blink. (band)
| blink. | |
|---|---|
| Origin | Chicago, Illinois |
| Genres | Jazz fusion |
| Years active | 2006–present[1] |
| Labels | Thirsty Ear Recordings |
| Website | www.thirstyear.com |
| Members |
Jeff Greene Quin Kirchner Dave Miller Greg Ward |
blink. is a jazz fusion band from Chicago, Illinois. It was formed in 2006 when most of the original songs were written by the band's four members.[1] Headed by bassist Jeff Greene, the band's prime motivation lies in the furtherance and expansion of fusion jazz. The full line up of the band consists of Jeff Greene: acoustic and electric basses, samples, harmonium; Quin Kirchner: drums, cymbals, percussion, glockenspiel; Dave Miller: electric guitar, sound effects; Greg Ward: alto sax.[2][3] They have toured extensively across five continents, including North America, Asia, Europe, Africa, and South America.[2] The band's compositions, which included free jazz and sound effects, have been commissioned and performed by the International Contemporary Ensemble.[1]
First studio album
blink. released their first studio album, entitled The Epidemic of Ideas, on August 26, 2008.[2] According to data gathered by Chart, the album was played frequently on jazz radio stations in the United States from September to November 2008.[4][4][5][6][7] The album was the sixth most played jazz album on KSPC for the week of October 27, 2008,[8] and the eight most played on CFRU-FM for the week of October 7, 2008.[9] The Epidemic Of Ideas received the tenth most airplay of any jazz album on CJSW for the week ending October 6, 2008.[10]
The album received positive reviews from music critics. Manny Theiner of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette gave the album a "Very good" 3.5/4 rating, and commented: "The Epidemic of Ideas is an appropriate title for Blink's debut CD, as the exploration of forms, textures and motifs is almost never-ending. Successful tracks range from jazz-funk-rock 'Secret Weapon Part I', where guitarist Dave Miller blisters the fretboard Marc Ribot-style, to the glitchy, laptoppy electronics permeating 'Sources', from the off-kilter, odd-timed Miller guitar runs and Quin Kircher's percussion clatter on 'Displacement', to the comparatively meditative, gamelan-like feel of 'Glass'."[11] Allmusic wrote in their review: "[The album] contains rather provocative investigations of vanguard jazz as it interacts with electronics, mutant funk, and even post-rock. Greene's compositions are rooted in space and edgy drama, and have wide-open spaces for various kinds of improvisations; rarely does one player occupy the solo space without another (or even two) engaging him directly."[2] The album also received positive reviews from All About Jazz[12] and The Phoenix's John Garelick, who gave the album a 3/4 rating and said, "Aside from the general aggressive, post-rock, post-jazz underground feel, there’s pretty tunes here, lots of slow, quiet parts, bebop flow, and even some walking bass. Another way to hear jazz."[3]
References
- 1 2 3 "blink.". Allmusic. Retrieved 2009-06-30.
- 1 2 3 4 "The Epidemic of Ideas". Allmusic. Retrieved 2009-06-30.
- 1 2 Garelick, Jon (October 1, 2008). "The Epidemic of Ideas". The Phoenix. Retrieved 2009-06-30.
- 1 2 "Full Jazz/Blues Chart - October 25–31, 2008". Chart. Retrieved 2009-06-30.
- ↑ "Full Jazz/Blues Chart - October 19–25, 2008". Chart. Retrieved 2009-06-30.
- ↑ "Full Jazz/Blues Chart - October 04 - October 10, 2008". Chart. Retrieved 2009-06-30.
- ↑ "Full Jazz/Blues Chart - September 20–26, 2008". Chart. Retrieved 2009-06-30.
- ↑ "KSPC Charts For The Week Of October 27th, 2008". KSPC. Retrieved 2009-06-30.
- ↑ "Charts - 2008-10-07". CFRU. Retrieved 2009-06-30.
- ↑ "Charts for week ending October 6, 2008". CJSW. Retrieved 2009-06-30.
- ↑ Theiner, Manny (October 23, 2008). "For the Record: AC/DC, Blink, Mike Reed's Loose Assembly". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Retrieved 2009-06-30.
- ↑ Horton, Lyn. "The Epidemic of Ideas". All About Jazz. Retrieved 2009-06-30.
External links
- blink. at Thirsty Ear Recordings official website