Last Sunday (May 7, 2006) The New York Times featured an OUTSTANDING review of our new May 9th release by The Bennie Maupin Ensemble titled "Penumbra". Written by the VERY respectable, and wise beyond-his-peers (well, SOME of them for sure) jazz critic Ben Ratliff, the review, originally scheduled to run the Sunday prior featured a PHOTO! By being bumped a week it coincided with the release date! THANK YOU BEN (and Bennie). Thank you New York Times! We couldn't agree more with Mr. Ratliff who wrote, "Penumbra" (Cryptogramophone) marks the return of the musician who played the spidery, sepulchral bass clarinet lines all over Miles Davis' "Bitches Brew." Mr. Maupin, who also plays saxophones and flute as well as some piano, has lived in California since 1972. He has a patient, concentrated, self-possessed sound, as if he has a lot of time, knows what he can do and isn't interested in blowing you away all at once. The new record, with a California band, is immensely satisfying: a sustained mood of laid-back wariness, at times close to chamber music, with lots of space in the music and grooves played subtly." ####
We're also getting great reviews on both the Bennie Maupin and the new Jeff Gauthier Goatette release "One and the Same" in a variety of places. How 'bout a 4 and a half star review in All Music Guide? www.allmusic.com All About Jazz , Dusted Magazine http://www.dustedmagazine.com/reviews/2848 and more to come!