Circuitous is an album by jazz pianist Pandelis Karayorgis, which was recorded in 2012 and released on Driff, an artist-run label co-founded by Karayorgis and Jorrit Dijkstra. He leads a new band with four Chicago-based musicians: saxophonists Dave Rempis and Keefe Jackson, bassist Nate McBride and drummer Frank Rosaly. Karayorgis explains that Tony Williams' seminal album Spring inspired the instrumentation for this project, a quintet with two tenors as the main horns.[1]

Circuitous
Studio album by Pandelis Karayorgis
Released	2013
Recorded	January 16, 2012
Studio	Chicago Public Media, Chicago
Genre	Jazz
Length	61:08
Label	Driff
Pandelis Karayorgis chronology
Window And Doorway (2013) Circuitous (2013) Cocoon (2013)

Reception

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
Down Beat	[2]

In a double review for Down Beat Josef Woodard notes that "the Chicago-based quintet steers perceptions toward comparisons to classic jazz quintet paradigm, different in form and function though it may be."[2]

The All About Jazz review by Glenn Astarita states "Never one to run short on creative sparks, the pianist is a sly arranger, and these works are asymmetrically synched within organization and improvisation. Moreover, several of these pieces are influenced by Thelonious Monk, primarily from an unconventional rhythmic standpoint amid odd-metered expressionism."[3]

The Point of Departure review by Troy Collins says "Karayorgis' Chicago quintet offers an intriguing alternative to his Boston-based ensemble, System Of 5. Similar, but distinct from its East Coast counterpart, the lineup documented on Circuitous explores territory consistent with Karayorgis' oeuvre, which demonstrates a masterful reinvention of post-bop vernacular, expertly balancing the accessibility of the mainstream with the vitalizing freedom of the avant-garde."[4]

Track listing

All compositions by Pandelis Karayorgis

1. "Undertow" – 6:04
2. "Nudge" – 6:30
3. "Swarm" – 9:37
4. "Circuitous" – 5:30
5. "Vortex" – 8:52
6. "Evenfall" – 4:36
7. "Blue Line" – 9:15
8. "Here in July" – 5:18
9. "Souvenir" – 5:26

Personnel

• Dave Rempis - tenor sax, alto sax, baritone sax
• Keefe Jackson - tenor sax, bass clarinet, contrabass clarinet
• Pandelis Karayorgis - piano
• Nate McBride - bass
• Frank Rosaly - drums

References