''Equilibrium'' is an album by American jazz pianist

Matthew Shipp Matthew Shipp (born December 7, 1960) is an American pianist, composer, and bandleader. Early life and education Shipp was raised in Wilmington, Delaware, and began playing piano at six years old. His mother was a friend of trumpeter Clifford B ...

recorded in 2002 and released on

Thirsty Ear Thirsty Ear Recordings is an American independent record label. It was founded in the late 1970s as a marketing company for the then-unnamed alternative music field, and expanded to issue its own records in 1990. Thirsty Ear came to prominence ...

. According to Shipp, this fourth Blue Series record is a synthesis of what he learned from all their other albums in the series. He continues exploring beat elements with modern jazz.Original liner notes by Matthew Shipp

Reception

In his review for

AllMusic AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the databas ...

, Thom Jurek states "Shipp, whose restless vision is never clouded by grandiosity or pretense, has become the most important pianist on the scene today. ''Equilibrium'' is soul music for the mind." ''

The Penguin Guide to Jazz ''The Penguin Guide to Jazz'' is a reference work containing an encyclopedic directory of jazz recordings on CD which were (at the time of publication) currently available in Europe or the United States. The first nine editions were compiled by ...

'' notes that "FLAM never seems fully integrated into music which retains its power through old-fashioned jazz staples such as improvisational interplay and rhythmical momentum." The

Pitchfork A pitchfork (also a hay fork) is an agricultural tool with a long handle and two to five tines used to lift and pitch or throw loose material, such as hay, straw, manure, or leaves. The term is also applied colloquially, but inaccurately, to th ...

review by Chris Dahlen claims "With ''Equilibrium'', Shipp has created a puzzle box, full of nuanced performances and cryptic details. It's not his most passionate work, but it's the closest to perfect, so precisely constructed that every note invites attention."Dahlen, Chris
''Equilibrium'' review
at

In his review for ''

JazzTimes ''JazzTimes'' is an American magazine devoted to jazz. Published 10 times a year, it was founded in Washington, D.C. in 1970 by Ira Sabin as the newsletter ''Radio Free Jazz'' to complement his record store. Coverage After a decade of growth ...

'', Stuart Nicholsonn states "Part of a work in progress, ''Equilibrium'' moves beyond the so-called 'jazz tradition' to the real jazz tradition, where imagination has free and ideas evolve and develop their own momentum, inspired by the present and future as much (or more) than by the past."Nicholson, Stuart
''Equilibrium'' review
at ''

Track listing

:''All compositions by Matthew Shipp'' # "Equilibrium" – 3:44 # "Vamp to Vibe" – 5:28 # "Nebula Theory" – 5:25 # "Cohesion" – 6:35 # "World of Blue Glass" – 5:26 # "Portal" – 1:13 # "The Root" – 5:03 # "The Key" – 4:12 # "Nu Matrix" – 4:01

Personnel

piano The piano is a stringed keyboard instrument in which the strings are struck by wooden hammers that are coated with a softer material (modern hammers are covered with dense wool felt; some early pianos used leather). It is played using a keyboa ...

* William Parker –

bass Bass or Basses may refer to: Fish * Bass (fish), various saltwater and freshwater species Music * Bass (sound), describing low-frequency sound or one of several instruments in the bass range: ** Bass (instrument), including: ** Acoustic bass gui ...

* Gerald Cleaver –

drums A drum kit (also called a drum set, trap set, or simply drums) is a collection of drums, cymbals, and other Percussion instrument, auxiliary percussion instruments set up to be played by one person. The player (drummer) typically holds a pair o ...

Khan Jamal Khan Jamal (July 23, 1946 – January 10, 2022), born Warren Robert Cheeseboro, was an American jazz vibraphone and marimba player. He founded the band Sounds of Liberation in 1970. He was described by Ron Wynn as "a proficient soloist when p ...

- vibes *FLAM - synths + programming

References

{{Authority control 2003 albums Matthew Shipp albums Thirsty Ear Recordings albums