Freezeframe Makes You Stop, Look, Listen
Band Performs Free Concert at Hawk's Nest
Matt Gilbert
Issue date: 9/29/05 Section: Entertainment
Let's go over some basic math. "Free" plus "concert" is supposed to equal bad. Think about it ... most musicians play in order to make money, and playing free concerts does not make money. Hence, popular bands will force you to pay to see them. For this reason alone, the term "free concert" strikes fear into my heart.
Now that we have that premise in place, let's try another equation. "Jazz" plus "rock" should logically equal shoddy. Jazz is known for its strong rhythm and complicated harmonies. Rock is known for, well, rocking you. It most often consists of loud, pulsing beats, with a much faster pace and tone than jazz music. Trying to combine the two seems like an exercise in futility. You're attempting to unite two forms of music that have completely different styles.
These were supposed to be basic tenets of life. You were supposed to be able to live your life by these creeds. With this in mind, a free concert of jazz rock would be unpleasant squared.
Freezeframe single-handedly revolutionized all of that. They not only head-lined a mind-blowing free concert at the Hawk's Nest last Saturday, but they did it using their innovative mixture of jazz, rock and a touch of bluegrass. Done right, this modern rock concoction provides Freezeframe with an unmatched flexibility.
On songs such as the addictive "Turnaround" (which I had repeating through my head all night), they can rock with the best of them, making it impossible for you not to bob your head in tune with the beat. But they can also slow it down and create beautiful, sweeping melodies. The band employs the same bass and drums other rock bands do, but their use of guitar and violin creates a softer sound that can't be matched.
The band consists of Hartt School students Bob Tanen (vocals, guitar, bass), Ben Dean (electric violin), Balint Boldog (drums) and Jared Elder (bass, guitar). Their array of instruments creates a fresh sound, but this would be nothing if it wasn't for the energy that they instill into their music. On stage, you could see them having fun, and Bob even led a sing-a-long of Green Day's "Good Riddance" to get the crowd involved in the action. This effervescence shines through in their music, and finding emotion intertwined with an original beat is a refreshing change of pace from the packaged and processed music pumping through the radio and on television. The guys in Freezeframe perform because of a love for music, and that attitude is intoxicating.
Fortunately, the guys say that they will be returning to the studio soon to do a full-length CD. But if you're like me and can't wait for their CD, do a little homework and check them out at freezeframemusic.com, and listen to a couple of their songs on Purevolume.
And if you spot one of their upcoming shows, be smart and see it. Freezeframe's popularity is already growing exponentially, and you won't be able to see them free for long. Class dismissed.
Now that we have that premise in place, let's try another equation. "Jazz" plus "rock" should logically equal shoddy. Jazz is known for its strong rhythm and complicated harmonies. Rock is known for, well, rocking you. It most often consists of loud, pulsing beats, with a much faster pace and tone than jazz music. Trying to combine the two seems like an exercise in futility. You're attempting to unite two forms of music that have completely different styles.
These were supposed to be basic tenets of life. You were supposed to be able to live your life by these creeds. With this in mind, a free concert of jazz rock would be unpleasant squared.
Freezeframe single-handedly revolutionized all of that. They not only head-lined a mind-blowing free concert at the Hawk's Nest last Saturday, but they did it using their innovative mixture of jazz, rock and a touch of bluegrass. Done right, this modern rock concoction provides Freezeframe with an unmatched flexibility.
On songs such as the addictive "Turnaround" (which I had repeating through my head all night), they can rock with the best of them, making it impossible for you not to bob your head in tune with the beat. But they can also slow it down and create beautiful, sweeping melodies. The band employs the same bass and drums other rock bands do, but their use of guitar and violin creates a softer sound that can't be matched.
The band consists of Hartt School students Bob Tanen (vocals, guitar, bass), Ben Dean (electric violin), Balint Boldog (drums) and Jared Elder (bass, guitar). Their array of instruments creates a fresh sound, but this would be nothing if it wasn't for the energy that they instill into their music. On stage, you could see them having fun, and Bob even led a sing-a-long of Green Day's "Good Riddance" to get the crowd involved in the action. This effervescence shines through in their music, and finding emotion intertwined with an original beat is a refreshing change of pace from the packaged and processed music pumping through the radio and on television. The guys in Freezeframe perform because of a love for music, and that attitude is intoxicating.
Fortunately, the guys say that they will be returning to the studio soon to do a full-length CD. But if you're like me and can't wait for their CD, do a little homework and check them out at freezeframemusic.com, and listen to a couple of their songs on Purevolume.
And if you spot one of their upcoming shows, be smart and see it. Freezeframe's popularity is already growing exponentially, and you won't be able to see them free for long. Class dismissed.
