Golden State

"Eisenstadt’s ballad “Sandy” bears at least a passing resemblance to the pioneering chamber jazz of Gerry Mulligan’s 1950s band with Chet Baker, while elsewhere there are echoes of the more radical pianoless quartets led by Ornette Coleman in the 1960s and Anthony Braxton in the 1970s. Mostly, though, Golden State sounds fresh, intellectually seductive, and very much like itself..."

"Chamber-jazz has gotten a bad rap over the years since it’s usually associated with bland programs that replace jazz’s inventive muscularity with soothing textures. In contrast Eisenstadt’s sophisticated themes ignore hierarchal roles to showcase unexpected instrumental blends, matching the rigor of so-called classical music with the freedom of improvisation....At the same time as Eisenstadt’s individualized compositions allow the reedists to expose the improvisatory heart of their often stolid instruments, they also showcase Dresser’s multifaceted talents. Unparalleled throughout as a pulse-maker, his arco facility is such that on “Sandy” his lyrical strokes could come from a viola-da-gamba, purposely extending the joyous baroque-like shadings that parallel what flute and bassoon lines already bring to the piece. Always sympathetically constructive in his playing, the drummer propels these tracks without loudness or forcing a beat."

"He's emerged as an important voice within progressive jazz circles while gathering the crème de la crème of artists to help support his visions....It's a fluid endeavor, but tightly structured as contrabass luminary Mark Dresser tightly coordinates the rhythmic component with Eisenstadt but also harmonizes with the soloists, establishing polytonal contrasts. Interestingly enough, the flute and bassoon combo often spark a hybrid emotive sensibility residing somewhere between joy and lament....Golden State is an album that discloses newfound surprises on additional listens. Nevertheless, Eisenstadt's prolific compositional prowess continues to yield significant rewards. His flourishing discography expands into a broader realm with the advent of this first-class musical statement."

"Spacious, but dominated by off-kilter rhythms and thorny contours, these urbane chamber works occasionally evoke Braxton’s influence – unsurprisingly, since all but the leader have worked with him at one time or another. Nonetheless, Eisenstadt’s approach is far more groove-oriented; he maintains a compelling sense of forward momentum through cyclical pattern variation, avoiding standardized time signatures altogether. Dresser’s oblique bass figures subsequently interlock with these irregular but accessible ostinatos, spurring the winds on in turn. The ensemble executes these labyrinthine compositions with breathtaking dexterity, whether negotiating the abstract funk that underpins “What Is a Straw Horse, Anyways?” or the fragmented swing of “Especially Preposterous Assertions.” Revealing an all-encompassing aesthetic, the wistful ballad “Sandy” showcases the unit’s penchant for unabashed lyricism, as Schoenbeck, Mitchell and Dresser ply bittersweet motifs from a pastoral theme. Conveying a more forceful approach, engaging tunes like “Dogmatic in Any Case” and “Unless All the Evidence is In” offer striking demonstrations of the members’ quicksilver virtuosity and masterful integration of extended techniques, including ghostly woodwind overtones, rancorous double-reed multiphonics, stratified string harmonics and kaleidoscopic percussion interjections.The foursome’s rapport borders on the clairvoyant, with Eisenstadt and Dresser’s modulating interplay providing an elastic foundation for the frontline’s probing extrapolations. Schoenbeck’s rigorously defined contours and Mitchell’s unfettered flights alternate between individual ruminations and dual improvisations; the latter often executed in loose harmony or tight counterpoint. Greater than the sum of its parts, Golden State is a singularly captivating effort from Eisenstadt and company, verifying the neo-classical post-war experiments of the Third Stream movement and the pan-stylistic hybrids of the loft jazz era as enduring sources of inspiration for creative improvising musicians."