SEMJA Review
JASON STEIN SOLO In Exchange for a Process
Leo Records 2009

Stein graduated a few years ago from the University of Michigan School of Music, and has been working in many different musical environments in Chicago, as well as touring the world with his own group (which opens this year's Edgefest in October), or with others such as Ken Vandermark. He is one of the few jazz and improvising players who sticks only to the bass clarinet, rather than doubling on it for a few tunes a night, and his solo recording is one of only few such albums known to me. It is also undoubtedly the most successful. The challenge of solo recitals is to provide enough musical variety without making it seem like a series of technical exercises featuring different techniques and effects. Stein has all the technique one would want, but he never uses it to impress or to fill up space; everything here is balanced and directed towards artistic goals, and as a result the individual tracks add up to a musical whole. The prospect of listening to a whole CD of bass clarinet solos may seem daunting to many, but this is a versatile instrument that has unlimited tonal potential, and Stein uses it effortlessly to create musical magic.

-Piotr Michalowski, November 2009