MARIUS NESET – Birds
Edition Records EDN1040
Marius Neset (ts, ss); Ivo Neame (p); Jim Hart (vib); Jasper Holby (b); Anton Eger (d); with Ingrid Neset (fl, pic-fl); Daniel Herskedal (tba); Bjarke Mogensen (acc); Tobia Wilklund, Ronny Farsund (t); Lasse Mauritzen (tb)
Recorded April 2012
As a follow up to 2011’s Golden Xplosion, saxophonist Marius Neset has taken an altogether different route to produce an album that is full of unexpected twists and turns, and in the process has proven himself to be a composer of some note.
Described as “the most talented Norwegian saxophonist since Jan Garbarek”, Neset’s playing owes little in influence to Garbarek’s plaintive and sparse style, and if anything is closer to Jan’s pre-Triptykon playing. And if one wishes to continue a Norwegian comparison, then we can liken Neset to Trygve Seim, with Marius sharing with Seim an imaginative and unusual use of available instrumental voicings, albeit from the opposite end of the spectrum.
Whereas Seim has been interested in exploring the sonic possibilities of his chosen acoustic instrumentation in closely knit and often quietly orchestrated ensembles, then Neset is not afraid to let his voices roar, and thus utilising a wider dynamic.
With Birds the composer/saxophonist has offered us a through composed work that allows plenty of room for improvisation with the individual pieces combining to produce a cohesive whole. Often melodies are stated from an unexpected source, as on the title track where it is Bjarke Mogensen’s accordion that leads.
‘Spring Dance’ is a delightful dialogue between siblings, with the tenor saxophone and sister Ingrid,s flute, whilst on ‘Portuguese Windmill’ the gentle opening theme played out on tenor, gives way to a spiralling yet lyrical solo for Neset on soprano, before switching back to larger horn for the return of the opening melody.
However it is as a whole, rather than singling out particular solos that the album should be judged, and as fine a soloist Neset is, it is his writing that leaves the most profound impression. His charts are full of ideas and events, but there never a sense that he is trying to say everything he has to say in a particular hurry; even at its most frenetic the material is allowed to breathe.
If nothing quite captures the brilliance of the opening two tracks, ‘Birds’ and ‘Repirse’, the writing throughout is quite superb in an album that is full of imaginative arrangements, and will cement the reputation of a musician who I’m sure will continue to grow in stature.
Reviewed by Nick Lea
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MATS EILERTEN TRIO – Sails Set
Hubro HUBROCD2524
Harmen Fraanje (p, v); Mats Eilertsen (b); Thomas Strønen (d)
Recorded April & June 2012
Having been recorded at Rainbow Studios, Oslo and mixed and mastered by Jan Erik Kongshaug, this could very well have been produced for ECM as opposed to appearing on the smaller Hubro imprint; and with Eilertson and Stronen both having recorded for the Munich based label there is a definite ECM feel about proceedings.
The music on this attractive and beguiling album is entirely improvised with the material being credited to all three musicians, and for the most part is calm and gentle in the delivery of the improvisations presented. As Eilertsen says “Our goal has been to create improvised tunes, sounds and situations that could equally well have been composed and produced”; and that is certainly apparent in the strong sense of form and melody that can be heard in these eleven cuts.
In keeping with Eilertsen’s comments, many of these pieces are fairly short, with all but two being around the three minute or less mark, and it is therefore difficult to tell if they are excerpts from longer improvisations, or completely realised in their own right. But in the end it matters not, as the set as whole is a testimony to the empathy and musicality of its practitioners.
Utilising timbres and a range of dynamics unique to their individual instruments, the trio create a breathtaking set in which the presence of all three musicians in integral, whether the attention focuses on the lyrical touch of Fraanje at the piano, the ‘small sounds’ that Strønen elicits from different parts of his drums and cymbals, or Eiilertsen’s rich and sonorous double bass; it is the ebb and flow of the group as whole that gives these small pieces life.
Amongst the miniatures are two longer and contrasting improvisations, ‘Monument’ with its quiet rumble from Strønen’ s tom-toms and reflective and contemplative qualities from bass and piano, is turned upside down by the rhythmically forceful and driving drumming contained in ‘Stone and Sand’.
An album of trio improvisations that will appeal to all who enjoy the piano trio format, and not just for improv buffs, in a totally satisfying set.
Reviewed by Nick Lea
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IVA BITTOVA
ECM 3717896
Iva Bittová (vln, v, kalimba)
Recorded 4-6 February 2012
This is Iva Bittová’s debut solo album for ECM, although she has been heard on the label’s New Series with the chamber orchestra Solamente Naturali and the Bratislava Conservatory Choir singing Vladimir Godar’s cantata Mater.
Born into a musical family in Northern Moravia, in what is now known as the Czech Republic, Bittová’s music defies any easy idiomatic pigeon-holing, and the violinist says that “deciding on a name for my style of music is far from over yet”.
Although she has been living in New York for the last five years, Bittová has not, on this outing at least, allowed the Big Apple to permeate her unique musical vision, and instead draws on influences from her native heritage and folklore, classical music and improvisation. She will at times utilise extended instrumental techniques for the violin, and her voice will switch easily between the spoken word, incantation and singing.
In these twelve Fragments, her violin is an expressive tool that will often be used to accompany and add colour to her vocal line. Long arco notes are used as a drone on ‘Fragments V’, whilst an example of a uniquely percussive use of the bow is heard on ‘Fragments IX’ to adding a rhythmic accent to Iva’s voice.
More immediately songlike is a beautiful ‘Fragments VII’ with Bittová singing lyrics penned by Chris Cutler; and a stunning a cappella from Iva in her adaptation of an excerpt from a piece by Joaquin Rodrigo.
The album opens and closes with Bittová putting aside the violin in favour of the kalimba, or African thumb-piano, which not only adds contrast and variety of timbre, but also lends a quaint and almost child-like joy in music-making that adds an endearing quality to an impressive debut.
Reviewed by Nick Lea
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Iva Bittová (vln, v, kalimba)
Recorded 4-6 February 2012
This is Iva Bittová’s debut solo album for ECM, although she has been heard on the label’s New Series with the chamber orchestra Solamente Naturali and the Bratislava Conservatory Choir singing Vladimir Godar’s cantata Mater.
Born into a musical family in Northern Moravia, in what is now known as the Czech Republic, Bittová’s music defies any easy idiomatic pigeon-holing, and the violinist says that “deciding on a name for my style of music is far from over yet”.
Although she has been living in New York for the last five years, Bittová has not, on this outing at least, allowed the Big Apple to permeate her unique musical vision, and instead draws on influences from her native heritage and folklore, classical music and improvisation. She will at times utilise extended instrumental techniques for the violin, and her voice will switch easily between the spoken word, incantation and singing.
In these twelve Fragments, her violin is an expressive tool that will often be used to accompany and add colour to her vocal line. Long arco notes are used as a drone on ‘Fragments V’, whilst an example of a uniquely percussive use of the bow is heard on ‘Fragments IX’ to adding a rhythmic accent to Iva’s voice.
More immediately songlike is a beautiful ‘Fragments VII’ with Bittová singing lyrics penned by Chris Cutler; and a stunning a cappella from Iva in her adaptation of an excerpt from a piece by Joaquin Rodrigo.
The album opens and closes with Bittová putting aside the violin in favour of the kalimba, or African thumb-piano, which not only adds contrast and variety of timbre, but also lends a quaint and almost child-like joy in music-making that adds an endearing quality to an impressive debut.
Reviewed by Nick Lea
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CHARLES LLOYD/JASON MORAN – Hagar’s Song
ECM 372 4550
Charles Lloyd (ts, as, bfl, afl); Jason Moran (p, tambourine)
Recorded April 2012
With its release timed to coincide with his 75th birthday, this latest album for ECM finds the saxophonist working with his regular cohort, pianist Jason Moran, who has been a mainstay of Lloyds latter-day quartet; and this format has found both men playing jazz of the highest level, and at the top of their game. It is therefore quite appropriate that Moran shares equal billing, as the music played in neither led, or merely accompanied by either men, but a meeting of equals in an absorbing set.
The disc can be perceived as split into three segments, the first finds the duo investigating standards such as Ellington and Strayhorn compositions ‘Mood Indigo’ and a delightful opening ‘Pretty Girl’ (also known as ‘Star-Crossed Lovers’ from the Such Sweet Thunder suite), and a tender reading of ‘Bess You Is my Woman’ from Porgy and Bess. Lloyd’s love of melody and high regard for Billie Holiday is evident in a beautifully lyrical ‘You’ve Changed’. Lloyd also demonstrates his prowess on alto, and as a composer, in his nod to fellow saxophonist, Ornette Coleman with ‘Pictum’ a frantic work out for piano and saxophone that finds both men shadowing each other’s every move.
The album concludes, with perhaps some modern day standards from an altogether different genre, with renditions of Bob Dylan’s gospel flavoured ‘I Shall Be Released’ and the Beach Boys ‘God Only Knows’ penned by Brian Wilson; perhaps in any other context a throwaway offering, but here played with a sincerity and conviction that bring a whole new meaning to a familiar popular song. We should also perhaps not forget that Lloyd did indeed guest on several Beach Boy recordings in the 1970’s.
However, it is the second segment of the album that is perhaps the most vividly portrayed and personal to Lloyd, as ‘Hagar Suite’ is his original composition, written in five parts as a dedication to his great-great-grandmother who was sold into slavery at the age of ten.
The five individual compositions that make up the suite tell of the story of the 10 year old being taken from her home in Mississippi to the her slave-owner in Tennessee, with Lloyd’s bass flute echoing the forlorn mood of a frightened child, that gives way to foot tapping groove from the piano before once again giving precedence to the darker mood of the opening bars. ‘Dreams of White Bluff has a calm and lyrical beginning, that again gives way as it progresses to more turbulent and troubled thoughts and dreams of an uncertain future; and on ‘Alone’ Lloyd uses, on this outing, his the alto flute to evoke a sense of loneliness over a steady ostinato from the piano. This in turn segues into ‘Bolivar Blues’ with the mournful sound of the alto saxophone gradually becoming more persistant as the piece morphs to incorporate some particularly bluesy phrases. The suite concludes with Lloyd still on alto in a bitter sweet ‘Hagar’s Lullaby’ in a suitably fitting climax to a thought provoking and moving piece of story-telling.
A wonderful album that for all its sometime dark undercurrents straddles musical genres and eras, with a light hearted moment in a delightful version of Earl Hines ‘Rosetta’, and brings together two musicians from different generations who play with an empathy and understanding of great magnitude.
Reviewed by Nick Lea
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KENNY WHEELER/NORMA WINSTONE/LONDON VOCAL PROJECT – Mirrors
Edition Records EDN 1038
Kenny Wheeler (fl-h, comp); Norma Winstone (voc); London Vocal Project (dir. by Pete Churchill); Nikki Iles (p); Mark Lockheart (ts, ss); Steve Watts (b); James Maddren (d)
Recorded 4th & 8th June 2012
After a staggering five decades at the forefront of British (and indeed international) jazz it seems improbable that Kenny Wheeler can continue to add to his already impressive achievements, but this he does with this new release, Mirrors, on Edition Records.
Wheeler is no stranger to working with lyrics and singers, after all he has worked with Norma Winstone since the sixties, but his methods in writing for the ensemble here has differed significantly from his normal practice of writing the music first with the lyrics being added (usually by Winstone) afterwards.
Here, working with the poems of Stevie Smith, Lewis Carroll and W.B.Yeats as his narratives the composer has had to weave his music around the rhythm of the texts. These methods obviously bring their own challenges as the rhymes (especially of Lewis Carroll) were not written with the more metrical nature of musical composition in mind. It is therefore no mean feat that Wheeler has brought the poems to life in a whole new way, and created a wonderful music masterpiece in the process.
Originally composed for a commission for five solo voices, and premiered at the Berlin Jazz Festival in 1998, Kenny has revisited and rescored the music for the London Vocal Project, a 24 piece choir under the direction of Pete Churchill, and jazz ensemble.
Throughout the eleven poems/compositions Wheeler has maintained an incredible balance in the orchestration for the choir and instrumentalists, in a juxtaposition that never feels like a bringing together of separate musical entities but presents them as one seamlessly blended ‘big band’.
The voicing for the choir utilise beautifully the range of timbres between female and male voices, whilst the rhythm section and horns, and solo voice of Norma Winstone (who can also be heard as a distinctive voice within the choir) create and uncluttered and unfussy accompaniment.
Strong solos abound from Nikki Iles, whilst Mark Lockheart is equally convincing whether with his big toned tenor sound, or gently lyrical soprano saxophone; and not forgetting the wonderful sound of Kenny’s flugelhorn. Norma Winstone still continues to astound with her beautiful rendition of ‘The Lover Mourns’ and ‘The Hat’, but it is the album as a whole that engages the mind and heart.
Another feather in Wheeler’s cap in his long and illustrious career, and long may it continue. Music making of this calibre is a joy to behold.
Reviewed by Nick Lea
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Kenny Wheeler (fl-h, comp); Norma Winstone (voc); London Vocal Project (dir. by Pete Churchill); Nikki Iles (p); Mark Lockheart (ts, ss); Steve Watts (b); James Maddren (d)
Recorded 4th & 8th June 2012
After a staggering five decades at the forefront of British (and indeed international) jazz it seems improbable that Kenny Wheeler can continue to add to his already impressive achievements, but this he does with this new release, Mirrors, on Edition Records.
Wheeler is no stranger to working with lyrics and singers, after all he has worked with Norma Winstone since the sixties, but his methods in writing for the ensemble here has differed significantly from his normal practice of writing the music first with the lyrics being added (usually by Winstone) afterwards.
Here, working with the poems of Stevie Smith, Lewis Carroll and W.B.Yeats as his narratives the composer has had to weave his music around the rhythm of the texts. These methods obviously bring their own challenges as the rhymes (especially of Lewis Carroll) were not written with the more metrical nature of musical composition in mind. It is therefore no mean feat that Wheeler has brought the poems to life in a whole new way, and created a wonderful music masterpiece in the process.
Originally composed for a commission for five solo voices, and premiered at the Berlin Jazz Festival in 1998, Kenny has revisited and rescored the music for the London Vocal Project, a 24 piece choir under the direction of Pete Churchill, and jazz ensemble.
Throughout the eleven poems/compositions Wheeler has maintained an incredible balance in the orchestration for the choir and instrumentalists, in a juxtaposition that never feels like a bringing together of separate musical entities but presents them as one seamlessly blended ‘big band’.
The voicing for the choir utilise beautifully the range of timbres between female and male voices, whilst the rhythm section and horns, and solo voice of Norma Winstone (who can also be heard as a distinctive voice within the choir) create and uncluttered and unfussy accompaniment.
Strong solos abound from Nikki Iles, whilst Mark Lockheart is equally convincing whether with his big toned tenor sound, or gently lyrical soprano saxophone; and not forgetting the wonderful sound of Kenny’s flugelhorn. Norma Winstone still continues to astound with her beautiful rendition of ‘The Lover Mourns’ and ‘The Hat’, but it is the album as a whole that engages the mind and heart.
Another feather in Wheeler’s cap in his long and illustrious career, and long may it continue. Music making of this calibre is a joy to behold.
Reviewed by Nick Lea
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MARTIN SPEAKE – Always A First Time
Pumpkin Records: Pumpkin 005
Martin Speake (alto saxophone) Mike Outram (guitar) Jeff Williams (drums)
Recorded June 7th 2012.
The booklet accompanying this elegantly packaged two CD set is peppered with philosophical aphorisms from the likes of Hippocrates and Rilke as well as more familiar jazz world names like Miles, Coltrane and Bill Evans, all telling us that thinking about, listening to and performing music is a profound business. It is certainly true that the reflective and elegiac music presented by this highly accomplished trio requires a degree of intellectual effort and concentration on the part of the listener and should probably be dipped into rather than taken at a stretch and certainly not allowed to drift by in easy listening mode even though the music could never be accused of being especially difficult.
Each of the twenty pieces performed is dedicated to either family members or friends, musicians or, political and inspirational mentors and though an understanding of these extra –musical associations isn’t necessary to appreciate the music they could be thought of as a sort of jazz `Enigma Variations` with the overriding theme being creative integrity and spontaneity . The bulk of the music takes the form of an intimate conversation between the instruments and this is achieved by Speake’s strategy of rejecting the normal conventions of the recording studio whereby musicians are separated by booths or shackled to head phones. As a consequence communication between the three is direct and un-fettered
Of the pieces played four are American songbook ballads, one a tender reading of a Puccini operatic aria whilst the remainder are either limpid, floating abstractions or tense free-bop excursions of varied intensity. Speake, for those not familiar with his work, plays with a pure tone, rarely reaching for vibrato laden effect and only allowing himself a couple of high register squeals when building to a climax. His improvisations are also free of arpeggiated clutter and in this he may be likened to Paul Desmond, Lee Konitz and Mark Turner, three musicians noted for their intelligent, unhackneyed approach to the construction of variations on a theme.
The role played by Outram and Williams contrasts effectively with Speake’s clarity of line by offsetting the calm with spiky rhythms, often played out of tempo, and acidic swathes of guitar sound alternating with gentler folk –like harmonies as required, whilst the absence of a walking bass imparts an airy openness liberating the music from a fixed ostinato and allowing a fluidity in the interplay between the instruments.
Of the two discs the second is possibly the most accessible and varied. Highlights are a virtually straight head account of ‘When Your Lover Has Gone’, a heartfelt meditation on ‘Where Are You’ and two standout originals: a brittle free-bop theme entitled ‘15 Years Too Long’ and a jazz –rock workout with a smouldering solo from Outram who also, and in complete contrast, closes the set with a few bars of plangent subtlety in a ‘Lullaby’ vignette.
Those who have enjoyed the contemporary chamber jazz of Jimmy Giuffre from Thesis and Fusion on or the more recent collaborations between Paul Motion, Bill Frisell and Joe Lovano will find this fine set very much to their liking and draw great satisfaction from its manifold delights which will no doubt reveal themselves in even greater depth and clarity with repeated playing.
Reviewed by Euan Dixon
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Martin Speake (alto saxophone) Mike Outram (guitar) Jeff Williams (drums)
Recorded June 7th 2012.
The booklet accompanying this elegantly packaged two CD set is peppered with philosophical aphorisms from the likes of Hippocrates and Rilke as well as more familiar jazz world names like Miles, Coltrane and Bill Evans, all telling us that thinking about, listening to and performing music is a profound business. It is certainly true that the reflective and elegiac music presented by this highly accomplished trio requires a degree of intellectual effort and concentration on the part of the listener and should probably be dipped into rather than taken at a stretch and certainly not allowed to drift by in easy listening mode even though the music could never be accused of being especially difficult.
Each of the twenty pieces performed is dedicated to either family members or friends, musicians or, political and inspirational mentors and though an understanding of these extra –musical associations isn’t necessary to appreciate the music they could be thought of as a sort of jazz `Enigma Variations` with the overriding theme being creative integrity and spontaneity . The bulk of the music takes the form of an intimate conversation between the instruments and this is achieved by Speake’s strategy of rejecting the normal conventions of the recording studio whereby musicians are separated by booths or shackled to head phones. As a consequence communication between the three is direct and un-fettered
Of the pieces played four are American songbook ballads, one a tender reading of a Puccini operatic aria whilst the remainder are either limpid, floating abstractions or tense free-bop excursions of varied intensity. Speake, for those not familiar with his work, plays with a pure tone, rarely reaching for vibrato laden effect and only allowing himself a couple of high register squeals when building to a climax. His improvisations are also free of arpeggiated clutter and in this he may be likened to Paul Desmond, Lee Konitz and Mark Turner, three musicians noted for their intelligent, unhackneyed approach to the construction of variations on a theme.
The role played by Outram and Williams contrasts effectively with Speake’s clarity of line by offsetting the calm with spiky rhythms, often played out of tempo, and acidic swathes of guitar sound alternating with gentler folk –like harmonies as required, whilst the absence of a walking bass imparts an airy openness liberating the music from a fixed ostinato and allowing a fluidity in the interplay between the instruments.
Of the two discs the second is possibly the most accessible and varied. Highlights are a virtually straight head account of ‘When Your Lover Has Gone’, a heartfelt meditation on ‘Where Are You’ and two standout originals: a brittle free-bop theme entitled ‘15 Years Too Long’ and a jazz –rock workout with a smouldering solo from Outram who also, and in complete contrast, closes the set with a few bars of plangent subtlety in a ‘Lullaby’ vignette.
Those who have enjoyed the contemporary chamber jazz of Jimmy Giuffre from Thesis and Fusion on or the more recent collaborations between Paul Motion, Bill Frisell and Joe Lovano will find this fine set very much to their liking and draw great satisfaction from its manifold delights which will no doubt reveal themselves in even greater depth and clarity with repeated playing.
Reviewed by Euan Dixon
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AARON DIEHL – The Bespoke Man’s Narrative
Mack Avenue MAC 1066
Aaron Diehl (piano) David Wong (bass) Rodney Green (drums) Warren Wolf (vibes- tracks 1 to 4, 6, 7 and 10)
Recorded New York City, 2012
It would be a pity if the virtues of this outstanding debut recital by new piano wunderkind, Aaron Diehl, were obscured by the rather ponderous title. There is nothing pretentious or po-faced about the music which is brimming with vitality and elegant lyricism.
The idea behind the title is simply that the music is tailor made for the musicians involved, all young virtuosi –Diehl himself is only 26 and already the recipient of a prestigious award from the American Pianists Association- but they also put on a readymade mantle which bears the trade-mark of John Lewis and the MJQ whose influence they wear reverently without letting it obscure their individual voices.
Seven of the tracks feature the equally precocious talent of vibraphone player Warren Wolf who displays a potent percussive attack on the hard bop swingers and a luminous depth of tone on the re-imagining of standards like “Moonlight in Vermont” and the minor blues “Blue Nude”.
Their collective veneration of the Modern Jazz Quartet take them close to pastiche in a clone like version of Milt Jackson’s unadorned blues vehicle “The Cylinder” , a veritable re-incarnation of the MJQ with drummer Rodney Green sounding uncannily like a digitally enhanced Connie Kay.
This, however, is no tribute band project but one which conscientiously connects tradition with the aspirations of today so the spirit of the past lives on in the virtuosity of new hands and minds.
John Lewis , as all will recall, was , along with Gunther Schuller, the architect of Third Stream Jazz , a conflation of classical and jazz modes much derided and misunderstood by certain purists, but in Diehl’s hands we are reminded that music is a continuum and the movement between genres is what makes jazz so irresistible in its appeal. It is his eleven minute interpretation of the third movement of Ravel’s piano suite, “Le Tombeau de Couperin” that will make one want to return to this disc again and again for he melds the idioms of jazz and classical so seamlessly and employs the luscious Ravelian harmonies in the service of jazz improvisation that one can neither detect an iota of stylistic conflict or fail to be ravished by the outcome.
In short, an impressive debut by a musician whose name is sure to become a byword for conservative innovation and in whose hands the future of jazz as a major art form is assured.
Highly recommended.
Reviewed by Euan Dixon
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Aaron Diehl (piano) David Wong (bass) Rodney Green (drums) Warren Wolf (vibes- tracks 1 to 4, 6, 7 and 10)
Recorded New York City, 2012
It would be a pity if the virtues of this outstanding debut recital by new piano wunderkind, Aaron Diehl, were obscured by the rather ponderous title. There is nothing pretentious or po-faced about the music which is brimming with vitality and elegant lyricism.
The idea behind the title is simply that the music is tailor made for the musicians involved, all young virtuosi –Diehl himself is only 26 and already the recipient of a prestigious award from the American Pianists Association- but they also put on a readymade mantle which bears the trade-mark of John Lewis and the MJQ whose influence they wear reverently without letting it obscure their individual voices.
Seven of the tracks feature the equally precocious talent of vibraphone player Warren Wolf who displays a potent percussive attack on the hard bop swingers and a luminous depth of tone on the re-imagining of standards like “Moonlight in Vermont” and the minor blues “Blue Nude”.
Their collective veneration of the Modern Jazz Quartet take them close to pastiche in a clone like version of Milt Jackson’s unadorned blues vehicle “The Cylinder” , a veritable re-incarnation of the MJQ with drummer Rodney Green sounding uncannily like a digitally enhanced Connie Kay.
This, however, is no tribute band project but one which conscientiously connects tradition with the aspirations of today so the spirit of the past lives on in the virtuosity of new hands and minds.
John Lewis , as all will recall, was , along with Gunther Schuller, the architect of Third Stream Jazz , a conflation of classical and jazz modes much derided and misunderstood by certain purists, but in Diehl’s hands we are reminded that music is a continuum and the movement between genres is what makes jazz so irresistible in its appeal. It is his eleven minute interpretation of the third movement of Ravel’s piano suite, “Le Tombeau de Couperin” that will make one want to return to this disc again and again for he melds the idioms of jazz and classical so seamlessly and employs the luscious Ravelian harmonies in the service of jazz improvisation that one can neither detect an iota of stylistic conflict or fail to be ravished by the outcome.
In short, an impressive debut by a musician whose name is sure to become a byword for conservative innovation and in whose hands the future of jazz as a major art form is assured.
Highly recommended.
Reviewed by Euan Dixon
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ELENI KARAINDROU - Concert In Athens
ECM New Series 476 4984
Kim Kashkashian (vla); Jan Garbarek (ts); Vangelis Christopoulos (oboe); Eleni Karaindrou (p); Segiu Nastasa(vln); Renato Ripo (clo); Stella Gadedi (fl); Marie-Cecile Boulard (cl); Sonia Pisk (bsn); Vangelis Skpuras (fr-h); Socratis Anthis (t); Maria Bildea (hrp); Dinos Hadjiiordanou (acc); Aris Dimitriades (mand); Camerata Orchestra; Alexandros Myrat (cond) Recorded November 19, 2010
As an ECM new Series release the music on this disc may be seen to fall outside the remit of this site, however the presence of saxophonist Jan Garbarek perhaps helps to lend an air of credence for its inclusion. I must also add that Kim Kashkashian impressed me deeply with her playing on Garbarek’s 2004 ECM album In Praise of Dreams.
So now we have established that this is not a jazz (or improvised music) recording, despite the presence of the saxophonist, what we do have is an incredibly beautiful album of classical pieces from Greek composer and pianist, Eleni Karaindrou in a live concert recording the Megaron (Hall of the Friends of Music) in Athens.
The music centres on Karaindrou’s writing for theatre and films, and opens and closes with Garbarek’s haunting tenor saxophone featured on ‘Requiem for Willy Lomax’ from Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman, and the saxophonist also contributes his deep and velvet toned tenor sound to ‘Invocation’ (Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf), ‘Tom’s Theme’ and ‘Laura’s Waltz from The Glass Mengarie. Garbarek, as always, plays like nobody but himself, and it is difficult at times to tell if he is playing strictly from the score or is given some freedom to improvise; but this matters little as the music is a delight.
Throughout this performance, Kashkashian’s viola sweeps majestically (just take a listen to her playing on ‘Laura’s Waltz’), adding to the already substantial impression she has created with her playing on the aforementioned Garbarek release, and other notable contributions (difficult to sometimes refer to them as ‘solos’ per se, coming from a jazz perspective) from oboist Vangelis Christopoulos and the piano of Eleni Karaindrou herself.
There is no mistaking Karaindrou's Greek heritage in the scope of her compositions, and whilst I do not lay claim to any great classical expertise I can perhaps hear the influence of Erik Satie in pieces such as ‘Nostalgia Song’ and Adagio for Saxophone’.
This is a must hear album for fans of Jan Garbarek, and will be of interest to all of us who approach our music with a view to listening to music of quality outside of our preferred genre.
Reviewed by Nick Lea
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Kim Kashkashian (vla); Jan Garbarek (ts); Vangelis Christopoulos (oboe); Eleni Karaindrou (p); Segiu Nastasa(vln); Renato Ripo (clo); Stella Gadedi (fl); Marie-Cecile Boulard (cl); Sonia Pisk (bsn); Vangelis Skpuras (fr-h); Socratis Anthis (t); Maria Bildea (hrp); Dinos Hadjiiordanou (acc); Aris Dimitriades (mand); Camerata Orchestra; Alexandros Myrat (cond) Recorded November 19, 2010
As an ECM new Series release the music on this disc may be seen to fall outside the remit of this site, however the presence of saxophonist Jan Garbarek perhaps helps to lend an air of credence for its inclusion. I must also add that Kim Kashkashian impressed me deeply with her playing on Garbarek’s 2004 ECM album In Praise of Dreams.
So now we have established that this is not a jazz (or improvised music) recording, despite the presence of the saxophonist, what we do have is an incredibly beautiful album of classical pieces from Greek composer and pianist, Eleni Karaindrou in a live concert recording the Megaron (Hall of the Friends of Music) in Athens.
The music centres on Karaindrou’s writing for theatre and films, and opens and closes with Garbarek’s haunting tenor saxophone featured on ‘Requiem for Willy Lomax’ from Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman, and the saxophonist also contributes his deep and velvet toned tenor sound to ‘Invocation’ (Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf), ‘Tom’s Theme’ and ‘Laura’s Waltz from The Glass Mengarie. Garbarek, as always, plays like nobody but himself, and it is difficult at times to tell if he is playing strictly from the score or is given some freedom to improvise; but this matters little as the music is a delight.
Throughout this performance, Kashkashian’s viola sweeps majestically (just take a listen to her playing on ‘Laura’s Waltz’), adding to the already substantial impression she has created with her playing on the aforementioned Garbarek release, and other notable contributions (difficult to sometimes refer to them as ‘solos’ per se, coming from a jazz perspective) from oboist Vangelis Christopoulos and the piano of Eleni Karaindrou herself.
There is no mistaking Karaindrou's Greek heritage in the scope of her compositions, and whilst I do not lay claim to any great classical expertise I can perhaps hear the influence of Erik Satie in pieces such as ‘Nostalgia Song’ and Adagio for Saxophone’.
This is a must hear album for fans of Jan Garbarek, and will be of interest to all of us who approach our music with a view to listening to music of quality outside of our preferred genre.
Reviewed by Nick Lea
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TERRI LYNE CARRINGTON - Money Jungle: Provocative In Blue
Concord Jazz CJA3402602
Terri Lyne Carrington (d); Gerald Clayton (p, fender Rhodes); Christian McBride (b); Robin Eubanks (tb); Tia Fuller (alt-fl); Antonio Hart (fl); Nir Felder (g); Arturo Stable (perc); Lizz Wright (voc on track 3); Shea Rose (voc on track 11); Herbie Hancock (voice of Duke Ellington on track 11); Special Guest: Clark Terry(t, voc track 2); Speech and audio clips from public domain
To coincide with the release fifty years ago of the Ellington/Mingus/Roach album, Money Jungle drummer, Terri Lyne Carrington, has revisited and rerecorded eight of Duke’s compositions from the original LP, along with three new original tunes to present a neat album that in no way should sit in shadow of the Ellington’s classic trio.
If it is clearly a completely different ‘money jungle’ that we now find ourselves in, in these current difficult times, then a comparison to the original masterpiece from 1963 would serve no purpose in reviewing this new offering, and Money Jungle: Provocative In Blue must ultimately stand or fall purely on its own artistic merits.
Carrington has said that she is “not certain why Money Jungle has haunted me for years” and the deep love and respect she hold for the album are evident in this current work. It appears that the project has been some ten years in the pipeline and the gestation time appears to have been well spent.
Jettisoning three of Ellington’s pieces from the original album, ‘Warm Valley’, ‘Solitude’ and ‘Caravan’, the Terri Lyne inserts two of her own compositions and one from pianist, Gerald Clayton that compliment the familiar Ducal themes. Indeed, the beautiful ‘Cut Off’ penned by Clayton is reminiscent in it’s melodic shape to ‘Solitude’, and is a standout piece on the disc.
From the opening title track, the trio make their presence felt. With a deep and luxurious groove from bassist McBride, the three musicians settle into a tight yet flexible groove. And this is where the real meat is in this release. The trio are exemplary throughout, working as one through the material and swinging hard, again as evident in ‘Very Special’ and Carrington’s darkly tinged ‘No Boxes (Nor Words)’.
If there is a flaw in this fine release then it is surprisingly from the inclusion of the guest musicians, who for this listener bring little to add to the already strong concept that Carrington has of how she wishes to present the music, and perhaps even dilute the potency of the finished product.
If this trio stay together as working/recording outfit then there is a masterpiece yet to come, in the meantime Terri Lyne has produced a strikingly fresh take on the music of a composer and pianist she obviously greatly admires.
Reviewed by Nick Lea
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TUBBY HAYES - Little Giant Steps
Properbox 176 (4 CD Set)
CD One: Tubby Hayes Quartet: Tubby Hayes ( t/vibes ) Terry Shannon ( p ) Jeff Clyne ( b ) Phil Seaman ( d )
Recorded London, December 1959
Tubby Hyes & his Orchestra
Recorded London, March 21 1961
Tubby Hayes & his Orchestra
Recorded London March 22 1961
Tubby Hayes Quartet Tubby Hayes ( t ) Terry Shannon ( p ) Jeff Clyne ( b ) Bill Eyden ( d )
Recorded London March 23 1961
CD Two: Tubby Hayes (t / v ) Terry Shaanon ( p ) Jeff Clyne ( bass ) Bill Eyden ( d )
Recorded at the London Palladium, March 31 1961
Phillip Green & his Orchestra
Recorded Pinewood, July 1961
The Tubby Hayes Orchestra
Recorded London, August 1961
Tubby Hayes Quintet Tubby Hayes ( t ) Clark Terry ( t ) Eddie Costa ( v ) Horace Parlan ( p ) George Duvivier ( b ) Dave Bailey ( d )
Recorded New York, October 3 1961
CD Three: Tubby Hayes Quintet Tubby Hayes ( t ) Clark Terry ( t ) Eddie Costa ( v ) Horace Parlan ( p ) George Duvivier ( b 0 Dave Bailey ( d )
Recorded New York, October 3 1961
Tubby Hayes ( t/ s / v/) Jimmy Deuchar ( t ) Gordon Beck ( p ) Freddy Logan ( b ) Allan Ganley ( d )
Recorded at the Ronnie Scott Club, May 1962
CD Four: Tubby Hayes ( T/ S/ V ) Jimmy Deuchar ( t )Gordon Beck ( p )Freddy Logan ( b ) Allan Ganley ( d ) Recorded at the Ronnie Scott Club, May 1962
Tubby Hayes & the All Stars Tbby Hayes ( t / v ) James Moody ( t / f ) Roland Kirk ( t / f / Manzullo / stritch ) Walter Bishop Jnr ( p ) Sam Jones ( b ) Louis Hayes ( d )
Recorded New York, June 23 1962
This is the second Properbox set featuring the late Tubby Hayes and is a welcome contribution to the recorded legacy of one of Britain’s major figures in Modern Jazz.The Little Giant ( Properbox 117 ) covers the period from 1954 to 1956 and this release continues the story from 1959 to 1962.
On the first disc we have a reissue of the album first released on Tempo & called Tubby’s Groove and is complete except for a couple of unidentified blues and a alternate take of ‘Tin Tin Deo’. The standout track for me is ‘Sunny Monday’ with its marvellous stop time chorus from Tubby and Phil Seaman’s laid back drumming. Not far behind is Tubby’s own composition ‘Blue Hayes’ with its concise scene setting intro by pianist Terry Shannon, it demonstrates that Tubby was equally inventive at slower tempos as the more frantic ones.
The balance of the first disc comprises of the Fontana album Tubbs consisting of a mixture of Tubby’s big band and quartet, and the big band tracks are particularly welcome as they show Tubby’s skills as an arranger as well as his undoubted talent as a multi-instrumentalist.
CD Two commences with three tracks recorded live at the London Palladium the best of these being an outing on vibes for the rarely played ‘Young & Foolish’ with Tubby at his lyrical best & Terry Shannon’s piano solo is also masterful. The two tracks by the Phillip Green Orchestra come from the soundtrack of the film ‘All Night Long’ which featured a number of British and American jazz musicians & it has that soundtrack sound although there is an exciting tenor chase on ‘The Chase’. I have enjoyed the two part ‘Southern Suite’ for many years and it is a bonus to find them on CD. Part One is the better of the two with some excellent section work. Disc Two concludes with the first part of the session recorded in New York with American musicians including in the frontline Clark Terry whose composition ‘A Pint of Bitter’ is the star track for me.
Disc Three has the balance of the New York session and the first part of the live sessions recorded at the Ronnie Scott Club which were originally issued as two CDs and are typical live club sets. The inclusion of Allan Ganley in the drum chair is inspirational as his untypical aggressive drumming brings out the best in the horn players. Gordon Beck’s reflective solo on ‘Angel Eyes’ is a joy. Jimmy Deuchar’s on form trumpet contributions both in the ensembles and solo add to the success of the session.
Disc Four has the rest of the Scott Club session and is rounded out by the album originally issued as Return Visit which is Tubby’s second recorded album in New York but involving a change in personnel including James Moody and Roland Kirk and does not quite match up to the first which included Clark Terry. The session as a whole does not sound as organised as the Terry date, but nevertheless there are some good things to be heard. All three horns perform well on the ballad medley with Tubby slightly ahead of the other two but John Lewis’s ‘Afternoon in Paris’ is the pick of the tracks with the group hitting a smooth groove accompanied by a well oiled rhythm section.
This release is a great companion to the earlier Properbox of Tubby’s early work and is a must buy for any lover of this period of British Jazz. Simon Spillett’s excellent notes in the booklet must be mentioned and it is hoped he will soon find a publisher for his long anticipated book on Tubby.
Reviewed by Roy Booth
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CD One: Tubby Hayes Quartet: Tubby Hayes ( t/vibes ) Terry Shannon ( p ) Jeff Clyne ( b ) Phil Seaman ( d )
Recorded London, December 1959
Tubby Hyes & his Orchestra
Recorded London, March 21 1961
Tubby Hayes & his Orchestra
Recorded London March 22 1961
Tubby Hayes Quartet Tubby Hayes ( t ) Terry Shannon ( p ) Jeff Clyne ( b ) Bill Eyden ( d )
Recorded London March 23 1961
CD Two: Tubby Hayes (t / v ) Terry Shaanon ( p ) Jeff Clyne ( bass ) Bill Eyden ( d )
Recorded at the London Palladium, March 31 1961
Phillip Green & his Orchestra
Recorded Pinewood, July 1961
The Tubby Hayes Orchestra
Recorded London, August 1961
Tubby Hayes Quintet Tubby Hayes ( t ) Clark Terry ( t ) Eddie Costa ( v ) Horace Parlan ( p ) George Duvivier ( b ) Dave Bailey ( d )
Recorded New York, October 3 1961
CD Three: Tubby Hayes Quintet Tubby Hayes ( t ) Clark Terry ( t ) Eddie Costa ( v ) Horace Parlan ( p ) George Duvivier ( b 0 Dave Bailey ( d )
Recorded New York, October 3 1961
Tubby Hayes ( t/ s / v/) Jimmy Deuchar ( t ) Gordon Beck ( p ) Freddy Logan ( b ) Allan Ganley ( d )
Recorded at the Ronnie Scott Club, May 1962
CD Four: Tubby Hayes ( T/ S/ V ) Jimmy Deuchar ( t )Gordon Beck ( p )Freddy Logan ( b ) Allan Ganley ( d ) Recorded at the Ronnie Scott Club, May 1962
Tubby Hayes & the All Stars Tbby Hayes ( t / v ) James Moody ( t / f ) Roland Kirk ( t / f / Manzullo / stritch ) Walter Bishop Jnr ( p ) Sam Jones ( b ) Louis Hayes ( d )
Recorded New York, June 23 1962
This is the second Properbox set featuring the late Tubby Hayes and is a welcome contribution to the recorded legacy of one of Britain’s major figures in Modern Jazz.The Little Giant ( Properbox 117 ) covers the period from 1954 to 1956 and this release continues the story from 1959 to 1962.
On the first disc we have a reissue of the album first released on Tempo & called Tubby’s Groove and is complete except for a couple of unidentified blues and a alternate take of ‘Tin Tin Deo’. The standout track for me is ‘Sunny Monday’ with its marvellous stop time chorus from Tubby and Phil Seaman’s laid back drumming. Not far behind is Tubby’s own composition ‘Blue Hayes’ with its concise scene setting intro by pianist Terry Shannon, it demonstrates that Tubby was equally inventive at slower tempos as the more frantic ones.
The balance of the first disc comprises of the Fontana album Tubbs consisting of a mixture of Tubby’s big band and quartet, and the big band tracks are particularly welcome as they show Tubby’s skills as an arranger as well as his undoubted talent as a multi-instrumentalist.
CD Two commences with three tracks recorded live at the London Palladium the best of these being an outing on vibes for the rarely played ‘Young & Foolish’ with Tubby at his lyrical best & Terry Shannon’s piano solo is also masterful. The two tracks by the Phillip Green Orchestra come from the soundtrack of the film ‘All Night Long’ which featured a number of British and American jazz musicians & it has that soundtrack sound although there is an exciting tenor chase on ‘The Chase’. I have enjoyed the two part ‘Southern Suite’ for many years and it is a bonus to find them on CD. Part One is the better of the two with some excellent section work. Disc Two concludes with the first part of the session recorded in New York with American musicians including in the frontline Clark Terry whose composition ‘A Pint of Bitter’ is the star track for me.
Disc Three has the balance of the New York session and the first part of the live sessions recorded at the Ronnie Scott Club which were originally issued as two CDs and are typical live club sets. The inclusion of Allan Ganley in the drum chair is inspirational as his untypical aggressive drumming brings out the best in the horn players. Gordon Beck’s reflective solo on ‘Angel Eyes’ is a joy. Jimmy Deuchar’s on form trumpet contributions both in the ensembles and solo add to the success of the session.
Disc Four has the rest of the Scott Club session and is rounded out by the album originally issued as Return Visit which is Tubby’s second recorded album in New York but involving a change in personnel including James Moody and Roland Kirk and does not quite match up to the first which included Clark Terry. The session as a whole does not sound as organised as the Terry date, but nevertheless there are some good things to be heard. All three horns perform well on the ballad medley with Tubby slightly ahead of the other two but John Lewis’s ‘Afternoon in Paris’ is the pick of the tracks with the group hitting a smooth groove accompanied by a well oiled rhythm section.
This release is a great companion to the earlier Properbox of Tubby’s early work and is a must buy for any lover of this period of British Jazz. Simon Spillett’s excellent notes in the booklet must be mentioned and it is hoped he will soon find a publisher for his long anticipated book on Tubby.
Reviewed by Roy Booth
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