Cheryl Pyle

LOFT JAZZ ON PIER 50 Bay Guardian, San Francisco, Sept 20, 1979 The idea behind Loft Jazz according to it articles of incorporation is to "provide an environment ... to bring musicians together in playing and listening situations where ideas can be exchanged, to develop and promote an appreciation of jazz music in a non-commercial atmosphere conducive to attentive listening." At the Monday night jam session at Bethany Methodist Church, SF, musicians have been a fixture for quite a while and have attracted such local talent as Dave Ginsberg, Mike Koskinen, Bishop Norman Williams, and Cheryl Pyle. review by Kerrigan Black

Read more

LOFT JAZZ ON PIER 50 Bay Guardian, San Francisco, Sept 20, 1979 The idea behind Loft Jazz according to it articles of incorporation is to "provide an environment ... to bring musicians together in playing and listening situations where ideas can be exchanged, to develop and promote an appreciation of jazz music in a non-commercial atmosphere conducive to attentive listening." At the Monday night jam session at Bethany Methodist Church, SF, musicians have been a fixture for quite a while and have attracted such local talent as Dave Ginsberg, Mike Koskinen, Bishop Norman Williams, and Cheryl Pyle. review by Kerrigan Black

SAIL AWAY -TOM HARRELL - AMG Review Recorded in 1989 and re-released on Original Jazz Classics in 2003, Sail Away is a fine outing by trumpeter Tom Harrell. He's joined by pianist James Williams, bassist Ray Drummond, and drummer Adam Nussbaum. A handful of guests — flutist Cheryl Pyle, guitarist John Abercrombie, tenor Joe Lovano, and soprano Dave Liebman — fill out the arrangements on ten instrumentals (two are bonus cuts from Visions). Together, Harrell and company add a contemporary spin to mainstream jazz. The ten-minute track "Dream in June" takes a number of adventurous flights of fancy without ever losing track of its base. Both Harrell and Abercrombie's solos build complex, forceful ideas against a backdrop of Nussbaum's powerful drumming, creating a dense sound that belies predictability. Harrell and Lovano's horns entwine on "Glass Mystery"'s intro, concocting a late-night mood for this lovely piece, while Pyle's flute adds the right touch to the meditative "Dancing Trees." Each track of Sail Away unfolds like an impressionistic canvas, bursting with color and light, with every brush stroke working toward the sum total of the painting. Modern jazz fans looking for music that's grounded — but never imprisoned — by yesteryear will want to pick up a copy. ~ Ronnie D. Lankford Jr., All Music Guide http://music.msn.com/music/album/tom-harrell/sail- away.1/Sail Away [Original Jazz Classics]: Critic's Review

TRIUMPH OF "FORM" OVER DAUNTING ODDS Los Angeles Times TOM HARRELL "FORM" contemporary records 1990 Constantly evolving as a composer and soloist, the former Phil Woods sideman illustrates how much can be achieved with two-part harmony: his own trumpet or fluegelhorn and Joe Lovano on sax. A ringer, Cheryl Pyle on flute is added for "January Spring" a complex and challenging piece in which everyone, including Panamanian pianist Danilo Perez, 23, plays a valuable role. Neil Tesser's notes deal sensitively with Harrell's emotional problem (a diagnosed schizophrenic, he seems to come alive only when he puts the horn to his lips). rather than pity him, as Tesser points out, we should admire him and marvel at the creativity that has defied such daunting odds. Leonard Feather

"FORM -tom harrell-illustrates how much can be achieved with two-part harmony,with joe lovano on soprano, cheryl pyle on flute,added for january spring- a complex and challenging piece in which everyone, including bassist charlie haden and pianist danilo perez plays a valuable role." - leonard feather, la times -jazz reviews

Tom Harrell -Passages- CD This CD is most notable for featuring ten of trumpeter Tom Harrell's compositions. Few of the melodies from the harmonically advanced originals will stick in one's mind after one or two listens, but the solos are excellent (and in Harrell's case, often exquisite) and the generally melancholy moods of the advanced hard bop pieces are memorable in their own way. In addition to Harrell, Joe Lovano is in fine form on tenor, soprano and alto, Cheryl Pyle's two guest appearances on flute are a bonus and the rhythm section is supportive and alert with pianist Danilo Perez emerging as a major soloist, taking the title cut as a lyrical free improvisation duet with Harrell. An intriguing and thought-provoking session. ~ Scott Yanow Recorded at BMG Studio A, New York, New York on October 10 & 11, 1991. Includes liner notes by Ken Franckling. Personnel: Tom Harrell (trumpet, flugelhorn); Cheryl Pyle (flute); Joe Lovano (soprano saxophone, alto saxophone, tenor saxophone); Danilo Perez (piano); Ben McGlinn (ARP synthesizer); Paul Motian (drums); Café (percussion).

KITTY BRAZELTON'S REAL MUSIC SERIES MUSIC PARTY IV 12/19/93 -BURN: SONGS TO BRING BACK THE SUN a Sunday Saturnalia in celebration of the winter solstice Sunday at CB's gallery-extension of CBGB's With DADADA, Cheryl Pyle, Tom Varner, Cellovision!, David Krakauer, Roland Wilson, Christine Bard & Jim Pugliese, and others.

KNITTING FACTORY KNOTES MAY JUNE 1997, ALTERKNIT THEATER — CHERYL PYLE QUARTET THE CHERYL PYLE QUARTET has an abstract straight-ahead, if not ethereal quality which inspires intricate textural and rhythmic variety in the improvisations. Featuring David Phelps guitar, Stephan Crump bass, Kirk Driscoll drums and Cheryl Pyle flute.

JAZZ ARISTS PERFORM A NJCVA NJ SUMMIT OBSERVER, Thursday Sept. 17, 1998 CHERYL PYLE QUARTET The New Jersey Center For Visual Arts established several first for itself when it opened an exhibition for David Bate and Betty Woodman Sunday afternoon. Serenading the opening of "Paradox in Paint, Wood and Clay" were the Cheryl Pyle Trio, led by flutist Cheryl Pyle. and is their first performance at the center. Both capture elements of cubism and jazz.

NOTES FROM THE APPLE Jazz Now Interactive, August 2003 JAZZ WOMEN: WOODWIND PLAYERS Cheryl chose to play flute as her main instrument, rather than double on it. She is a very creative woman who composes, writes lyrics, and performs her originials as often as she can. I wanted to know more about her concept of music. She responded, "I think that composing is a natural process that comes from improvising. Standards will happen if people keep composing. Hopefully it will evolve." I asked her about her lyrics. "I found that when I was working on other peoples tunes, I start hearing lyrics. I wrote lyrics for a lot of Tom Harrell's tunes, Fred Hersch, and Michael Cochrane." Three out of four woodwind players in this article lived in the San Fransisco Bay Area. (Laura Dreyer, Virginia Mayhew and Cheryl Pyle.) Lets hope they all have continued success in New York City. review by Lucy Galliher

HORSEBACK CD REVIEW - 2009 -"BLOOD FOUNTAINS-FLOODS -UTECH RECORDS crystalline guitar,delicate wisps of digital glitchery drifting into a gleaming cosmic flutes, wispy female voices,deep bass pulses, black acid guitar, forming something akin to a Cocteau Twins song stripped down to an ethereal cloud of dark pop bliss pitched into the abyss." - jenks miller, HORSEBACK

"ALTAR OF OBLIVION METAL NEWS 2009- "the use of the flute,by Cheryl Pyle, on A Retreat into Delusions , allows for outpouring of more grief-stricken and agonizing emotions. The utilization of the flute as a counterpoint to the electroacoustic guitar turns the song in a tender sorrowful lament."" - metal news , metalnews.com

CD NOW -DOOM METAL REVIEWS JUNE 2010 "the story line,of SINEWS OF ANGUISH, is an attraction in itself, being staged exceptionally well from start to finish, but it's ultimately the massive staccato riffs composed by Martin Mendelssohn and the very powerful lungs of Mik Mentor that will win over most cynics, as they conspire to produce magically morose and majestic results on highlights like "Wrapped in Ruins," "Behind the Veil of Nights," and "Casus Belli." Impressive opener "The Final Pledge" also utilizes eerie synthesizer backdrops to great effect, and the haunting "A Retreat into Delusions" features wonderful flute contributions from one Cheryl Pyle." - Eduardo Rivadavia, CD NOW

AUDIO CHOCOLATE-PAUL TAUTEROUFF- SHRED ACADEMY.COM

Track 9, The Journey, kicks off with a wah laden riff and a funky bassline, morphs into a power ballad and finally fades out with an ambient Moorish feel, complemented throughout by Cheryl Pyle on the flute. Also, Paul drops his best solos on the record. by Guy Onraet— http://shredacademy.blogspot.com/2010/08/album-review-paul- tauterouff-audio.html

INSIDE DIALOGUE CD 2011 - 14 new jazz flute compositions by cheryl pyle -flutist on 11th street music. recorded in new york. cheryl pyle -flute , bass, piano, effects -boss br600. the tunes have an etherial quality. the songs range from jazz and latin to experimental . progressive jazz flute melodies , metric changes and free within the structures.

A personal journey by Cora von Hindte I have seldom ever listened to music of such capacity of expression, forming a synthesis of airy lightness and melancholy at the same time. Still more than Cheryl’s other albums “Dalle Alle”, “Til Soon” and “Surreal” which are all masterpieces of an unobtrusive yet haunting beauty each in its own way, “Inside Dialog” carries it to a still different stage. Compacted, with effects sparsely applied, but the deeper and more expressive and free in form than ever before, it is an album like a poem and a very personal view upon life and all its aspects. Next to the shadows there are Sunspots in the valleys of Manhattanhenge, New York is a Dream City and city of dreams, of loss, yet hope and love. Bravo Cheryl! REVIEW march 2011- http://www.digstation.com/cherylpyle

beautiful impressionism by Arne Hiorth Cheryl Pyle’s credentials as a sideman with top jazz names are impeccable ( Tom Harrell, Joe Lovano a.o .) Standing firmly on her own ground now, she lets us wander into a landcsape reminding slighty of Debussy and lyric impressionism , in a setting of odd meters and a close-up , warm flutesound. Avoiding the obvious path, she creates melodies with suprising turns , but always with inner beauty and logic . This is great music for contemplating, and would be perfect for art exhibitions. REVIEW feb-2011-http://www.digstation.com/cherylpyle

cheryl pyle- inside dialogue review by holly moors http://www.moorsmagazine.com/musicanova/cherylpyle/

Cheryl Pyle is een opmerkelijke jazzfluitiste die al een behoorlijke tijd meedraait, van 1976 tot 1980 aan de westkust van de States, vanaf 1980 in New York. In 2008 speelde ze met de Nederlander Joop Wolters in New York, wat de titel van een van de composities op haar nieuwe soloalbum Inside Dialogue verklaart: Wat een dag! Wolters gaf haar, als dank voor de samenwerking, een kleine digitale recorder (bossbr 600) waarmee ze zelf alle fluit- en baspartijen opnam voor dit nieuwe album. Inside Dialogue is, misschien ook daardoor, een intiem album geworden, een puur album ook, maar ook een subtiel experimenteel album. Soms hoor je "gewoon" mooie lyrische fluitpartijen, soms ongewone ritmeverschuivingen, en in het titelnummer schuiven er zelfs een paar werelden in elkaar - fluit, bas, gedicht. Bijzonder, breekbaar, fragiel. Het is een vrij gevarieerd album, maar tegelijk ook uitgebalanceerd. Kaal, uitgepuurd, maar in de details kun je horen dat de hele jazzgeschiedenis verwerkt en doorleefd is door deze grande dame, deze jazzfluitiste par excellence. De muziek klinkt in eerste instantie vrij uitgekleed, om het maar zo te zeggen, maar als je langer en beter luistert ontdek je dat het een ontzettend mooi geraffineerd plaatje is. Een aanrader. Cheryl Pyle - Inside Dialogue - 11th Street Music

Dutch to English translation

Cheryl Pyle is a notable jazz flutist who already runs a considerable time, from 1976 to 1980 on the west coast of the States, from 1980 in New York. In 2008 she played the Dutchman Joop Wolters in New York, the title of one of the compositions on her new solo album, Inside Dialogue explains: What a day! Wolters gave her, as a reward for cooperation, a small digital recorder (bossbr 600) that they can use all the flute and bass parts recorded for this album. Dialogue is inside, perhaps because of that, an intimate album, a pure album too, but also a subtle experimental album. Sometimes you hear "just" beautiful lyrical flute parties, sometimes unusual rhythm shifts, and the title track even move a few worlds together - flute, bass, poem. Particularly, brittle, fragile. It's a pretty varied album, but it is also balanced. Bald, refined, but the details you can hear the whole of jazz history and weathered processed by this grande dame, this jazz flautist par excellence. The music sounds initially Fri undressed, to put it so to speak, but if you listen longer and better learn that a very beautiful image is refined. Highly recommended. moors magazine -march 2011

INSIDE DIALOGUE -2011 by Martin Meyer Mendelssohn Sparvath

Since 2007, with joy and excitement, I have been following the musical endeavors of jazz flutist Cheryl Pyle, and with every release, she just seems to be getting better and better showing new and captivating abilities. I am now holding in my hands her new effort “Inside Dialogue” which was solely composed and produced by the multi-talented Cheryl who this time offers us no less than 14 tracks with a total running time of approximately an hour. The rhythm section throughout the entire album is efficient consisting of rather simple bass progressions which constitute a solid foundation for the interesting and appealing flute parts ranging from subtle melancholic and melodic parts to faster and more challenging parts. No doubt about it, Cheryl Pyle is a diverse and truly gifted musician who once again proves that she, while playing her flute-leads, is capable of both playing fast and flawless runs plus slower thematic leads, all without losing focus or authenticity. Admittedly, I am not that familiar with jazz and its countless subgenres, yet I find myself compelled to this enchanting piece of music which also serves as a proof of her musical diversity and ability to blend different musical genres, not merely exploring the huge world of jazz. The only thing keeping me from giving this album 5/5 is the fact that I sometimes miss a real band behind Cheryl to take care of the rhythm section for her to improvise over. She is just too talented not to be a part of a proper line up. I am looking forward to be listening to her future releases and once again vanish into the flute-laden world of Cheryl Pyle. In conclusion, I will encourage the readers of this review to go purchase this album and join Cheryl on her sonic journey through utmost beautiful and picturesque soundscapes. May 2011

http://www.digstation.com/AlbumReviews.aspx? albumID=ALB000070209

cheryl pyle- soul dust Cheryl Pyle verrast vrij snel na haar prachtige soloalbum met een freejazzplaat met band. De band bestaat naast Cheryl op fluit en elektrische bas uit Max Ridgway op gitaar en akoestische bas, en Randall Colbourne op drums. Een trio dus, verbazingwekkend genoeg, want als je zit te luisteren zonder dat je dat weet denk je regelmatig dat er een veel uitgebreidere band zit te spelen. Het is magische muziek, want hoewel je soms denkt dat ze maar wat doorkabbelen en meanderen zitten ze ongemerkt de prachtigste muzikale tapijtjes in elkaar te toveren. Dit is muziek waar je je gewoon aan moet overgeven. Ontspan, ga luisteren, laat de muziek het overnemen en ga op reis. Een mooi groeiplaatje dat al zijn geheimen pas prijsgeeft als je er vaker naar luistert.

Cheryl Pyle - Soul Dust - Klik op het driehoekje om het fragment

Dutch to English translation

cheryl Pyle- Soul Dust Cheryl Pyle surprised soon after her solo album with a stunning free jazz album with the band. The band consists of Cheryl on flute and electric bass by Max Ridgway on guitar and acoustic bass, and Randall Colbourne on drums. A trio is, surprisingly enough, because if you're listening without knowing it you often think that a much broader band is playing. It's magical music, because even though you sometimes think they just trickling through stippling and they sit silently together in the most beautiful rugs musical magic. This is music where you just have to surrender. Relax, go listen, let the music take over and go on a trip. A nice growth plate reveal their secrets only when you listen more often.

http://www.moorsmagazine.com/musicanova/pyleofsecrets/

SURREAL - 2010 cd cheryl pyle 11th street music

Just let go and fly-If this album had not been called"Surreal“ which obviously is the most fitting title one could think to describe the very nature of the songs it contains, it could also have been called “Songs from the Inside”. From the inside of our minds at a moment when everybody is most him- or herself: in the strange stadium between still dreaming and waking up, when soul and mind float weightlessly outside our bodies whose weight we still don’t feel. What a blessing to leave this weight behind and just fly! There's no gravity any longer, space is wide open into every direction. Turn to wherever you want to go: dance in pirouettes through the vast starlit darkness while your heart beats in syncopes and swift runs as it follows the flying fishes to their constellation or pulses heavily in the all-consuming keynote of the heart nebula. And finally, as the arriving day rises in the new light and the night becomes tiny and vanishes, look up to the sky: it will be covered with lenticular clouds, a greeting from where you just came. Who would ever want to become “real” again?

Review By C Von Hindte

http://www.myspace.com/cherylpyle

Cheryl Pyle and Trio, "Soul Dust"

Cheryl Pyle, flautist, can be increasingly found around New York wherever free-form music is being made. Her flute has been gracing a number of sessions I have heard about. She often plays in fleet bursts and has a vibrant tone. Today we look at a recent self-released album of hers, Soul Dust. It's a trio with Cheryl on flute, doubling on electric bass, Max Ridgway playing some nice flowing guitar lines and overdubbing an interesting acoustic bass part much of the time, and Randall Colbourne on a slinky, free-form, swinging set of drums.

There are some nice jams and a few more composed sequences. What is striking is the way Cheryl will sometimes worry and do variations on a short motive or related set of them. In those cases she is more spontaneously composing than freebopping.

From first to last this is a group that sounds well together and takes full advantage of the contrasts between Cheryl's ravishing tone, long lines and phrasing bursts, Max's single-line pointillism and chordal thrusts, and Randall's effectively busy, quietly churning drums.

It is a vivid picture of three promising musicians frozen in a point of time. It is music that is "free", tonal and mellow. I think even people who don't ordinarily go for the free-er echelons of improvisatory music will appreciate this one. Cheryl does not emerge fully formed (as from the head of Medusa) but is a work in progress. Very promising. And very interesting music.

Go to Cheryl Pyle's My Space page to hear some samples of the music; go to her site cherylpyle.blogspot.com for more info and/or to order the album.

by Gregory Applegate Edwards -2011

WONDERFUL TIMES dewey records/kazhargan -2012 cd- ?"What can you say to give the adequate recognition to such quintessential jazz musicians of this calibre who manage to capture the true essence of what the jazz genre is all about feel and sound like... wonderful, outstanding, a pleasure and I can`t get enough of these guys breath of fresh air!" (Adam Goodman)2012

WONDERFUL TIMES -dewey records/kazhargan-2012- "This excellent new jazz release is the happy result of cross- national internet file sharing — often a recipe for clunky step-on-each-other's-foot instrumental interplay but you wouldn't know it from the seamless results to be heard here. Among the many multi-talents on display is trumpet from Cologne (Hans Peter Salentin), saxophone and guitar from Oklahoma (Brian Mitchell Brody, Max Ridgway), flute and bass from New York (Cheryl Pyle, Tony Cimorosi), electro bass from Tennessee (Sean O'Bryan Smith) — all under the benign leadership of keyboardist Stan Zaslavsky (from Russia), who has dubbed the whole project Kazhargan World. Drummer and percussionist Papa Z (Stan's father) provides the supple rhythms which hold the whole thing together. In some ways this is a sunlit version of an intriguing, noirish ECM session from a few years back called NEW YORK DAYS, released under Italian trumpeter Enrico Rava's name but which also included a even-handed mix of American and European musicians. Likewise the sound on WONDERFUL TIMES is a post- fusion melange of late-Miles themes and other contemporary jazz tropes. But it's never overly abstract or typically avant-garde or, worse, second-hand. Instead there's a happy, dancing quality to the whole bright affair. Hans Peter Salentin's strong trumpet work (alternating on mute) predominates but it is Cheryl Pyle's fluent flute work which truly shines in the mix. Pyle also contributes some evocative spoken word interludes ("Invisible Celebration," "Irene Was Here"), her unmistakable American accent grounding this ostensible world project in some ideal, imaginary USA of the ear. Throughout Zaslavsky provides sympathetic support on acoustic and electric keys, giving ample room to his selected group of soloists, and never once hogging the proceedings.

Richard Mortifoglio nyc cdbaby reviews http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/stansazlavsky

Kazhargan World Wonderful Times Dewey Records 2012 So I'm digging the cover art... A nice warm sound that is earthy along with some interesting post modern riffs bordering on accessible free jazz only to discover the musicians involved in the project were never actually present in the same room at the time of the recording. Enter Kazhargan World. An international jazz collective from Russia, Germany and various areas within the United States of America. Artists in all genres have occasionally "phoned it in" using various electronic platforms with the end result being predictable and incredibly sterile.

Not this time... The opening tune "Wonderful Times" has an intriguing swing with a subtle undercurrent of harmonic dynamic tension. A textured sound that brings an amazing sonic depth of field to the forefront. A tune that is a critics worst nightmare and guaranteed to have label executives perched on the nearest ledge as this eclectic ensemble artfully dodges any previously accepted sub-genre jazz has to offer. Contemporary beatnik meets post modern free jazz?

"Kazhargan" is described in the press release in this context as a word of open interpretation and an invitation for the listener to find the musical path of their choosing. "After Time" carries the cool post bop vibe of Miles Davis where trumpet virtuoso Han Peter Salentin tips his musical hat to the icon with a stellar muted trumpet and groove to match. Normally spoken word pieces that pop up in the jazz idiom are like nails down a chalk board for me but not here. The incredibly open ended sound, all most conceptual by nature is perfectly suited to the occasional spoken word piece by Cheryl Pyle. The zen like approach of Pyle captures the essence of the compositions perfectly. "Live Under Water" continues the Miles Davis ambient quality with Salentin's virtuoso like performance. The ebb and flow and effortless cohesion of this large ensemble takes on the feel of the more traditional working band while keeping in mind this recording is all done via the Internet. "Irene Was Here" is an expressive ballad and delightful lyrical gem featuring Pyle along with pianist Stan Z. An overall warmth and accessibility permeates Kazhargan World. A world that is a unique and engaging both on a visceral and cerebral level. To achieve an organic base while pushing each individual voice to achieve their own special character under these highly formatted conditions is an amazing accomplishment. Kazhargan World takes the more free form approach and creates their own post modern hybrid that is a sweeping sound scape of lyrical and harmonic ingenuity. Each musician involved is deserving of high praise. More than a recording, Kazhargan World is a jazz experience that offers the unique opportunity to become a musical blank slate and then create your own world. Tracks: Wonderful Times; Children Of The World; Mayan Prophecy; Other Constellations; After Time; Spirit of Discovery; Invisible Celebration; Live Under Water; My Motherland; Irene Was Here; All Day Rain; Cuban Snow. Personnel: Stanislav Zaslavsky: piano; Hans Peter Salentin: trumpet; Cheryl Pyle: flute, poems & voice; Max Ridgway: guitar; Brian Mitchell Brody: saxophone; Tony Cimorosi: ns double bass; Sean O Bryan Smith: electric bass; Papa Z: drums & percussion. http://www.kazhargan.com/ http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/stanzaslavsky

review by Brent Black- Jan 29,2012 - http://www.criticaljazz.com/2012/01/kazhargan-world- wonderful-times-dewey.html

Review on Wonderful Times

Review of SOUND SCULPTURES -cd 2012 by C. von Hindte

compositions by cheryl pyle -11th street music cheryl pyle - flute & bass max ridgway-guitar cover art by bingo sanatra cd graphics by max ridgway Sculpturing Sound

“To sculpture” means to fetch a form still invisible out of a block of material, may it be marble, wood or clay – or figuratively, out of an empty canvas or even the vast realm of sound itself. That this form is invisible yet doesn’t mean it wouldn’t exist … “to sculpture” means to remove the unnecessary until only the essential remains. Sound Sculptures therefore is the fitting name for this astonishing free jazz album worked by the excellent NYC jazz musicians Cheryl Pyle (flute and bass) and Max Ridgeway (guitar), as it has been carved out of the block with endless care for the essential, for the pure sound.

This shows itself first of all in the instrumentation and sparse use of effects: the sound is mostly carried only by rhythmic, syncopic flute and bass playing which in “Candle for Grace on Avenue B”, “Abundant Stream of Blue” and “Sound Sculptures” is complemented by Max Ridgeway’s wonderfully unobtrusive, sensitive guitar playing which matches it perfectly. Especially “Candle for Grace on Avenue B” is a great example for the interesting effects the clear guitar produces together with the slightly distorted, echoing flute sound. The divergency of sound here creates a haunting tension and dynamics, an almost etheric complexion of sound, wavering in the air like a disembodied memory, finally fading.

A notable feature in the arrangement of the tunes is an augmentation in the range and variety of the instrumentation: The first tune, “Everybody Is A Fool Sometime” is a lively flute improvisation of a single flute over a single bass line as well as the second tune, “A Fragile Sketch Of Smile”. But with every following tune, the number of flute and bass layers increases until this finds a preliminary culmination in “Sendai 8.9”. This rich, sonorous tune conveys Cheryl’s brilliant, clear flute tone over three bass layers. The following, wonderful melodious track “Path Of The Suspended Judgements” continues with the sounds of four flutes enwinding each other and a captivating, dynamic rhythm – all together evoking the association of a ride on a train.

A trademark of Cheryl’s work is her poems with their profound, very personal lyrics. “Life/Death/Life”, the only track on this album containing spoken word, is surely a key to interpretation, also with regard to the titles of the other tunes. Framed by two flutes, Cheryl’s voice, slightly alienated and distorted, becomes part of the music.

All in all, Sound Sculptures is a very beautiful, pure and touching album that goes under the skin, because the reduction to the essential opens up ear and soul for the things that in modern music so often are hidden behind too many notes and too pompous effects: our thoughts, dreams and fears that we carry inside and frequently try to fight back and that here are given a silent, yet insisting voice that speaks directly to our hearts and minds. It is an album that requires all the man or all the woman with all his or her senses, it requires honest listening and letting go with the flow. It shows us the mirror, it wants us to allow ourselves that fragile smile on our faces that we hide so often behind our mask. Although probably not many of us will be able to do that as gracefully as displayed in these eleven beautiful tunes.

C. v. Hindte March 25 ,2012 11th street music digital release 2012 .. purchase mp3s here direct from the composer http://cherylpyle.blogspot.com/2012/01/sound-sculptures- cheryl-pyle.html " We’re living in times that enable us to keep contact via internet, and not only to keep in contact, but to cherish friendships, to share thoughts and emotions, to let others take part in our lives. There don’t seem to be borders any longer. But what about also making music “the virtual way”? Could it ever be possible without losing spirit, mood and authenticity? It seems like this … “Wonderful Times” is a little musical miracle worked by a group of musicians from different parts of the world: Stan Zaslavsky (Russia) on piano, Cheryl Pyle (New York) on flute, Hans P. Salentin (Cologne, Germany) on trumpet, Max Ridgway (Oklahoma) on guitar; Brian M. Brody (Oklahoma) on saxophone, Tony Cimorosi (New York) on bass, Sean O Bryan Smith (Tennessee) on electric bass and Papa Z (Russia) on drums. Most of them never met face to face – and yet the result of this international collaboration is one of the finest modern jazz albums I’ve listened to so far! The thousands of miles between the continents where are they? Resolved into a dew, into nothing but the here and now, not a physical face-to-face, but quasi a “face to face- state” of like-mindedness in music. Cheryl’s poetry in spoken words in “Other constellations” and “Irene was here”, framed only by light, swift flute runs and piano are the beautiful serious counterpoint to the wonderfully serene title track “Wonderful Times”, the other tunes lined up like pearls on a chain between those poles, a spectrum from joyful to poetic that embraces all colours. Although there is quite some music of which I could say that it made me serene and happy by listening, this album definitely adds its own quality to it by the sheer joy of making music that just bursts out of every note and by its outstanding, highly artistic approach. It is one thing to have outstanding musical ideas – but to transform them into reality with musical means in the perfection shown here, yet warm and full of life is an achievement that is a class of its own! Congratulations!

C .von Hindte feb 9, 2012 - reviews by jazz lovers-cdbaby

Wonderful Times -cd gapplegate music review-feb 24, 2012

Kazhargan World is a cooperative unit made possible by the internet. Wonderful Times (Dewey Records) is the product of the cooperative project. The members discussed and arranged the music via electronic communication, then presumably recorded each part singly and synched them together as a finished product. The group consists of Stan Zaslavsky on piano, Hans Peter Salentin on trumpet, Cheryl Pyle on flute and recitation/poetry, Max Ridgway on guitar, Brian Mitchell Brody on sax, Sean O'Bryan Smith on the electric bass, and Tony Cimorosi on doublebass. And finally on druma and percussion is Alesandr Zaslavsky. The album goes from a contrapuntal chamber jazz with interlocking piano,trumpet, flute and guitar against a swinging walk to more contemporary jazz-lyric-exotica, longing poetics from Ms. Pyle, and an overarching aesthetic of creativity. The soloists work together well and sound quite good; their interchanges are most certainly a high point of the disk. The compositional elements are quite interesting and worth hearing too. In the end you have a disk with some strikingly new ways to get somewhere, a lot of ground covered, excellent musicianship, good writing and arranging. The four-horn front line of Zaslavsky-Salentin-Pyle-Ridgway impresses. It's a very pleasing album with plenty of substance to it. Give it a listen.

http://gapplegatemusicreview.blogspot.com/

WONDERFUL TIMES -Dewey/kazhargan 2012 -"Kazhargan World, is an amazing example of the future of media - musicians separated by 10,000 miles collaborating to produce original works that all of you will enjoy." Sam Rahimi (President, CEO, and D.F.A. at iBroadcast.TV)

Cheryl Pyle- Sound Sculptures -review by Gregory Applegate Edwards

"Cheryl Pyle's new album Sound Sculptures (self-released) pulls together where she is as an artist—flautist, bassist, composer, poetess. It's twelve pieces of pure Cheryl. Her compositions are chamber jazz in the best sense of the term. Like Giuffre she maps out musical motifs in bare-boned contexts—often her flute and electric bass in combination— and builds improvisations around the thematic material. She has a beautiful tone on flute and an ear for phrasings that have new music elements as well as those of "jazz." Some tribal bedrock can be felt too in the twists and turns of some of the riffs.

Max Ridgway joins her on guitar for several tracks for good result. And she overdubs two or more flutes at times for rich harmonies. And sometimes her flute has some electronic enhancements. That works too. Her poetry, one example here with electronic flute compositional framing, is soulful and full of feeling. This is music. Cheryl Pyle music. Expect something else and you wont get it. It takes a few listens to find your balance because this is not a typical "jazz" album. But once you do, you have the experience of entering an original world that has some marvelous flute playing, some conceptual uniqueness and compositional frameworks that stand out. Give it a listen! Google her and you can find out more. "http://www.cherylpyle.blogspot.com

Thursday, July 26, 2012 http://gapplegatemusicreview.blogspot.com/

The New City Jazz Record March, 2013. “New York @ Night”

Sunday nights at ABC No-Rio are always unpredictable, but the Feb. 10th benefit (to help fund new building construction) was particularly carnivalesque, mainly because host/alto saxophonist Blaise Siwula scheduled each act into 10- and 12-minute sets, ensuring variety yet forcing performers to make their musical ‘points’ succinctly. After an informal opening jam, multi-instrumentalists Kali. Z. Fasteau and Daniel Carter set a high bar for those following. Stand-out moments included: five taut sketches by tenor saxophonist Jason Candler and tuba player Jesse Dulman; three pieces by soprano saxist Rocco John Iacovone and bassist Nicolas Letman-Burtinovic; a duet by cellist Diana Wayburn and duduk (Armenian double-reed) player Edith Lettner; an exciting matchup with Siwula and guitarist Cristian Amigo; an impromptu set with four saxophonists (Carter, Siwula, Candler, Iacovone) and pianist Constance Cooper; a ‘free-funk’ outing with guitarist On Ka’a Davis and drummer Vin Scialla; the avant-improv theater of Anne Bassen and Emmanuelle Zagoria; a challenging but riveting piece by guitarist Chris Welcome; Dikko Faust’s trombone painting; flutist Cheryl Pyle’s trio with Carter and Letman-Burtinovic; a low-end duet by bassoonist Claire de Brunner and bassist Jochem Van Dijk; Siwula and Iacovone’s sax summit; pianist Evan Gallagher and drummer David Gould’s rowdy têtê-àtêtê and the gentle closure of violinist Cecile Broche and bassist Francois Grillot.

Tom Greenland New City Jazz Record March, 2013

Review: Green Underworld-2013

With the release of “Green Underworld”, their second album after “Soul Dust” in 2011, the already well-proven collaboration of the NYC jazz musicians Cheryl Pyle (flute), Max Ridgway (guitar) and Randall Colbourne (drums) has reached a new height. Like “Soul Dust”, also “Green Underworld” contains improvised jams and in this respect follows its antecessor. But this is more or less the only resemblance, because musically, “Green Underworld” walks its very own ways. Just as free in form as “Soul Dust”, it is yet a true “concept album” and one great reverence towards modern art of the 20th century – towards a modernity that is timeless as it still influences the present.

The album consist of nine tunes, which all seem to be somehow related to each other in a way – in reference to the subject of arts, but as well among each other concerning their structure: always three of them form a “couplet”, a musical and semantic unit.

The first of these couplets consists of three musical homages to three outstanding artists: Joan Miró, Paul Klee and Karel Appel. The first one begins with a question: “Do you know Miró?” “Yes, of course”, you’ll probably answer. But this question is repeated again, spoken word underlined by a quivering flute guided by an almost sitar-sounding guitar and drums with the sound of swift bare feet running, like a bird flying in front of you, talking you into trying to catch it while by and by you’re going astray in the garden of the surreal – and, while finding out that Miró’s seemingly so clear symbolism is in fact a jungle, you begin asking yourself: “Do I really know Miró?” This masterful tune is a true surrealist painting in music, because it leads you astray. And you can only tell that the answer to the question is “no” … because how could you really know somebody whose work you get lost in?

The next track belonging to this couplet, “Music for Paul Klee”, follows this line: spoken word and “sitar sounds”, an expressionist musical painting of a temple garden … but yet it is an illusion that you see in the magic mirror, because behind the peaceful scenery there’s a wild, metallic world expressed in a furious musical finale.

“Music for Karel Appel”, the third and last track of this couplet, gives a true musical expression of Appel’s abstract expressionism – rhythmic, syncopic drums and guitar, with “edges” and “angles”, but layered by the bright, flowing flute tone which adds colour and soothes the rock underneath.

The second couplet consists of three tunes that are dedicated to the question of what the principles of art and the essence of artistic expression are. The title track, “Green Underworld” in my opinion provides the key to the understanding of what this album is about: the artist’s dedication towards his art and the processes of creating. “Green Underworld” actually reminds me of a painting of Max Ernst: “La Dernière Forêt”. A jungle forest of “the last things”, end time sensation, a kind of green Hades from where nobody ever returns. Well, nobody? In fact, one mortal came back: Orpheus the singer who with his voice could revive the dead. Of course, a musician … an artist! Maybe the first one in the long row who detected the principle of all art: immortality. The divine spark of inspiration that transcends the mortal man who creates, making him a genius who transforms his idea into a work of art and by doing so, is survived by his creation, thus becoming immortal.

In this sense as well the second track of this couplet, “Inner Seek”, can be understood: the process of creating as a result of this inner seek, transforming the visions fetched from the realm of ideas into reality. It is the third and last track on this album containing spoken word, and in this way and by the means of musical expression is related to “Do you Know Miró?” and “Music for Paul Klee”: here as well appears the quivering, trilling flute, a guide and a fen fire at the same time, like the sound of a cricket that you don’t know which direction it comes from. In this track, the concrete is left behind, the jungle is now no longer in the meta-level of the concrete painting, but on the artist’s mind who is struggling for understanding and getting hold of his idea – to be able to make it a part of reality.

The final track of the second couplet, “Nine Dreams Nine Dragons” became “visible” to me when watching on YouTube the video of this tune which contains some amazing artwork: Chinese calligraphy ink paintings. Dragons – or letters? Or both? A question of perspective!

The tracks of the third couplet seem to me like another musical tryptichon – like those of the first and second couplet, they can each stand by themselves, but together they form a bigger picture: Breaking the taboo and asymmetry – in short, creating imperfection – is the “subject” of this couplet and the most crucial expression of an individuality which is the trademark of present art.

Art lives of breaking taboos, crossing the borders between the “Dos and Don’ts”. A beautiful thing cannot necessarily be called a work of art. The impression of the shocking and disharmonic, even the ugly can be much stronger, because it breaks up with conventions, thus leading to new ways of perception. Listening to “Path of the Taboo”, this thought came to my mind. Varying on a strongly syncopic, up tempo pattern, it creates a feeling of uneasiness: you’re lured out of your comfort zone. Disharmony, in music as well as in arts in general, is a necessary “spice to the soup”: It creates active perception, discussion – conscience.

“Magnetic Entities” with its fast flute runs and counter- rhythmic guitar and drums falls into line with “Path of the Taboo”, being its counterpart regarding the way of musical expression as well as in respect to the meta-level of interpretation. Magnetic – this means “between two poles”, the positive and the negative, attraction and repulsion. A work of art as an entity never displays only one of these aspects, it always moves between those two poles – it is the asymmetric, the seemingly imperfect, the little flaw that enables perfection.

“Io, Moon of Jupiter”, the final track of the album, directly follows “Magnetic Entities” and dwells on its subject: unlike other moons, Io doesn’t move on a circuit around its planet, but on an ellipsis, thereby crossing the magnetic field of Jupiter. Along with this goes a strong volcanic activity. It is the embodiment of a thing that, devouring itself, at the same time renews itself by bringing forth what it carries inside and yet can only do that while it depends on something much bigger. Isn’t this a perfect metaphor for the artist himself? Musically, it is an eruption of sound: this time a more reluctant guitar, but prominent flute and drums interplaying, flowing, rolling, quivering, trilling space music.

“Green Underworld” is an OUTSTANDING work, for the ear as well as for the mind. It is not easily accessible music, it requires close listening and reflection, but if you let yourself fall and open up to it – a marvelous thing, absolute avant-garde free jazz at its finest. Highly recommended!!

C. v. H. Feb 2013

Review by Matt Cole- Battleship Potemkin

On Saturday, 16 February, THE DISSIDENT ARTS ORCHESTRA, provided an improvised score to a newly restored version of Sergei Eisenstein’s seminal film Battleship Potemkin at the 17 Frost Theatre of the Arts in Williamsburg Brooklyn. Led and conducted by THE RED MICRPHONE‘s vibraphonist/percussionist John Pietaro , the Orchestra included on this night Nora McCarthy on vocals, Cheryl Pyle on flute, Quincy Saul on clarinet, Rocco John Iacovone on soprano and alto saxes, Patrick Brennan on alto, Ras Moshe on soprano, tenor and flute; SoSaLa’s Sohrab Saadat Ladjevardi (making his debut with the DAO) on tenor sax and vocals, Alon Nechustan on accordion, Javier Hernandez- Miyares on electric guitar, Laurie Towers on electric bass, Nicolas Let-man-Burtinovic on double bass, and Hollis Headrick on drums and percussion. With such a large ensemble, even one who for the most part has played together consistently before, it’s always important to make sure that everyone’s on the same page, and conductor Pietaro performed this duty quite well. There were several cues that he could give, for example having the band play around a certain tonal center, or time signature; another cue had the band play the “Internationale” (generally when the red flag was raised); alternately, Pietaro could bring instruments in and out of the mix with a good deal of freedom for them to choose just what to play at the moment. The Orchestra rewarded this confidence by playing very well together over the course of the evening as a cohesive and synergetic unit.

The evening started with a pre-movie Overture, during which the band went through a shortened version of the overall shape of their music for the movie, albeit with different musical details, with Pietaro facilitating well from his conductors spot (when he wasn’t adding vibraphones or percussion to the soundscape). Iacovone’s soprano sax began the music, and the rest of the band added layers of overlapping long notes over pulsating waves of drums (quite appropriate for a battleship movie). On a micro level, there was actually a fair amount of movement for such a section, but the overall effect was that of long notes, and that’s a pretty neat trick. Soon thereafter, we heard vocalist McCarthy take the lead for the first time with a series of rich wordless tones over an urgent rhythm in 7. McCarthy demonstrated a very impressive tonal range, and soon the band came in with cacophonous interplay, starting with alternating pairs of instruments (e.g. alto-soprano, tenor- tenor) conversing, and then the pairs becoming threes and fours, until the whole band was involved. Then, out of this chaos a jazzy, swingy waltz emerged, at once out and yet locked into a hard swinging pocket. It was near this point that the advantage of having two basses became apparent, as one would lock down the bottom while the other played freely with the band. Finally, the band played some variations on the “Internationale.”

Then the movie started. A lot has been written about Battleship Potemkin, so as someone who hasn’t taken a film class since about 1990 (my big paper was on the Rocky Horror Picture Show), I won’t add to that. The film was shown on 3 screens, forming 3 sides of a square—the main one was for the audience, and the other two served to help the band members (arranged in a ‘U’ shape underneath the screen) see the action on the screen and tailor their playing accordingly. The band did an impressive job of enhancing the silent drama on the screen, providing an urgent, off-center beat and jazzy tonals when the crew of the ship begins to mutiny over maggot-infested beat. (It was at this point that I noticed the band pulling a neat musical trick of playing a 2-2-3 rhythm and then seamlessly morphing it into a 3-3-2.) When there was drama and potential execution on the deck, the band slid into a loose and swingy waltz, and went free and chaotic during the deck fight which ensued (side note: the head priest on the ship reminded me of the old man guarding the bridge of death in Monty Python and the Holy Grail). One of the musical highlights of the evening came during the funeral scene for the hero, who had died leading his shipmates in revolt against their cruel and clueless officers, as the band played a slow dirge, free and very together, with a hint of waltz underneath. Over this, McCarthy sang, and Saadat chanted in Farsi. Conductor Pietaro did a nice job over the course of the soundtrack of bringing instruments in and out, providing good dynamic contrasts. As the film ended, with the red flag flying over the Potemkin and the other ships’ sailors joining in, the band played the “Internationale” one last time.

In all, this was a quite impressive multimedia presentation by THE DISSIDENT ARTS ORCHESTRA. The musicians played well together, making a cohesive work from improvisation, their ears, and their able conductor, and making the music enhance and otherwise go quite well with a truly classic film that has to rank as one of the most important in the entire film canon. The DAO plans more such mixings of old classics with new, improvised music this year; it is recommended that fans of film and improvised music make an effort to seek them out.

http://www.doobeedoobeedoo.info/2013/03/02/concert-review- the-dissident-arts-orchestra-plays-battleship-potemkin/ March 2, 2013

Show less