Matthew Shipp - By The Law of Music '1996

Tracks list

Tracklist

1.	Signal	0:17
2.	By the Law of Music	2:51
3.	Implicit	6:58
4.	Fair Play	5:00
5.	Grid	6:45
6.	Whole Movement	3:05
7.	Game of Control	7:56
8.	Point to Point	4:21
9.	P X	3:28
10.	Grid	5:36
11.	Coo	5:05
12.	X Z U	4:31
13.	Solitude	4:54

personnel : 

Matthew Shipp - piano
Mat Maneri - violin
William Parker - bass

This reissue is one of a series of five classic albums which Matthew Shipp
recorded for hatOLOGY, and it presents the pianist in a superb setting with what
he calls his String Trio. Shipps compositions show a romantic flair, imbued with
a spirit of sophisticated discovery and complex relationships, but what makes
them so compelling is the manner in which the trio interprets them, each piece
ringing with a sense of completeness. Shipps performances, in particular, are
orderly constructs that in retrospect take thoroughly improvised logical paths.
It is to his credit that the organic nature of the pieces merges the various
elements so well, and the performances of William Parker and Mat Maneri are so
utterly compatible and compelling. As with almost any artistic invention, the
music can be heard on a variety of levels: as chamber jazz, it has a beauty that
rewards even the casual listener, while the sophisticated interrelationships
give it a great depth and even charm. Ben Ratliffe notes in his detailed liners
that Shipps debt to Bach and 20th century classical composers is obvious, and he
quotes the pianist as saying he does not know what jazz is. Whatever this music
is called, the elements of free improvisation, melodic invention, and syncopated
rhythms combine to create something of lasting value, evidenced in part by the
relative popularity of such seemingly esoteric fare. The final piece by
Ellington connects a line that puts Shipp within a tradition that places
improvised music outside any pre-conceived modes.

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