David Gilmore Ritualism CD

After years of sideman work with Steve Coleman, Don Byron, and many others, guitarist David Gilmore makes a bold and beautiful statement with his long-awaited solo debut, Ritualism. At the core of the project is a high-octane quartet, with Gilmore, George Colligan on piano and keyboards, Brad Jones on double bass, and Rodney Holmes on drums. The presence of guest horn players David Binney, Ravi Coltrane, and Ralph Alessi boosts the excitement level even further. Gilmore brandishes a rugged tone and delivers his lines with a sharp, staccato attack and an astonishing rhythmic fluidity. His writing is highly advanced and richly varied, and while his production aesthetic stresses the live immediacy of acoustic jazz, the tracks groove with a fusion-like urgency. Bursting with odd-metered exchanges, ultra-complex unison figures, and virtuosic solo flights, the music comes across as a best-of-all-worlds synthesis of every influence Gilmore has absorbed. While hard-driving themes like "Paradigm Shift," "Event Horizon," and "Reality Check" boggle the mind and quicken the heart rate, the far mellower "Confluence," with Gilmore on acoustic guitar and Imani Uzuri on vocals, unfolds as a sort of space-age jazz waltz. (Uzuri handles the difficult melody with no problem.) There's also a crafty metric reworking of Thelonious Monk's "Off Minor" and an intriguing, hyperkinetic manifesto called "Musical Revolutions," with street-style spoken word poetics by Sharrif Simmons. As debut albums go, Ritualism is uncommonly focused, achieving an ideal balance of technical sophistication and emotional depth. ~ David R. Adler

Here's what the critics are saying about Ritualism & David Gilmore:"Ritualism is one of the most eloquent inaugural statements in recent memory."- Nate Chinen, Schwann Inside"As debut albums go, Ritualism is uncommonly focused, achieving an ideal balance of technical sophistication and emotional depth."- David R. Adler, allmusic.com"David Gilmore's muted or volcanic sound has the in-your-face funk, a certain edge, a nervous and explosive energy." - Allaboutjazz.com" The M-Based guitarist's snaky playing places him somewhere in the Wes Montgomery-Leo Nocentelli continuum. Watch out for his quartet's bubbly syncopation." - Jim Macnie, Village Voice"Chromatically-serrated power chords, shape-shifting blurs of octave clusters - a revelatory experience." - Tom Terrell, Jazz Times"David Gilmore adds a funky, heavy-metal/bebop edge to the band" - Bill Milkowski, Guitar Player Magazine___David Gilmore, internationally acclaimed guitarist with Wayne Shorter, Steve Coleman, Cassandra Wilson, Don Byron, Trilok Gurtu, Randy Brecker and Lost Tribe, brings together a stellar lineup of musicians for his debut solo recording, featuring 10 original compositions and a twisted arrangement of the classic Thelonius Monk tune, Off Minor.From the highly charged and polyrhythmically motivated improvisations of Event Horizon and Uncertainty Principle, to the moody and introspective melodies of Confluence and The Wanderer, Ritualism has something for everyone. Drawing upon his vast influences and years of experience with some of the giants in Jazz, David explores elements of Jazz, Funk, African and World musics to create a unique synthesis of highly original tunes that are exploratory yet accessible. The core band consists of George Colligan - pianist w/ Cassandra Wilson, Gary Bartz; Brad Jones - bassist w/Ornette Coleman, Jazz Passengers; Rodney Holmes drummer w/ Carlos Santana, Joe Zawinul, Brecker Brothers. Guest artists include saxophonists Ravi Coltrane and David Binney, drummer Bruce Cox, trumpeter Ralph Alessi, vocalist Imani Uzuri, poet Sharrif Simmons, and percussionist Daniel Moreno. This highly anticipated debut aptly displays David's formidable skills as an accomplished composer, arranger and bandleader.___FULL BIOGRAPHY:DAVID GILMORE GUITARIST/COMPOSER/PRODUCEROver the past decade guitarist and composer David Gilmore has recorded and p