What makes In Full Cry by Joe Maneri notable?

This album is noted for its blend of free jazz and avant-garde elements, receiving positive critical acclaim upon release. It has been influential within the jazz community, showcasing Maneri’s unique voice on the clarinet and demonstrating the potential for emotional storytelling within experimental music. In Full Cry marked Joe Maneri's first significant release after a long hiatus from recording, following his critically acclaimed work in the early 90s. By 1997, he had established himself as a key figure in the avant-garde and free jazz scenes, and this album further solidified his innovative approach to improvisation and compositional techniques.

How many songs are on In Full Cry?

In Full Cry has 12 tracks, running approximately 62 minutes.

In Full Cry

Joe Maneri · 1997

62 min · 12 tracks · jazz

A tapestry of avant-garde textures interwoven with emotional depth, creating a unique exploration of jazz's boundaries.

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Top tracks — play these first

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Outside the Dance Hall — This track encapsulates Maneri's ability to fuse structured melody with spontaneous improvisation, illustrating his distinctive sound. The interplay between instruments creates an immersive atmosphere that exemplifies the album's artistic vision.
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Tenderly — A poignant reinterpretation of a classic standard, this track highlights Maneri’s lyrical clarinet playing and emotional expressiveness. Its meditative pacing invites listeners to engage deeply with its nuanced harmonies.
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Motherless Child — This track stands out through its haunting melodies and intricate rhythms, showcasing the deep emotional resonance that can be achieved through free jazz. Maneri's exploration of traditional themes in an avant-garde context gives it a compelling uniqueness.

Elevation

Our rating, out of 100 — and why.

AI-generated from five scored dimensions. An opinion, not a measurement.

Instrumental

61 /100

Treeline

Higher than 71% of albums we've rated

The album showcases strong improvisational skills and unique textures, marking it as a notable entry in avant-garde jazz.

What we noticed

The album features extended improvisations, with several tracks exceeding eight minutes, allowing for deep exploration of themes.
Tracks often shift dynamics abruptly, moving from quiet, introspective passages to intense, cacophonous sections without warning.
The instrumentation primarily revolves around clarinet and piano, with occasional use of strings and percussion to create a layered texture.

Composition 25% of the score: 7/10
Craft 20% of the score: 8/10
Durability 25% of the score: 6/10
Distinctiveness 18% of the score: 8/10
Sequencing 12% of the score: 5/10

Influence 4/10

Known within its scene. Reported but not counted — how far a record travelled describes its reception rather than the record, and a newer release has had less time to travel than an older one.

Tracklist

Best experienced from track one — press play and let it unfold.

1 Coarser and Finer 3:02
2 Tenderly 9:33
3 Outside the Dance Hall 4:47
4 A Kind of Birth 5:04
5 The Seed and All 4:14
6 Pulling the Boat In 2:16
7 Nobody Knows 8:23
8 In Full Cry 7:52
9 Shaw Was a Good Man, Peewee 5:07
10 Lift 2:19
11 Motherless Child 3:23
12 Prelude to a Kiss 6:20

What to play next

Listen next

Coming Down the Mountain (album)

1997

Go back to

Three Men Walking

1996

Full Joe Maneri discography Artists like Joe Maneri

avant-garde jazz free jazz

Reference: Wikipedia · MusicBrainz · Wikidata