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Above and Beyond: An Evening in Grand Rapids | 
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| Creator: Billy Bang Quintet Featuring Frank Lowe
Label: Justin Time Records
Category: Music
List Price: $16.98
Buy New: $12.03
You Save: $4.95 (29%)
New (16) Used (2) from $10.99
Rating:  3 reviews
Sales Rank: 132429
Format: Live
Media: Audio CD
Discs: 1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.2
Dimensions (in): 5.6 x 5 x 0.5
MPN: 208
UPC: 068944020829
EAN: 0068944020829
ASIN: B000OONOXW
Release Date: May 8, 2007
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Shipping: International shipping available
Condition: BRAND NEW Factory Sealed - Ready to be shipped within 24 hrs from California - Average 5 workdays delivery time - Excellent customer service - Buy with confidence!
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| Tracks:
| • | Silent Ovservation | | • | Nothing But Love | | • | Dark Silhouette | | • | At Play In the Fields Of the Lord |
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| Editorial Reviews:
Amazon.com
Based on his military service in Vietnam and featuring Vietnamese players, Billy Bang's recent concept albums are strong and distinctive. But it's great to hear the avant-violinist cut loose on this live album, in the company of his distinguished longtime partner, tenor saxophonist Frank Lowe. Recorded in 2003, a few months before Lowe died of lung cancer, Above and Beyond is a testament to their longtime partnership and to Lowe's devotion--he was playing with only one lung. Backed by an assertive rhythm section including pianist Andrew Bemkey, they play with both cumulative power and melodic richness on extended cuts, including Bang's 24-minute "Dark Silhouette." Bang's debt to swing master Stuff Smith is felt in his lightning runs, and Lowe's solos have an enjoyable '60s edge, but it's when the quartet comes together, whether drawing on the modal style of John Coltrane or the folk-melodic music of South Africa, that it makes its strongest mark. --Lloyd Sachs
Album Description
For more than twenty-five years, Billy Bang and Frank Lowe thrived upon a complementary yin/yang approach to musical expression. In their earliest collaborations, both men burned equally hot from opposite ends of the spectrum; Billy's violin soaring in lines of white-hot intensity; Frank`s tenor sax blazing with confrontational abandon. Over the years, each man moved closer to the other's approach, creating a perfectly symbiotic synthesis of artistry, and without diminishing the fire and energy of their shared visions. Justin Time is proud to offer their final recorded performance together, Above & Beyond: An Evening In Grand Rapids. When this music was recorded in the middle of an extended U.S. tour in 2003, neither Billy nor Frank knew that this would be their final recording together even though Frank had been battling lung cancer for some time. But if they had known, it's highly unlikely that they could have delivered a finer performance. Capturing the powerful quintet at the peak of its powers, this performance resonated deeply with both men long after the tour ended. Its release is the result of a pact that the two men made when Frank was on his deathbed in September of 2003, finally succumbing in his valiant battle. His last wish was for Billy to make sure that this music would become available to the public - a request that Billy was only too happy to accommodate.
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| Customer Reviews:
 a grand piece of music January 27, 2008
Case Quarter (CT USA)
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
todd nicholson begins silent observation with a walking bass for a real cool blues with soaring solos played with the rest of the quintet and he doesn't let up until his own very somber solo bowing setting a mood altering conclusion by the entire quintet.
andrew bemkey leads the way on nothing but love, billy bang on violin and frank lowe on tenor sax harmonize a calypso beat evocative of sonny rollins. lowe, truly a warrior, takes over extending the piece with his marvelous tone.
on dark silhouette bemkey gets things off again, opening with an introspective nod toward monk, taking his time in developing the song until you almost believe the piece is a solo for him--he's five minutes into his solo when you hear a non-intrusive plash by drummer, tatsuya nakatani, and the applause of an appreciative audience. bang's playing on this one is nothing less than, for a better phrase, asian magic blended with free jazz speaking in tongues violin. lowe follows bang. nakatani, and i believe, nicholson follow, it's difficult to tell the buildup is so inaudible that i wonder if that was intentional, a matter of having to be there, or the recording equipment being at fault.
at play in the fields of the lord is a spirited romp. billy bang, not above and beyond wit, breaks out with fly in the buttermilk, shoo fly, shoo.
 beauty and power June 30, 2007
James E. Anderson (Australia)
3 out of 3 found this review helpful
An exceptional recording. The improvising is coherent and especially in the first 2 numbers quite wonderful, paticularly Andrew Bemkey's comping and soloing on piano on Nothing But Love. The opener, Silent Observation, has a groove reminiscent of classic blue note of the 60's but with the group interplay much more interesting and satisfying. Sound quality is superior. Smokin'!
Top notch Bang! May 12, 2007
Lawrence L. Powell (Durham, NC USA)
3 out of 3 found this review helpful
This was recorded in 2003 with a rhythm section unknown to me and Frank Lowe. It is a beautiful record; Frank Lowe is playing with one lung (he was dying of cancer). This is very modern music, not out; simply great music. If you like/love modern jazz add this to your collection.
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