Music Review: Asaf Sirkis & The Inner Noise - The Song Within

For most people who aren't dead yet, the sound of a jazz organ trio forces the toe to commence to tappin'. Though the music is often of a 'serious' nature, this particular configuration (organ, drums, guitar) made it easy to play some down & dirty grooves. Jack McDuff, Big John Patton, Jimmy Smith, Joey DeFrancesco — they could all bring it, laying down simmering blues/funk/jazz lines dressed up for an evening out with the Hammond organ.

Now imagine a more fusion-oriented kind of music, but with the Hammond B-3 replaced by a pipe organ. Yes, that thing they play in churches (or for you secular types, during the funeral scene in the movie The Big Chill). If you can get your head and ears wrapped around this concept, then you're ready for Asaf Sirkis & Inner Noise.

The irony here, or at least the jarring return to the roots of the organ trio, is that the Hammond organ was originally marketed as a low cost replacement for pipe organs. The timbre of the pipe organ might sound 'funny' to our ears in the jazz context, but it should be remembered that Fats Waller was the man on the instrument.

The music on The Song Within ranges from moody ballads ("Miniature") to blistering jazz/rock suites ("When You Ask Why," "Nothingness First Part I") to more straight ahead modern blowing (the title track, "Hymn"). There are even a few solo organ pieces ("Nothingness First Part II," "Theme For Gary," "Sweet Song"). Just when you're getting used to the new combinations of sounds, one of these stark organ selections turns up to remind you that this is indeed a very different place we've arrived at.

Steve Lodder's inspiring church organ work aside, a lot of credit must be given to guitarist Mike Outram and of course leader and drummer Asaf Sirkis. While Outram's twisty and angular guitar lines (in some case, reminiscent of Alan Holdsworth minus 47.2% of the notes) fly through the changes, Sirkis plays up a Tony Williams-like storm that serves to both propel and support the rest of the band. His sensitive use of accents add color to the quieter moments without getting in the way.

The cynical reviewer's stereotypical lament about music is that there's "nothing new under the sun." That line has always seemed not only cynical, but lazy. Asaf Sirkis & Inner Noise knock that stereotype right on its slacker backside.

Article Author: Mark Saleski

Mark Saleski is a writer and music obsessive based out of the Monadnock region of New Hampshire. He is an editor and writer for Jazz.com. He also writes reviews for Blogcritics.org and produces the weekly feature The Friday Morning Listen. …

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