and intonation impeccable, and he often plays short, swinging phrases that carefully prod the rhythm section.” The quartet features saxophonist Mark Turner and pianist Ethan Iverson.

Tracklisting:

1. Dirty Showtune
2. Kafka
3. Not Sentimental
4. Leaping Greenly Spirits
5. Imagination Is Important
6. Character Study
7. Magic Squares
8. Think Of Mingus
9. I Want You So Bad

Recorded in New York, 1997


Comments / Reviews:

"There isn't a weak track on Reid Anderson's remarkable debut CD. Leading a quartet comprised of Mark Turner on tenor sax, Ethan Iverson on piano, and Jordi Rossy on drums, Anderson constructs a universe of staggering complexity and lofty melodicism. The shape-shifting tempos of "Dirty Showtune," the sizzling grooves and winding melodies of "Kafka," and the sheer difficulty of "Imagination Is Important" — all make it clear that Anderson will go far as a composer and bandleader.

One can tell a lot about a musician from his or her song titles, and Anderson clearly realizes this. His quirky wordplay ("Leaping Greenly Spirits," "I Want You So Bad") not only engages the listener on a visceral level; it also shows that he doesn't take himself too seriously. Anderson's attention to little details like this can serve him well as he strives to stand out in the field of young and more-than-capable jazz musicians."

By David R. Adler (All Music Guide)