John Kameel Farah & Nick Fraser
Farahser
Out: May 17th, 2024 on Elastic Recordings (LP/DL)
Genres: free jazz, improvisation, electronic
RIYL: Matthew Shipp, Vijay Iyer, Eli Keszler, Flying Lotus, Aleksander Scriabin
NICK FRASER — nickfraserthedrummer.com
JOHN KAMEEL FARAH — johnfarah.com
ELASTIC RECORDINGS — WEB | BANDCAMP
Farahser is a very special partnership between two of Canada’s most singular talents, John Kameel Farah and Nick Fraser and though is ostensibly a duo record, it challenges that definition through its unique creative process.
Nick Fraser has variously been described as “a subtle, highly collaborative and original percussionist” (Jazziz) and “a tremendously creative player, equally at home with free-form improvisation and standard bop-style jazz” (Downbeat). Intrigued by the notion of improvising with musicians who primarily work outside of the “improvised music” genre, the drummer invited John Kameel Farah, a gifted pianist and composer to join him. Farah has spent the past twenty years developing a unique hybrid approach that weaves together elements of jazz, the full span of the classical tradition, electronic genres and Arabic music (in a nod to his Palestinian heritage). Richie Assaly of the Toronto Star recently covered Farah in a long feature piece that praised him as follows: “Watching Farah live, one can’t help but suspect they are watching a musical genius at play. The experimental pianist and composer performs with an almost rapturous physicality, attacking his instruments with astonishing speed and virtuosic precision.”
Initially, the pair recorded spontaneous piano and drum duets in the studio but after, they selected their favourite pieces and Farah, with Fraser’s guidance, extemporized on them with additional electronic textures, as well as various digital manipulation. The result is audibly propelled by improvisation yet feels meticulously crafted and thus resides in its very own musical realm.
COVERAGE:
Year-End — Tim Mah’s Recommended Canadian Jazz Albums of 2024, Four On The Floor
Year-End — Best of 2024, Utility Fog
List — Upcoming Releases, V13
List/ News — Kerry Doole, New & Upcoming Canadian Album Releases: Cadence Weapon, Baby Rose & BADBADNOTGOOD and More, Billboard
List/ News — Kerry Doole, New and Upcoming Canadian Album Releases: Charlotte Day Wilson, Deep Dark Woods & More, Billboard
List/ News — Kerry Doole, New and Upcoming Canadian Album Releases: PartyNextDoor, Neil Young & Crazy Horse and More, Billboard
List/ Newsletter — A Closer Listen Weekly #59
List/ Roundup — Thierry Giard, Albums en Ribambelle #24 – mai 2024, Culture Jazz
List/ Roundup — Maggio 2024: Le uscite discografiche, Jazz In Family
News — Jazz News
News — Gpoint Audio
News — Jazz Music Archives
News — African Paper
News — Johnchacona.com
Article — Will Chernoff, Elastic label: Michael Davidson, Dan Fortin, Bryn Roberts, Rhythm Changes
Track Review — John Chacona, All About Jazz
Review — Patrick Dallongeville, Paris Move
Review — David Reed, Belleville Intelligencer
Review — Ben Taffijn, Nieuwenoten
Review — Stephanie Conn, The WholeNote
Review — Glenn Astarita, All About Jazz
Review — Ivan Rod, Ivanrod.dk
Review — Eric Therer, JazzMania
Review — Tom Haugen, Take Effect Reviews
Review — Allan Sommer, Salt-Peanuts*
Review — Ken Waxman, Musicworks
Review — Ken Waxman, JazzWord
Review — Nitestylez.de
Round-up — Frank P. Eckert, Motherboard Juli 2024, Groove.de
Review/ Round-up — Dee Dee McNeil, Musical Memoirs
Mini-review — Andrew W, CJSW
Mention — Richie Assaly, Olive trees, hope and the power of music in dark times: How a renowned Palestinian-Canadian pianist rediscovered his creative spark, The Toronto Star
Mention — What to do this weekend: Berlin’s best events, The Berliner
Playlist — Hear the Week’s Best New Canadian Music: Softcult, Nemahsis, Wyatt C. Louis, Nelly Furtado, Exclaim!
Playlist — New Music Monday, Twisted Soul
Podcast — The Moderns, Episode #315
Podcast — Co w jazzie piszczy [sezon 2 odcinek 25], Donos Kulturalny
Radio/ Round-up — Ian MacKenzie, Rabble Without a Cause, September 11: Northern sounds – new releases from Finland and Canada, Jazz On The Rideau
Radio/ Chart — Weekly Top 30 Jazz, CFBX (April 15, 2025)
Radio/ Chart — Top 10 Jazz, CJSR (September 16, 2024)
Radio/ Chart — Top Albums, CKCU (September 9-15, 2024)
Radio/ Chart — Top 10 Jazz, CJSR (September 9, 2024)
Radio/ Chart — Weekly Experimental/ Modern Classical Top 10, CJSW (September 4, 2024)
Radio/ Chart — Top 10, Experimental/ Modern Classical, CJSW (August 14, 2024)
Radio/ Chart — Weekly Experimental/ Modern Classical Top 10, CJSW (August 8, 2024)
Radio/ Chart — Top 10 Jazz, CFUV (July 30, 2024)
Radio/ Chart — Weekly Top 30, CJSR (July 29, 2024)
Radio/ Chart — Top 10 Jazz, CJSR (July 29, 2024)
Radio/ Chart — Top 10 Jazz, CJSR (July 22, 2024)
Radio/ Chart — Top 10 Jazz, CJSR (July 15, 2024)
Radio/ Chart — Top 10 Experimental/ Contemporary Classical, CJSW (July 9, 2024)
Radio/ Chart — Top 10 Jazz, CJSR (July 8, 2024)
Radio/ Chart — Top 10 Experimental/ Contemporary Classical, CJSW (June 27, 2024)
Radio/ Chart — Top 10 Jazz, CJSR (June 24, 2024)
Radio/ Chart — Top 10 Experimental/ Contemporary Classical, CJSW (June 13, 2024)
Radio/ Chart — Top 30, CFRU (June 11, 2024)
Radio/ Chart — Top 10 Jazz, CKUT (June 11, 2024)
Radio/ Chart — Top 10 Experimental/ Contemporary Classical, CJSW (June 6, 2024)
Radio/ Chart — Top 10 Jazz, CKUT (June 4, 2024)
Radio/ Chart — Top 10, Experimental/ Modern Classical, CJSW (May 30, 2024)
Radio/ Chart — Top Albums, May 13-19th 2024, CKCU
Radio — Jazz Today, CJSW (January 2, 2025)
Radio — Jazz Amuck, CKUT (January 31, 2025)
Radio — Dois ao Quadrado, RTP (December 22, 2024)
Radio — Liminal Scores, CJSW (December 4, 2024)
Radio — Jazz Fifty-Eight 8, CJSR (September 12, 2024)
Radio — Jazz Tracks, KSQD (September 12, 2024)
Radio — Rabble Without A Cause, CKCU (September 11, 2024)
Radio — Music From Other Minds, KALW (September 1, 2024)
Radio — Noise, CJSW (August 29, 2024)
Radio — Jazz Today, CJSW (August 22, 2024)
Radio — Flight Risk, KOPN (August 21, 2024)
Radio — Alternative To What?, CJSW (August 8, 2024)
Radio — Elysian Fields, KXCI (August 2, 2024)
Radio — Jazz Today, CJSW (August 1, 2024)
Radio — Noise, CJSW (August 1, 2024)
Radio — The Morning Fog, WVUD (July 7, 2024)
Radio — Jazz A Muck, CKUT (July 5, 2024)
Radio — Jazz Today, CJSW (July 4, 2024)
Radio — The Morning Fog, WVUD (June 30, 2024)
Radio — (((tone.bender))), CJRU (June 30, 2024)
Radio — Noise, CJSW (June 27, 2024)
Radio — Alternative To What, CJSW (June 27, 2024)
Radio — Night Bird, CFMU (June 25, 2024)
Radio — The Morning Fog, WVUD (June 23, 2024)
Radio — (((tone.bender))), CJRU (June 23, 2024)
Radio — Jazz A Muck, CKUT (June 21, 2024)
Radio — Jazzmánia, Radio UAQ (June 17, 2024)
Radio — The Morning Fog, WVUD (June 16, 2024)
Radio — (((tone.bender))), CJRU (June 16, 2024)
Radio — Jazzmánia, Radio UAQ (June 15, 2024)
Radio — Melody In Mayhem, Asheville FM (June 14, 2024)
Radio — Jazzmánia, Radio UAQ (June 13, 2024)
Radio — The New Edge, WOMR (June 13, 2024)
Radio — Feast On This, KOWS (June 12, 2024)
Radio — The New Edge, WMBR (June 11, 2024)
Radio — Border-Free Radio, KSQD (June 11, 2024)
Radio — Breaking The Tethers, CJSW (June 10, 2024)
Radio — Jazz Freedom, La Montaña Rusa (June 9, 2024)
Radio — Border-free Radio, KSQD (June 9, 2024)
Radio — The Morning Fog, WVUD (June 9, 2024)
Radio — (((tone.bender))), CJRU (June 9, 2024)
Radio — In The Cooler/ Cooler Classics, NCCR (June 3, 2024)
Radio — Vocal Cords, CJSW (June 3, 2024)
Radio — The Morning Fog, WVUD (June 2, 2024)
Radio — (((tone.bender))), CJRU (June 2, 2024)
Radio — Journey into Mystery, KMNO (May 30, 2024)
Radio — Jazz Today, CJSW (May 30, 2024)
Radio — Expansive Prairie Skies, UMFM (May 29, 2024)
Radio — Breaking The Tethers, CJSW (May 27, 2024)
Radio — Utility Fog, FBI Radio (May 26, 2024)
Radio — Horizon Broadening Hour, CKMS (May 26, 2024)
Radio — The Morning Fog, WVUD (May 26, 2024)
Radio — Coast to Coast to Coast, CFUV (May 25, 2024)
Radio — Bepi Crespan Presents, CITR (May 25, 2024)
Radio — Jazz AMuck, CKUT (May 24, 2024)
Radio — The Morning Fog, WVUD (May 19, 2024)
Radio — World of Jazz #688, Eternal Fusion Radio (May 19, 2024)
Radio — Samschtig Jatz, 3Fach (May 18, 2024)
Radio — Jazz AMuck, CKUT (May 17, 2024)
Radio — Parkdale Pirate Radio (May 16, 2024)
Radio — David Dalle, CKCU (May 16, 2024)
Radio — Electric Sense, CIUT (May 15, 2024)
Radio — Something Else!, KBGA (May 15, 2024)
Radio — Humanoid Radio, CFRU (May 14, 2024)
Radio — Humanoid Radio, CFRU (May 7, 2024)
Radio — Mixed Bag Sessions, Eternal Fusion Radio (May 5, 2024)
Radio — Jazz From Gallery 41, KCSM (May 4, 2024)
Radio — Pushing the Envelope, WHUS (May 4, 2024)
Radio/ Podcast — One Man’s Jazz, Episode #1359 (May 2, 2024)
Radio — Don’t Trip with Margarita, NTS Radio (April 28, 2024)
Radio — Jazz AMuck, CKUT (April 26, 2024)
Radio — Electric Sense, CIUT (April 24, 2024)
Radio — Other Aspects, WAYO (April 21, 2024)
Radio — No Beat Radio, CIUT (April 17, 2024)
Riparian Media 