Scratching the Surface (Rob Brown and Lou Grassi album)

Scratching the Surface is an album by a quartet co-led by jazz saxophonist Rob Brown and drummer Lou Grassi, which was recorded in 1997 and released on CIMP. They are joined by Israeli tenor saxophonist Assif Tsahar and bassist Chris Lightcap.

Reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic
The Penguin Guide to Jazz

In his review for AllMusic, Steve Loewy states "High points include the wonderful tunes and arrangements by Brown, as well as his highly inventive soloing. If the horns sometimes seem to fly in different directions, the lengthy improvisations should be a sax lover's delight."

The All About Jazz review by Derek Talor notes that "All four men are at the height of their game on this session and the compositions, authored mainly by Brown, are designed with maximum improvisational opportunities in mind."

The Penguin Guide to Jazz observes that "Bob Rusch's sleeve-note seems to hint at a disappointment that this band is playing in a fundamentally conservative style as far as free music is concerned... The result is surely the best record Brown's put his name on".

Track listing

All compositions by Rob Brown except as indicated

"The Arc" – 5:14
"Stray Arrow" – 3:29
"A Hatful" – 8:42
"Clean Sweep" – 7:59
"3 Rings" – 15:35
"Triangle" (Assif Tsahar) – 8:03
"Procession" – 8:28
"Unitarians" (Chris Lightcap) – 8:08

Personnel

References

^ Loewy, Steve. Rob Brown – Scratching the Surface: Review at AllMusic. Retrieved October 30, 2014.
^ Cook, Richard; Brian Morton (2006). The Penguin Guide to Jazz Recordings. The Penguin Guide to Jazz (8th ed.). London: Penguin. pp. 178. ISBN 978-0-141-02327-4.
Taylor, Derek. Scratching the Surface review at All About Jazz

v t e Rob Brown
Years given are for the recording(s), not first release, unless stated otherwise.
Studio albums	Sonic Explorations (with Matthew Shipp, 1987) Breath Rhyme (1989) Youniverse (1992) Illuminate (with Joe Morris, 1993) High Wire (1993) Orbit (with Guerino Mazzola and Heinz Geisser, 1996) Scratching the Surface (with Lou Grassi, 1997) Visage (1998) Jumping Off the Page (2000) Round the Bend (2001) Likewise (with Joe Morris and Luther Gray, 2003) The Big Picture (2003) Radiant Pools (2004) Sounds (2006) Right Hemisphere (with Matthew Shipp, Joe Morris, and Whit Dickey, 2006) Crown Trunk Root Funk (2007)
Live albums	Blink of an Eye (with Matthew Shipp, 1996) We Are Not Obstinate Islands (with Steve Swell and Harris Eisenstadt, 2004) Live at Firehouse 12 (2007) Unexplained Phenomena (2010) Unknown Skies (2010)

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