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On A Modern Genius, Vol.1 Image
Metascore
81

Universal acclaim - based on 5 Critic Reviews What's this?

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  • Summary: The third full-length release from British jazz saxophonist Xhosa Cole features guest appearances by Liberty Styles and Heidi Vogel.
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Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 5 out of 5
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 5
  3. Negative: 0 out of 5
  1. Feb 7, 2025
    80
    An erudite young sax master, Cole sounds as if he’s already way down the road, but with plenty of fascinating detours to go.
  2. Mojo
    Feb 7, 2025
    80
    Modern Genius is a warm breeze after the hit-and-miss Afrofuturist sax/drum experiments of 2022's Ibeji. [Feb 2025, p.89]
  3. Feb 7, 2025
    80
    On 2021’s ‘K(n)ow Them, K(now) Us’ and 2022 follow-up ‘Ibeji’, there were glimmers but on ‘On a Modern Genius (Vol. 1)’ there’s no denying his talent. Everything is bigger, tighter, looser and just in your face. Roll on ‘Vol. 2’.
  4. Uncut
    Feb 7, 2025
    80
    On this hometown stop with his Quartet he parallels Monk's freaky, aslant piano attack in the serpentine stutter of his alto intro to "Rhythm-A-Ning", followed by quick, clenched phrases like compressed planets. [Jan 2025, p.32]
  5. The Wire
    Feb 7, 2025
    70
    While it was surely a blast to see Styles hoofing it in person, the busy clatter of the tap shoes translates to an audio recording with only limited success. .... The seven Monk tunes presented are well chosen favourites, tackled with wit, verve and a subtle sense of invention that never strays too far from their origins. [Mar 2025, p.45]