STU GOLDBERG: Amazing Dedication
You never know where the trip will take you. One day you are a
teenaged musician sharing the stage with the greatest jazz and
rock players in the world. Another day, thirty years later, you
are comfortably ensconced in your own recording studio laying
down tracks for the hit TV series The Amazing Race.
Jazz pianist and composer Stu Goldberg is a long way from his
jazz-fusion-pioneering days of the 1970s. There are no more European,
North American and South American tours with the likes of John
McLaughlin, Freddie Hubbard, Wayne Shorter, Billy Cobham or Jack
Bruce. Those were the days when nothing seemed impossible and
Goldberg was having the time of his life learning about music
and eating up the culture that surrounded him during his many
travels. Certainly, these are moments that Goldberg cherishes.
But time passes and needs change. It becomes time to settle down
and raise a family. Yet, music stays your constant partner.
The fusion whirlwind came early for Goldberg. George Duke saw
him one night at a concert in Utah. Duke was so taken by Goldberg's
performance that he put in a good word with his friend John McLaughlin.
The next thing you know a shell-shocked Goldberg, who was now
living in Santa Monica, was on his way to New York to join McLaughlin's
third incarnation of the Mahavishnu Orchestra. The 19-year old
Goldberg would soon find himself smack dab in the middle of the
Fusion Revolution. His soaring playing and inventiveness would
put him among the top of the food chain.
After his success with McLaughlin's Mahavishnu Band, Al DiMeola,
Larry Coryell, Alphonse Mouzon and others, the early synthesizer
star decided to focus on acoustic music and had a career in Europe.
He recorded ten solo records during that time. Eventually Goldberg,
who was raised in Seattle, Washington, moved back to L.A. and
became involved in the session scene. He learned a great deal
from this session work and eventually began writing music for
television and the movies. In fact, his dedication to this side
of music has taken him off the road since 1984.
Goldberg's state-of-the-art recording studio, where he prepares
his own music and produces others', sits perched on the side of
a British Columbia hill overlooking the world below him. As he
sat in his producer's chair, doing what he loves to do everyday,
he spoke to AAJ.
All About Jazz: Since you are scoring The Amazing Race , you must
know who wins.
Stu Goldberg: [laughs] Of course, depending upon which episode
I am scoring. In the first season I really knew. It is pretty
much library at the moment. There is so much time pressure that
the producer just pretty much takes pieces from the sound library.
Nowadays I create music for special episodes or needs.
AAJ: You are playing this music you composed as well.
SG: Oh, yes. Oh yeah. That's the nature of the beast. The budgets
are usually so low and the time constraints so short- that the
composer pretty much has to perform the entire score.
AAJ: You own the Dedication label, which put out your last jazz
record aptly named Dedication.
SG: Yes. It's homespun. I make my own jazz albums and it is great
fun for me. I am not working for anyone else. I am just making
pure music that I want to do and I help other artists do the same.
AAJ: So despite playing on such film scores as Indiana Jones and
working with the legendary Jerry Goldsmith, and all of the other
myriad of film projects and television scoring you have done;
when all is said and done, you still just consider yourself a
jazz pianist.
SG: Oh, of course. Other than getting older and wiser, I still
am what I am.
AAJ: You have a beautiful studio. It seems to me that many of
the fusion keyboard players, in particular synthesizer players,
have gone on to build amazing recording studios. Jan Hammer and
Stevie Wonder come to mind quickly. But there are many, many others.
Do you think there is something inbred in keyboard players—especially
synthesizer players—that seems to give them an acumen for
technology?
SG: That's a good question. As a keyboard player in my case, I
grew up with the very first synthesizers in the early seventies.
They were really clunky and unwieldy when I was with Mahavishnu.
Actually after a while, I became turned-off by the whole electric
thing. It was all about louder and faster and higher. At the time,
these instruments were not all that musical as far as phrasing
and nuance went. I dropped out and went back to playing acoustic
piano, which is my first love. But when I came back to synthesizers
in 1984, the technology had taken a great leap forward. All of
a sudden they were making instruments that had real potential
to play music. That is- if you knew how to operate them. And learning
how to operate these instruments necessitated learning programs
and all that stuff. I think that is where the technology comes
into it.
AAJ: What music do you listen to these days?
SG: No one really. I don't want to be affected by outside influences.
But when I do listen; I listen to classical, Indian and Miles
Davis and John Coltrane from the fifties and sixties. But, I'd
rather play. In fact, over the last three years, I have even seriously
been studying the tabla!
AAJ: Does being a jazz player hurt you or help you in writing
scores? Perhaps an improvised two minutes would not be appreciated
by some producers.
SG: Well, that is hard to say. I don't really divide music into
genres. In scores, music is the subtext anyway. It accompanies.
It is really about mixing all of the elements to make a whole.
It is all music to me.
-- Walter Kolosky,
All About Jazz, 01-26-05
Walter Kolosky is the author of Girls
Don't Like Real Jazz; A Jazz Patriot Speaks Out.
More
about Walter...
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New CD re-release of EYE OF THE BEHOLDER (1981)
Review on All About Jazz
Read liner notes from the January 2009 CD-re-release
Order CD from Promising Music
The measure of an artist's worth is his entire oeuvre, not simply a specific moment in time, a particular group or a single release. Still, while keyboardist Stu Goldberg never made the name for himself that he should have as a member of John McLaughlin's mid-'70s Mahavishnu Orchestra and late-'70s One Truth Band and as a sideman on drummer Alphonse Mouzon's powerfully eclectic Virtue (MPS, 1977), also recently reissued by Germany's Promising Music, the pianist's Eye of the Beholder (MPS, 1982) was an album that, had it been released Stateside, might well have given him the boost he needed. Not that he's not remained busy, releasing albums including the more World Music-centric Dark Clouds (Dedication Records, 2006), with tablaist/vocalist Cassius Khan and vocalist Lauren Goldberg, but listening to the work he did between 1975 and 1985 it is almost criminal that he never received greater accolades.
Eye of the Beholder will come as a surprise to fusion fans, being all-acoustic and sporting a string quartet on a number of its six Goldberg originals. But the writing is vibrant, and the arrangements for an expanded trio (bassist Jim Lacefield and drummer Dave Crigger—who may be working an acoustic trio here, but plays with a fusion attitude like his life depended on it) that also includes saxophonist/flautist Ken Goldberg and percussionist Lee Pastora in addition to the string quartet, burn with the same kind of energy with which fusion fans of Goldberg will be familiar.
The title track opens with a gospel feel, a mid-tempo piece of funk accessible yet so full of life and energy that it evokes an acoustic Brecker Brothers feel, right down to Ken Goldberg's screaming tenor solo. A recent discussion at the AAJ forum was Funky Acoustic/Double Bass, and Lacefield's tone and demeanor are nothing short of get-down. The aptly-titled "New Love" is gentler fare, Goldberg proving himself as lyrical as he is virtuosic. "Song Burst," on the other hand, begins almost pastorally with the string quartet, Lacefield's arco and Ken Goldberg's flute, but quickly morphs into a fiery, optimistic-sounding burner that gives Stu the opportunity to demonstrate his not inconsiderable chops as the tune turns modal for his solo.
But as is the case with other songs on the disc, including the Latin-esque "Daybreak, Sunbeam," these are no mere head-solo-head compositions. Instead, Goldberg has written a number of tunes that are episodic in nature yet hang together despite their sometimes abundant wealth of musical ideas.
Perhaps the most revealing and prescient tune on the disc is "Daybreak," which begins with the same piano motif as "Daybreak, Sunrise" but, as a solo piano feature for Goldberg, turns more impressionistic and harbingers more recent work. Throughout, as democratic as Goldberg is as a leader, there's no doubt who shines the most. Eye of the Beholder is an album that should have garnered Goldberg significant acclaim; perhaps this beautifully remastered reissue will do what the original didn't.
Track listing: Eye of the Beholder; New Love; Song Burst; Daybreak, Sunbeam; Daybreak; Montreal.
Personnel: Stu Goldberg: piano; Jim Lacefield: acoustic bass; Dave Crigger: drums; Ken Goldberg: tenor saxophone, flute, piccolo; Lee Pastora: congas, bongos; Doug Cameron: first violin, concertmaster; Clayton Haslop: 2nd violin; Jimbo Ross: viola; Dan Smith: cello.
John Kelman, All About Jazz, Published: January 23, 2009
Visit Stu Goldberg at All About Jazz
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Hybrid Super Audio
CD - plays in all conventional CD players.
Special SACD features - high resolution 5.0 multichannel and 2
channel mixes
Produced, arranged, recorded & mixed by Stu Goldberg
Review
on sa-cd.net
| Performance: ***** (5 stars) |
Sonics (MC):***** (5 stars) |
Stu Goldberg is an accomplished pianist/percussionist with a
wide variety of styles under his collar. On this SACD he shows
his skills as an improviser and catalyst. Most of the music is
bourne out of the moment within a certain framework and I must
say that I enjoyed it a lot. What fascinates me the most about
this SACD is the closeness of the musicians, how Goldberg together
with the expert tabla player Cassius Khan and vocalist Jennifer
Lauren Goldberg are creating chamber music. And the funny thing
is that when I once started listening there was no way I could
have stopped before the disc was ended. That says a lot.
Four titles, the first is called Ragamala and lasts for over twenty
minutes. Piano and tablas in interplay. Sometimes I was reminded
of the great Swedish pianist Jan Johansson because of the clarity,
and then the music changed into a sort of Elton John-ish funky
pop song. Not for long though. Great sensitivity from both musicians
and they create a piece that is both engaging and hypnotic. I
love all those sounds from the tablas with their falling notes.
The tabla man goes berserk and the piece ends most beautifully
with some delicate playing. Very exciting indeed!
Rain, a piece written by vocalist Jennifer Lauren Goldberg. Her
voice is close-miked to great effect. She is very present in my
room. A lovely, slightly nasal quality sings of love and the wonders
of nature. Many overdubs with Cassius Khans vocals adding spice.
A rather melancholy song that is an absolute charmer. Great producing
from Goldberg and the song really takes wing with the added percussion
and rhythm section. Goldberg´s piano playing is very sensitive
throughout.
The third piece is called Keherwa and it features some great playing
from two percussion players. All the nuances are perfectly caught
by the engineers. Lively and vigorous.
Dark Clouds, the masterpiece. The vocals here by Cassius Khan
is at times as if from another world. I am utterly fascinated
by his ability to change his voice, to make a sort of tremor that
we haven´t heard since Purcell. He sings in Hindi and Jennifer
Lauren Goldberg answers in English, with loads of vocal overdubs.
A fantasy. But then Khan appears with his scary voice - how can
he make these sounds? The second section opens for some super
virtuoso tabla playing. This sounds like a procession. A proud
music with tablas absolutely all over the place.
To end this Khan sings some, for me, strange and exciting things
and the layers of vocals are again lovely. Khan is shaking his
vocal chords and the music is gathering tension. To hear is to
believe! The whole thing floats, the skies open and the rain falls.
I have listened to this in the 5.0 version and it is a masterpiece
of engineeering. The rears are used rather sparingly, no gimmick
here. The surround sound is used to great and tasteful effect.
World music. Well, the world is getting smaller and I welcome
every influence into my small world.
-- © 2006 Thomas Roth and SA-CD.net
Dark Clouds
Stu Goldberg & Cassius Khan | Dedication Records (2006)
Once in a blue moon, a record comes along that challenges your
preconceived ideas of what music is and should be. It forces you,
painlessly, into listening in a way that is alien to you. Rhythms
drift in and out of your brain waves, scaring you, then comforting
you. This is one of those records.
What is it? Is it jazz, is it fusion, is it Indian, is it blues?
Well, I can clear that up for you. It is all and none of the above.
And it is more. Stu Goldberg may be a familiar name to some, having
plied his trade as a keyboard player with the Mahavishnu Orchestra,
Billy Cobham, Jack Bruce and numerous others. Names that are,
frankly, too heavy for the likes of me to drop. But when he sat
down one day to jam (man) with tabla whiz Cassius Khan, his musical
world flipped around.
The opening, twenty minute plus, "Ragmala" switches
between raga, Indian classical, jazz and Professor Longhair at
will. "Rain", which features the unbelievable vocals
of Jennifer Lauren Goldberg, is a ballad that just rips right
through you before the percussion duet of "Keherwa".
The closing, title track, is a three part symphony, beginning
with a Hindi / English lament sung by Cassius and the returning
Ms Goldberg, leading into a percussive frenzy, ending with the
Dark Clouds bursting forth.
One of the most inspirational musical works I have heard in a
long (long) time.
-- S.A. Hamilton, Zeitgeist,
PO Box 13499, Edinburgh EH6 8YL, United Kingdom
Dark Clouds
Stu Goldberg & Cassius Khan
Dedication Records DR-2181 (Hybrid SACD)
Stu Goldberg's name might be associated with Jazz-Rock Fusion by
many listeners. Though perhaps best known for his associations with
Mahavishnu John McLaughlin, Al DiMeola and Billy Cobham, Goldberg
has recorded some genre-defying music as a leader since those days,
including stunning solo piano. Based in Penticton, British Columbia,
Canada, he is a technically advanced player with plenty to "say."
He takes his time saying it on two remarkable pieces that bookend
this new SACD release. "Ragamala" ("Garland of Ragas")
is a 21:13 piano-tabla duo that takes the traditional Indian Classical
music mode of notes from many ragas instead of just one into cross-cultural
terrain, exploring jazz-based improvisation, European concert music,
blues and the New Orleans of James Booker along the way. Khan is
a superb tabla player, and this track alone is worth the price of
the disc. The closing "Dark Clouds" adds multi-layered
vocals to the mix, Jennifer Lauren Goldberg singing in English and
Khan in Hindi; nearly 20 minutes long, it's not quite as riveting
as "Ragamala" is, but percussionists will sit up and take
notice while listening to Khan's tour de force solo. "Rain"
is a vocal showcase written by Jennifer Lauren Goldberg and "Keherwa"
a traditional eight beat rhythmic cycle played by Khan on tablas
in two tunings and Goldberg on frame drum and Udu Igbah. I don't
have the technological bells and whistles to sample the "high
resolution 5.0 multichannel surround" but it sounds great on
my relatively modest two-channel equipment. Goldberg wears four
hats: musician, producer, recording engineer and mixing engineer.
-- Bill Barton,
Signal
to Noise ,
Winter 2007, Issue #44
Dark Clouds
Stu Goldberg & Cassius Khan | Dedication Records (2006)
Stu Goldberg garnered initial attention as a member of John McLaughlin’s
mid to late-1970s Mahavishnu Orchestra and One Truth Band, but
the keyboardist seemed to disappear off the map soon after. In
the intervening years he’s been busy as a film scorer and
has recently begun to re-established himself as a leader on a
series of albums focusing on his acoustic piano skills. But while
Going Home (Rhombus, 2001) and Dedication (Dedication, 2002) were
more conventional in terms of instrumentation, general jazz-centricity
and consistent lineups, Dark Clouds is another beast entirely.
Goldberg met Canadian-based tablaist/vocalist Cassius Khan at
a local club in Penticton, Canada, and a visit shortly thereafter
to Goldberg’s studio found the two improvising as if they’d
been playing together for years. While those recordings aren’t
the basis of Dark Clouds, they set the stage for a subsequent
session where two lengthy improvisations bookend two shorter pieces:
a song by vocalist Jennifer Lauren Goldberg and a pure percussion
duet.
Lauren Goldberg has a whispery yet soulful voice. “Rain,”
with a different treatment, could easily be transposed into the
pop world, while on the nineteen-minute title track, her loose
call-and-response with Khan’s plaintive singing demonstrate
even greater breadth. “Keherwa” is based on a rhythmic
cycle with Goldberg on frame drum and clay udu igbah, trading
off with Khan before the two blend together in exciting unison.
But the core of Dark Clouds is the two improvisations. Goldberg’s
stream-of-consciousness approach is reminiscent of Keith Jarrett,
but with a stronger world music focus. The undeniably virtuosic
player builds the 21-minute “Ragamala” from empty
space into greater drama that’s as much rooted in gospel
and blues as it is Indian classical music. Khan’s equally
capable, and while there are moments when the two feel a touch
out of synch—Goldberg laying down broad and spare chords
while Khan plays at lightning speed—more often than not,
they work well together. This is a meeting of equals, each capable
of following the other’s lead but equally, through moments
of tension, driving the music in other directions.
What makes the improvisations on Dark Clouds work is the feeling
that, despite the spontaneity at play, there’s a subconscious
game plan. Duets can often be the most vulnerable of musical interactions,
since there’s nowhere to hide if the players aren’t
in touch. But while the risks taken on Dark Cloud result in brief
moments where Goldberg and Khan have to catch up with one another,
for the most part they move with a singular and unspoken purpose.
Track listing: Ragamala; Rain; Keherwa; Dark Clouds.
Personnel: Stu Goldberg: piano, percussion; Cassius Khan: tabla,
vocals; Jennifer Lauren Goldberg: vocals (2,4).
-- John Kelman, All
About Jazz
Stu Goldberg & Cassius Khan “Dark Clouds”
[SACD] CD
2006 Dedication Records
One of the best albums ever recorded by collaborating artists,
"Dark Clouds" is a true masterpiece performed by two
of the world's finest artists, Tabla player and singer Cassius
Khan and famed pianist Stu Goldberg.
Their mastery is incredible, with interludes of piano and rushing
torrents of tabla, vocals and a couple of sweeter numbers by singer
Jennifer Lauren, the album is well balanced and well recorded.Cassius
Khan is the tabla equivalent to Stu Goldberg, and Goldberg of
course being the famed keyboardist with the Mahavishnu Orchestra
back in the day, is as bright and as bold as ever in this mindblowing
collaboration. Cassius Khan is also a famed tabla player and singer,
whose name has reached Europe and the South Pacific. In my professional
opinion, Cassius Khan is one of the best multi talented musicians
in the world, in a class of his own, with a unique and incredible
tabla and singing style. He's the only one on the entire planet
who can play tablas and sing at the same time!
I strongly recommend everyone to buy and listen to their album.
My favourites are the Ragamala piece in track 1 and the tabla
solo in track 4 with Khan's singing afterwards. It will send chills
down your spine.
-- Marcel S Revoir, Melbourne, AUSTRALIA, E-JazzNews.com
Stu Goldberg & Cassius Khan “Dark Clouds”
[SACD] CD
2006 Dedication Records
Stu Goldberg was a Mitchel Forman precursor in John McLaughlin’s
bands of the seventies. His synthesizer runs helped propel the
third version of the Mahavishnu Orchestra and the One Truth Band.
He later enjoyed a successful solo piano recording career in Europe
before giving the road up to settle down in British Columbia.
He has owned a recording studio for many years and has written
music for movies and television, including the hit show The
Amazing Race.
Recently, Stu decided he was ready to hit the road again. His
and Khan's new album Dark Clouds should pave the way
for a very rewarding trip.
Goldberg has spent a considerable amount of time studying Indian
music. On the new album he has integrated this study seamlessly
into his bluesy jazz approach. Joining him are tabla player and
vocalist Cassius Khan and vocalist Jennifer Lauren Goldberg. Goldberg
certainly is not the only player out there these days who has
become enamored with the possibilities of East-West fusion. The
movement seems to be growing every week. However, Goldberg is
taking the piano, never a strong voice in Indian music, to places
it has not been.
Stu Goldberg: Keyboards have been used in Indian music for years.
For instance, playing monophonic melodic phrases on the harmonium
(portable hand pump organ) is common and is mainly used as an
accompaniment to Indian classical vocals. And of course synthesizers
& electronic keyboards have been used for years in Bollywood
to create the sound of a bigger ensemble, filling between vocal
phrases and playing string pads. But, to my knowledge, the piano
hasn't been used as a featured instrument in the way that we do
on Dark Clouds.
Indeed, Goldberg’s emphatic playing strongly suggests that
the piano could have been introduced to a leading role in Indian
music instrumentation long ago. Goldberg has meshed his Eastern
influences with his Western classical and jazz vocabulary to such
a degree, that the end result is neither.
Goldberg made a very calculated “less is more” decision.
Stu Goldberg: My goal in this project was to create an intimacy
through the sparse instrumentation and open production, where
we (He and percussionist Khan) could bounce ideas off of each
other and have freedom to really stretch out. Sonically, both
the tabla and piano have such a wide frequency range, I thought
it important to leave sonic space for that range to be heard and
developed.
Goldberg’s daughter, Jennifer, makes her recording debut.
She sings, in English, in duet with Khan (not in English) and
solo. It takes a moment or two to get used to the English lyrics
in this context, but soon you will find yourself right in the
pocket. Khan is an impressive percussionist and singer. Goldberg’s
voice is a cross between the jazz-tinged sophistication of Norah
Jones and breathlessness of a pop diva. It quite effectively contributes
to the cross-cultural picture her proud father is painting.
Dark Clouds showcases Goldberg’s global imagination
and his dazzling control of the black and white keys before him.
His re-emergence on the scene is a welcome event.
-- Walter Kolosky, All
About Jazz
Stu Goldberg & Cassius Khan “Dark Clouds”
[SACD] CD
2006 Dedication Records
One of the greatest albums ever recorded, Dark Clouds features
stalwart pianist Stu Goldberg and Phenomenon Cassius Khan the
tabla player and singer with singer Jennifer Lauren.
Goldberg really does turn the piano inside out, as one of his
reviews has said, and is an incredibly gifted master of his instrument.
I have never heard anyone play with such a sensitivity and such
a touch as he can, and his solos are truly inspring and chilling.
His dexerity on the piano is so incredible that you really have
to listen for your self to hear what I mean!
Khan is a phenomenon at his craft of tabla playing. His playing
sounds like a rushing avalanche one minute, and a dancing peacock
the next minute, his tabla is the best I have ever heard, even
better than some of the tabla greats like Zakir Hussain. Plus,
he's an equivalent vocalist, with a voice that will leave you
mindblown and speechless. Khan is a truly complete musician, a
tabla wizard, or as a festival reviewer put it, a "Tabla
Tornado".
Jennifer Lauren adds a light touch with her beautiful voice, and
compliments the album, which is full of incredible mastery from
Khan and Goldberg. I really enjoyed her songs immensely, her voice
sounds like an angel!
This album may be awarded a Grammy for World Music. I am most
certain of it.
-- Zenobia H., Lover of World Music
SHANTINIKETAN NEWSLETTER, Holland, E-JazzNews.com
Stu Goldberg & Cassius Khan “Dark Clouds”
[SACD] CD
2006 Dedication Records
Recognized for his work with jazz-fusion pioneers; drummer Billy
Cobham, guitarist Al Di Meola and other notables, keyboardist Stu
Goldberg opts for a sublime, Indo-jazz scenario here on this new
effort. With tabla performer and vocalist Cassius Khan, the music
boasts a jazz-flavored approach towards East Indian modal practices.
Goldberg intertwines lush harmonic phrasings atop Khan’s steady
pulses, while also injecting subtle blues and gospel inferences
in selected spots. Therefore, the pianist executes vertically expansive
choruses above Khan’s horizontal rhythmic plane.
Jennifer Lauren Goldberg’s soulful and resonant vocals on
“Rain,” offers a disparate angle, whereas Khan generates
some heat during his powerful solo spot on “Keherwa.”
The title track serves as the finale, where the dual vocalists cast
an air of enchantment amid Goldberg’s trance-like and mystically
oriented chord clusters.
... it’s an unassumingly attractive outing, indeed.
-- Glenn Astarita,
E-JazzNews.com
An exciting and satisfying blend of East and
West musical cultures
Stu Goldberg & Cassius Khan - Dark Clouds - Dedication Records
Multichannel SACD DR-2181, 54:46 ****:
(Stu Goldberg, piano & percussion/ Cassius Khan, tabla &
vocals/ Jennifer Lauren Goldberg, vocals)
Stu Goldberg was keyboardist with the Mahavishnu Orchestra and
has played with Al Di Meola, Wayne Shorter, Freddie Hubbard and
others. He currently lives in Penticton, B.C. and a chance informal
musical exchange with master of East Indian classical singing
and tabla playing Cassius Khan expanded into this program which
mixes East and West. Cassius is unique in being able to perform
on the highly skilled tablas while simultaneously singing in the
Ghazal Gayaki style.
Ragamala, the first and longest of the four tracks, is a duo between
piano and tabla, as the two musicians did on their first meeting.
Goldberg's improvisations travel thru a multicultural world mixing
elements of Indian music, jazz, blues, even New Orleans piano-professor
style (Katrina had just occurred and Goldberg was thinking of
fellow musicians there). The tabla rhythms bounce back and forth
across the frontal sound stage with dizzying speed. Rain, the
second track, brings in Goldberg's daughter Jennifer, accompanied
by piano and percussion, while the third track is a percussion
duo. The title and final track, Dark Clouds, mixes overdubbed
vocals by both Cassius and Jennifer with Goldberg's piano and
a tabla tour de force, which concludes with the sound effect of
a rainstorm.
Both Goldberg and Khan are virtuoso performers and have come up
with some exciting and satisfying musical explorations. I am reminded
of the blending of jazz and Indian music on many of the Water
Lily Acoustics discs. And the emphasis on high quality hi-res
surround sound is also shared with that label.
-- John Henry, Audiophile
Audition
Stu Goldberg and Cassius Khan : Dark Clouds
Goldberg, producer. Hybrid multichannel SACD. Dedication 2181
Stu Goldberg is no stranger to musical exploration, especially when
it comes to Indian influences. For five years in the mid-1970s,
he manned the keyboard stool in the Mahavishnu Orchestra and has
also teamed up with such daring fusion artists as John McLaughlin,
Wayne Shorter, Al DiMeola, Jack Bruce, and Alphonse Mouzon. His
recent solo albums, including 2002’s straight-ahead jazz releases
Going Home and Dedication, have included stints with his saxophonist
and flutist brother Kenny Goldberg. Of late, Goldberg has been composing
film and TV scores. A striking acoustic-fusion outing that features
tabla and vocal virtuoso Cassius Khan, and vocalist Jennifer Lauren
Goldberg, his 21-year-old daughter, Dark Clouds finds Goldberg exploring
a variety of genres ranging from jazz to Indian classical, New Orleans
R&B to blues. Goldberg, on acoustic piano and percussion, is
in a somewhat introspective mood. Two of the four songs reflect
on or evoke the pensive emotions of a rainy day. The opening and
closing pieces, each averaging 20 minutes, are built around classical
Indian ragamala style. For the title track, Khan and Jennifer sing
in Hindi and English, respectively, turning in a hauntingly cathartic
performance. These songs are a far cry from the experimentation
of Goldberg’s youth, yet there is an understood maturity to
his latest compositions. Case in point is “Keherwa,”
a six-and-half minute drum jam built on a traditional eight-beat
rhythmic cycle, where Goldberg plays frame drum and udu igbah, trading
licks with Khan, who uses two different tunings of tablas. The scintillating
session climaxes with the percussionists in unison, each delivering
a powerful one-two punch. Goldberg obviously takes pride in his
work, from the intricate structure of his song craft to the high-caliber
performances to the 24-bit digital surround sound. You hear it in
the crystalline purity of his piano playing, the thunderous vibrancy
of the percussion, and the sheer beauty of Jennifer’s vocals.
Behold the joyful noise.
--
The
Absolute Sound, Greg Cahill, January 2007 issue
Stu Goldberg & Cassius Khan “Dark Clouds”
[SACD] CD
2006 Dedication Records
Former Mahavishnu Orchestra and oft-enlisted session keyboardist
Stu Goldberg melds East Indian chants and ragas into delightful
jazz-oriented tone poems. He engages the mind's eye with enchanting
frameworks during these extended acoustic piano workouts featuring
pulsating rhythms and trance-like vocals.
-- Glenn Astarita (Jazz Journalist)
STU GOLDBERG & CASSIUS KHAN: RAGAMALA
TRACK: Ragamala
ARTIST: Stu Goldberg (piano) and Cassius Khan (tabla)
CD: Dark Clouds (Dedication Records DR-2181)
Musicians: Stu Goldberg (piano), Cassius Khan (tabla). Composed by Stu Goldberg.
Recorded: Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, October 2005
RATING: 96/100
Within three months of meeting each other, pianist Stu Goldberg and tabla virtuoso Cassius Khan were in Goldberg's studio recording Dark Clouds. The overly talented Goldberg is still probably best known for his association in several John McLaughlin bands. But he has had much success in Europe with his own records and has scored dozens of commercial projects such as the music for the television show The Amazing Race. For years, he has owned and run a recording studio in the Okanagan Valley, British Columbia. Over the last several years he has become fascinated with the music of India and has seriously studied Indian percussion. So a project with the superlative Indian percussionist Khan makes all the sense in the world.
"Ragamala" is a tour de force of the modern Indo-jazz-fusion movement. Though the piano has been used in Indian music for years, it has never been the driving melodic force that Goldberg makes it here. The 21-minute "Ragamala" is an improvisation based on the notes from many ragas instead of only one. His manipulation of the Indian scales on piano to introduce the piece is a true revelation to Western ears. But he does not stop there. Goldberg paints a varying landscape of many cultures. Throughout the piece, he seamlessly weaves Indian, classical, jazz and blues themes with great aplomb. He is just a wonderful player. Khan is a strong rhythmic supporter. He also easily changes identities from Eastern to Western mode and back again. This raga is full of dramatic and inventive moments. Its divergent components merge at some point, but it's not clear where. "Ragamala" is one of those transitive pieces of music in the Indo-jazz-fusion vocabulary. The last such piece I heard, "Ragam-Tanam-Pallavi," was from the violinist L. Shankar, who now calls himself Shenkar, way back in 1981 on his Who's to Know album. At the very least, Goldberg's variations of the raga form performed on piano are sure to get a lot of other pianists, both Western and Eastern, motivated to try to do the same.
Reviewer: Walter Kolosky
What Radio DJs are saying about "Dark Clouds":
The combination of Stu and Cassius is brilliant, to which Jennifer
adds a magical ingredient.
-- Tony Wickham, Radio Maldwyn, UK
DARK CLOUDS from Stu Goldberg with Cassius Khan and Jennifer
Lauren Goldberg proved to be one of the most haunting records
of the past year. Quite incredible.
-- Eric Cohen, WAER - Jazz 88, Syracuse, New York
Fantastic album Great stuff for our Radio Station
-- Alex Pijnen, BRTO Radio
What a great sound you have
-- Michael Criddle, Triple H-FM
GREAT PASSED ON TO WORLD HOST TRACK #3 MY FAVORITE
-- Al Jonusas, WRHC 106.7 FM
An interesting and diverse recording with some great vocals and
piano playing...Wow!
-- Tony Bates, Highlands 100.7FM
I truly enjoyed the instrumentation and musical expression. Clear
and precise.
-- Henry Brun, KRTU San Antonio, Texas
STU GOLDBERG AND CASSIUS KHAN - "DARK CLOUDS"
CUT 1, "RAGAMALA"
Stu’s grand piano, alone, then in virtuosic, improvisatory
duet with Cassius on tabla . A "garland of ragas" (ragamala)
which moves freely between different ragas, and from Hindustani
into Western classical and New Orleans musics. It was recorded
weeks after Hurricane Katrina. Superbly recorded.
-- Doug Spencer, The
Weekend Planet, ABC, Australian Broadcasting Company
Like the sound quality.
-- Bob Parzych, WRTC
Bonjour, thank you for such a great music I really enjoyed. I
added it to my WJAZ broadcast play list on RADIO PLURIEL 91.5FM
in France, plus worldwide INTERNET via our web site, www.plurielfm.org.
-- Jacques Perrichon, WJAZ, France.
Very good CD. I play it in my show.
-- Louis Brunet, CKMN-FM 96.5, Saint-Anaclet, Quebec, Canada
I have been playing the Dark Clouds CD in my Friday night show
called World Music, and I have had a great response to the cd.
My personal favourite track is number 4, that just gives me goose
bumps! But I really enjoyed the whole CD. I love the sound of
the tabla and the traditional Hindi singing, Jennifer's voice
is very etherial. I love songs with stories behind them.
-- Mhairie Lee, HUON-FM,
Geeveston, Tasmania
An excellent CD.
-- Lili, Artsound 92.7 FM , Belconnen, Australia
I liked very much your new album DARK CLOUDS.
-- Francisco Manuel Lopez Herrero, LA OTRA ORILLA, RÀDIO
DESPÍ, Barcelona, Spain
Very nice first cut on this recording. Goldberg has a lot to
say on this long improvisation.
-- Eric Leff, WRUV Billings Student Center V Univ. of Vermont,
Burlington
Dark Clouds is a strong release with near haunting ambience.
Stu Goldberg's and Cassius Khan's excellent musical skills are
well-displayed through in deeply-textured arrangements that both
soothe and chill. Combined with ethereal vocals and tight production,
Dark Cloud's showcases Stu's talented diversity on keyboards and,
with Cassius's percussive enhancement, help make for a most memorable
release.
-- Rankin, hbnradio.org,
Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
Interesting pieces.
-- Pascal Dorban, 'Jazz.com' broadcast Radio ARA, Luxembourg
Nice work.
--Claude Colpaert, Radio
Campus, Haubourdin, France
Kia Ora, This is a great CD. I love the textural tones that exist
between the piano, tabla and voice on this CD.
-- Mark Robinson, GeorgeFM, Auckland, New Zealand
What listeners are saying about "Dark Clouds":
I had the opportunity to listen to the new album, "Dark
Clouds" with Stu Goldberg and Cassius Khan. It is an experience
I will never forget! The magical journey these two artists have
embarked on is mindblowing, and awesome. I have been a big fan
of Stu for years, and I have followed Cassius Khan's career when
he was touring in the States.
The musicianship with these guys is so incredibly melded together,
with their abilities to twist and twine incredible patterns in
complicated cycles of rhythm. Stu Goldberg is in my opinion, the
undisputed champion of piano playing, is arguably the greatest
Jazz pianist on earth, and Cassius Khan is a serene wizard with
his tossed curly locks, blurring hands and lightining bolt vocal
range, a phenomenon the world has never seen before his birth,
and will never see after either.
Jennifer Lauren Goldberg, who also sang on the album, created
a calmness in her song "Rain" with her angelic voice
and perfectly balanced the mad torrents of tabla and piano that
Goldberg and Khan created. I recommend highly the Ragamala piece
and the tabla solo in Dark Clouds in which Khan unleashes the
fury of his tablas, followed by an incredible vocal composition
with lightning bolt vocal cadences by Khan with Goldberg's unmatched
piano playing - a masterpiece album which should sell at least
50 million copies!
-- Reviewer unknown,
ejazznews.com
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I recently had a chance to listen to the album "Dark Clouds"
at a popular nightspot in Vancouver, and after some arm twisting
(of the CD owner) I took the CD home to write a review.
I was completely blown away by the musicianship Goldberg and Khan
unleashed in their debut album together. I have seen Khan perform
solo tabla live and sing as well, as I am a die hard fan of his,
but this collaboration with Stu Goldberg has really hit the spot
for me!
Goldberg plays the piano seamlessly, without any effort and comes
up with the most intricate melodies. He is an absolute master
on the piano. Khan, of course, uses his uncanny intuition and
charismatic personality alongside his prowess on the tabla and
Indian classical vocal music. The combination of these two artists
is what I would call, "A Masterpiece." What I love about
this album is how beautifully both Goldberg and Khan compliment
each other's playing, it is as if the two of them are joined into
the same mind, like Siamese twins, reading each other's next moves
and thoughts.
Jennifer Lauren also adds a wonderful and refreshing addition
to the album with her song, "Rain" and I was very impressed
with her soothing voice and musicality. However, in the last piece,
"Dark Clouds," Lauren is at par in the task of keeping
up with the mastery of Cassius Khan's vocal abilities, adding
light textures to Khan's rich and majestic vocal style. Goldberg
is equally on par, with an amazing sensitivity to Indian vocal
music. I was completely spellbound by the "Dark Clouds"
composition!
The Ragamala piece with the two masters is truly a masterpiece,
the percussion duet lighthearted and fun, and the album ends with
a blistering tabla solo and traditional vocal piece by Khan, with
Goldberg's thunderous piano accompaniment, and Lauren's soft and
wonderfully sweet voice. The album ends with an actual soundscape
of thunder, and rain. WHAT AN EXPERIENCE!!!
This album gets five out of five stars for me!!
-- A. Dhaliwal, e-jazznews.com
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I was in Kelowna's Rotary Centre of the Arts on November 4th,
2006 to witness Stu Goldberg and Cassius Khan LIVE IN CONCERT.
It was a special promo concert to inaugurate the release of their
debut album, "Dark Clouds."
When these two beautiful men came onto the stage with their opulent
Indian clothes, it took my breath away. Cassius Khan's hair does
it for me! To watch these two live was like witnessing the universe
reborn. I was numb from my head to my toes, my eyes couldn't peel
themselves away from the graceful waves of fingers on Stu Goldberg's
hands, his body literally suspended in midair when he came rushing
up the octaves, or the torrents of crushing fury the fingers of
Cassius Khan's hands blurred on the tablas, his gorgeous hair
tossing around to every movement in his body, and WHAT A GREAT
SINGER HE IS TOO. How the human body can create such sparks of
energy is well beyond me!
Jennifer Lauren, beautiful to look at, was stunning as she sang
alongside Stu's piano and Cassius's tablas. She was a welcome
addition to the concert, which allowed us to breathe, because
when Cassius and Stu played, the entire audience seemed to hold
their breath in anticipation, in awe, in disbelief of their divine
skills on their musicianship, and how strikingly handsome both
of them were.
I purchased the album, and listened to it immediately when I got
home, and all I can say is that I experienced all those drenching
feelings of Rain and Dark Clouds, and I was, and still am, being
transported into a completely different universe every time I
turn the CD on.
I am so blessed and so thankful, that I got to see Cassius Khan's
spectacular talent with his rich voice and incredible tabla playing
alongside Stu Goldberg's impossible piano virtuosity, LIVE IN
CONCERT!
-- Kerry Mastifson, Jazz enthusiast, e-jazznews.com
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
This is a fine example of a well recorded album. The musicianship,
as said in all the reviews on the net, is incredible between these
two fine masters of music, Stu Goldberg, and Cassius Khan.
I have been a Stu Goldberg fan for years, I saw him at the Monterey
Festival in the 1970's. He has always been a cool cat, well spoken,
well versed in music... He did disappear for about two decades
or so, making music for countless films, like Indiana Jones and
more recently, The Amazing Race. It's great to know he's still
around. Check out this cat's website, www.stugoldberg.com
Cassius Khan is a name that has spanned internationally quite
quickly, he is most famous for his collaborations with Ellen Mcilwaine,
Pavlo and some famous Indian musicians Indian musicians. His forte,
though, lies in Indian music, and his performances as a soloist
in tabla and vocal singing is amazing. He is apparently the only
musician in the world who can play the tablas and sing at the
same time. Check out his website, cassiuskhan.impendo.com and
listen to the clips!
What these two guys have done together is a definite Grammy Award
winning album, a wonderful collaboration that has inspired solos,
duo's and another lovely young voice, Jennifer Lauren, who balances
the album perfectly with her ballads.
You can purchase this album on Stu Goldberg's website, www.stugoldberg.com
and you should buy it fast.
If you want to see their live concert clips, go to the website
or go to www.youtube.com and type is either Stu's or Cassius's
full name, and enjoy the clips.
GRAMMY AWARD WINNING ALBUM FOR 2007: DARK CLOUDS, STU GOLDBERG
AND CASSIUS KHAN WITH JENNIFER LAUREN...
-- Tavin Mooring, Queensland, AUSTRALIA, e-jazznews.com
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 |
Stu
Goldberg - Dedication
FEATURING
Stu Goldberg piano
- composer
Kenny Goldberg saxes and flute
Jeff Falkner bass
Dave Renick drums
Produced
and recorded by Stu Goldberg
All titles ©2006 Stu Goldberg, BMI,
published by Zoonga Music, BMI
Click
HERE for samples. |
Dedication Records
DR-0142
Purchase
DEDICATION today on our secure server for only
$14.99!
Stu Goldberg, DEDICATION
(Dedication Records)
"Movie and TV composer Stu Goldberg was, for five years,
keyboardist with John McLaughlin's Mahavishnu group and, following
that, a concert pianist throughout Europe for four years. For
some time now he has broken from the seclusion of his studio to
play clubs along the Gold Coast, with occasional forays into Los
Angeles at places like Catalina's and Spazio's. He also made a
couple of CD's, the latest of which is DEDICATION
. Playing with him on it are his regulars, brother Kenny Goldberg
on saxes and flute, Jeff Falkner at the bass and Dave Renick at
the drums. These are all fine musicians and display their special
talents admirably throughout the CD.
The recording features eight tracks of original compositions by
Goldberg, probably one of the most remarkable pianists on the
scene today, as can be attested by those who have seen and heard
him. His artistry is well in evidence on this CD, which opens
with "Morning Star,' followed by "Pokhara," "Anthem"
and the title tune, "Dedication." Each of these tracks
give the individual musicians ample solo time, with the leader's
sparkling keyboarding, flutist-saxophonist Goldberg showing his
mettle, bassist Falkner demonstrating again and again why he deserves
to be better known, and drummer Renick driving the band well,
while adhering to the demanding charts.
The final four compositions are "Being With You," "Once
Again," "Westward Reach" and "Winter Clouds."
As with the first four pieces, the rhythmic range is from upbeat
to slow. "Westward Reach" is one of the tunes set to
a fast pace on which Kenny Goldberg plays an impressively torrid
tenor sax solo, segueing into brother Stu's equally burning rendition
on the piano. Both Falkner and Renick also make their presence
known in a convincing manner.
Stu Goldberg's music has a classical feel to it, with the tunes
often starting slowly and in a melancholy manner, but then springing
to life within a jazz context. The endings, at times, can be like
a kiss good-bye - prolonged but beautiful. In all, the music is
marvelously written and the playing of it outstanding.
Highly Recommended."
--Bob Agnew, LA Jazz Scene , September 2002
“Goldberg turns the
piano inside out...astonishing intellectual and emotional energy,
well matched by technical virtuosity...the music is class-A, structurally,
technically, spiritually and emotionally..”
-- Lee Underwood, Record Review
“Goldberg... transcends
boundaries - between jazz and chamber music, between Europe, America
and India, between composition and improvisation...”
-- Joachim E. Berendt, Stereo
“At times Goldberg
strokes the keys as tenderly as Cezanne paints pastel colors on
a canvas... a pianist who's fingers seem to be made of rubber...
his compositions showcase a talented visionary musician with great
technique who creates his own universe through the piano.”
-- Dieter Gruenfeld, Berliner Morgenpost
“A genuine sense of
exploration, a sense of openendedness uninhibited by structural
considerations.”
-- Dave Conway, Melody Maker
“His dense rhythmic
patterns and diffuse keyboard architecture are to be savored.”
-- Balleras, Downbeat
SG: Post-fusion?…. [Laughs]…I was trying
to figure out what to call the music I have been putting out with
my jazz albums. I had to categorize them somehow so that people
would know whether they wanted to listen to them or not. I needed
a way to describe it. Fusion was the loud, fast, electric music
of the seventies- what I was doing with McLaughlin. Post-fusion
is really about coming back and playing the type of music that existed
prior to the seventies using acoustic instruments; but with the
sensibilities of someone who has been through that music.
--Walter Kolosky, Abstract
Logix , 01-23-05
