Lama - Oneiros (Clean Feed, 2011) *****

By Paul Acquaro

Lama is an electronically enhanced acoustic drum, bass and trumpet trio that has delivered an excellent album with "Oneiros". The pieces fit together so tightly that there's hardly room for a wasted note, beat or breath as the musicians move gracefully through the set of songs, nimbly riding the contours between structure and freedom.

For the most part, the instruments are used fairly conventionally, though the musicans are not prone to hold back from extended technique when the moment calls, or use electronic processing and real-time loops to create new possibilities. Trumpeter and group leader Susana Santos Silva plays mostly with a clean and dynamic tone. Bassist Goncalo Almeida's upright sound is perfect support for Silva, as he produces a rich sound that contracts nicely with the more subtle use of electronics. Greg Smith's drumming and percussion is an important connection between the other instruments, whether creating texture or coming up with a smart groove.

The first tune, 'Alguidar' contains a little of everything, from a static-laden start that seques into an nonabrasive noise jam and then into a complex groove between Almeida and Smith. Silva delivers, over the elastic time, some possibly Ayler-inspired martial themes but goes far beyond them into a spirited improvisation.

'Overture for Penguins' begins with a simple but effective theme bowed on the bass. Electronics crackle and spit, and soon comes in Smith's colorful percussion and Silva's crystal clear and driving trumpet. A playful juxtaposition of light and dark rhythms help conjure a delightful tension, and as the tune unfolds, it takes on an almost rock-ish dimension.

A tune whose title speaks to me, 'My Fucking Thesis', circles around in an echo filled chamber of angular ideas and passionate argument. The electronics are used here for texture and fill, like cross hatching in a sketch. The brittle fizzle and digital spittle adds depth to the acoustic lines. Moments towards the end of the song, and especially in the next tune 'The Chimpanzee Who Told Man How To Cry' remind me of Miles Davis, somewhere between the minimalist funk of Miles in the Sky and the sheer power of Bitches Brew. Quieter moments, like in the title track, display a sensitive and melodic fragility that exudes a certain melancholy.

Overall 'Oneiros' is a dynamic album with a lot to offer the listener. It defies the conventional but is also quite accessible. Highly enjoyable and grows better and better with each listen.

See what you think:

Buy from Instantjazz.

© stef

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The phenomenal Mats Gustafsson

By Stef 


Swedish saxophonist Mats Gustafsson is without a doubt one of the most forceful players ever, combining a ferocity that surpasses Brötzmann with a technique equalling the best and adding an emotional howl that is his unique signature. He is on top of this a real music lover, collector of music in all its diversity and form, interested in new things, quite respectful of the jazz ancestors and his great favorite musicians, such as Don Cherry and Albert Ayler. If Vandermark makes it often a must to put all his weight in composition and in technical complexities, Gustafsson is more of the expressionist, simplifying his music to the most direct and authentic form, and putting all the emphasis on raw yet subtle emotional delivery.

Apart from the albums mentioned below, we can also look out with lots of expectation for two new albums by The Thing, one with Barry Guy and one with Don Cherry's daughter Neneh. More about this later.


Kieran Hebden, Steve Reid, Mats Gustafsson - Live At The South Bank (Smalltown Superjazzz, 2011) *****

Drummer Steve Reid passed away in 2010 and this is possibly his last recorded work. Reid played with jazz luminaries such as Miles Davis, John Coltrane and Sun Ra, but was also a soul and Motown session musician. He was 35 years older than British post-rock electronics wizard Kieran Hebden. For this double album, Gustafsson joins the duo for eighty-five minutes of hypnotic highly rhythmic trance-inducing musical madness.

The atmosphere is dark, heavy, apocalyptic, doomed somehow, almost like an electronic tribal dance to chase industrial demons and plead for final redemption. All the tracks are long, very long, taking the time to set the scene, develop the character and take all the listeners on board for this incredible journey.

I am not sure how I would have felt about this album without Gustafsson, but I can assure you that his contribution adds the vital human level of agony and distress and emotional outburst that takes the whole thing to a different plane. The opening track "Morning Prayer" and the absolutely mesmerising "Untitled" are absolutely phenomenal, with Gustafsson wailing, screaming, howling like only he can do it, almost without changing notes, over a one-chord repetitive wall of sound. Madness.

Incredible, phenomenal.


Swedish Azz-Azz Appeal (Not Two, 2011) ***

The Swedish Azz series brings tribute to the Swedish jazz musicians and composers from the sixties, but then with a modern twist, in which the traditionally rendered compositions are slightly transfigured by electronics and present-day concepts.

Mats Gustafsson is on alto, baritone, slide saxophones and live-electronics, Per-Åke Holmlander on tuba and cimbasso, Kjell Nordeson on vibes, Dieb13 on grammophone and live-electronics, and Erik Carlsson on drums.

The end result is fun and entertaining, as its intention is.


Mats Gustafsson, Paal Nilssen-Love & Mesele Asmamaw - Baro 101 (Terp Records, 2012) ***½

Despite having been recorded in a hotel room in Addis Abeba, capital of Ethiopia, this LP does not suffer too much from the context. Gustafsson plays baritone saxophone, Paal Nilssen-Love drums and they are joined by the Ethiopian krar player Mesele Asmamaw.

The playing is good, free form but rhythmic, with a great Ethiopian flavor, especially when Mesele starts singing on the second side. His krar is at times a little weak compared to the power of the two Europeans, but otherwise the trio adapts quite well to each other, with Gustafsson sounding very Ayleresque, bluesy and spiritual and rhythmic in his approach, with Love and Asmamaw enjoying the openness, which is at times a little chaotic and unfocused, yet that also adds to the spontaneity and the fun.


Fire! with Jim O'Rourke - Released! (Rune Grammofon, 2011) ****

By Paul Acquaro

Essentially this short review is an update to the excellent one (really long) sentence write up from Stef a few months back on the main release "Unreleased". "Released" is 11 more minutes of music that was not released when the "Unreleased" was released. This seems to be something that the folks at Rune Grammophone have been up to with some recent recordings, and in this case, "Released" is presented as a 10" EP on vinyl.

These two additional tracks from Fire!, which is the collective of Mats Gustafsson on sax and Fender Rhodes, Johan Berthling on bass and Andreas Werliin on drums and guest guitarist Jim O'Rourke, follow suit. "Certainly those older and released …" and "Particular, local and plastic wrapped" are two interesting tracks, the first one is a minimalist piece, lots of electronics, that just seems to simmer digitally. The sax adds a bit of subdued melody in between the electronic chatter, the guitar adds some texture, the bass and drums add some pulse, but it is generally an electronic soundcape that builds tension with its restraint. The second song, however, picks up with Gustaffson's sax quickly building in volume and intensity. As the bass and drums join, soon it is ablaze and the previous soundscape is replaced with a driving musical howl. The electronics on this one flip their role, this time they serve to heighten the drama and pathos contained within, and the acoustic instruments take center stage. It's a cathartic listen as the song reaches its climax, after which the listener is finally released.

A fine encore performance.

© stef

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Kiev, Florence, Liverpool and Brooklyn

By Paul Acquaro

I thought it may be interesting to take a quick tour of some of the free jazz releases that have come this way over the past couple months. The following is in no way an exhaustive list, just a sampling of some of the great music out there that has caught my ear recently.

Stanislav Bobrytskyy, Andy Gone - Live at Babuin (self released, 2012) ****


We start in Kiev with keyboardist Stanislav Bobrytskyy and percussionist Andy Gone's high energy performance at what sounds to be an intimate venue (some clinking glasses and ambient chatter can be detected in the recording). Bobrytskyy is a dynamic and energetic keyboardist who plays with a real vibrancy and urgency. Gone's drumming is a perfect compliment to the colorful and percussive leanings of Bobrytskyy, and together they have a sound that is immediate and melodic. The opening 'Polymer' showcases engaging syncopations and an ever evolving melody. The dramatic penultimate 'Puzzle One' was quite a pleasant surprise. The closing tunes feature Bobrytskyy using a sound and approach that would not have been out of place on a Soft Machine recording circa 1970. These are two musicians I hope to hear more of in the future.

Free to sample and download at Bandcamp: http://beaver.bandcamp.com/album/live-at-babuin


Atomik Clocks - Magdan in Charleroi (self-released, 2011) ***½




We travel westward now to Florence where Atomik Clocks are lighting their home studio on fire with thier kinetic energy. They are a jazz-punk group that plays with some fire and reminded me of an only slightly tempered Acoustic Ladyland. With a similar instrumentation to the 1970's group Back Door, Atomik Clocks follows suit a bit with Francesco Li Puma's electric bass featured prominently, leading the trio through some powerful and complex grooves. Filippo Pratesi lets loose a stream of ideas on sax that fit tightly with Marco Ruggiero's drumming. A highlight here is the track 'Le stagione deli amori' which features some nice trio interplay and allows Pratesi to break out a bit, extending his range and melodic approach. Though I did feel that there could be a little more variation to the songs, overall it's an energetic and exciting recording.

Sample and download at Bandcamp: http://atomikclocks.bandcamp.com/album/magdan-in-charleroi


Graculus - Small Things (Whi Music, 2012) ****



Heading north to Liverpool, we find the duo of Graculus making some very gracious and enjoyable improvised music. The group is Richard Harding on classical guitar and Phil Hargreaves on flute and soprano sax, and their approach is as sensitive and light as the previous group is hard charging. During this collection of 34 short improvisations (longest is 2:23, shortest :46), Harding's guitar provides minimalistic but highly effective support to Hargreaves' melodic woodwind lines. The text that the group uses is aptly descriptive: An album of improvised miniatures, using classical guitar and either flute or soprano sax. This (mostly) quiet album is really quite enjoyable, give it a listen.

Sample and download at Bandcamp: http://philhargreaves.bandcamp.com/album/small-things


Zombi Jazz - Forclosure (self-released, 2012) ***½



Across the Atlantic, Zombi Jazz from Brooklyn, NY is creating an undead mix of mangled and bloody improvised free jazz. This group is Michael Foster on sax and clarinet, Alex Hood on trumpet, trombone and vocals, Eric Silberberg on bass and violin, and Dan Stern on drums and marimba. I'll admit, it took me a bit to get into this one. The vocalizations on the first tune, and peppered throughout, didn't work for me at first, but I accepted it as a part of the whole package, and it was more than offset with the fantastic meat art on the album cover. Also, I was quite taken with the version of Monk's Evidence. It's a journey through ambient radio sounds, multiple voices playing concurrent solos, extended technique and some snippets of the underlying melody surfacing on occasion. The level of individual musicianship is high and the group dynamic is strong, especially on songs like 'Into Prostitution' and 'Jermiah Jizzbo'. It's not easy music, but it draws you in, and once you're bit, it can be infectious.

Sample and download at Bandcamp: http://zombijazz.bandcamp.com/album/foreclosure

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Skogen - Ist Gefallen In Den Schnee (Another Timbre, 2012) *****

By Stef 

Rarely has a title been as precise as for this album, capturing a feeling in mid-phrase "has fallen in the snow", offering possibly one of the most delightful and lightest musical dishes you may have consumed ever.

The band consists of Angharad Davies and Anna Lindal on violin, Toshimaru Nakamura  on no-input mixing board, Petter Wastberg on electronics, Leo Svensson Sander on cello, Erik Carlsson on percussion, John Eriksson on vibraphone & crotales, Henrik Olsson on glasses and bowls, and Magnus Granberg on piano, but equally rarely will you have heard a nonet with a more open, lightfooted and fragile sound.

Magnus Granber takes the lead on piano, using sparse notes as the reference for the other musicians who intervene with the beauty and transparance of single snow flakes, single-toned, well-paced and creating an atmosphere of perfect tranquility and peace.

The album contains one single track, lasting just over an hour, and despite its minimalism is not boring for one second. On a superficial level you might say that nothing much happens, but quite the contrary is true, nothing is ever the same, as the partly composed piece evolves with subtle and sometimes unexpected sounds. As with other bands using the same approach, such as "Dans Les Arbres", "Silencers" or "Mural", the musicians' utter instrumental control and restraint are astonishing, resulting in this wonderful coherence that is the result of high level common improvisation, made interesting because of the real intensity of the created soundscapes.

Again, as with lots of new music in the past decades, Scandinavian musicians offer us new aural experiences, and indeed very welcoming ones. Highly recommended!

 

  © stef

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Anto Pett & Bart van Rosmalen - Playwork (Leo, 2012) *****

By Stef 

Somehow over the years my musical preferences have changed, possibly because of the hours of listening to music on a daily basis, forcing myself to listen, and I find myself increasingly captivated by what most people might consider "beyond music". I will review a number of these albums in the coming days, highlighting some of the better ones, and if time allows, comparing them to some other works that fall a little bit short, even if I do not like doing that.

Let's start with an album that was an absolute ear-opener even at first listen, bringing the wonderful interplay between Estonian pianist Anto Pett and Dutch cellist Bart van Rosmalen. Pett developed his own improvisation strategies, of which you can find some teachings on the internet, but here he goes beyond the science of his explanations, and actually demonstrates the magic of its results, if performed by virtuosi.

You can almost say nothing else but that the music determines what the players do. It is the creation of the initial character, atmosphere, approach of the music that grows into a further deepening of the concept without actually altering, just offering more shade and color. Both musicians feel equally comfortable in the concept and with each other, co-creating at the speed of light, with unbelievable rhythmic explorations, or to keep the idea, being co-created simultaneously by the pieces themselves.

The chamber music line-up and the  lightness of the overall sound are deceptive, because luckily the substance and depth offered by the music make this incredibly rewarding music for many, many times of listening again and again.

Despite the fact that they use all timbral possibilities of their instruments, ranging from the crystal clear over raw, muted to distorted sounds, the coherence of each piece, and the only gradual insertion of dissonance make this still - I think - relatively accessible, but that may be a strong overstatement.

In any case, lovers of improvisation should listen to this. This is music to be really enjoyed, full of grace and expressivity and drama and subtlety and an inherent playfulness, as if music reveals itself anew.

Incredibly strong!







© stef

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Bogdo Ula - Prisoners of Freedom (self-released, 2011) ****

By Paul Acquaro

Somewhat reminiscent of Terje Rypdal's more rock oriented work, the Finnish power trio Bogdo Ula creates soaring sonic tapestries that showcase the power of near telepathic interplay. Entirely based on group improvisation, the trio works so well together that they create spontaneous music that could very well pass for composed songs.

Throughout, guitarist Samuli Kristian spins a rich blend of searing melodic leads and dense angular harmonies. While the melodies ride, drive and collide with the rhythm generating friction and intensity, his electric guitar shimmers and glides, filling an immense amount of space. Co-creators Drummer Ivan Horder and bassist Jean Ruin are each just as responsible for the energy and textures that emerge from these soundscapes. The songs often can conjure mental images akin to the majesty and distance embodied on the album's cover image of deep blue tinged mountains in the clouds.

Though some of Rypdal's work (in particular his output with the Chasers in the early 1980s) is a point of reference, 'Prisoners of Freedom' has very much its own sound. On the opening 'Lava Flow' and the following 'Songs from the Moonbog', the interplay is instantaneous and tight and the collective sense of melody is uncanny. Eschewing the majestic leads of the aforementioned songs, 'My Heart is On My Sleeve' is a real highlight. The song builds with actions and reactions between the musicians. Fleet runs on the fretboard and brief chordal accents are held together captivatingly by the rhythm section.

The group sticks to a DIY approach, selling their music via iTunes, eMusic and CDBaby (check their website for links). They have several albums currently available, and it seems that it was only recently, on the previous album 'Charge', that they brought in Ruin on bass. Though a little more on the rock end of the spectrum, appreciators of harder edged jazz-rock like Scorch Trio or Blixt should check it out.

Listen here:

© stef

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John Butcher and Toshimaru Nakamura - Dusted Machinery (Monotype Records 2011) *****

 By Joe Higham

Although a bit a of a late review this has to be one of my favourite releases from the end of 2011. John Butcher and Toshimaru Nakamura show how man can meet machine, an almost perfect blend (and also quite a feat), something I wouldn't of thought about when talking about duets. I should probably explain that for those not in the 'know' - and I wasn't either - that Toshimaru Nakamura's instrument is a no-input mixing desk(*). As there's no-input he doesn't mix other people, just himself, reacting with either his own sound or another player, in this situation the sonic palette of John Butcher, for me one of the most revolutionary sax players to be found at present. In fact the combination and collaboration couldn't be more well suited.

So, sax and no-input mixing board react together in a perfect blend of sound - squeaks, crackles, screeches, hiss, and other such noises. John Butcher's style blends beautifully with Nakamura's sound world and there are many moments when one really wonders who is responsible for which/what sound. Of course this has no importance as the record is heard not as two instruments but a blanket of sound that comes from somewhere inside your hi-fi system. It's almost as if the circuit boards were able to talk between themselves, singing away as resistors, capacitors, inductors, relays and diodes all happily finding a prefect harmony. In fact it's quite amusing to find that you're sitting totally transfixed listening to the hiss of a mixing table, something that one normally wouldn't associate with musical sound, yet you wait and see what the duo will conjure up next. Like Nate Wooley's solo record Dusted Machinery makes one question the pre formed ideas on traditional sound and instrumental technique in music. Of course John Butcher's saxophone does come out clearly (as a saxophone) at moments, yet somehow it's as if he's able to commune in complete synchronicity with Nakamura's mixing board and make sense (and music, even if sound based) out of what could be seen as an abstract association.

This is certainly not a record for those looking for melody in the traditional sense. Even if the four tracks have names - Leaven, Maku, Knead and Kobasu - there are no tunes as such, this record makes a fine balance between free improvisation and the world of noise. However it is, for me at least, a record with a constantly hypnotic quality which draws you into the two improvisers sound world, which is totally original. A very successful collaboration and one that asks the question where they could go from here?   

Buy from Instantjazz.

Buy from Monotype Records

* = If you wish to know what a mixing desk is then look it up on the web as it might take up a little too much room here to explain what it is, and of course how it works.

© stef

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Maya Homburger & Barry Guy - Star (Ergodos, 2011)

By Stef 

Classical violinist Maya Homburger and her husband jazz bassist Barry Guy are always a treat, whether performing their own music, pieces from the classical repertoire, or like on this EP, music composed specifically for them.

The album contains three meditative compositions by  Benedict Schlepper-Connolly, Garrett Sholdice and Simon O’Connor. Both musicians play arco throughout, with an uncanny precision and resonance.

Fans familiar with the the couple's other albums will be surprised : usually they like contrasts, between the classical and the avant-garde, between harmony and dissonance, between calm and intensity.

Nothing of the sort on this EP, which gives you the exact atmosphere as the art work on the cover : the rising of the sun, the world is calm, still quiet, live begins ... without any dissonance, without any disturbance, but equally without form yet, fragile and light. Nothing more than a promise, but a beautiful one, full of purity and hope. Life begins.

Listen and download from Bandcamp.

© stef

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Aych - As the Crow Flies (Relative Pitch Records, 2012) ****

By Paul Acquaro

'As The Crow Flies' is an inspired collection of songs and ideas brought to life by a group of musicians that hardly need an introduction to readers of this blog. Saxophonist Jim Hobbs, cornetist Taylor Ho Bynum and guitarist Mary Halvorson have each been busy garnering praise leading their own ensembles. They have also worked together in different pairings before, including Hobbs and Ho Bynum in The Fully Celebrated Orchestra and Ho Bynum and Halvorson with Anthony Braxton.

Recorded and released under the name "Aych" (phonetic for Hobbs, Halvorson and Ho Bynum), this album brings together a handful of compositions by Hobbs with a set of group improvisations. Songs like the bluesy 'Over Yonder' and the melodic 'Cydonia's Face' are nicely developed, the spare instrumentation illuminating the melodies in unexpected ways. The spontaneous pieces range from noisy forays to delicate individual solos with each musician trying out different concepts and ideas.

In both the songs and the improvised pieces, seemingly unconnected parts develop into complex arrangements as ideas flow uninterrupted into each other. The ideas are sometimes atonal and other times quite palatable where both everyone and no one is lead. Hobbs or Ho Bynum may be playing melody and slip into providing texture, while Halvorson may go from a single note run to slashing distorted chords. A nice example of synergistic creation is the collective improvisation entitled 'Southern School of Complete Reality'. With long unaccompanied sections, each player gets to show their concepts of their instruments, both alone and together, sometime listening and reacting, sometimes going off on solo tangents.

'As The Crow Flies' is a creative collection, the improvised pieces can be startling and unique and the composed ones quite engaging. It's an interesting album that welcomes repeat listening.

Buy from Instantjazz.

Download from emusic

© stef

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Wojtek Jachna Jacek Buhl – Niedokonczone Ksiazki (Audio Tong, 2011) ***

By Stef 

On their second album, Polish musicians Wojtek Jachna on trumpet, flugehorn and electronics and Jacek Buhl on drums continue their journey, although a little more erratically. 

It is fun at times, as on the highly rhythmic "Bernstein's Mood", with really great moments at others, as on the more free form "Tajemne Schody". But the overall approach lacks coherency, it's like tasting from various fruits in a market place without being able to decide which one to buy in the end. "W Słońcu Dawnych Dni" offers a more soft rock electronic background, with full reverb melancholy playing, "Przypływ Odpływ" is all electronics and noise,"Katastrofa w Porcie" brings us in the realm of Nils Petter Molvaer,  etc. 

The challenge of every artist is to make a choice, and rather than demonstrating a wide variety of skills, to come with a unique voice and vision. The ingredients are here, but this voice is still absent. Radical unity is needed. I'm interested to hear what's coming. 

© stef

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