REVIEWS

John Blum Reviews 

“Blum sounds like no one else but himself…there are those unique twists. turns, and assorted surprises that put him in a class of his own. Each piece has a sense of purpose and a unified idea (or ideas) at the center. This is the most engaging solo piano offering I have heard in quite a while, and is an excellent example of the next step in the avant/jazz trio progression.” ---Bruce Gallanter, DMG, 2010

“Blum plays with such forcefulness and rapidity that his music sounds like Conlon Noncarrow’s player piano rolls, interpreted via human hands, freed up into a liquid state. He possesses high control and a vast lexicon…truly a virtuoso.” ---Martin Longley, ALLABOUTJAZZ, 2010

“Blum’s music is riveting, exciting, moving, and inspiring. It’s the essence of what the greatest music and art should be…where inner exploration is forced to the surface with honesty, openness, and unbridled energy…it’s a heart, soul, and mind endeavor of such rarity and purity it cannot be ignored.” ---Tony Porter, SHAKENSTIR, 2010

“Crosses between James P. Johnson and Conlon Noncarrow are elicited…other pieces seem indebted to Jaki Byard…Forebears are only approximate reference points though—Blum’s concerns are elemental.” ---Clifford Allen, SIGNAL TO NOISE, 2010

“Blum’s keyboard technique is something of a free jazz hybrid of McCoy Tyner and Cecil Taylor, decidedly percussive but with relentlessly fast right hand linear structure. He creates a vocabulary of undertones and overtones that are unique from his band mates but never thoughtless of the big picture.” —Karl Ackermann, ALLABOUTJAZZ, 2010

“ After more than a decade of performing as both a soloist, large ensemble leader, and highly regarded side man with some of the most recognized and respected musicians in jazz, John has developed an immediately recognizable voice. It is immediately obvious that John is in total command of the complex language of technique and harmonic conventions of the piano. The antecedents are apparent: late romanticism, the second Viennese School, stride, boogie-woogie, and, of course, be-bop and the voice of "free" jazz. But John has absorbed all these styles to find his own unique voice that defies classification." ---Stuart Kremsky, IARJC JOURNAL

“Blum comes off as a deep thinker, always searching and exploring his compositions, sometimes seeming to be possessed by his rich textures but keeping a coherent flow over the eight pieces. Blum is a musician who aims at the very personal, the most intense spheres, always developing and honing his original voice.”--Eyal Hareuveni, THE SQUIDS EAR

 “Blum has absorbed the energy of Taylor and Pullen, his ferocious ebullience and torrential alacrity a defining force in the ensemble. His Quartet Astrogeny is one of the strongest free jazz releases of the year.”       ---Michael Rosenstein, SIGNAL TO NOISE

“John Blum conveys the concepts of honesty and integrity in his playing. He states his feelings without reservation, and the heavy music mirrors his mental frame of mind. Blum reveals his inner being through his art, and the listening experience becomes very personal. He throws down the gauntlet, and the astute observer is the richer for accepting the challenge.” ---Frank Rubolino, ONE FINAL NOTE

"John Blum is visceral at the keys, with a classicist's touch and an avant-gardist's fury…his music has meaning, and its power runs deep." ---John Barrett, JAZZUSA.COM

“John Blum’s playing is uncanny...very dense in places, both hands with a mind of their own....sounding unlike anyone. “ ---John C. Graham, AMAZON.COM REVIEWS

“John Blum demonstrates the focus, energy, and imagination that make him one of the exceptional free jazz pianists. He has a demonically swift technique, and physical resources bordering on the superhuman. Blum is a force of nature and too good a player to ignore.” ---Chris Kelsey, ETCETERA, 2010