Ben Goldberg - Unfold Ordinary Mind (2013/2019) [Hi-Res]

I have been developing my abilities on the Eb contra alto clarinet (a weird member of the family, pitched below the bass clarinet) for some years, mostly in my work with the group Tin Hat. Somehow it occurred to me to have a band where I was the bass player, on this instrument.

Of course the group would need two of my tenor saxophone heroes (Ellery Eskelin and Rob Sudduth), a guitar genius (and now certifiable rock star) (Nels Cline), and the deeply tumultuous drummer Ches Smith.

So after finishing up the premier of my latest giant project, Orphic Machine, in March of 2012, I wrote a bunch of songs and assembled this crew at the Bunker studio in Williamsburg one day in May. We learned the tunes, rehearsed, and recorded them all in just a few hours, and the results are extraordinary -- raw, dire, and to the point.

"This is certainly a good record, and an interesting addition to Goldberg's catalogue. Its accessible, raunchy, fun and catchy, something you don't find everyday in the world of modern jazz." (freejazzblog.org)

"For Unfold Ordinary Mind, Bay area clarinetist Ben Goldberg has put together an interesting group. Twin tenors Ellery Eskelin and Rob Sudduth join Nels Cline on guitar and Ches Smith on drums while Goldberg's contra-alto clarinet covers most of the bass duty. These are well-written tunes with nice ensemble horn work to state the melodies, and when it's solo time, they operate together brilliantly. Eskelin and Sudduth have been active in all sorts of projects in New York and San Fransisco respectively for decades. Ches Smith can kill it with a groove, react intuitively, or take it to outer space (there's a reason he's such an in-demand player). Nels Cline is, well, he's Nels Cline, one of the most creative and original electric guitar players in modern music. But it's Goldberg's writing that makes this album more than the sum of its parts. The horns are soulful, the grooves are solid, and Nels adds just the right counterpoint even when he's getting crazy, and everyone gets some nice solo space. The group dynamic is more like a funk/soul band, although no one would call this a funk or soul album. It may be a slightly unorthodox lineup, but Unfold Ordinary Mind is a real winner." (Sean Westergaard, AMG)

Nels Cline, guitar
Ellery Eskelin, tenor saxophone
Rob Sudduth, tenor saxophone
Ben Goldberg, contra-alto clarinet, Bb clarinet
Ches Smith, drums

Recorded April 9, 2012 at The Bunker Studio, Brooklyn, New York
Engineered by Aaron Nevezie
Mixed by Eli Crews at New, Improved Recording, Oakland, California
Mastered by Jon Cohrs at Spleenless Mastering, Brooklyn, New York
Produced by Ben Goldberg