TODD SICKAFOOSE GROUP: Dogs Outside

Todd Sickafoose Group

Dogs Outside

© 2000 Todd Sickafoose (659057090627)

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1st CD by a band hailed for its sonic adventure and imagination. The bassist/composer is also the one-man orchestra behind Ani DiFranco's recent live shows.

notes

"Dogs Outside" is Todd Sickafoose's debut as a bandleader, and was made entirely in 10 hours. It is an electrifying CD and features some of the best recorded playing of bandmates Peter Epstein, Mark Ferber, Alan Ferber, and Justin Morell.

The San Francisco Chronicle called Todd "a captivating improviser, imaginative composer, and master of collaboration".

Here he's at the helm, with a band which explodes the boundaries of jazz, groove, rock and improvisation with its grand melodies, gorgeous shifting textures, and subversive beats. This is smart original music played with commitment, humor, and an explosive free-jazz spirit.

reviews:

"It ranks as one of the best new discs to be released so far this year (2000)." (LA Times)

"A very strong and original statement...an excellent album" (Cadence)

"A bold and refreshing imagination." (East Bay Express)

"This young bassist-composer is developing in some very interesting directions. He's already served notice of his non-trad intentions by the company he keeps...now he's come out with his own CD, Dogs Outside (Evander). Unifying the diverse compositions is a gentle tension between rhythms: the loose back-and-forth...leaves the listener prodded and suspended in ways only certain Mingus tracks ("Pussy Cat Dues," maybe) can manage. You get an impression of spontaneity within structures that are actually fully thought out. Remarkable." (LA Weekly)

"A savvy composer too adventuresome to be constrained by conventional jazz forms and colors, Sickafoose moves fluidly between a driving swing feel and dreamy abstractions, making full use of the textural potential of his fellow instrumentalists" (SF Bay Guardian)

"The music is rooted in the free jazz tradition...chaotic segments are alternated with pristine structures, throughout which the double bass constantly emerges at the forefront...altogether perfectly executed." (Auf Abwegen, Germany)

"Brooding interplay marked by soaring choruses and a commanding group sound. No doubt, Dogs Outside comes as a welcome surprise. * * * * (4 out of 5 stars)" (AllAboutJazz.com)

reviews

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  • Idiot-proof jazz or Who let the dogs out?
    author: GP

    While I like "jazz", I don't go out and buy much nor do I tend to long for music sans vocals.... Jazz is more something I enjoy when around it, rather than seek it out... Only b/c of the Ani DiFranco connection did I purchase Dogs Outside... It is immediately enjoyable to the non-jazz nut.... while there are no lyrics... the tracks seem focused/tight with a purpose and direction all while maintaining a loose "careless" (jammy) feel to the music. This is a great CD to which you can drive, read, do the dishes, etc.... Todd is the bomb and these other cats ain't too bad either... A pleasant surprise and solid purchase. Who let the dogs out?

  • Moving, highly imaginative, and respectful of tradition as they leave it behind.
    author: Mike Amen

    I read about Todd in the Datebook, and ordered the cd. As a person near 58, it was quite uplifting to listen to this music, and know that these young musicians were making such a solid contribution to this great art form. This is a wonderful first effort. The compositions, the improvisation, the close interplay, the movement, mood shifts, and the joy, make this an exciting work. They have given Charlie Mingus' Tijuana Moods a run for its money.

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