{"id":110,"date":"2006-04-06T18:50:48","date_gmt":"2006-04-06T23:50:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/hightwo.net\/two\/ht007\/"},"modified":"2006-04-06T18:50:48","modified_gmt":"2006-04-06T23:50:48","slug":"ht007","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/hightwo.net\/two\/ht007\/","title":{"rendered":"Shot \u00d7 Shot: Shot \u00d7 Shot"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Shot<\/strong>

Shot x Shot - Shot x Shot<\/p><\/div>\n

    \n
  1. [download#11#nohits] [download#11#image]<\/li>\n
  2. One Point Three Full Breaths (D. Capecchi) 11:53<\/li>\n
  3. Two Improvisations (SHOT \u00d7 SHOT) 10:02<\/li>\n
  4. Volzalisle (D. Scofield) 10:14<\/li>\n
  5. Chains of Agree (M. Engle) 13:02<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    Released:<\/strong> April 11, 2006<\/p>\n

    Dan Capecchi \u2013 drums
    \nMatt Engle \u2013 bass
    \nBryan Rogers \u2013 tenor saxophone
    \nDan Scofield \u2013 alto saxophone<\/p>\n

    Recorded live at St. Mary’s Church, Philadelphia, PA. May 22, 2005.Mastered by Chris Flam at Mindswerve Studios, NYC.<\/p>\n

    All songs \u00a9 2006 Shot \u00d7 Shot<\/p>\n

    Liner notes by Francis Davis:<\/p>\n

    What\u2019s likely to strike you first about Shot \u00d7 Shot\u2019s debut CD is Dan Scofield and Bryan Rogers\u2019s twin saxophone keening. The Philadelphia-based quartet\u2019s signature sound, it\u2019s going to remind some listeners of Lee Konitz and Warne Marsh, and others of Coltrane and Pharoah Sanders\u2014let\u2019s split the difference and say it\u2019s like Konitz and Marsh in a more heated setting. This is music in which foreground and background are constantly shifting: the ear is drawn to the two horns, because that\u2019s the way we\u2019re used to listening to jazz; but Matt Engle\u2019s bass and Dan Capecchi\u2019s drums are often out front, and their ongoing dialogue is as vigorous and loose-limbed as Scofield and Rogers\u2019s. So along with Coltrane and the Tristanoites, listeners might also be reminded of Ron Carter and Tony Williams with Miles, and even more so of Charlie Haden and Ed Blackwell with Ornette Coleman (as Capecchi points out, \u201cwe originally bonded over our mutual love of Ornette Coleman\u2019s music\u201d as students in Philadelphia at the University of the Arts).<\/p>\n

    All well and good\u2014these are enduring influences and convenient points of reference in listening to Shot \u00d7 Shot. But it\u2019s good to remember three of the band\u2019s members are still in their early twenties (Capecchi is the old man of the group at 26). These young musicians have also been keeping tabs on recent developments. Rahsaan Roland Kirk, Tim Berne, and John Zorn are also in the mix, along with Brian Eno, Sly Stone, gamelan, and film (the band\u2019s name is a conscious film reference).\u201d This recording makes it clear that the members of Shot \u00d7 Shot haven\u2019t been passive receptors for these diverse influences. Indeed, it\u2019s as if they\u2019ve found the common thread between them, starting with Tristano and continuing up to the present\u2014an emphasis on improvisation, rather than solos per se.<\/p>\n

    \u201cVery few of our compositions make it to performance without the entire group shaping and reshaping them in terms of form and sound,\u201d says Scofield, who also gigs alongside Rogers in Bobby Zankel\u2019s Warriors of the Wonderful Sound and the eclectic, world-music influenced Sonic Liberation Front, which also includes Engle. \u201cWe usually talk in detail about each composition, both in terms of concrete things\u2014rhythm, dynamics, improvisational cues, and instrumental pairings\u2014and abstract concepts like shape, texture, and sonic space.\u201d His own \u201cVolzalisle\u201d\u2014the most instantly spellbinding of the five performances here, with its dovetailing saxes, suspended rhythms, and slow combustion\u2014is a kind of mantra based on a theme he originally composed on kalimba and meant to exploit the boomy acoustics of St. Mary\u2019s Church (whose rectory once housed the Empty Foxhole, the only place in Philadelphia to hear the likes of Cecil Taylor, the Art Ensemble of Chicago, and David Murray in the 1970s).<\/p>\n

    The swarming and aptly titled opener \u201cBee Assassins\u201d was written by Capecchi, who describes it as \u201ca head on which the tenor has a droning note over which the alto plays a twisted, quarter-note triplet melody\u2014and when the bass comes in, it\u2019s the same as the alto\u2019s melody, but in quarter notes rather than triplets.\u201d During the improvisations, \u201cwe come back to the original alto melody, but in a different way each time.\u201d Capecchi\u2019s \u201cOne Point Three Full Breaths\u201d is built around \u201cthe tension between the deliberately mechanical-sounding bass line and the horn melody, which is human and somewhat hesitant.\u201d In the ensuing free improvisation, alto, tenor, and bass \u201call have melodic figures with identical rhythm\u2014quarter, half, quarter, quarter\u2014in 7\/8 that start at different points of the measure. The drums adhere to this as well, but I occasionally leave the pattern to let it breathe.\u201d And breathe it does, largely thanks to Capecchi\u2019s ability to sustain momentum and pulse while steering clear of a regular beat. Despite the elliptical title (based on a piece of bygone Philadelphia graffiti), \u201cThe Chains of Agree,\u201d is the album\u2019s most straightforward piece, with its ticking rhythms and singing saxophone unison. \u201cTwo Improvisations\u201d is what the title implies\u2014a collective, in-the-moment performance that increases in complexity as it swells in dynamics, and whose organization and discipline is a tribute to Shot \u00d7 Shot\u2019s group identity.<\/p>\n

    Don\u2019t buy the lie that jazz has completed its evolution and virtuoso recapitulation is all we have to look forward to from here on out. Something fresh and exciting is unfolding in jazz, and these talented young Philadelphians are doing their part to speed it along. It\u2019s been ages since I\u2019ve heard a debut recording this adventurous and assured.<\/p>\n

    Reviews<\/h2>\n

    Downbeat <\/strong>
    \n{Greg Buium, July 2006}
    \n3.5 stars… Shot \u00d7 Shot takes deceptively simple, bare-bones structures and turns them into spacey, infinitely layered improvisations… I wonder what\u2019s next for this excellent young quartet.<\/p>\n

    The Wire <\/strong>
    \n{Phil Freeman, May 2006}
    \nThe group\u2019s debut, recorded in a Philadelphia church, documents a battle between the participants and their environment. Natural reverberation is the fifth instrument\u2014delicate horn duets shimmer away into ambient haze, as Dan Capecchi\u2019s drums thump and rattle and bassist Matt Engle struggles manfully to make an impact.<\/p>\n

    Things begin slowly, with Capecchi eliciting sounds very much like feedback from his cymbals, before the horns come in\u2014Rogers droning, Scofield playing slow, beautiful sequences of notes that seem only tenuously connected. But each sound chosen is indisputably right…
    \nAll [tracks] leave an impression, upon completion, of being neither solipsistic nor beholden to clich\u00e9\u2014a small miracle, these days. This calmly assured debut bodes well for the future of all involved.<\/p>\n

    Philadelphia City Paper<\/a> <\/strong>
    \n{Shaun Brady, Mar 9, 2006}
    \n“It is the push-pull of each feeding off the others, taking and surrendering the lead, that gives the group its powerful collective identity.”<\/p>\n

    Downtown Music Gallery<\/strong>
    \n{Michael Anton Parker, Apr 2006}
    \nShot x Shot is a precocious quartet of young guys finding their place in the tradition of jazz as creative improvised music and not beating a dead bop horse… When the ensemble erupts it feels organic and purposeful; their lanquidity is restraint for the sake of nuance, not a rut for the sake of a concept. It’s the kind of jazz where structural experimentalism is matched by an unfailing devotion to melody of the achingly tender, wandering Berne variety even when it works its way into bark and bluster. In his enthusiastic liner notes Francis Davis goes as far as comparing the horn frontline to Konitz\/Marsh. The spacious, open feeling is magnified by the recording conditions, a large church with cavernous reverb. I went to see this group play a record release gig last night and they had my rapt attention from start to finish. This record also casts a spell with its bristling tapestry of introspection. These guys have the elusive group chemistry and personal depth that deserves the attention of serious jazz fans.”<\/p>\n

    Signal to Noise <\/strong>
    \n{Shaun Brady, Summer 2006}
    \nThe sustained sonic hangtime serves the slow-build approach to composition, wherein all four pass the spotlight, spiraling inwards towards the melody by an accumulation of elements.<\/p>\n

    WNUR <\/a><\/strong>
    \n{April 2006}
    \nPick of the Week: This is a remarkable album and a rare event in that we hardly ever see a debut recording… The interplay between musicians can be so beautifully layered one doesn\u2019t know what to listen to first. The playing itself is truly experimental as Shot x Shot doesn\u2019t fall into any of the neatly organized categories for modern jazz. Part of the reason is that it doesn\u2019t follow closely to a particular aesthetic. Shot x Shot\u2019s emphasis on ambiance and texture draws it closer to post-rock while its instrumentation and emphasis on improvisation puts it squarely in the jazz\/free improv camp… Shot x Shot\u2019s debut represents a meaningful step forward in jazz\u2019s evolution.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    [download#11#nohits] [download#11#image] One Point Three Full Breaths (D. Capecchi) 11:53 Two Improvisations (SHOT \u00d7 SHOT) 10:02 Volzalisle (D. Scofield) 10:14 […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"nf_dc_page":"","_eb_attr":"","advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[47,53,54,62,50,63,55],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-110","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-artists","category-cds","category-donwloads","category-ht007","category-releases","category-shot-x-shot","category-store"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","acf":[],"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":1016,"url":"https:\/\/hightwo.net\/two\/reviews-sxs-5\/","url_meta":{"origin":110,"position":0},"title":"Reviews – SXS","author":"admin","date":"March 26, 2009","format":false,"excerpt":"Author: Tom Hull Source: Jazz Prospecting (CG #17, Part 2) Link to this article Shot x Shot: Let Nature Square (2007 [2008], High Two): Trivia: type \"shot x shot\" into google and it returns: 1 shot x shot = 1.96783571 \u00d7 10-9 m6. No idea what that means, but typographically\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Artists"","block_context":{"text":"Artists","link":"https:\/\/hightwo.net\/two\/category\/artists\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":876,"url":"https:\/\/hightwo.net\/two\/reviews-shot-x-shot-2\/","url_meta":{"origin":110,"position":1},"title":"Reviews – Shot X Shot","author":"admin","date":"March 11, 2009","format":false,"excerpt":"Author: Phil Freeman Source: The Wire May 2006 The group\u2019s debut, recorded in a Philadelphia church, documents a battle between the participants and their environment. Natural reverberation is the fifth instrument\u2014delicate horn duets shimmer away into ambient haze, as Dan Capecchi\u2019s drums thump and rattle and bassist Matt Engle struggles\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Artists"","block_context":{"text":"Artists","link":"https:\/\/hightwo.net\/two\/category\/artists\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":885,"url":"https:\/\/hightwo.net\/two\/reviews-shot-x-shot-6\/","url_meta":{"origin":110,"position":2},"title":"Reviews – Shot x Shot","author":"admin","date":"March 11, 2009","format":false,"excerpt":"Author: Shaun Brady Source: Philadelphia City Paper - Home Records Link to this article The cavernous acoustics of St. Mary's Church at Penn could almost be considered the fifth member of Shot X Shot. In this context the quartet, featuring members of Sonic Liberation Front and Bobby Zankel's Warriors of\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Artists"","block_context":{"text":"Artists","link":"https:\/\/hightwo.net\/two\/category\/artists\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":880,"url":"https:\/\/hightwo.net\/two\/reviews-shot-x-shot-4\/","url_meta":{"origin":110,"position":3},"title":"Reviews – Shot X Shot","author":"admin","date":"March 11, 2009","format":false,"excerpt":"Author: Shaun Brady Source: Philadelphia City Paper May 2008 link to this article \"Annie, are you OK?\" The sudden appearance of Michael Jackson's \"Smooth Criminal\" over the formerly silent speakers of the Rittenhouse Square coffee shop where the four members of Shot x Shot had spent 45 minutes discussing their\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Artists"","block_context":{"text":"Artists","link":"https:\/\/hightwo.net\/two\/category\/artists\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":4349,"url":"https:\/\/hightwo.net\/two\/reviews-sxs-3\/","url_meta":{"origin":110,"position":4},"title":"Reviews – SXS","author":"admin","date":"March 26, 2009","format":false,"excerpt":"Author: Shaun Brady Source: Philadelphia City Paper May 6, 2008 Link to this article \"Annie, are you OK?\" The sudden appearance of Michael Jackson's \"Smooth Criminal\" over the formerly silent speakers of the Rittenhouse Square coffee shop where the four members of Shot x Shot had spent 45 minutes discussing\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Artists"","block_context":{"text":"Artists","link":"https:\/\/hightwo.net\/two\/category\/artists\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":912,"url":"https:\/\/hightwo.net\/two\/912-2\/","url_meta":{"origin":110,"position":5},"title":"Reviews – SLF","author":"admin","date":"March 17, 2009","format":false,"excerpt":"Author: Jeff Stockton Source: All About Jazz Link to this article Twelve musicians play in the Sonic Liberation Front on Change Over Time, but only three appeared on the group's previous release, 2004\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s critically acclaimed Ashe a Go- Go, including musical directors Kevin Diehl and Chuckie Joseph. As you would\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Artists"","block_context":{"text":"Artists","link":"https:\/\/hightwo.net\/two\/category\/artists\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/hightwo.net\/two\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/110","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/hightwo.net\/two\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/hightwo.net\/two\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hightwo.net\/two\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hightwo.net\/two\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=110"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/hightwo.net\/two\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/110\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/hightwo.net\/two\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=110"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hightwo.net\/two\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=110"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hightwo.net\/two\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=110"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}