Pankaj Mishara’s Age of Anger: A History of the Present offers a detailed, compelling review of the various tensions – some more than two centuries in the making – behind the troubled state of today’s politics.
But of course anger is not the only emotion at work in international affairs. The pain that rage produces is arguably the more prevalent sentiment; those who act out in anger are always outnumbered by their victims. Even those spared by physical harm are susceptible to the emotional pain that comes with attacks levied against shared communities and social norms.
Frode Gjerstad, Fred Lonberg-Holm and Matthew Shipp explore exactly that on a remarkable new recording called Season of Sadness. These eight “spontaneously composed and performed pieces” of jazz music capture this moment in time insightfully and with real artistry.
Gjerstad has more than 50 albums to his credit, spread over a four-decade-long career. Here, he performs alto saxophone and clarinet.
Lonberg-Holm plays with a number of jazz and rock bands, including Valentine Trio, The Lightbox Orchestra and Wilco. Over the years, his teachers have included Anthony Braxton, Morton Feldman and Pauline Oliveros. He’s on cello.
Shipp is equally accomplished. Considered among the great jazz pianists alive today, his long list of collaborators includes Spring Heel Jack, Roscoe Mitchell and Daniel Carter.
Season of Sadness features three of the most significant jazz artists on the planet, grappling with all of the complexity of our modern world. It is a monumental listen.
The Moderns, vols. 1 and 2, by Kevin Press are available exclusively from Amazon.