Speaking of clarinetist and composer Rozanne Levine’s latest recording, Cadence music critic Phillip McNally acknowledges her as a “mature artist” making a “powerful statement” – an artist who has “labored long and hard at [her] craft, found [her] individual voice.” Her 4-piece ensemble Chakra Tuning gives voice to her love of improvisational spontaneity and organic, subtly shifting sounds. Sonic conversations emerge and develop as the group explores textures, sonorities and space. The music of Chakra Tuning weaves in and out of melodies, exploring rhythms, moods and inner space in a transforming, unfolding journey. ...
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Speaking of clarinetist and composer Rozanne Levine’s latest recording, Cadence music critic Phillip McNally acknowledges her as a “mature artist” making a “powerful statement” – an artist who has “labored long and hard at [her] craft, found [her] individual voice.” Her 4-piece ensemble Chakra Tuning gives voice to her love of improvisational spontaneity and organic, subtly shifting sounds. Sonic conversations emerge and develop as the group explores textures, sonorities and space. The music of Chakra Tuning weaves in and out of melodies, exploring rhythms, moods and inner space in a transforming, unfolding journey.
Ms. Levine performs on alto clarinet, clarinet and bamboo flute, and her long-time band mate Mark Whitecage joins her on clarinet, saxophones and electronics. Adding their totally original voices to Chakra Tuning are clarinetist Perry Robinson and violinist/vocalist Rosi Hertlein.
Rozanne Levine’s compositions form the thematic material from which the musicians improvise, each artist adding their distinct voice to the mix. Ms. Levine draws inspiration for her compositions from myths from China to New Zealand, cosmologies and spiritual traditions both east and west, and current events, out of which she and her band mates weave a musical tapestry. Bird whistles, ocarinas, half horns, Native American rattles, percussion, Rozanne’s photographs, and storytelling play a part in the group sound.
Chakra Tuning released their highly-praised debut CD, Only Moment, in June 2009, on Ms. Levine and Mr. Whitecage's label, Acoustics. The group is touring the East Coast/Midwest U.S. in March 2011.
“Rozanne Levine has done remarkable work with Mark Whitecage in various musical settings, but ‘Only Moment’ is a treasure even by their lofty standards. … Levine’s rich sonorous alto clarinet is palpable on songs like the opening ‘Blues Lullaby in F’ and the moody, brooding ‘Lost Freedoms’ … Free form interplay abounds … When the horns blend together, the harmonies are rich and thick … Winsome and winning, ‘Only Moment’ is another amazing gem from Whitecage and Levine.”
George Harris, All About Jazz
“As soon as one spins ‘Only Moment’…the room is pervaded by presences resembling spirits of wellbeing. Right away, the clarity of every note played, the consistency of the amalgamation among the musicians and a sense of shared endeavor for the abolishment of narrow-mindedness contribute to a private feeling of enjoyment which is absolutely not based on something "easing the nerves", or plain silly. With each listen we find ourselves perseveringly intent in attempting a veritable penetration of every sound … The music comes out smoothly and extremely physically at once, influenced by so many things – natural occurrences, bird talking, native Indian chants, theatre – that the tracks might represent different segments of a being’s life cycle … Listening to these artists reveal their fundamental nature through the full command of the instruments is just amazing. All kinds of clarinets, saxophones, ocarinas, bird whistles and percussion are utilized by the nominal leader and her long-time male companions, while Hertlein - a mean violinist - also sings and handles additional percussive chores with the same nimbleness. The artists' technique might be admirable, and indeed it is. But what really wins for me is the sort of opposition to hopelessness that this gorgeous recording generates as early as the circulation of the first notes in the air.”
Massimo Ricci, Touching Extremes
“Rozanne Levine’s Chakra Tuning … is a ritualistic exploration of space, timbre and communication … this disc subsumes the clarinetist’s delicate weavings of breath, line, voice and gesture into the group’s fabric. Even when the foursome surge and pirouette, ‘Only Moment’ retains an extraordinarily meditative, almost therapeutic quality.”
Clifford Allen, Signal to Noise
“It is spiritual music in its essence, but also an adventurous journey into musical form and dialogue, intense at times, then more relaxed and probing, now full of unexpected turns and interactions. All four musicians are excellent instrumentalists and their open dialogue is really worth hearing … the real joy is in the intimate dialogue between the four musicians.”
Stef Gijssels, freejazz-stef.blogspot.com
“Rozanne Levine and her mates are pure musicians, using nature as a touchstone for their musical debate. …The three reedists, Levine, Mark Whitecage and Perry Robinson, sound a spirited interplay of voices that, along with violinist/percussionist Rosi Hertlein’s foggy mourn and branch-snapping alarms, pulls you deeper into the forest. The cacophony of life only grows in variety and wonder.”
Matt Marshall, Jazz Inside Magazine
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