The Dope And The Ghost

“This quartet outing highlights the integration of hyper-mode phrasings, torrid exchanges and judicious placement of melodically-tinged themes. . . the instrumentalists’ stylistic mode of operation and intuitive interplay cannot be understated. These seasoned modern jazz warriors exalt a hodgepodge of emotively-charged and revved-up undercurrents that yield the winning edge.” Glenn Astarita AllAbout Jazz.com

“The Nu Band is something special. Free bop with a political message . . . These guys ARE free jazz. Each of them has played a major role in shaping what the genre is today, in showing new ways of expressing emotions and of jointly creating a superb listening experience . . . This is music that is adventurous, emotional, but at times so tight, so interlocked, so on the same level, that it's getting uncanny. But the greatest thing : it's real fun too. The intensity! The interplay! The melodies! The emotions! The music!”
Steph.blogspot

“Not easily pigeonholed, the music of The Nu Band negotiates the boundaries of free-bop, improvisation, chamber, and traditional jazz with bias toward none. . . the players trade tirade for interplay—making their point—negotiating tightrope walking acrobatics and burning moments. Their interplay and cohesiveness is quite impressive. The dialogue they have for such a loosely assembled unit is anything but loose.” Mark Corotto AllAboutJazz.com

“Fiery and politically charged . . . intense and introspective . . . their best album to date.” Marc Medwin All About Jazz NY

More Nu Band Reviews

"As individuals, Whitecage, Campbell, Fonda and Grassi take chances and lay themselves out there, but they are always listening to each other. Words like exciting and dramatic hardly describe this music's overall effect, so be prepared to be swept away." - Budd Kopman, All About Jazz.com

"The Nu Band is not so much a pianoless quartet as it is four players with distinctive voices who engage in creative collective improvisation. . . Each band member contributes (at least) one composition and each tune spurs the musicians toward inspired interplay." Jeff Stockton, All About Jazz-New York

"Live performances always seem to bring out something special in musicians, and that is certainly in evidence on this session . . . It is a well-conceived directional set of tunes that highlights the improvisational talents of the musicians and the motivational drive of the collective unit. This new amalgam of staunch artists dives into spirited playing on this date. The selections flow in logical evolutionary mode, and the four musicians combine power and finesse to achieve a cohesive program of freely spun music." Frank Rubolino One Final Note

"It's not often that recordings transcend the medium they are locked into . . . "Live at The Bop Shop" does that . . . you can sense the spirit of discovery and exploration present. There is also tangible reverence for tradition . . . Above all, what you sense here is the language shared by the four musicians . . . Like the Art Ensemble of Chicago, the Nu Band makes music that sounds more like conversation than performance." James Hale Coda

"Operating in a space defined on one side by adventurous freebop and by unbridled energy music on the other, the four are familiar enough with the language to create flowing, inflected solo statements without ever undermining the overall rhythmic flow. Unlike self-satisfied jazz neo cons that try to limit definitions of improvisation, these neo-radicals apply an array of sounds and techniques to create a richer more satisfying soundscape." Ken Waxman Jazz Weekly

"While here and elsewhere, there is almost a feel of a jam session, the quality of the performers keeps the listener’s interest at a high level . . . this is a band that is potentially among the best in its field." Steven Loewy All Music Guide to Jazz

"These pieces bring to mind Don Cherry's work on Bluenote with keening, melodic themes that are launching pads for extended solos . . . there is every evidence that this is a meeting full of promise." Michael Rosenstein Signal to Noise

". . . this disc holds some first class freebop marking the recording debut of a promising group on the horizon." Larry Hollis Cadence

" . . . a new quartet of veteran jazz improvisers making inventive music together. Although not household names in mainstream circles each player has established himself as an exceptional voice in the improvising community, Together the quartet draw upon their collective experience to keep the music energized. Highlight here is the final track "One For Hannibal," with Campbell opening with his trumpet gymnastics before the band slashes free with energized bursts of crowd-pleasing soloing." Mark Corroto All About Jazz

"What sets the group apart is its fresh, energetic approach to improvisation . . . As a whole, Live has exactly the kind of freshness that listeners might expect from the personalities who form the Nu Band collective. Nobody's in charge here, and the fact that the quartet works so well is a tribute to its members' respect for each other. If you dig Other Dimensions In Music, another collective free quartet which includes Campbell, you'll find a lot of similarities here."
Nils Jacobson All About Jazz

"The Nu Band’s song craft is so good that sometimes you forget that "Live" is mostly improvised. The chemistry among the Nu Band’s strong personalities works because their influences are in similar places . . . some New York Art Quartet in the group’s mixture of jittery coherence and well-tempered releases. Here’s to jazz that bares it’s teeth.
Nathan Turk Signal to Noise