It's been a winding road for saxman Carl Smith, Austin's premier free jazz evangelist and courageous trailblazer
of odd venues about town. Constantly serenading three faces at out-of-the-way coffee shops has worn on
Smith at times, and twice he's packed his bags for cities where avant-jazz titans like Albert Ayler are more
visibly consecrated. Through sheer perseverance, as well as spearheading a number of compelling local creative
collaborations, Smith has found an audience. Which has resulted in Die Faden, the first full-length release of
Smith's ECFA trio with longtime collaborators James Alexander (viola) and Jason Friedrich (drums). Unlike the
metal-warping blowout documented on 2000's fierce CD-R EP, Die Faden showcases the more cerebral,
compositional side of Smith. The presence of Alexander (also of Cinders and My Education) is strong, lending
an ornate feel to cuts such as "Waters Variations," where Smith plays Alexander's divergent shadow more often
than venturing into the stratosphere. At other times, Smith's roots as a clarinetist manifest themselves, as he
builds somber, multilayered blocks of tone color. Alexander's "3 eggs" is a highlight, ironically giving Smith
ample room to blow steam behind the viola and guest star flautist Alex Coke. Die Faden is not the "crossover"
album punk rock fans will dig, instead settling more in the cortex of serious jazz fans. It's the small stage
where ECFA comes to life, but Die Faden is a satisfying journey through a developing facet of Smith's game.
-- Michael Chamy, The Austin Chronicle, 11.19.2004