Rip Tear Crunch by The Rempis Percusssion Quartet

The set I caught a couple weeks ago at Hotti Biscotti created an unstoppable momentum with its seamless transitions, opening with a polyrhythmic whirlwind worthy of late- 60s Pharoah Sanders and building from there." - Bill Meyer, Chicago Reader

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Rip Tear Crunch is the 11th entry in the 482 Music ongoing Document Chicago series. Led by saxophonist Dave Rempis, a member of prominent Chicago-based groups such as Triage and the Vandermark 5, The Rempis Percussion Quartet features fellow Chicago scene veterans Anton Hatwich (Indoor/Outdoor, Festival Quartet), Tim Daisy (Triage, Kyle Bruckman's Wrack) and Frank Rosaly (Fred Lonberg-Holm Trio, Ken Vandermark's Crisis Ensemble).

Critics have called Dave Rempis "one of the busiest and most versatile jazz musicians in Chicago" (Peter Margasak, Chicago Reader), "a ferocious virtuoso improviser" (Marc Meyers, AllAboutJazz.com) and "a young veteran of Chicago's experimental music scene who has been establishing a vividly recognizable voice of his own" (Howard Reich, Chicago Tribune). In addition to his well documented sideman work, he leads/co-leads groups such as Triage, The Engines, The Rempis/Daisy Duo, and The Dave Rempis Quartet, which recorded the fifth Document Chicago series entry, 2004's Out of Season (482-1021). Founded in April 2004, The Rempis Percussion Quartet draws on a wide range of influences, including West African and Latin American rhythms, funk and free jazz, to create spontaneous music driven by unrestrained energy and a focus on ensemble motion. Find out more at http://www.daverempis.com

Downtown Music Gallery review

Bruce Gallanter

THE REMPIS PERCUSSION QUARTET - Rip Tear Crunch (482 Music 1046; US) Featuring Dave Rempis on alto, tenor & bari saxes, Anton Hatwich on bass and Tim Daisy & Frank Rosaly on percussion. One of the great things about the Vandermark 5 is their other saxist, Dave Rempis, who has consistently knocked me out live and on all dozen Vandermark 4 discs. Although Mr. Rempis doesn't get the recognition of Mr. Vandermark, he has continually to put out fine discs of his own: 3 with Triage, a duo with Tim Daisy, a Qt. disc on 482 Music and this is his second disc with his Percussion Quartet. Both drummers work well together, creating great four-handed grooves. Each of the five pieces here has a different and often infectious rhythmic thing going on. "Shreds" has a great, slow-burning groove that had me dancing around my kitchen. "Flank" stretches out time with slow-moving drones of bari sax, bowed bass and floating percussion. The title track is nearly a half-hour long and has a great bluesy groove with both drummers weaving around one another as Dave plays a feisty tenor solo and Anton a swell walking and talking bass solo. The piece slows down to a slow, somber dreamy section a third of the way through and then builds back up to another fine sort of funky groove again. Bassist Anton Hatwich, with whom I was not familiar, sounds wonderful throughout, with his fat tone and spirited playing. He is the central force on "Dirty Work Can Be Clean Fun", as the rest of the quartet swirls freely around him. "The Rub" closes this great disc with a freer vibe, the tenor and bowed bass slowly burning together, soon the drummer emerge, all four simmering and building to a calm frenzy. Both drummers sound especially fine as they weave a strong tapestry together.

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