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Video by Malene Schjønning - from CD release concert of "Best of the West + Many Places" May '08 |
I am performing March 27th at the LADY's GOT CHOPS WOMENS MONTH JAZZ FESTIVAL, one night only special performance.

Anne Mette Iversen Quartet performed live on WNYC's Soundcheck, Jan 5 '09. Listen to the show on the NEWS page.
It was selected Best of 2008 by Jazznyt Blogspot (scroll down) and by Something Else!
May 19, '08 "West" from "Best of the West" was NPR's Song of the Day!
See summaries of reviews below; for full reviews and podcasts see the NEWS page, and tp listen to the music go to the SOUND page.
I hope you will enjoy your visit!
Anne Mette
The double album "Best of the West + Many Places" was released on April 22. Some quotes from the press:
"Bassist/composer Anne Mette Iversen shows a masterful reach across jazz and classical music in "Best of the West", the sumptuous suite that opens this two-disc set." ... "Iversen merges her own inventive quartet with the string ensemble 4Corners in a beautiful, shape-shifting pas de deux, each half of the double-quartet twining about the other in a breathtaking dialogue. Leaving the strings behind for the second disc, Iversen's group alternates between forecful postbop themes, aching ballads and darting, slippery grooves." - Forest Dylan Bryant, JazzTimes, Aug '08
"Few other arrangers can deter schmaltz when putting strings to swing. And even fewer possess her sense for dulcet harmonies and exquisitely developed form — the patient listener is rewarded with a probing, big-R Romantic, strings-only cadenza at the end. Rarer still is the mind that could put it all together in a way that proclaims itself as the work of an improvising musician. Beauty may be hard to find in jazz, but as Iversen proves, that doesn't mean it's dormant in familiar elements, waiting to be expressed." - Patrick Jarenwattananon, NPR Music, May '08
"While all of the double quartet compositions are excellent, "North (Presto)" is absolutely electrifying. In place of a catchy jazz head, a la Art Blakey, Iversen offers a frenetic Bartok-like unison string riff, ornately framing the jazz band's passages. The second disc, "Many Places", showcases the talents of John Ellis (saxophones), Danny Grissett (piano), and Otis Brown III (drums) on nine adventurous tunes with plenty of room for superb solos." - Ron Netsky, Rochester City Newspaper, July '08
"Bursting with creativity" ... "A nice ear-opener for fans looking for a challenging, new composer." - Chris Spector, Midwest Records
"Both discs area a creative succes, and both are enjoyable demonstrations of what Iversen has to offer an as acoustic bassist, composer, producer and arranger." - Alex Henderson, allmusic.com
"An intelligent blend of classical and jazz componenets" ... "This music has tension and resolution, has complex melodies that don't just serve as springboard for solos." - Richard Kamins, Hartford Courant, March '08
"By turns rhapsodic and pulsing, it's a most impressive package." - Paul Blair, Hot House, May '08
"This double album is particularly fascinating. Cd one is devoted to a four-movement symphony for double qyúartet. Now there have been umpteen instances of "jazzing the classics" dating back to Paul Whiteman in 1928 and most have been unsuccessful musical compromises. Anne Mette Iversen's venture is definitely an exception...The standard of improvisation is remarkably good throughout. A very pleasant double surprise." - JazzWise, UK, Aug '08
"The music is "tough" and melodic and reminds me of the superb quartet Eastern Rebellion with George Coleman, Billy Higgins, Sam Jones and Cedar Walton"..."Best of the West + Many Places beautifully paints the picture of whom Anne Mette Iversen is, anno 2008." - Jazznytt, Norway, Dec '08
JazzTimes concert review of Anne Mette Iversen Quartet at Smalls (NYC) in Jan '08":
"A classically trained pianist, Iversen's intelligent writing style organically balances intricate, through-composed ensemble playing and wide-open improvisation in a compelling chamberjazz aesthetic."..."This sharp outfit is definitely one to check out". - Bill Milkowski
Please check out The Brooklyn Jazz Underground which I am a member of. This is an exciting musical collaborative of 10 individual Brooklyn-based bandleaders joining forces promoting our individual bands and projects.