Drew Gress: The Sky Inside (Pirouet Records, 2013) ***½

Reviewed by Joe

Amazing, this is an album that is - dare I say - completely under control, melodies, rhythms, solos, all moulded together like a jigsaw, not a piece out of place. Welcome to Drew Gress's new album, which after "7 Black Butterflies", is another highly complex set of compositions and a top notch team of players to interpret them (the same line up as "7 Black Butterflies" ) - Tim Berne (alto sax), Ralph Alessi (trumpet), Craig Taborn (piano), Tom Rainey (drums) and Drew (double bass).

It's always interesting to hear a bass players album, their view point 'musically' is totally different from other musicians compositional perspectives. I guess sitting in the engine room of a band brings out a certain view on how music should happen. Mingus also had this organised yet free approach to music and composition, sensing exactly at what moment a soloist needed to move on, change rhythm or tempo, keeping the listener on their toes (uh,... ears!). Drew's new record is exactly that, a set of highly organised compositions that lets the players develop their own 'thing' in a controlled atmosphere.

The sensual melodies are well crafted, but its the arrangements that give this record its special edge. The way that Drew Gress develops each composition is fascinating in itself. I'd be very curious to hear the group live to see how much of the form (backing figures, section changes etc) the band use, and how it works. Complex rhythms lock together with the melodies of the two horns, providing a contrapuntal music which is very rich - "No Saint" (tk1), "Jacquard" (tk7) and "Zaftig Redux" (tk9). There are also tunes that have a more open ended atmosphere, bordering on rhapsodic, and at other moments swing.

With a team like this on the record it's hardly surprising to say that Berne, Alessi and Taborn all come up with some great ideas in the space allotted to them in such a framework. The bumpy ride that the rhythm section gives the soloists on "Long Story" (tk3) produce real musical interaction, or the duetting horns of "The Sky Inside" (tk4) are just two such moments. Craig Taborn, like Berne, is able to be either melodic or angular when needed. A track such as "Long Story Short" (tk10) has Taborn dabbing colour onto the musical canvas to support the horns, then emerge into a fully blown solo with its own inner logic. Bass and drums provide whatever is needed throughout the record, swinging, riffing or colouring-in as each tune develops. 

A record for those who enjoy adventurous soloing, but within the framework of recognisable compositions, and a band that would be great to catch live I guess! You can listen to some samples of the music on Pirouete's website. 

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Ben Goldberg - Unfold Ordinary Mind (BAG Productions, 2013) ***

Reviewed by Joe

Ben Goldberg is back again. Somehow there seems no limit to his energy, performing and writing like there's no tomorrow! On this newish release Goldberg is joined by saxophonists, Ellery Eskelin and Rob Sudduth, a guitar genius (and now certifiable rock star) Nels Cline, and drummer Ches Smith. On the previous Ben Goldberg release reviewed here Philip Coombs clearly enjoyed Goldberg's accessible style. His music, originally more 'Ornette' oriented, has crept slowly but surely towards a more melodic direction. This doesn't mean Goldberg's music wasn't melodic before, however his style of writing was more angular - at least that's what I remember thinking back to albums "Here By Now", "What Comes Before", "Eight Phrase for Jefferson Rubin" or "Twelve Minor". 

On this record Ben Goldberg created a raunchy gospel tinged, funky and 'rootsy' blend of tunes which rely heavily on his contra-alto clarinet to provide a deep growling bass line. Rob Sudduth (an new name for me) and Ellery Eskelin play some snaky type lines over the seven joyfull tunes with Nels Cline and Ches Smith keeping a healthy beat going for the band to 'do their thing'. With the lack of a bass Ben Goldberg's primary role is to hold the whole band together harmonically. This gives the music (and the band) a quasi gospel come New Orleans brass band feel, with melodies being strongly arranged and of course attention given to the contra-alto clarinets bass lines, which are strong melodies on their own. 

There's plenty of fun from the soloists also. Nels Cline jumps in with some hard hitting raw guitar lines and loops. His guitar rips into the music with a real edge, something that makes for exciting listening, on "Stemwinder"(tk6) he almost breaks your speakers open! Eskelin and Sudduth blow very mainstream modern bop-ish lines over the tunes. On "Parallelogram" (tk2) the saxes wail above the ensemble taking turns to give their own testimony. There are darker moments on the album, "Lone" (tk4) sounds like an Ornette Coleman type ballad with rubato rhythm section. "I Miss The SLA" (tk5) also flies out of the speakers like a rude remark at a party. Nels Cline gets to take his guitar apart before Eskelin, Sudduth, Goldberg and Smith jump back in with the melody (rude remark). "Stemwinder" as already mentioned, gives a great chance for everybody to play some really dirty and gritty music, blowing hard and melodically over this relentless attack. The last track "Breathing Room" (tk7) is exactly that, a lovely ending to the record, no drums, just melody.

This is certainly a good record, and an interesting addition to Goldberg's catalogue. Its accessible, raunchy, fun and catchy, something you don't find everyday in the world of modern jazz.   

Here's a clip of the band in action playing "Parallelogram", track two on the album. Unfortunately you don't get the 'punch' of the album sound, but at least you get a chance to sample the style of music. Check out Ben Goldberg's amazing raunchy contra-alto clarinet!

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Tim Daisy - Streets In Time (Relay Recordings, 2013) ***½

Reviewed by Joe

Great to see a Tim Daisy album, one of the best drummers around (in my humble opinion). This is not the first record that Tim has produced under his name, if I understand correctly it's number seven in the Relay Recordings series - check out Tim's website to see the other recordings, often duo projects, but not all. On this album Tim has chosen a strong team of players; Taylor Ho Bynum (cornet), Steve Swell (trombone) and John Herbert (bass), all top performers on their instruments and well known throughout the modern music world as leaders in their own right. It's also an unusual combination with two brass for a front line, but it works very well.

Since we didn't get any information on the recording I can't say who wrote the six tunes on the CD, however they're all fine pieces with plenty of scope. The music falls into the free/composed sector, groups such as Vandermark 5, The Engines, Atomic, Motif and others are all proponents of this style where clear melodic structures are used and fused with free improvised techniques. Out of the six tunes on the record only two "Come to Rest" and "Giving Back" are out of tempo, the others all find a groove at some point and often some chord structure or ostinato figure. 

"Loud Noon", the first track uses a bass figure similar to the one used in "Night in Tunisia" to underpin the melody. It then builds a fine swinging atmosphere built on a non resolved chord which launches the two front line brass players. "Come to Rest"(tk2) is a cleverly placed impro' which segues into the title track "Streets in Time"(tk3). This artfully built piece has several subtle ideas which allow the two horns to develop solos. The first over a fine improvised cornet/drums duel. The two are gradually joined in the all out melodic 'ruckus' finally giving over to the trombone to develop a more harmonic area.

Tim Daisy uses his musicians to great effect by giving them plenty of space to express themselves. On "Inside A Room"(tk4) he lets the music unfold carefully over the eleven minutes, giving space for a bass solo, a quartet dialogue section, a trombone/bass/drums fight, a cornet/bass/drum dance, a drum solo and a final melody with bass, cornet and trombone playing peacefully over the soloing drums. 

The last two tunes are equally exciting as the earlier pieces. The open improvisation and gentle theme of "Giving Back"(tk5) and the wonderfully strong bass solo which opens "Distance"(tk6) shows how strong this group of players are, all are able to swing or throw caution to the wind and abandon structures as needed. The rhythm section always attentive to move in any direction whilst the 'blowers' give plenty of ideas for their team-mates to work with.  

The whole album works perfectly with no low points and never a dull moment. The recording quality is also a plus, fine attention to detail from each instrument goes to make this album a great listen. All the players hand in stellar performances, as one would expect. If you enjoy plenty of swing, melody and quirky music you'll definitely find it here.

A tag musically could be Elton Dean's Ninesense.... minus five musicians, naturally!    

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Kris Davis - Capricorn Climber (Clean Feed, 2013) ***½

Reviewed by Joe

I remember reading Stef's enthusiastic review of Kris's Rye Eclipse. It's one of the great classics in the free-composed genre, an album more than worth checking out if you don't know it. Here she is again in large formation, something that really suits her great composing skills. Her group is made up of Mat Maneri, viola, Ingrid Laubrock, saxophone, Trevor Dunn, bass, Tom Rainey, drums and naturally Kris Davis, piano. It's a good combination that really gives her compositions a chance to breath and at the same time has a depth of sound. 

The opening notes of the album jump out at you making me think of King Crimson's David Cross pieces/period due to the violin's eerie presence. It's an atmosphere that pervades this album. Fine textures that develop within the group, 'spectral' would be a good term (if we were listening to contemporary classical music). The fine detail that the musicians put into the music is amazing not unlike a painting from the Flemish masters! "Too Tinkerbell"(tk1) the opening piece bravely settles into a group impro from the very start, yet underneath there is clearly a logic which only emerges after about 3 minutes. The wide open choice of notes that make up the theme give time a suspended feeling as if you're floating. This is a style that Kris Davis uses often, introducing notes into her pieces whilst the group improvises around her. A bass line that seems abstract suddenly becomes a melody, the drums seemingly flay around, yet they are a precise part of the melody to come, and so on.

It's nice to hear Ingrid Laubrock playing in a 'melodic' situation. Here she gets the chance to display her line playing to good advantage. Along with Matt Maneri's viola the two often complement each others improvisations to create some very delicate music. The rhythm section of Tom Rainey and Trevor Dunn give a fine performance also. The two players are able to give the impression of complete freedom whilst sneakily heading towards a common goal. Listening to these two players, combined with Kris Davis's piano you start to realise the complexity of some of the compositions. If a piece is rushed too much it would loose it's qualities and the rhythm section plays it just right. "Trevor's Luffa Complex"(tk3) is just such a piece. Starting with a bass solo the group gradually climbs on board until everything is in place, just in time before a strong theme explodes at the end.

Most of the pieces function in this way surprising the listener constantly. It's a style that makes for detailed listening over and over again. Details or structures that you hadn't grasped at first become clearer with each listen, as I already said it's like looking at a highly detailed painting - even Where's Wally for music! "Capricorn Climber"(tk4), "Pi is Irrational" (tk7) and "Dreamers in a Daze" (tk8) all have splendid improvised sections that build up over time, everyone is featured in there own fashion. At the same time the music is never clumsy or heavy handed.

If you enjoy listening to finely balanced music which can be both daring and beautiful then you'll probably find this a very rewarding album. If you don't know Kris Davis's work this may be as good a place to start as anywhere.

A sample of some of Kris's other albums (and collaborations) on the blog are:    
Gauci, Davis and Bisio
Rye Eclipse
Rainey, Laubrock and Davis
Paradoxical Frog
RIDD Quartet

Buy at Instantjazz.

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JD Allen Trio - The Matador and the Bull (Savant 2012) ***

By Joe

It's wonderful to hear someone who's clearly trying to redefine his, or her, genre of music. JD Allen seems one of these people. I haven't heard all his records in their entirety but I've heard quite a bit since he's been out on the scene - if you're interested there's an excellent live session out on the net that's on NPR from a few years ago. Anyhow, what's most interesting is the way that JD Allen and his trio have worked their way from a modern post-bop trio, not unlike an alternative Branford Marsalis trio, to becoming a very interesting unit that pushes at the edges of swinging structures with a solid sense of freedom. 

The music on the album moves between interesting open structures, via a few straight ahead tunes and back again. Five flowing pieces open the album giving a feeling of watching a piece of paper blow around in the wind. When you think everything will come to a stop it moves off elsewhere, a sort of 'restlessness'. These five tunes can take off in any direction, the melody, the rhythms and the solos all seem independent, although they are clearly not. Open structures that at times swing very hard such as 'A Suite of Lights' (tk2) completely catches you off garde. 'Ring Shouts' (tk3) swings hard from beginning to end with a dark melody and high blowing energy. 'The Lyrics of Summer and Shadow' and 'Muleta' (track 10 and 11) are both tracks that stay in a tonal area yet don't settle down into any particular groove. 'The Matador and the Bull' (tk 12) is one of these pieces where everyone is thinking differently, but with the same end point in view.

These are for me the strongest moments on this album. If you look at the form of the album closely you'll notice it's like a sandwich tracks 1-5 and 9-12 are all of the same order. However, the three tracks in the middle of the album (tracks - 6, 7, 8) are for me strangely out of place, or is it the other way round? These three tracks are straight ahead tunes, track six Paseillo even being based on the chord changes of 'Sweet Georgia Brown'. These three tracks are fine, nothing wrong with the playing, or soloing which is excellent. Nonetheless, I'm surprised that JD Allen and his trio didn't want to make the mood of the album a little more coherent.  

Certainly an album that is on the fringes of mainstream jazz. It would be interesting to see if JD Allen and trio can make the move into the area of open improvisation, something they are clearly capable of, and also a sphere that could yield some interesting results.

Here's the NPR link - I should point out it's from 2011! I notice there are a few more if you look around from earlier dates (2009 and 2010) for those interested.
       

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Ron Miles - Quiver (Enja, 2012) ****½

By Stef  

Strangely enough trumpeter Ron Miles and guitarist Bill Frisell somehow fit nicely into the same category of musicians, and the fact that they have found each other is not a surprise. Both have a technical proficiency that many (most?) professional musicians envy, they share the same leaning for sentimentality coupled with a deep feeling of American musical roots and especially the blues. On top of all that, both are equally creative enough to transform tradition into modern form. Not free form, but one that is inventive and compelling.

The third voice on the trio is Brian Blade, a drummer of the same technical skills as his band-mates, and who miraculously adds the same feeling to the music as the other two artists.

If some of Ron Miles' previous albums were too mainstream to my taste, they still could be appreciated for the quality of the music and of the playing. His duo album with Frisell - Heaven - was also excellent, but too mellow at times for me to bear. Blade's contribution pushes the entire process into a more dynamic format.

Because of this, "Quiver", is now uplifted in an incredibly joyful and playful album with references to the entire blues and jazz history, starting with Jelly Roll Morton and ending with Ornette Coleman. As Miles says in an interview :  “And as much as anything, after a lifetime’s study, what this music has given me is a sense of the enormity of spirituality; of being American, of being African-American; of how privileged I am to walk that path and how much work I still have to do. There are so many people who’ve inhabited this music: living it, writing it, playing it, listening to it. So you just find a way to be you in it, to find your way in it. That’s what we’re trying to do on Quiver.”

He's too humble in fact. Three tracks come from the great jazz tradition, with tunes as wide apart as "There Ain't No Sweet Man That's Worth the Salt of My Tears" by Fred Fisher, "Doin' The Voom Voom" by Duke Ellington, and "Days Of Wine And Roses" by Henry Mancini.

The six other tracks were penned by Miles, and they capture the same feeling even more : a sensitive and inventive evocation of deep roots, full of dust and wide landscapes, yet intimate and human, friendly and easily switching from sadness to joy, two basic feelings that lie at the basis of most music, and that are also reflected in the form that is rock solid in the themes and harmonies, yet as free as it gets in the improvisations.    It's at times amazing to hear how the trio changes the piece completely upside down and shows all various aspects and possible modes of playing in a row, as if it's the easiest thing in the world, and all that while improvising and enjoying themselves. It all feels so relaxed and playful that it's hard to believe that three musicians are thinking and listening with extreme focus and concentration. Don't expect any of the fashional feelings of anger or distress or violence or even surpise and wonder. This is pure jazz, in one of its finest dresses.

And the overall result is stellar. Ear candy from beginning to end.


© stef

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Living by Lanterns - Old Myth/New Science (Cuneiform, 2012) ***

Reviewed by Joe

Here's a record to add to Paul Aquaro's recent post concerning Sonic Liberation Front's record tribute to Sun Ra. Here is Living by Lanterns a group co-led by Mike Reed and Jason Adesiewicz - see below for line-up. Apparently these pieces, and of course this CD, were commissioned by the Experimental Sound Studio (ESS), based on tapes from a kind of free form session of Sun Ra's back in 1961, and catalogued as "NY 1961." There are no real compositions on that tape just improvised ideas. These ideas were used to inspire the music written and played on this album. it seems, from what Cuneiform say on their site that this IS NOT a tribute. However, from the amount of ideas developed from the 'root' material it seems strange to say the contrary, but who cares anyhow, it's the music that counts.

In terms of music one could probably put this into the same bag as the Exploding Star Orchestra. It's vibrant music that swings away happily with some great themes popping up all throughout the record. The 7 themes are all fairly straight ahead affairs except for track 1 and track 6. The first track is a montage of some Sun Ra 'dialogue' doing one of his rants about, love, outer space, who we are, reality, myth and where we come from. If you've seen the various documentaries on Sun Ra and easily found on YouTube (hint!), then you'll know what I'm talking about. The sixth track 'Glow Lights' is the only 'free-form' piece on the record, surprising really considering the pedigree of this group. 

The other five tracks all have some nice moments and solid solos from the stellar line up (see below). As already mentioned this is essentially a swinging record, even if some of the themes are dark in nature. I particularly liked the second track 'Think Tank' with it's glistening vibes. The track quickly falls into an ostinato line with one of Mary Halvorson's wammy-bar distorted guitar solos flowing over it. Jason Adasiewicz comes along to add some spacey vibes as the tune develops before Taylor Ho Bynum jumps in to give the group a sort of free form Wynton Marsalis bluesy slurs to work with before the group heads back into the melody. Much of the front line melodies are carried by Greg Ward who really stands out on all the tracks, either through his solo lines or his lead playing. 'Shadow Boxer's Delight' (tk4) seems to be a feature for Tomeka Reid on cello. The tune has a lovely melody which although played at the beginning really comes into it's own at the end when the rhythm section drops out.

The other tracks such as 'Forget B' or 'Old Science' are well written pieces with attractive melodies and good solos, but for my money it's a little bit lacking in excitement, or maybe that's just what I heard from my armchair. I found the record a really good listen but when looking at the line up I couldn't help wondering if a few more chances could have been taken. It's almost as if every soloist has his/her own feature, but isn't necessarily suited to 'that' job, or maybe I could say 'in that context'. 

A nice record which could be worth while tracking down if you enjoy fairly straight ahead music from the young Chicago/New York scene. Although if you're looking for intense sounds that might be normally associated with some members of the group you're probably better off looking in other directions.

The Group :

Greg Ward – alto saxophone, Taylor Ho Bynum – cornet, Ingrid Laubrock – tenor saxophone, Tomeka Reid – cello, Mary Halvorson – guitar, Jason Adasiewicz – vibraphone, Joshua Abrams – bass, Tomas Fujiwara – drums, Mike Reed – drums, electronics.

© stef

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Braxton

Well, yes, here is some Braxton again. Prolific as ever, open-minded as ever, creative as ever, adventurous as ever, ranging from traditional quartet to pieces for his Ghost Trance Music (GTM), duets with vocals and sax, and a trio with sax and vocals.

Anthony Braxton - 19 Standards (Quartet) 2003 (Leo Records, 2010) ****

Only because of this album, "The Girl From Ipanema", has been playing in my head for weeks. It was a really long time since I had heard it, and this performance by the Braxton quartet takes the original Jobim tune from its lightfooted original melody into a ten minute long open-ended improvisation, with the rhythm becoming quite slow and implicit, the percussion limited to some bell-like sounds, the guitar strumming a few sparse arpeggios, the bass plucking a little now and then, Braxton's alto singing like a breeze, reducing the already vulnerable theme to its bare abstract essence and beauty, still recognizable if you know what the quartet is improvising on, unlikely if you haven't, full of sweet intimacy and warm empathy, and out of this fragile improv the theme comes back in its magnificent melody and compelling rhythm, the four musicians playing like they play this tune in night clubs every night, and yes, dance and weep.

The quartet is Anthony Braxton on saxophones, Kevin O'Neil on guitar, Kevin Norton on percussion, and Andy Eulau on bass. This great box brings you four CDs, the recording of a European concert in 2003, with gigs in Italy, Spain, Belgium, France and Portugal.

The "standards" they play, are wide in range, in terms of style and moment in jazz history : you get "Body and Soul", "Ruby My Dear", but also Miles Davis "Half Nelson" and Coltrane's "Mr. PC".

It's not free jazz, far from it, but the approach of the four musicians, though quite respectful for the original, usually includes some deconstruction and adventurous moves.


Anthony Braxton & Ann Rhodes - GTM (Syntax) 2003 (Leo Records, 2010) ****

If I hate something, then it's modern worldless singing. Especially if it's abstract and without melody. Yet I must confess that although I thought the initial minutes would confirm my taste, gradually as this album evolves, it develops its own aesthetic. Braxton is phenomenal, but that you already knew, and I think it is due to his playing and the weird electronic underscore that Ann Rhodes is pushed into areas of singing that bring her far from the initial minutes. Her singing is not always wordless, sometimes you hear her count, or spell letters from the alphabet, whether these are part of the score or the improvisation is not always easy to detect. Braxton uses his usual range of saxes, from the very high to the very deep-toned, and the latter add great gloom over the dark electronics, that occasionally are likely to pierce your tympanic membranes.

The second CD is more intimate, with unison delivery of a typical Braxton composition full of high intervallic jumps, not really the kind of theme that will stick in your memory. The atmosphere has now become lighter, more playful, yet Rhodes, especially at the end, falls back into the kind of singing this guy hates.

Anthony Braxton - GTM (Outpost) 2003 (Leo Records, 2010) ***

On "Outpost", Braxton is accompanied by Chris Jonas on sax on the first CD and singer Molly Sturges joins the duo on the second CD. The first CD starts with long and meandering unison lines, then the musicians go their own way, examining various approaches and emotions, from soft interacting to raw exchanges, to moments of near silence, only to pick up the original lines again as on clue, resulting in a quite hypnotic listening experience. The composition has a very strong rhythmic pulse, with each note carefully accentuated, as if they are all neatly arranged in a ascending and descending rows, rather than forming part of one continuum.

The second CD is again one long composition consisting of eleven pieces. The inclusion of Molly Sturges on voice works well on some parts, yet not always. This composition is without a doubt the most avant-garde of all the music reviewed in this article. It has its nice moments, yet I often wondered where it was going to. A little less captivating, or in the meantime a little too much of the same.


© stef

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Carla Bley - Carla's Christmas Carols (WATT, 2009)

All right, a little sentimentality and seasonal atmosphere are allowed. Carla Blay, the great lady of modern jazz, has just released this album with Steve Swallow on 5-string electric bass, and the Partyka Brass Quintet, that consists of Ed Partyka on bass trombone and tabla, Tobias Weidlinger on trumpet, flugelhorn, and glockenspiel, Axel Schlösser on trumpet, flugelhorn, and chimes, Christine Chapman on horn, and Adrian Mears on trombone. 

This is as far removed from The Escalator Over The Hill, as you can imagine, but it is fun. The arrangements are excellent, the redefinition of these songs to a jazz environment work well (or blues, just listen to "It Came Upon A Midnight Clear"), with the necessary dose of fun thrown in the mix ("Jinge Bells" is just fabulous), but without ever becoming irreverent. It is an exercise in style, but a great one. The Partyka Quintet is an excellent ensemble, and hearing Steve Swallow's fabulous bass-playing is always a treat.

It is a little bit of a tear-jerker, but as said, why not? This is so much more listenable than all the other Christmas music that is being released. And if it is a little commercial, well, then I hope it sells.

Listen and download from iTunes.

© stef

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Magnus Broo Quartet - Painbody (Moserobie, 2008) ***½

It seems like there is an avalanche of good albums being released these days, and it's hard to keep up for your daily reviewer. Swedish trumpeter Magnus Broo has many voices, ranging from the more mainstream free bop as with this Magnus Broo Quartet, over the pleasant inventiveness of Atomic, free jazz as with 4 Corners, to the more avant-garde outings as with Boots Brown last year. The Magnus Broo Quartet consists of the leader on trumpet, Torbjörn Gulz on piano, Mattias Welin on electric bass and Jonas Holgersson on drums. The music is inspired, belonging to the modern mainstream, with once in a while some leanings to more free. The music is highly rhythmic, structured and fully in the service of Broo's strong trumpet playing, which is melodic and very energetic. It's a nice album, engaging but a little bit too much on the safe side for me.

Listen and download from Klicktrack.

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Myriam Alter - Where Is There (Enja Records, 2007) ****

Although Myriam Alter is a fine piano-player, she prefers to leave the piano chair to someone else on this album, as on her previous one "If". This time Italian Salvatore Bonafede receives the honor. The other band members are as before : Greg Cohen on bass, Joey Baron on drums, and John Ruocco on clarinet, but adding Brazilian Jacques Morelenbaum on cello and Belgian Pierre Vaiana on soprano. With this band, she brings us again into beautiful melancholy territory, with lots of attention to musical detail, aesthetic subtleties, slight rhythm changes, and above all : a fragile and authentic sensitivity which is rare these days. The music itself is jazz, no doubt, chamber jazz to be more precise, but influenced by the whole tradition of European music, with Italian, Spanish, jewish, French elements in it.

Like on my review of her previous album the immediate comparision which also now came to mind is indeed Belgian chocolate : compact craftmanship, the result of centuries of tradition, with a sweet flavor, but deep, with each time a subtle surprise taste in bitterness.

The true difference with the previous album, is that here the melancholy is pushed even further, although there still are some joyful melodies to be hear as on "It Could Be There", but the addition of the Morelenbaum's wonderful cello gives even this joy a shade of melancholy. If you like the music of Anouar Brahem, you will also like this. It's the kind of music that for once will not chase the family members out of the room, it may even attract them.

You can buy from Enja Records or download from iTunes.

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Archie Shepp - Gemini (Archieball, 2007) **½

It's hard for a legend to keep producing stuff that adds nothing to what has already been done by him before, or by many others for that matter. This double-disc is called "Gemini" for the only good reason that it contains two approaches which are not even kin. The first is a studio set, with some blues, some rap, some gospel, the whole spiel. Music you already forget while listening to it. The second CD is something entirely different, with a live performance in Souillac, France, at a jazz festival in 2002. This band features Amina Claudine Myers on piano, Cameron Brown on bass and Ronnie Burrage on drums. It is a nice free bop outing, and only for Shepp's great sax still worthwhile. But don't expect to hear any free jazz anymore. These times are long gone. Gospel yes, on the second track, with Amina Claudine Myers and Shepp singing. I recently listened to Shepp's live performances in Montreux in the early 70s. There is no comparison possible. While Ornette Coleman is still going strong and innovating, Shepp seems satisfied to rely on his bop comfort zone, adding some rappers to sound modern. But I'm afraid this is all pure entertainment and commercial tactics, and even if the label sells, we hardly get anything in return. The two stars are still for some nice moments on the live CD.

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Mainstream trumpets ....

Mainstream jazz is not really my thing, so it's a little bit unfair to review mainstream albums, but if it's great music, why not mention it? (and I don't like reviewing music I don't like, yet now I do it for a change).

Marcus Printup - Bird Of Paradise (SteepleChase, 2007)

The best one in the series is Marcus Printup's Bird Of Paradise, subtitled "The Music Of Charlie Parker". This is JAZZ! Parker's music is of course excellent, but Printup's 21st Century rendition of it even more. He gets across the bluesy elements, the nervous tension and energy, the joy of pure improvization and interplay with like-minded musicians. And the band is great too : Riza Hequibal on harp, Kengo Nakamura on bass, Ted Nash on sax and Shinnosuke Takahashi on drums. Straightforward, emotional, joyfull. I LOVE IT!


Paul Brody - For The Moment (Tzadik, 2007)

Paul Brody is an American classically trained trumpeter, now living in Germany. He is probably best known for his klezmer-influenced fusion on Tzadik, as is this album "For The Moment". The music is a little too much of everything, and adds not much to his previous albums on the same label. Actually, I think his best albums are Minsker Kapelye and South Klezmer Suite, the latter available on emusic.com.


Peter Kenagy - Space Western (CD Baby, 2007)

As much as I enjoyed Peter Kenagy's "Little Machines", released in 2005, as much disappointed I am with his new album. His trumpet playing is excellent though, and he tries to create his own musical language here, with sparse melodies, and lots of openness, yet somehow it just doesn't get off the ground, remaining very down-tempo, with insufficient variation to make it captivating. It is too nice, too sweet, too slow.

Terence Blanchard - A Tale Of God's Will (Blue Note, 2007)

It's also a little unfair to judge this album without having seen the movie, Spike Lee's "When The Levees Broke", for which Terence Blanchard wrote and performed the music, with a band consisting of Brice Winston on sax, Aaron Parks on piano, Derrick Hodge on bass, Kendrick Scott on drums, and Zach Harmon on tabla, and with an 40-piece string orchestra. The album starts nicely enough, with "The Ghost Of Congo Square", raising lots of expectations for the rest to come, but then the whole thing collapses into some syrupy, mellow, sentimental and superficial piece of music, which has troubles standing on its own. Blanchard is a great trumpeter, and some of his former collaboration with Spike Lee worked well, as in "Mo' Better Blues", but this is not my kind of music, at all.

Alex Sipiagin - Prints (Criss Cross, 2007)

Technically, Alex Sipiagin is a great trumpeter, having played in the Mingus Big Band, in Dave Holland's big band, with Michael Brecker and others. He's unfortunately a better musician than an artist. Despite the great band, with Chris Potter on tenor saxophone, Scott Colley on bass , Antonio Sanchez on drums, David Kikoski on piano and Monday Michiru on flute, the music brings nothing new, nothing creative, nothing exciting. Too bad.

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Carla Bley - The Lost Chords Find Paolo Fresu (Watt, 2007) ***

In a mellow mood. Why not? Carla Bley has always been one of my favorite composers, and next to the unparalleled Escalator Over The Hill, I've always liked her "Songs With Legs" trio best, with Steve Swallow on bass and Andy Sheppard on sax, an album of pure musical joy. You add Bill Drummond on drums and you have the Lost Chord quartet. And this quartet has now "found" Italian trumpeter Paolo Fresu, for this beautifully crafted record. Gone are the madness and the unorthodox tunes, what remains is introspective, melancholy downtempo, bluesy evening jazz, all perfectly executed, heartwarming, smooth to the ear and soothing to the soul. But then what? Is this what it all comes down to in the end? Gone are the creativity, the suprise, the compositional inventiveness, the freshness, ... But it is great jazz by great musicians, for the late hours in smoky lonely bars, when the last customers have left, and you sit there smoking your cigar with a good glass of scotch in your hands, contemplating life and the remote possibility of a slow last dance ...

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William Parker - Corn Meal Dance (AUM Fidelity, 2007) ***½

William Parker is among the greatest. He is among the greatest bass players, among the greatest musical adventurers, among the greatest artists, among the greatest art initiative originators, and probably among the greatest humans as well, if you can trust his poetry. His range of music is varied, ranging from his solo bass efforts to the musical exploration duos with Hamid Drake, his own regular quartet, the unbelievable free improv big band called the Little Huey Orchestra, and many more ... and then there is the Raining On The Moon Band, which is more "free mainstream vocal" jazz, with Leena Conquest stealing the show. The first record of this band is an absolutely highly recommended piece of music, with Leena Conquest singing on only three tracks. Here, she is in the spotlight, and Eri Yamamoto joins on piano. The other band members are the same : William Parker on bass, Rob Brown on alto saxophone, Lewis Barnes on trumpet and Hamid Drake on drums. The concept is also the same - Parker's political poetry sung with insistence and powerful rhythm, drenched in the blues tradition, but on the second album it is a little bit softer, less angry, more to the center of the spectrum, lighter, more song-like, gospel-like, more composed in the various meanings of the word. Yet the concept is so strong, the musicians so good, that I really don't care that it sounds like a CD 2 of the same album, rather than a new album in its own right (the last track "Gilmore's Hat" sounds like an replica of "Raining On The Moon"). Improving on the first one was impossible. This one is nice to hear too, but the adventure is gone.

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IN A SENTIMENTAL MOOD : BELGIAN FEMALE PIANO PLAYERS

(for Nathalie)

The two best mainstream/world jazz CDs ever made by Belgian female pianists have much in common. And believe me, both albums are of world class level. They have a common approach in their search for absolute perfection in the combination of strong compositions with emotional power and instrumental virtuosity. Furthermore, both albums display an openness to the world which is characteristic and probably a prerequisite for obtaining these results. Myriam Alter is of judeo-spanish origin (sephardic) and was educated in an environment where Spanish, Italian, South-American and classical music were part of the daily environment. And Nathalie Loriers creates a band consisting of musicians of Italian, Yugoslavian-Jordanian, French-Algerian and Belgian origin. Belgium, the melting pot of the world ...

Myriam Alter - If (Enja Records, 2003) *****


This album offers an astonishginly sustained melodic beauty, elegance and precision of phrasing, rhythmic refinement, ... in sum, brilliant. This is mainstream jazz at its best : recognizable yet creative, emotional without being overpowering, intimistic with musical vision. One of the most surprising aspects of the album is that the classically trained pianist has replaced herself on her own album by another pianist, Kenny Werner. According to her, he is a better piano-player and she a better composer, and yet that doesn't really convince me, although the result is succesful in any case. The other musicians are also among the best : Dino Saluzzi on bandoneon, John Ruocco on clarinet, and the Masada rhythm section : Greg Cohen on bass and Joey Baron on drums. This ensemble brings the musical equivalent of a Belgian chocolate : high quality ingredients, it melts in the mouth, and it is very sweet but with a powerful, solid taste, the result of a crafty and virtuose process. And once you've eaten it, you just want more of it. Yet the most important difference here is that here it is the listener who completely melts inside, because of the heart-warming nature of the music. Sure, this album is miles away from free jazz, and I apologize for it, but I also have my sentimental side which appreciates top level mainstream jazz. And this album definitely fits into that category. Esthetic, refined, elegant, emotional, light, ...

Listen to sound samples

Waking Up
Home
IfI Think Of It
Moving Somewhere
Where You Belong

Nathalie Loriers Chemins Croisés - L'Arbre Pleure (De Werf, 2006) ****



Another Belgian album, "L'Arbre Pleure", that almost equals the quality of Myriam Alter's "If", comes from the Belgian piano-player Nathalie Loriers and her band Chemins Croisés ("crossroads"), with Gianluigi Trovesi on clarinet, Karim Baggili on oud, Philipppe Aerts on bass and Joël Allouche on drums. The line-up of the band and its name already indicate that many influences will be at work in the music : European, Arabian and American (jazz, you know). The comparison with Alter is a valid one, in the sense that the compositions are strong, the musicians (and then especially Trovesi and Loriers) excellent, with a very strong musical unity and emotional tension underpinning the whole album. The tone is not as melancholic as Myriam Alter's "If", and once in a while some joy seeps through, as in "A Pas Feutrés" (referring to her cat?) or "Mister Lee". The nice thing about this album is that the natural evidence of the melodies and the interplay hide the compositional and rhythmic complexities beneath, and indeed you should not notice these as a listener, you should just undergo it and enjoy it. And that's the only word I can think of for you : enjoy it. Excellent!

Listen to Sound Samples :

Kalila Et Dimna
L'Arbre Pleure
L'Auberge Des Femmes

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Ulrich Drechsler - Humans & Places (Cracked Anegg, 2006) ****

Allaboutjazz introduces the album with the following sentence "Ulrich Drechsler asks and answers the question: how can the saddest music in the world be delivered with so much hope?" and I think that couldn't be more accurate. This is mainstream jazz with an open mind, and Drechsler makes something unique out of his debut album. His bass clarinet indeed touches upon the extremes of human emotions, between sadness and hope, between melancholia and joy. Again, I will take Myriam Alter's album "If" as a reference : a chamber-like atmosphere, a lightness of touch, carefully crafted compositions, excellent interplay, beautiful melodies, a sense of fragility throughout, and a sadness, sadness, sadness, .... just listen to "For Andy", or "Graceful Touch", "OSK", it will make you break to pieces when listening to it. This is jazz with an interesting mix of European urban folk or street music with an American blues feeling, very much in the vain of Gianluigi Trovesi or Tomasz Stanko. The band members are truly excellent, with Tord Gustavsen on piano, Oliver Steger on bass, Jörg Mikula on drums and Peter Ponger on piano on two tracks. Great music.

Listen to some sound samples

For Andy, Dedicated To Desi
Soulmates
Graceful Touch
O-S-K
First Step

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Joshua Redman - Back East (Nonesuch, 2007) ***

On this album Dewey Redman's song brings hommage to Sonny Rollins' Way Back West, the first sax trio album ever. When I started listening to it and heard the tones of "The Surrey With The Fringe On Top", I feared for the worst, but I kept listening, and to my satisfaction. The albums starts out within the tradition, but not for long, because Eastern scales and rhythms starts seeping into the music and they keep having their mark on most tracks of the CD, with titles such as "Zarafa", Coltrane's "India", Shorter's "Indian Song", "Mantra #5", "Indonesia". Two of Rollins' own songs are also covered. Although most pieces have a sax/bass/drums line-up, this is definitely not a "band" recording. Additional saxes join in on some pieces, and not the least : two tracks have Dewey Redman on sax, recorded before his death in September last year, other tracks have Joe Lovano and Chris Cheek as sidemen. The basses are played by Larry Grenadier, Reuben Rogers, Christian McBride and the drums by Ali Jackson, Brian Blade and Eric Harland, in short about the best you can hear on the circuit these days. A nice album, with great musicians and tight interplay, but if Redman had taken a little bit more risks, the overall effect would have been more gripping.

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Loren Stillman - Trio Alto Vol. 1 (Steeplechase, 2006) ***

Loren Stillman is a great sax-player with a powerful yet warm tone. On this album he is accompanied by Steve LaSpina on bass and Jeff Hirshfield on drums. The trio takes on a number of standards such as "All The Things You Are", "Body and Soul", "What Is This Thing Called Love?" amongst others, but then not in the umpteenth version drained from all lifeblood, but in a very novel fashion, first reduced to their harmonic essence and then rebuilt and touched upon through sustained improvisation. In this manner the version of "All The Things You Are" is in the best free jazz tradition barely recognisable at the beginning (like in former days free performance mode "guess what tune I'm playing now!"). It's only after seven minutes into the solo that the melody is recognisable. Yet this is not free jazz, but modern contemporary jazz that is accessible without having to fall back on familiar melodic structure. Stillman's great strength is that he focuses his solos wells and that he brings the music with depth, and this makes listening an exciting experience. This is not background music. And Stillman is not alone of course : with Hirshfield and LaSpina the trio forms a perfect band for a creative, enthusiastic, great album. Jazz with soul!

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Sax trio - Mainstream

Once in a while I come across mainstream jazz albums which are very close to the musicality and freedom of spirit I like so much in free jazz, and these albums are often by small ensembles, such as trios or duos. Here are four of them, all highly recommended.

Jeff Johnson - Near Earth (Origin, 2004)


This album is as soft, intimate, propulsing, creative and cool as you can imagine them. Jeff Johnson is a great and very sensitive bass player, Hans Teuber has great power and tonal variation in his sax, even in the softer moments and Tad Britton accentuates perfectly. Bluesy, boppy - a great album.

Lenny Popkin (Lifeline Records, 2000)


This album is of the same tonality, even a little more cool jazz than the previous one, with Lenny Popkin on sax, his wife Carol Tristano (yes, Lennie Tristano's daughter) on drums and the great Eddy Gomez on bass. Lenny Popkin plays as if he whispers in his sax, as if he is afraid to be heard, with bass and drum offering sparse yet functional support. His sax playing goes back to Lennie Tristano's legacy, reminiscent of Warne Marsh and Lee Konitz, bringing slow but thorough improvizations on the given theme. Even the uptempo pieces give you the impression that these guys are afraid to create volume. As I'm not a cool jazz afficionado, this is quite an interesting new angle.

Branford Marsalis - Trio Jeepy (Columbia, 1988)


This album is the trio's hommage to the masters : Ellington, Strayhorn, Carmichael, Rollins and even Ornette Coleman. Branford Marsalis, Jeff Tain Watts and Milt Hinton are in absolute top form and they are having so much fun playing these pieces, that you can hear the music smile. All three demonstrate their respective instrumental skills, exploring tonal ranges within the boundaries of what is allowed in mainstream jazz, but the interplay and the music receive the main focus. The directness of the album is illustrated by keeping in the mistakes and the vocal exchanges between the players in the mix. Best pieces are "The Nearness Of You" and "Peace".

Steve Swallow - Damaged In Transit (EMC Records, 2001)


After three rather laidback CDs, here is one with an entirely different approach. A little more intense, a little more uptempo, with Swallow's bass often the melodic instrument or in unisono with Chris Potter, supported by Adam Nussbaum. If you like masterful interplay and creative intensity, look no further, this is your album. All pieces are called "Item", and "Item 1" starts immediately with a strong uptempo rollercoaster, "Item 2" brings the kind of song we know from his collaboration with Carla Bley on "Songs With Legs". Swallow's 5-string electric bass allows him to play a lead soloing role totally different than with an upright bass, as in "Item 6". His compositions are more in the tradition of Monk, crafty pieces with unexpected angles, blues-inflections and lots of chordal spielerei. Highlights are "Item 6" and "Item 8/Item9" on which the interplay is to tight that it's hardly believable. This is a totally under-evaluated and under-exposed live album. Anyone with the least tiniest interest in jazz should go and get it.

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