Transparent Quartet (CDs)

The Needless Kiss – Transparent Quartet (Koch Jazz)

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“The Needless Kiss, the latest recording by Johnston’s Transparent Quartet, is full of nineteen-fifties formalism (West Coast cool, Modern Jazz Quartet subtlety), which Johnston gleefully personalizes with sharp phrasings and free jazz tangents. It’s all held together by Johnston’s fine alto-saxophone work and superb soprano-saxophone playing, and by a drummerless unit that makes imaginative use of vibes, piano, baritone saxophone, and bass.”
—Steve Futterman, The New Yorker.

The Merry Frolics of Satan – The Transparent Quartet (Koch/Asynchronous)

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“Saxist Johnston is a conceptualist with a sense of humor and history. Here, he and the Transparent Quartet present spirited music for short films by silent-cinema pioneer Georges Melies. Jazz wriggles in, as do cabaret, klezmer, avant garde, and pop stylings evocative of the early 20th century, sounding fresh on the brink of the 21st.”
– Josef Woodard, Entertainment Weekly

Page of Madness  – The Transparent Quartet (Asynchronous)

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“…an engaging and absorbing piece of chamber jazz composition/improvisation by a highly skilled band.” – Mark Corroto, All About Jazz. (USA)

“…one of the richest forms of written jazz, plucked from the air by the musicians with great intelligence and immense emotional power. “ – Noël Tachet, Improjazz (FRANCE)

“…really excellent.” – Beppe Colli, Clouds and Clocks. (ITALY)

“…like a clown gone bad…” -Dave Mandl, The Wire (UK)