Ari Joshua, founder of Madison Park’s Music Factory, has released his latest album, Meeting of the Minds Part 4, which sees him collaborate with keyboardist John Medeski, drummer Billy Martin, and bassist Jason Fraticelli. The artist’s new studio effort is a sprawling, meditative improvisation that prioritizes in-the-moment interaction and features no one player taking precedence over the others.
The album is characterized by its versatility, with the performances transitioning from near-ambient textural passages to laid-back experimental jazz grooves and tangent melodies reminiscent of Cuban music. Apart from immaculate sonic detailing, the record features a recurring organ motif from Medeski, initially tentative and atmospheric, which builds to a thick, churchy roar towards the climax.
Furthermore, the other players also employ a wide dynamic range, with Medeski skittering across the piano keys and Martin’s drumming propulsive and inventive. The seven-minutes-long improv instrumental track explores minor tonality, modal harmonic interchanges, complex rhythm shifts and everything in between. Meeting of the Minds Part 4 seem to open new windows with every subsequent listen, making it a worthy addition to modern progressive jazz playlists.
In conversation with with the composer
IMF got in touch with Ari Joshua to discuss his vision behind the incredible Jazz Rock record. While also diving deeper into his personal favourites and future plans.
Meeting of the Minds appears to be drawing influences from experimental jazz and progressive soundscapes. What was your artistic vision for this album?
Well, there was a lot of music that happened on the session. Meeting of the Minds, the title, that came from Burgandy’s art. The all-improv release was just an introduction to what’s coming. It was a special session though.
The album clocks over at 1 Hour 20 minutes, what were the challenges you faced while writing such a long record?
Well, it’s all improv so I didn’t write any of it. Lol. But if anything I wish I could write 80 minute albums all the time. The challenge is always more the post-production. The mixing side.
Speaking from a producer’s perspective, what were your sources of inspiration while incorporating acoustic instrumentals with ambient samples in complex time signatures?
My inspiration is the masters that came before me and the source itself of all things. Pretty basic really. Haha.
Out of the 28 tracks listed. Which ones are personal favourites? And Why?
I don’t have any favourites. Every one is a favourite for a different reason.
Which ones are your most used FX on the pedalboard? One’s you wouldn’t survive a gig without?
I like to have an always-on boost and a delay of some kind turned to low in the mix.
What can fans be expected to be excited about in the upcoming months
In the next months, I will be selecting and preparing the next batch of songs to release.
Ari Joshua presents a four-part Soul Jazz extravaganza
The track’s mix features a balanced stereo field and uses gritty overdriven preamps to create a warm, organic sound that highlights the emotion and energy of the performances. The producer employs multiple perspectives on the same raw materials, cutting snippets into four parts and excerpting them into two dozen fragments, to offer listeners a unique listening experience that they can enjoy in various ways.
Meeting of The Minds Part 4 would be the perfect soundtrack for movies that explore the complexities of human interaction and the power of improvisation. The album’s meditative quality and emphasis on in-the-moment interaction make it a great fit for movies like “Lost in Translation” or “Whiplash”, where characters are forced to confront their own vulnerabilities and the unpredictable nature of the human connection.
Overall, Meeting of The Minds Part 4 is a stunning example of the power of improvisation in songwriting. Joshua and his collaborators have created an album that is both sonically and emotionally rich, inviting listeners to immerse themselves in the impulsive energy of the performance. This is a must-listen for fans of experimental jazz, soul and jam bands, and is a record that will solidify Ari Joshua as an upcoming global indie act.
Links | Quality | Language | Player | Date Added |
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Play Now | Bandcamp |