By Esther Callens
One of the most unique recordings ever released is found in saxophonist’s Ariel Alexander and guitarist’s Jon Bremen latest offering. Street Cries is the moniker by which this cutting-edge compilation goes by. To say it is avant-garde is truly an understatement, as it is way beyond that and more.
The concept behind Street Cries is simple. Each musician is allowed to record their parts and ideas on their own time. The outcome is fascinating. The opener, “Street Cries of Charleston”, is all over the place. Likewise, it lives up to its title. From the top the backdrop of the rapid succession of the percussions comes the sax, guitar and various other instrumentation thrown into the whirlwind of the hustle and bustle that the busy street employs. It is riveting. “Daisy” is a mid-tempo mellow tune that is perfect for dancing close to that special one. In contrast is “Pepper Pot”. Although the rhythm here is amped up considerably, it would still be considered at the lower range of Street Cries of Charleston. Although there are only five arrangements that are roughly around five minutes each, Street Cries packs a lot of depth in such a short time frame. One can’t help but wonder where future creative projects of Alexander and Bremen will take them next.
Saxophonist, composer, educator and entrepreneur – Dr. Ariel Alexander is a permanent fixture in the Los Angeles Jazz scene. She earned her B.A. at Indiana University and her master’s and doctoral degrees from the University of Southern California. She has presented numerous concerts and performed with Stevie Wonder, Take 6, Nancy Wilson, Natalie Cole, Patti Austin, and Ruben Studdard.
Jon Bremen studied music at Indiana University and the University of Southern California where he earned a doctorate in Studio/Jazz Guitar. He is a brilliant, innovative talent and the head of the music discipline at Los Angeles Southwest College.
Track listing: Street Cries of Charleston; Daisy; Pepper Pot; September; Yukon. Album Personnel: Ariel Alexander (saxophone, programming); Jon Bremen (guitar, programming); Louis Cole (drums); Vardan Ovsepian (keyboard, piano); Tim LeFevre (bass); Sara Leith (voice).
