Jacob Fred Jazz Odyssey: The Sameness of Difference
One cannot help but think that producer Joel Dorn's suggestion that the band record an album’s worth of jazz standards was the missing piece needed to bring the band to full maturation in the studio. The concept eventually loosened up to include covers of music of all kinds of styles and genres as well as some original material. The balance is great, because hearing the way the trio deconstructs some of the familiar material offers fresh insight into their original compositions and they way they perform together. There is a bit of contrast between the group's more jagged compositional style juxtaposed with the melodic beauty of Bjork’s "Isobel," Charles Mingus' sense of musical history and sense of humor on "Fables of Faubus," Neil Young's tragic romanticism on "Don't Let It Bring You Down." Next to these shadings, the frenetic "Halliburton Breakdown" or the meditative "Slow Breath, Silent Mind" provide additional textures that balance the recording perfectly.

Once again Brian Haas is playing exclusively acoustic piano here, and once again he proves an inventive player, with gobs of technique as well as a really keen sense of musicianship that allows a judicious use of that technique. Bassist Reed Mathis, with his bag of sonic tricks, is The Edge of Jacob Fred Jazz Odyssey, and he is very successful here at using those effects to add texture to the recipe, but not to over spice it. The soaring meditation of the Hendrix classic "Have You Ever Been to Electric Ladyland" is well-served by Mathis' "guitar" work, and it says a lot that there’s nothing gimmicky about it. "Slow Breath Silent Mind" is classic JFJO, and the version here begins softly but restlessly before building to a majestic plateau that slowly descends into stillness.

Everything here is handled with taste and aplomb, presenting the band in the best possible light. For that reason, Jacob Fred Jazz Odyssey’s The Sameness of Difference is highly recommended.

"JFJO burns with a quiet intensity rather than dramatically explode. The musicians play with a coiled looseness, improvising with quicksilver yet deliberate force. You can hear the band's power and inventiveness creatively eroding structure, and the tension produced from that is exhilarating." - Jazz Times

"Reed Mathis delivers soaring, violin-like arco passages, Brian Haas's sparkling, fluid piano runs cluster up and turn heavy and dark just when they need to, and Jason Smart's drumming is clean and impeccable." - Chicago Reader

"Jacob Fred Jazz Odyssey are the real deal; a tight, adventurous trio that can change time on a dime, stretch jazz to its outer limits, and make you nod your head all at the same time." - Dallas Morning News

The Jacob Fred Jazz Odyssey return with a brand new studio recording entitled, The Sameness of Difference. Produced by Grammy Award-winning producer Joel Dorn, the album finds the improvisational trio playing at the absolute pinnacle of their collective powers. Having spent the previous year touring the U.S. non stop, their improvisational group mind is razor sharp. Additionally, for the first time on record, JFJO expand their repertoire to include high profile compositions by the likes of Bjork, Charles Mingus, The Flaming Lips, Neil Young and Dave Brubeck among others. These renditions, alongside five JFJO original compositions, provide for the group’s most dynamic and even brilliant effort to date. With their star on the rise, having recently opened dates for Les Claypool and making high profile appearances at the NYC JVC Jazz Festival, 10,000 Lakes Festival, High Sierra, Iowa City Jazz Festival and the Wicker Park Music Festival, the Jacob Fred Jazz Odyssey is primed to become the next major force in jazz and improvised music.

Jacob Fred Jazz Odyssey is:
Brian Haas - acoustic piano
Jason Smart - drums
Reed Mathis - bass, effects