Real Standard Time features music composed by PRISM Quartet members Tim Ries and Matt Levy. Tim and Matt share a common musical bond, incorporating compositional techniques into their jazz writing that are typically associated with classical music. The result is a refreshing mix of improvisation, driving rhythms, counterpoint, changing meters, and rich harmonic voicing, all within a thoughtful architectural scheme that charts fresh musical territory by blurring stylistic boundaries.
Like the early composers of classical music who were also accomplished performers, Timand Matt have the built-in advantage of writing for their own ensemble, in this case, the PRISM Quartet. This position allows them to exploit the individual musical personalities of the players in an intimate, subtle manner, fully exploring PRISM's artistry.
Since 1984, PRISM has been regarded as among the nation's most versatile quartets, "exciting and virtuosic" (New York Times) and "able to move effortlessly between styles" (Philadelphia Inquirer). Perhaps no other instrument better symbolizes jazz than the saxophone, yet it is an instrument with strong, albeit little known roots in classical music. Real Standard Time brings these two genres together to offer an enviable range of moods.
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