Jason Stein and Ombak at The Camel, 5/6/08

Dean Christesen — Sun, 04 May 2008 13:53:00 +0000

“It just kind of felt like home, it was more natural than straight ahead music. Free jazz was very modern, everything else was a throw back,” said bass clarinetist Jason Stein.

On Tuesday, free jazz forces from Richmond and Chicago will be joining up at The Camel at 9pm for what promises to be a very modern evening.

Jason Stein’s Locksmith Isidore from Chicago will be pairing up with Bryan Hooten’s group Ombak, which should have a near perfect fit: Stein has worked extensively with Ken Vandermark's band Bridge 61, and Ombak’s set list will consist of original tunes written adventurously by Hooten for a quartet with influences from Ken Vandermark.

Stein began his musical career as a blues guitarist but later switched to bass clarinet after working with innovator Eric Dolphy. Stein commented, “I always knew music was what I wanted to do, it felt more like home than anything.” Stein has studied extensively with many greats, such as Charles Gayle and Milford Graves, and has approached jazz an as oral tradition, rather than a study. He has established his versatility as a musician and composer and is known for stretching boundaries. His compositions have been highly influenced by electronic composers from the 1960s, such as Milton Babbit, who wrote very thoroughly composed music yet with an improvised and open sound. Stein’s trio Locksmith Isidore gets their name from Stein's grandfather, a master locksmith who didn't trust banks and hid his money inside an old sofa in his attic.

Ombak is the creation of Richmond composer and trombonist Bryan Hooten. Its set will consist of all original tunes which focus around counterpoint and rhythm. Hooten said “I hate to use chord symbols and am far less concerned with vertical relationships than with linear ones. I think we have only one tune in which the guitar has more than one or two notes at a time. I also love huge beats, especially mixed-metered, highly syncopated ones, so you might hear a lot of those.” - Maggie Schlageter

Jason Stein's Locksmith Isidore is: Jason Stein (bass clarinet), Kevin Davis (cello), Mike Pride (percussion)

Ombak is: Bryan Hooten (trombone), Trey Pollard (guitar), Cameron Ralston (bass), Dean Christesen (drums)

Bryan Hooten photo by Jake Lyell

Tuesday, May 6, 2008
Jason Stein's Locksmith Isidore with Bryan Hooten's Ombak
The Camel
9 pm
All ages, $5
[where: 1621 W. Broad St., Richmond, VA 23220]
http://outside.in/places/camel-richmond

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