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REVIEWS RIDING THE BULL "[the] new CD [Riding the Bull] is beautiful... it has so many wonderful things in it... it is very structured (the compositions are strong and well developed), and very free (a lot of great space, and air, and contributions from the players ...)... there are many different moods and a great arch to every piece, and the singing is very good (both singers do a great job - some of it is hard and high!). The title track is very strong and it really shows [Flannery's] voice as a composer and ability to develop. Gary [Fieldman] and John [Funkhouser] sound great! Mark's production is wonderful... I really wish many people will hear [Flannery] and her music." SLOW DANCE AT THE ASYLUM "An emotional statement with great depth of feeling" "A lot of beautiful music. The title track is destined to become a jazz classic." "Not your run-of-the-mill jazz quintet session, what with the opening track being a jazz version of Debussy's Sunken Cathedral which even includes a vocal. This is an adventurous group that explores a number of avenues without overstating the effort to sound original. Flannery is the pianist and leader, with plenty of fresh melodic ideas and the chops to swing in Latin grooves as well as straight ahead jazz." "Sometimes you come across such a wonderful jazz talent it is hard to define and explain that person's special gifts as an artist! Such is the case with the wonderfully talented and imaginative jazz pianist, Molly Flannery. Molly Flannery is a master of style and technique, and every note she plays is filled with power and sensitivity. "Improvisational, free form, haunting are just some of the words used to describe this album. Molly Flannery is a skillful pianist, composer, arranger, leader of ensembles, and a major player in the highly competitive jazz scene of Boston. She explains in the liner notes that this album is an attempt to capture some of the feeling these musicians get when meeting weekly for jams, the sort of spontaneous group composing that this quintet is so good at. She talks of a heavenly fellowship of men, friends, and musicians, of meetings that are like going to church, of having fun and "occasionally creating an epiphany when all separateness vanishes." This closeness is evident in the music. The title song "Slow Dance at the Asylum" is an achingly beautiful ballad written by quintet member Tom Zicarelli. Of the ten tracks two were composed spontaneously by the quintet, one was arranged and three were written by Flannery. Mostly instrumental there are several interspersed vocals which add to the mood of each piece. The music here will grow on you. The melodies are lovely and memorable." “Molly Flannery is a veteran of the local jazz scene who has returned from a motherhood hiatus to craft an album of very personal jazz that moves in interesting directions. Her music reflects influences from the likes of Charles Lloyd in its quest for spirituality and quiet, gentle grooves, while showing a serious bent for exploration. The spiritual grooves include elegiac "La cathedral Engloutie" and the soulful "Chant of Paradise," while her avant-garde side emerges in the playful, tongue-in-cheek title track. Vocalist Melissa Kassel has some fine, sultry moments during a lovely reading of "I've grown Accustomed to Her Face." All things considered, Flannery has a knack for creating music with a variety of textures that are foundation to build on." |
