Kit Downes and Tom Challenger: Vyamanikal (Slip, 2016) ****

By Joe

This is the second offering from the duo of Kit Downes and Tom Challenger, the first being "Wedding Music", an album of pipe organ and tenor saxophone duets using a conventional idea of melody and improvisation. "Vyamanikal", their new album, takes a sharp left turn musically, giving us a very interesting new perspective on the duos musical thinking. On "Wedding Music" Kit and Tom concentrated on their instruments as the main sound producing sources, on this release the duo have taken all aspects of their performance into account. Using everything around them to create a truly original musical vision which includes not only the two instruments, but also the ambience of each church and the sounds that filter into them. Recorded in 5 different churches in Suffolk, England, the duos label describes it as "[...] a collection of transcendent improvisations where the primordial moans and whistles of remote organs meld with gossamer saxophone.", and indeed they are!

Listening to this album a few names came to mind, ambient musician, Biosphere, the sound artists Tim Hecker or even the work of Ben Frost. Although this acoustic duo's music is far from the sonic world of the aforementioned artists, it does have some similarities. Downes and Challenger's music is made up in real time, with no electronic manipulation, but their interest in capturing, and using, the space that they perform in does come through. The sound of the pumps or vibrations produced from the different organs used, gives the music an effect like being in the engine room of a ship. Apart from these sounds you can also hear birds singing away (inside the church?), giving a very live feeling to what you are hearing.

The music itself is far from the bold melodic statements that came with "Wedding Music".  On this record everything is very minimal, low organ drones swirl around dissonant chords that hover in the air, rarely resolving in any logical sense. The saxophone of Tom Challenger almost caresses these rich organ sounds in a way that feels like he is coaxing a mythical beast (of some sort) out into the open! The two musicians build gradually on these strange and almost unnatural atmospheres throughout the seven pieces, finding imperfections and reflections in the church's acoustics which they develop into their drone quality improvisations. The result of this is that the duo has really brought together their musical vision in a very original, and although I speak of monsters and unnatural sounds the music is in its own way better described as spiritual and hypnotic.

Speaking of 'spiritual' may explain the title "Vyamanikal", which, as we're told, comes from an adaptation of early 20th century Sanskrit texts talking about aerospace technology and flying vehicles in ancient Sanskrit epics. Whatever the meaning, the music the duo makes is magical, or even spellbinding, in the true sense of the word.

Lastly, you'll have noticed I haven't described the individual tracks as, if you're curious, you'd do better to visit Slip's Bandcamp site where you can hear the album, meditate on the music, and even buy it - its a limited edition CD and/or cassette version.   

Highly Recommended!

Note: I'm not sure if there's physical CDs for sale, but, Slip kindly sent me a copy which comes in an intriguing presentation, and certainly well worth getting if you're interested in hard digital versions.  

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Jean-Luc Guionnet & Thomas Bonvalet - Loges De Souffle (Becoq, 2015) ****½

By Stef

In October 2010, in Bergerac, France, the MONC cultural arts centre created a major event of avant-garde and experimental theatre, dance, visual arts, flash mobs and music with the entire city as the venue, in a very participatory way with the audience and unprepared passers-by. Look here for more information.

As part of this event, Jean-Luc Guionnet and Thomas Bonvalet gave an electroacoustic performance in the protestant temple of the city. Guionnet does not play his usual reeds, but he uses the church organ as the key instrument for the fabulous sonic landscape they create, with Bonvalet playing banjo, mikes, amplifiers, harmonica and tuning fork (why not?). If you ever thought you knew what a banjo sounded like, I suggest that you watch the video below.

The album contains one 40-minute long soundscape, with the organ offering a kind of endless color-shifting drone as a foundation for an infinity of things to happen, shifts in intensity, harsh counter-sounds, reinforcing feedback and a multitude of little sparkles, as if you're listening to a sonic kaleidoscope which keeps revolving and surprisingly changing and offering new vistas and mind-boggling new sounds.

The music is as attractive as it is frightening, petrifying the listener into immobility while these fascinating sounds keep being absorbed and when the fourty minutes are over, and the listener returns to his more rubbery state, he/she is a little, and maybe a lot, disappointed that the experience is over.

Listen and download from Bandcamp.

 

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Aine O'Dwyer - Music For Church Cleaners Vol I & II (MIE, 2014) ****

By Stef

Solo organ works in modern music are extremely rare, and especially improvised performances, such as this one by Irish harpist Áine O'Dwyer. She was given access to the pipe organ in St Mark's Church in Islington, UK, "while the cleaners were at work", hence the title of the album.

I am not an organ fan, I don't like the pompous and dramatic multiphonic dynamics of it, of this first kind of acoustic synthesizer, the overpowering and religious connotations of the instrument, reminiscent of the so dreaded realm of falsehood, fakery and kitsch of childhood church experiences.

Yet to O'Dwyer's credit, she plays the instrument quietly, slowly and reverently, using the church's space as an inspiration. The ambient sounds of the church, not only cleaners, but also visitors and children give the overall sound a special dimension, one that is not out there in the stratosphere and even higher heavens, but one that is close to earth, contrasting sharply with the surroundings.

I like it a lot, despite my bias against the instrument.

Part of the music was already released in 2012 on cassette (sold out), but is now in full available on a double LP or digital recording. You can order from the label.

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Jamie Saft: Plymouth & The New Standard

By Paul Acquaro

Two new recordings from RareNoise show quite different sides of the playing of keyboardist Jamie Saft. Deep dark organ on one and a modern jazz piano approach on the other.

Plymouth - Plymouth (RareNoise, 2014) ****½

It would probably be incorrect to call either of these recordings a Jamie Saft album, as they are both strong group efforts, but his keyboard work is the connective tissue between them both.

The first recording is Plymouth, a great set of dense improvised music from an exciting quintet of musicians. The first tune, 'Manomet', propelled by organ, is a force of nature. The tandem guitar work of Joe Morris and Mary Halvorson ratchet up the intensity as drummer Gerald Cleaver and bassist Chris Lightcap give track a living and breathing pulse.  In a way, I hear this first song as fusion in the Tony Williams Lifetime vein, or even early Weather Report with more bite. The intensity that it achieves is just excellent.

Track two, ‘Plymouth', starts with a rumble from the lower end of the electric piano, but a third of the way through, we begin hearing the organ creep in along with a heavy beat and fuzzed out and pitch bent lines from the guitars. Track three, 'Standish', clocking in at 30 minutes, is slower to build. Distinct sections emerge with stronger back beats, or guitars creating suspense, ending with a straight ahead jazz-rock climax. With the three tracks spread out over an hour, there's a lot to listen to.

It you're looking for the individual and distinctive stylistics of Morris and Halvorson, this isn't the place. If you are looking for a dense patch of hot steamy musical tar festooned with thorny rose stems to roll in, you're home.

Give a listen here.

Saft/Swallow/Previte- The New Standard (RareNoise, 2014) ***½

A real about face from the aforementioned Plymouth, the New Standard’s piano trio approach is melodic, rhythmic, and very accessible. Each song suggestive of an arch-typical jazz standard, but at same time there is something unique and slightly subversive happening.

Saft's piano, Steve Swallow's bass guitar and Bobby Previte's drumming equally 'steal' the show. Track one, ‘Olivine', kicks off with a straight ahead swing. You hear the changes coming, you anticipate the beat, and can feel the bass walking, and according to the press, that's what this album is all about - a straightforward session with simple charts, recorded to analog tape in Saft's upstate NY studio.  The sound is rich, the playing is loose but flawlessly so, and the tunes are, well, tunes and have a somewhat familiar vibe to them even as they are original in their delivery and feel. Saft busts out the Hammond on ‘Pasture', a laid back jazz hymn that dates you not to feel something. The following track ‘Scrapes' is back to the piano where the minor melody is driven by a restrained march-like pulse.

The whole album feels comfortable in an exciting way. The songs have a familiar feel and even somewhat identifiable melodies, however, none that you have heard before. It’s not free jazz, but it’s highly enjoyable!

Give a listen here.

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John Zorn - The Hermetic Organ, Vol. 2 (Tzadik, 2014) ***½

By Brian Questa

It is an exquisite experience to hear John Zorn play solo, on any instrument. In The Hermetic Organ, Vol. 2, the command he has over his own improvisations is remarkable. His instincts lead him to a sensitive balance of colors and expressions. There are no awkward transitions, no embarrassing turns of phrase, nothing to suggest that, for Zorn, the risks inherent in free improvisation produce anything other than quality music. Here we have an array of Zorn's diverse toolbox: from torrential intervals raining down the pipes, to the ecclesiastical moments of modal prayer, to the restraint of a Webern-like simplicity. Zorn's performance is versatile, but unlike you might suspect of Zornian eclecticism, it is neither disjunctive, nor erratic; each piece is a concise poem, presenting a singular idea, reflecting in its own light unto a logical conclusion.

Zorn does not have full technical command of the organ. This is evident by the fact that he never employs more than two contrapuntal voices at a time. At most, one is repetitive, or static, while the other extemporizes. He keeps his ideas simple, possibly intentionally, and the variations on his motives do not have the virtuosity that organ improvisation is accustomed to. We read in the accompanying notes, “Performed at St. Paul’s Chapel at a time when the organ was undergoing extensive reconstruction, the limited number of stops available to him focused his imagination to new heights…” This added limitation promotes the subliminal message of the project: Zorn can make music on any instrument, with any tools.

The downtown maverick takes to the instrument most ossified in the classical cannon. The project is neoclassical, not only for its very existence as “composer-gives-organ recital,” but also for titles such as “Crucifixion” and “Communion,” and for its wealth of tonal themes. It serves as an intimate listen into how Zorn processes compositional ideas, like a Persian miniature of his compositional oeuvre. I can say with certainty it is must-have for anyone with a serious interest in his life and work. The fact that Zorn has released two volumes, years apart, tells me that this is an important project for him. Can we expect a third?

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Elephant9 with Reine Fiske - Atlantis (Rune Grammofon, 2012) ****

By Paul Acquaro

A few weeks ago I caught up with some slightly older releases, finally getting to Elephant9's 2011 release Live at the BBC. Upon posting, I had no idea that this new studio album was dropping, and like a sudden blast of refreshing Nordic air, the latest Elephant9 made an unexpected and most welcome arrival.

However, before I go any further, I cannot help but ask the question: How can you make a good thing, like Live at the BBC, even better? 

It seems that if you're Elephant9 and have had a good run of albums mining the early canon of jazz-rock, notably Weather Report and Bitches Brew era Miles Davis, the answer, it seems, is by adding Swedish guitarist Reine Fiske to the mix and amping up the intensity. 

'Black Hole' kicks off the album with a short staccato burst of percussion and then a full bodily plunge into driving rhythm and heavy Hammond organ. It seems to a signal a new darker and more powerful musical attitude. A tense energy builds in the tunes, leveling the ground around them and building a new coruscating landscape. 

When it comes to the added guitarist, Fiske is as much a texturist as a soloist. He's shaping sounds, he's blending into and thickening the melodies and harmonies, and he's adding arching solo passages. Even on the more ephemeral atmosphere of the introduction to 'The Riddler' and the title track 'Atlantis', he blends seamlessly with Ståle Storløkken's keyboards, coloring and accentuating. His guitar has quickly become an integral voice in the group. 

Overall, the sound of this recording seems a bit heavier and at the same time bit more spacious than the earlier two albums, which was a direction hinted at on the live album. Nikolai Eilertsen's bass lines and Torstein Lofthus' drum work are as solid as ever and Storløkken's keyboards cover a huge sonic range. Well into prog-rock territory but still deeply rooted in jazz improvisation, the songs are not so much mind-blowing intricately assembled odd-metered vignettes, but bedrock for the textures and improvisations on top. Atlantis is a welcome addition to the Elephant9 discography. 

© stef

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Elephant9 - live at the BBC (Rune Grammofon, 2011) ****

By Paul Acquaro

Dodovoodoo was a revelation to me. That playing the ring modulated Fender Rhodes and pumping out sophisticated jazz rock à la Weather Report's I Sing the Body Electric was still possible, almost made me weep. In this cynical day and age where fusion has been a dirty word for a long time, this Nordic organ trio was making some of the finest of it to date.

It's been a couple of years since a proper release by Elephant9. 2010 brought Walk the Nile, and now the vinyl only 'Live at BBC' represents not only a nice place holder in the discography but also, to my ears, a document of how the group has grown even stronger since the last release.

The trio is Ståle Storløkken on various keyboards like the venerable Rhodes and Hammond organ. Storløkken currently plays in Terje Rypdal's group, and on a rare and recent show of Rypdal's in NYC, the organist nearly stole the show. Filling out the rest of the trio is Nikolai Hængsle Eilertsen on bass and Torstein Lofthus on drums.

I feel that this concert recording shows a deepening melodicism since their last outing. The songs are somewhat more accessible to the ear, maybe a bit pared back and rocking rhythmically and overall more satiating than the studio efforts. The climax of 'I Cover the Mountaintop' is visceral, you feel that while the climb was arduous but you may just do it again some time. 'Habanera Rocket' is an enjoyable tune that features an extensive keyboard solo that propels itself along at a fantastic clip. A galvanizing moment occurs in the tune as Lofthus takes a drum solo while Storløkken comps below, slowly building in ferocity until he can hold back no more.

A bit light on liner notes, the album features a cover festooned with the colorful geometric theme that has appeared in various incarnations on their other releases. The limited vinyl pressing is worth seeking out, as it is not a regurgitation of previous releases by any means, and the sound quality is excellent - the concert was originally a broadcast from BBC Radio 3's Jazz on 3. All the instruments are captured in their acoustic and electric glory.  

© stef

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John Zorn - The Hermetic Organ (Tzadik, 2012) ****

By Philip Coombs

There is no shortage of personalities. A seemingly endless list in fact of people whose voices are so distinctive in their chosen profession, that it is almost impossible not to hear that voice when they choose to delve into something else, something different. A prime example of this for me was when George Carlin decided to write books. Even though he is not on stage and you can't hear him, it is almost certain that it will be his voice rattling around in your head as you read. The book will give you everything that he was known for; the pauses, the quirks, the sarcasm, and of course all of the in jokes. You can almost hear him with your eyes.

In a similar sense, we are all familiar with John Zorn and his language with the alto saxophone. His pauses, his quirks, his sarcasm and of course his in jokes are all recognizable.

In "The Hermetic Organ", Zorn decides to offer up his voice to us and the heavens through a completely different instrument, the pipe organ.

The recording begins before the first note is played. A very nice touch as it sets the mood of being in a church, and waiting for something. People are there but not talking. The acoustics have a mind of their own. The natural reverb of a footstep seems to ring forever. Then the low drones of the opening track 'Introit'  begin. With contrasting wisps of the highest registers, occasional bells, and combined with the constant pulsating rhythm, it is definitely time to get into Zorn's head for the quick 36 minute running time that this album has in store for us.

A little of Zorn's humor gets into the next movement as he almost makes it sound as if a mouse had gotten lost in the massive instrument and was being chased by the runs being played by Zorn's right hand. There are even some of his surf elements here albeit slower, possibly due to the limitations of the pipe organ.

From here the music continues to build until we approach what seems to be a church crumbling moment, a time when all the stained glass explodes outward and a great beast is summoned. Then, rather unexpectedly, at the 20 minute mark, there is a pause for nearly 2 minutes. It is here that we get a slight break form the onslaught of the organ but again to have a chance to hear the church. A footfall, a cough in a far away pew, a sniffle all add to the experience. The tension is broken soon enough with a piercing note before the album's conclusion.

This is a type of recording that needs to be savored, played loud and with good headphones.

With my comparison to a great comedian not withstanding, this is a very serious recording, especially with the themes he tackles and the environment he tackles them in. Rarely is Zorn recorded solo lately and this alone makes it special. In a year of a new Zorn album every month, it would be a shame to see this one get ignored.

Zorn talking about the project can be viewed here:

Can be purchased from the label.

© stef

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Joe McPhee Quintet/Ernie Bostic Quartet – Live at Vassar, 1970 (Corbett vs. Dempsey, 2012) ***½

By Troy Dostert

Thanks to the efforts of John Corbett and Jim Dempsey, founders of the new label Corbett v. Dempsey, we have another document of tenor saxophonist Joe McPhee’s development in the early 1970s.  Many readers of this blog will already be familiar with McPhee’s work during this period, as his now-legendary Nation Time captured him live at a concert at Vassar College in 1970, the same year and venue in which this double-disc release was recorded.  Nation Time was representative of a new era of experimentation merging free jazz, funk and soul.  While this release doesn’t quite hold up in comparison to McPhee’s earlier masterpiece, and generally stays in more conventional jazz territory in its repertoire, there are numerous interesting moments on it, and it also gives us a listen to the Ernie Bostic quartet, which is made up largely of musicians who played with McPhee on the Nation Time record.

The first of the two discs is Bostic’s, who does not play drums here (as he did on Nation Time), but rather takes a turn on vibes, while drumming duties are given to Charlie Benjamin.  The rest of the quartet is made up of Otis Greene (alto sax) and Herbie Leaman (organ).  The overall feel to this group is one of restraint: although Greene is a fine saxophonist and offers some creative, pensive soloing on the opening cut, “Flowers for Mattie B,” the rest of the group is content to let things simmer on slow burn over the song’s two-chord vamp.  The second track is a relatively staid organ-jazz take on Milt Jackson’s “Bags’ Groove,” offering satisfying playing but nothing that really stirs the pot.  Things do get a bit more interesting on “Resolution,” from Coltrane’s A Love Supreme, were Greene once again gets a substantial amount of space to offer his insights into the tune with a fiery and exploratory solo.  Even so, while the dynamics of Bostic’s generally capable vibe playing and Leaman’s organ work create a fair bit of tension and mystery as the track gets going, the end result leaves one wanting more.  The spirit of aggression and sheer funkiness these guys brought to Nation Time is generally absent here.  It’s also a very short disc, with only about 30 minutes of music on it; and it doesn’t really end so much as gradually fade during Benjamin’s inconclusive drum solo on “Resolution.”  One gets the impression that Bostic’s band is included here mainly as a historical documentation of some of McPhee’s close associates rather than as a body of music that can stand on its own.

On the second of the discs we have McPhee, joined by Byron Morris on alto sax, Mike Kull on piano, Tyrone Crabb on electric bass, and Bruce Thompson on drums.  With the exception of Morris, McPhee’s group here was hugely important in the development of McPhee’s funk and soul-based excursions on Nation Time, and we can hear some of that here, although it’s generally in a more muted form than on the earlier recording.  Many of the cuts are jazz standards, played fairly conventionally (although with McPhee, it’s never going to be too conventional).  McPhee doesn’t even put in an appearance on the opening cuts, “On Green Dolphin Street,” and “Spring Street,” and while the band plays these tunes with the requisite degree of zeal and quality musicianship, the absence of the star of the show definitely starts to wear on the patience of the listener.

When McPhee does come in, it’s on the third cut, “Muntu,” which is really the centerpiece of the disc, offering a level of dynamism, energy and rhythmic creativity that McPhee provides when he’s at his best.  McPhee opens the song with a vigorous statement of the tune’s melody, played freely with the rhythm section supporting his thoughts until kicking in with a driving post-bop groove that McPhee solos over with a fiery and commanding presence.  What’s terrific about this track is that while McPhee wails with abandon, the rhythm section shifts the rhythmic foundation underneath him, eventually moving into a funk-based pattern about two-thirds of the way through the track.  The electric bass work of Tyrone Crabb is particularly worthy of mention, as he frequently explores rhythmic possibilities that lead his bandmates into new directions as the song develops.  At over fifteen minutes, the creative shifts, turns and grooves of “Muntu” are what make the disc worth hearing.

The remainder of the disc is comprised of “Maybell’s Blues,” two additional standards (“Softly, as In a Morning Sunrise” and “Stella By Starlight”), and a bit of a wildcard track (“The Looking Glass Eye”).  McPhee offers his customary powerful blowing on these tracks; yes, he can more than hold his own on a traditional blues number, as “Maybell’s Blues” reveals.  And as one would expect, McPhee’s take on the standards is also capable of raising some eyebrows.  The churning support of the rhythm section on “Softly” plays a key role in propelling McPhee’s powerful soloing on that track.  As for “The Looking Glass Eye,” it involves McPhee and the others improvising over a taped recording—what sounds like electric guitar, initially, played in jagged shards, and then a series of horn parts played in harmony.  It’s an interesting glimpse of the more experimental side of McPhee’s playing, and the rest of the band is clearly having fun with the track as well, especially toward the end of the song as McPhee and Kull spar with each other, just before the track fades out. Despite its promising moments of collective improvisation, however, in the context of the relatively straightahead material offered on the rest of the disc, it definitely sounds like a one-off “experiment” of sorts. (McPhee mentions in his introduction to the song that “we’re not sure how it’s gonna go,” given that his bandmates hadn’t heard the recorded parts prior to the performance). 

Perhaps McPhee’s work here doesn’t quite measure up to the lofty standard set by Nation Time.  But to be fair, that record really is a one-of-a-kind statement, a genre-defining effort that will always stand as one of his best recordings.  His playing here remains potent and compelling, and this release is definitely of value in helping to trace the arc of McPhee’s development during this era.

© stef

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Ellery Eskelin - Trio New York (Prime Source, 2011) ***½

By Stef

Well, I forgot about this album when giving an overview of recent albums with Gerald Cleaver on drums, here in a trio led by tenor saxophonist Ellery Eskelin and with Gary Versace on Hammond B3 organ. The album is dedicated to Eskelin's mother Bobby Lee, who played the organ herself.

The trio takes on five standards, including "Memories Of You", "Off Minor" and "How Deep Is The Ocean", so deeply rooted in jazz history while giving it all a real forward-looking approach. The playing is excellent, as you might expect from three such musicians. The reference to the old music and the use of the Hammond B3 create a somewhat outdated sound at moments, and even if that's the intention, the result remains a matter of taste. To be honest, I don't like the sound of the organ, at least not how it's played here. And because of the material, and the dedication, it is all a little too nice and sweet.

But the playing is excellent. Eskelin's round tone feels like a soft warm breeze in summer, Cleaver adds crispiness to it, while the organ adds a heavy ballroom dancing atmosphere. A strange album.

Decoy & Joe McPhee - Oto (Bo Weavil, 2010) ***½

This is another Hammond B3 free jazz album that's been lying here for a while. The British trio Decoy, with Alexander Hawkins on organ, Steve Noble on drums and John Edwards on bass are joined by the great Joe McPhee. The performance was recorded live at the Café Oto in London.

The music is of a totally different nature than the Eskelin album, full of raw power and energy, with the organ more used to create volume and density and sonic contrasts than melody. The trio create the perfect storm for McPhee to feel comfortable in, blowing his usual Ayleresque combination of spirituality and force, yet fitting in quite well with the overall sound.

Great fun.

Listen and download from eMusic.





© stef

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