Music
Press
Guitarist Avi Granite presents a well-balanced sextet on Red Tree (Pet Mantis 003; 52:10) ****. Driven hard by drummer Nick Fraser, the band works through 10 of Granite's spiny compositions, playing the leader's stinging tone against the the twin-sax/trombone front-line. "6th Man" best illustrates the recording's strengths, as the piece shifts seamlessly from the guitarist's solo introduction to a roaring, full-band climax. Granite writes well for horns, and he blends voices effectively on "Life Fragments". - James Hale, Downbeat Magazine, Feb. 2008 - Downbeat Magazine
Avi Granite and his serpentine guitar, half-intellect, half-instinct, fatten up a whole new jazz sound with the saxes and trombone of Jonathan Kay, Chris Roberts and Tom Richards. The music is at once cerebral and playful, unpretentious despite its backward cannonball jumps off the experimental diving board. Some of the experiments are meandering and indeterminate, but mostly 6 Red Tree is flavourful and accessible, for jazz of such original coinage. I loved it, most of it, especially New Rose Neurosis, 6th Man and Life Fragments.
- Jeff Mahoney. The Hamilton Spectator 26/01/2008 - The Hamilton Spectator
Toronto-based composer and guitarist Avi Granite has been working hard over the past couple years, honing his chops, and working on material for his six piece instrumental modern jazz group. You really should look up this kid. With the challenging overall warmth of a good number of 60s-timed champions, not to mention Granite’s own rich and luminous guitar, the all-new AG:6 Red Tree offering (to be released Nov 17 Pet Mantis Records) provides a lot of juice with the fruits its cultivated. Joined by alto sax man Chris Roberts, tenor Jonathan Kay, drummer Nick Fraser, bassist Neal Davis, and Tom Richards on trombone, its upcoming organic charmer is chalk-full of invigorating improvisational change-ups, restless rhythms, and developing melodies that seep through like fresh moisture in a well-aged barrel in the barn. I can only imagine the best is yet to come for Avi (rumble young man, rumble) and his swingin' AG6.
- Eric Theriault, PanPot 28/10/2007 - www.panpot.ca
Discography
Avi Granite:6 "Red Tree" (Pet Mantis Records 2007)
Avi Granite:5 (Pet Mantis Records 2006)
Photos
Bio
The “Avi Granite:6” is a neo-jazz group out of Toronto who have been carving out their sound and music language for the past few years. A highly improvised group concept pervades their music, the layering of groove and metric indulgences are ever present. The group consists of young, upcoming players on the Toronto scene. A horn section of two saxes and a trombone is offset by a rhythm section of electric guitar, upright bass and drums. The “AG:6” explore and combine many elements from far reaching places. There is an evident influence of the Avant-Garde in jazz as well as thematic concepts reminiscent of film music, traces of tribal elements can also be found - the title of the new CD “Red Tree” is derived from the image of embrace that it fosters. All the tunes are penned by Avi Granite, a one time “pots and pans” genius turned improvising restructuralist composer, guitarist and producer whose sense of melody is slightly twisted and whose concept of groove is uniquely penetrating.
The group toured Canada(including a performance a the Montreal Jazz Festival), Switzerland and Denmark in the past year and will be visiting more European cities in the year to come.
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