Notes
Aaron Koppel - electric guitar; Matt Nelson - piano; Graham Czach - bass; Robert Tucker - drums; Greg Ward - alto saxophone; Geof Bradfield - tenor saxophone. Recorded 1/28 and 2/1/2009. Produced and engineered by Nick Eipers. REVIEWS: #7 in Neil Tesser's Top Ten Chicago Jazz Discs of 2009 #12 in JazzChicago.net's Top Chicago Recordings of 2009 3 ½ Stars! (3="Good", 4="Excellent") - Downbeat Magazine "Across 10 originals, the emphasis is on group interplay, with active basslines and lively arrangements... Among the standouts is pianist Nelson, who gets the nod more often than not... There are a fair number of introspective moments on 'Falling Together Falling Apart', thanks again to Nelson's knack for getting off the beaten path, but there is the occasional up tune that suggests these guys might be used to people dancing at their shows. 'Electric Cowgirl Boogaloo' is just such a number, featuring some bouncy funk swing with saucy playing from Ward along with lots of spritely lines from Czach, his bass playing a driving if delicate force. In the end, what makes this disc enjoyable is the way the 26-year-old Koppel takes a conventional form (mainstream jazz) and makes something of it, breaking up the material, avoiding the tendency to just write blowing vehicles and, when his own guitar isn't happening (e.g., 'Falling Together', 'Our Tribe'), letting his sidemen take most of the spotlight." - John Ephland, Downbeat Magazine "...his first opportunity to reach a larger audience. He didn't disappoint... Koppel approached the recording in a way you d have hardly expected from most guitarists in their mid-20s. Instead of taking the biggest baddest solos on every tune, Koppel stepped back away from the spotlight to showcase his own terrific compositions, as well the admirable interplay and creativity of his high-end associates. Koppel's quartet features a spectacular young pianist named Matt Nelson, soon to record an album under his own name; he also brought in guest saxophonists Geof Bradfield and Greg Ward, two of the city's most engaging and exciting soloists. The result: an exceptionally mature album by a young guitarist you'll surely hear more from in this and coming years." - Neil Tesser, Examiner.com "...a veritable Who's Who of Chicago's young talent on the jazz scene. Featuring amazing saxophonists Greg Ward and Geof Bradfield, bassist Graham Czach and wunderkind pianist Matt Nelson, this is a band of heavyweights... The writing is varied, the arrangements are smart and the songs are clever... What makes Falling Together, Falling Apart so interesting is the fact that this really is a composer's album. Unlike the vast number of discs that we've all heard that are made up of quick melodies meant to get to chord changes or to inspire finger-busting solos, this is an album of songs. Melodies are deliberate, and even the solo orders are shuffled around in order to serve the song first and foremost. That's a sure mark of a mature leader, which Koppel proves himself to be... To put it simply and without hyperbole, Falling Together, Falling Apart is a fantastic album... This disc is easily recommended." - Paul Abella, Chicago Jazz Magazine "On his quartet's 2009 disc 'Falling Together Falling Apart', mainstream guitarist Aaron Koppel established himself as an inventive composer and surprisingly mature 20-something leader, unafraid to allot plenty of solo space to his sidemen. Inspired by the writing of Dave Hollad and Avishai Cohen, the Chicago-area native studied guitar with Bobby Broom, which probably helps account for his tasty melodicism." - Neil Tesser, Jazziz Magazine "... an emotionally charged excursion through the realm of modern jazz... The ensemble... reflects the best and brightest of the highly creative Chicago modern jazz scene... a cohesive band, strong soloing, well-crafted compositions/arrangements and gripping guitar playing... Koppel delivers a masterful performance on 'Falling Together Falling Apart'. He
