Indablog
News, sessions, and oddities from the Indaba community. Written and curated by Streeter Seidell.
About Streeter
Streeter

Streeter Seidell is a comedy writer and (mediocre) drummer living in Brooklyn, NY. During the day he edits the front page of CollegeHumor.com but when the sun goes down he takes his place at the helm of the Indablog. He maintains a personal blog at StreeterSeidell.com and wants to make sure you know he once wrote something for the New York Times and that it was, in the words of his mother, "Amazing! You're so talented!"

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Blog Roll
  • David Byrne Journal
    Stop making sense David Byrne. Seriously, you make too much sense to us - it's scary. When are you coming by to hang out?
  • Creative Commons
    If you want to know about IP law - this is the place. CC is defining the cutting edge of music licensing.
  • Lefsetz Letter
    In his own words - "First in music analysis"
  • Wired Listening Post
    One of our favorite places to stay on top of what's happening in the music industry.
  • Create Digital Music
    Fairly relevant to Indaba :)
  • Underrated Magazine
    Our favorite NYC music-scene blog from our favorite CMJer.
  • StereoGum.com
    Super-hip music blog. A must for anyone serious about the NYC scene.
  • The Daily Swarm
    ll the news that fit to print ... about music, that is.
  • Idolator
    Gawker Media's music blog. Perfect if you like a little snark with your music news.
  • That's What Matt Said
    Shameless promotion, we know, but this is Matt's (Indaba Co-Founder) non-Indaba blog and he wants people to read it.
Adam Nussbaum Gets Props

Thursday July 17, 2008 at 06:00 PM

Indaban and noted jazz drummer, Adam Nussbaum , scored a nice review in JazzTimes Magazine for Standards by the Nuttree Quartet (Nussbaum's group).  Let's give it a read, shall we?

Standards are the lingua franca of jazz, a shared lexicon that puts musicians—and their audiences—on common ground. But they also present a challenge that, while frequently attempted, is not always met: how to place a unique stamp on a tune everybody knows without sacrificing its beauty or timelessness. Standards thus represent a chance to bring craftsmanship to the foreground or, in the best cases, to break through the rigid boundaries of expectation and display true artistry.

The all-star Nuttree Quartet rises to the occasion admirably, warping Tin Pan Alley and modern jazz classics with casual ease, balancing winking subversion with heartfelt affection for the material. Drummer Adam Nussbaum assembled the group and provides its spark, enthusiastically tossing rhythms about and giving every number a joyous propulsion. Jerry Bergonzi displays introspective tension and bluesy release on tenor sax, while guitarist John Abercrombie adds a laid-back but elusive, free-floating quality that creates a kind of levitation. The wild card here is Gary Versace, who keeps things off balance with Hammond B3 organ lines that are playful, ominous and offbeat.

Taken together, the results surprise and delight. Duke Ellington’s gospel-based “Come Sunday” becomes a gentle road song, Wayne Shorter’s “Footprints” a snazzy romp. “All or Nothing at All” picks up a detached, almost steely mien, while a brilliantly moving “Naima” evokes autumn breezes rustling through fallen leaves. It’s a fine ride that encourages repeated listening.

Read it in context

Congrats, Adam!  It's certainly well-deserved.  And hey, if any of you other Indabans feel like sharing your good reviews (or your bad ones) please send them over to me at Streeter@IndabaMusic.com .

1 Comment:
Mantis Evar said:
Thursday July 17, 2008 at 09:09 PM

I first got turned on to Nussbaum when he was playing w/ Jaco Pastorius in NYC. I've seen him play with many different people; various types of music. Great drummer worth checking out.

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