Review of Liberty Ellman "ORTHODOXY"
in JazzNow, February 1998
Contemporary Jazz guitar players can be so goddamn boring, continuing
to rely on what Herb Ellis and Barney Kessel truned out decades ago. Not
so with Ellman, that's for sure. This guy plays with an obvious major dose
of Ornette Coleman influence, bravely veering outside the chord progression
on the opening "Translator." He even incorporates that hip-hop turtable-as-instrument
thang via D.J. Pause without sounding trendy. It's guys like Ellman who
are setting the stage for a major revamping of the guitar's post-Charlie
Christian status in Jazz.
-Dave McElfresh
Reviews To
Liberty's Page Home Order
Form