Kaiser, Jeff /Ockodektet – “13 Themes for a Triskaidek… ” – [Pfmentum]

Max Level   1/7/2006   CD, Jazz

So Cal trumpeter Kaiser composed this avant-jazz work and leads an 18-member ensemble, heavy on horns/reeds (trumpets, trombones, tuba, euphonium, saxophones, clarinets, and flutes). There are also acoustic and electric guitars, contrabasses, keyboards, electronics, and percussion. Names you may recognize: Golia, Stinson, Diaz-Infante, Johnston… The stately opening theme leads into squeaky and squirty horn interplay, groaning modern classical, electro-glitch, rumbling Bitches Brew grooves, dense electric guitar tones, deep droning organ, etc. The saxes in particular are amazing throughout. The work is divided into 13 sections, but the tracks all run together in such a way that one can’t tell without looking at the CD time-counter when one section ends and the next starts. “Triskaidekaphobic” means fear of the number 13. Don’t be afraid of these 13 jazz explorations; enjoy them–even though it seems kind of mean of Kaiser to put exactly 13 tracks on a CD that has triskaidekaphobia as its overall theme.