Fractured Pop Jentsch Group Quartet

• 1 Fractured Pop 04:59
• 2 Radio Silence 05:22
• 3 Are You Bye? 07:03
• 4 Brooklyn Suite: Outside Line 09:31
• 5 Cycles Suite: Old Folks Song 04:56
• 6 Cycles Suite: Old Folks Postlude 07:42
• 7 Cycles Suite: Route 666 04:50
• 8 Meeting at Surratt's 07:40
• 9 Brooklyn Suite: Imagining the Mirror 06:13
• 10 Cycles Suite: Cycle of Life 10:12
• 11 Brooklyn Suite: Follow That Cab 06:49
• Total Runtime 01:15:17

Info for Fractured Pop

Booklyn-based composer, bandleader, and guitarist Chris Jentsch specializes in jazz and contemporary improvisational forms. As a composer he has received grants and commissions from organizations like the Maelstrom Percussion Ensemble, the Penfield Commission Project, American Composers Forum, the Composers Assistance Program of the American Music Center, and more. He has consistently received stunning reviews- “Jentsch is more than just a seasoned musician; he’s a composer who can convey his ideas on a grand scale.” (AllAboutJazz) “He’s proof that music jazz critics term ‘important’ can also be awfully enjoyable.” (Hot House Magazine) Fractured Pop also features Jentsch’s fellow musicians Jim Whitney, John Mettam, and Matt Renzi.

As Bill Milkowski writes in the album's liner notes, in Fractured Pop "Jentsch re-examines some of the same tunes that appeared on his large ensemble outings with a lean quartetŠ The title track, for instance, has a whole web of guitars, from acoustic strumming on the intro to clean electric lines played in unison with Renzi's sax on the intricate head to Jentsch's distortion-laced guitar solo. The moody and atmospheric 'Radio Silence' also makes use of crafty guitar overdubs throughoutŠ'Are You Bye?' Jentsch's clever contrafact of 'Bye Bye Blackbird,' is underscored by Mettam's supple brushwork and culminates in some fiery call-and-response between sax and guitar at the tagŠ. 'Route 666,' a hard-hitting groover with angular lines, is fueled by bassist Whitney and sparked by a twisted distorto solo from JentschŠ. Tenor sax and distorted guitar lines weave together near the end of 'Meeting at Surratt's', building to an ecstatic crescendo."

„The interesting thing is that he's using avant-garde techniques, but in a traditional framework." (Will Friedwald, NY Sun)

Michel Gentile, flute, alto flute
Michael McGinnis, clarinet, alto clarinet, bass clarinet
Jason Rigby, soprano saxophone, tenor saxophone
David Smith, trumpet, flugelhorn
Brian Drye, trombone
Jacob Sacks, piano
Chris Jentsch, electric guitar
Jim Whitney, acoustic bass
John Mettam, drums
JC Sanford, conductor

Chris Jentsch
is a Brooklyn-based composer, bandleader, and guitarist working primarily in jazz and contemporary improvisational forms. Based in NYC since 1999, his main ensemble is Jentsch Group in its various configurations. As a composer, he has been the recipient of grants, commissions, or fellowships from American Composers Forum (3), New Music USA, Meet the Composer, New York State Council on the Arts (3), Ucross Foundation (2), and most recently, Chamber Music America/Doris Duke New Jazz Works, which commissioned his new work Topics in American History.

The work will have its world premiere on Friday, December 2 at ShapeShifter Lab in Brooklyn, NY. The piece will also be performed on Sunday, January 8 at iBeam, 168 7th St., Brooklyn. Performing is Jentsch Group No Net, a nine-piece chamber jazz ensemble conducted by JC Sanford with Jentsch on guitar, Michel Gentile on flute, Mike McGinnis on clarinet, Jason Rigby on saxophone, David Smith on trumpet, Brian Drye on trombone, Jacob Sacks on piano, Jim Whitney on bass, and Eric Halvorson on percussion.

As a bandleader and sideman Jentsch has performed in clubs and concert halls throughout the East Coast, and has worked with such diverse musical personalities as George Russell, John Cage, Maria Schneider, and Chris Wood. He appears as a guitarist on the CD John Cage, Volume 11 (Mode Records 41). He is also featured in Scott Yanow's book The Great Jazz Guitarists (2013 Hal Leonard). Jentsch has released four CDs as a leader.

Jentsch attended Berklee College of Music and has liberal arts and jazz guitar degrees from Gettysburg College, New England Conservatory, and the Eastman School of Music. He earned the Doctor of Musical Arts degree in Jazz Composition from the University of Miami in 1999 and is published by the University of Northern Colorado Press, Advance Music, and Fleur de Son Records.

This album contains no booklet.