JOHN HARLE – Art Music
Sospiro Records SOSJH100213
John Harle (saxophones, piano, guitars, bass guitar); The Doric String Quartet; Sarah Leonard, Marc
Almond (voice); Steve Lodder (p); Bill Hawkes (violin, viola); Riccarda Kane (trombone); Daniel Eisner Harle (sound design); Pavel Šporcl (violin)
This latest album from saxophonist John Harle is conceived and presented as a good old fashioned concept album, taking as its inspiration some of Harle’s favourite paintings. The artists that have inspired the music are either all British, or artists that have strong links with the British Isles and
to this he has combined in one of the movements the words of poet William Blake.
Over the course of an hour the five suites or movements travel vast distances musically to convey the feeling conjured up by the images that so inspire and move Harle, and his compositions are as bright and inventive as the paintings themselves. Harle is well versed in bringing drama and tension to his work, and the music is often powerful and evocative. This is immediately evident in the opening piece ‘Painted Life’ that features Harle’s soprano with the Doric String Quartet and the voice of Sarah Leonard which draws on the paintings of Lucian Freud, and moves from a ‘Berlin Tango’ to a more reflective and gentle mood for ‘The Interpetation of Dreams’, and the more disturbing and ominous ‘Memory and Imagination’. The suite closes with the calm serenity of the ‘Painted Life’ that has some beautiful and moving playing from pianist, Steve Lodder.
In sharp contrast are two shorter pieces, ‘Innocent’ which pairs Harle’s soprano saxophone with electronic sounds to concrete jungle as dense and fearsome as Francis Bacon’s painting ‘Study after Vaasquez’s Portait of Pope Innocent X’; and ‘In Nomine’ that features the hauntingly exquisite melding of Harle’s saxophone with the voice of Sarah Leonard.
The other vocalist heard, Marc Almond, will possibly be best remembered for his involvement with the pop band Soft Cell. The bands’ cover of
the Gloria Jones’ single ‘Tainted Love’ has stood the test of time and is still frequently played on radio stations around the world more than thirty years after its first hit the airwaves, and it is his contribution makes a telling and lasting impression. Heard on two of the tracks that make up ‘The Arrival of Spring’ Almond’s rich and full tenor voice graces ‘In The Wood’ and ‘Angel Eyes’, singing the words of William Blake against Harle’s rich tapestry of strings, and finishes with a magnificent intervallic leap to conclude the second ‘movement’ and leading the way for the joyous finale of the suite's concluding title track with Sarah Leonard’s soaring soprano.
The album comes to close with the longest of the five suites, ‘Arcadia’ taking up a third of the total playing time of the album, and is a most fitting climax to this wonderful recording. Perhaps more of a classical leaning than any of the preceding pieces, each separate movement is drawing influence from the work of artist John Craxton (1922 – 2009) and Craxton’s love of the island of Crete. As such, a Grecian feel prevails. The trio heard on ‘Arcadia’ really get to the heart of this material, and the flamboyant playing of Pavel Šporcl enlists a similar response from Harle whose soprano playing on ‘Procession’ in particular is as wild as the violinist's. If John Harle’s soprano saxophone sound can be considered too ‘straight’ for those more familiar with the sounds of jazz soprano specialists Sidney Bechet and Steve Lacy, then many will be surprised at the sheer variety of sounds and tonal effects that he utilises for purely musical effect.
This is a fascinating and beguiling album that I have been fortunate to have been living with for several weeks prior to writing this review , and shows no sign soon of losing its magical powers of communication.
Reviewed by Nick Lea
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John Harle (saxophones, piano, guitars, bass guitar); The Doric String Quartet; Sarah Leonard, Marc
Almond (voice); Steve Lodder (p); Bill Hawkes (violin, viola); Riccarda Kane (trombone); Daniel Eisner Harle (sound design); Pavel Šporcl (violin)
This latest album from saxophonist John Harle is conceived and presented as a good old fashioned concept album, taking as its inspiration some of Harle’s favourite paintings. The artists that have inspired the music are either all British, or artists that have strong links with the British Isles and
to this he has combined in one of the movements the words of poet William Blake.
Over the course of an hour the five suites or movements travel vast distances musically to convey the feeling conjured up by the images that so inspire and move Harle, and his compositions are as bright and inventive as the paintings themselves. Harle is well versed in bringing drama and tension to his work, and the music is often powerful and evocative. This is immediately evident in the opening piece ‘Painted Life’ that features Harle’s soprano with the Doric String Quartet and the voice of Sarah Leonard which draws on the paintings of Lucian Freud, and moves from a ‘Berlin Tango’ to a more reflective and gentle mood for ‘The Interpetation of Dreams’, and the more disturbing and ominous ‘Memory and Imagination’. The suite closes with the calm serenity of the ‘Painted Life’ that has some beautiful and moving playing from pianist, Steve Lodder.
In sharp contrast are two shorter pieces, ‘Innocent’ which pairs Harle’s soprano saxophone with electronic sounds to concrete jungle as dense and fearsome as Francis Bacon’s painting ‘Study after Vaasquez’s Portait of Pope Innocent X’; and ‘In Nomine’ that features the hauntingly exquisite melding of Harle’s saxophone with the voice of Sarah Leonard.
The other vocalist heard, Marc Almond, will possibly be best remembered for his involvement with the pop band Soft Cell. The bands’ cover of
the Gloria Jones’ single ‘Tainted Love’ has stood the test of time and is still frequently played on radio stations around the world more than thirty years after its first hit the airwaves, and it is his contribution makes a telling and lasting impression. Heard on two of the tracks that make up ‘The Arrival of Spring’ Almond’s rich and full tenor voice graces ‘In The Wood’ and ‘Angel Eyes’, singing the words of William Blake against Harle’s rich tapestry of strings, and finishes with a magnificent intervallic leap to conclude the second ‘movement’ and leading the way for the joyous finale of the suite's concluding title track with Sarah Leonard’s soaring soprano.
The album comes to close with the longest of the five suites, ‘Arcadia’ taking up a third of the total playing time of the album, and is a most fitting climax to this wonderful recording. Perhaps more of a classical leaning than any of the preceding pieces, each separate movement is drawing influence from the work of artist John Craxton (1922 – 2009) and Craxton’s love of the island of Crete. As such, a Grecian feel prevails. The trio heard on ‘Arcadia’ really get to the heart of this material, and the flamboyant playing of Pavel Šporcl enlists a similar response from Harle whose soprano playing on ‘Procession’ in particular is as wild as the violinist's. If John Harle’s soprano saxophone sound can be considered too ‘straight’ for those more familiar with the sounds of jazz soprano specialists Sidney Bechet and Steve Lacy, then many will be surprised at the sheer variety of sounds and tonal effects that he utilises for purely musical effect.
This is a fascinating and beguiling album that I have been fortunate to have been living with for several weeks prior to writing this review , and shows no sign soon of losing its magical powers of communication.
Reviewed by Nick Lea
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KNEEBODY - The Line
Concord CRE 3449502
Adam Benjamin (keyboards); Shane Endsley (trumpet); Ben Wendel (tenor saxophone); Kaveh
Rastegar (bass); NateWood (drums)
Kneebody hits you between the eyes on their fourth album. I must admit that I have not heard
anything quite like this group of musicians. Their work has been described as fusion but it is not what I would call fusion. It is too good for that.
Drummer Nate Wood dominates their music and he develops rhythms that are unique to him. This music does not swing, it pulsates. There is not much subtlety but that does not really matter in this context.....what he does seems right. Although the instrumentation seems conventional the music is far from that.
Shane Endsley on ‘Work Hard, Play Hard, Towel Hard. displays a brassy edge and a flare for novel improvisation that eschews clichés. The avoidance of cliché seems to be one of the defining characteristics of the band.
The music can be relentless in they that Mingus can hammer out rhythms. The closest that they come to fusion is on ‘Greenblatt’ written by
keyboard player Benjamin. The melody winds its meditative way while the improvisation is with the rhythm.
Kneebody constantly surprises. Coming from the West Coast this music has few similarities with the fifities west coast jazz. This is much more aggressive. It is however just as white. It will be interesting to see if it will be marginalized as the West Coast of the fifties eventually was.
They have been obviously advised by their major label producer to keep the tracks short. There is nothing over about nine minutes and most tracks are much shorter than that. They leave you with the impression that this is a band you would want to see live.
Reviewed by Jack Kenny
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Adam Benjamin (keyboards); Shane Endsley (trumpet); Ben Wendel (tenor saxophone); Kaveh
Rastegar (bass); NateWood (drums)
Kneebody hits you between the eyes on their fourth album. I must admit that I have not heard
anything quite like this group of musicians. Their work has been described as fusion but it is not what I would call fusion. It is too good for that.
Drummer Nate Wood dominates their music and he develops rhythms that are unique to him. This music does not swing, it pulsates. There is not much subtlety but that does not really matter in this context.....what he does seems right. Although the instrumentation seems conventional the music is far from that.
Shane Endsley on ‘Work Hard, Play Hard, Towel Hard. displays a brassy edge and a flare for novel improvisation that eschews clichés. The avoidance of cliché seems to be one of the defining characteristics of the band.
The music can be relentless in they that Mingus can hammer out rhythms. The closest that they come to fusion is on ‘Greenblatt’ written by
keyboard player Benjamin. The melody winds its meditative way while the improvisation is with the rhythm.
Kneebody constantly surprises. Coming from the West Coast this music has few similarities with the fifities west coast jazz. This is much more aggressive. It is however just as white. It will be interesting to see if it will be marginalized as the West Coast of the fifties eventually was.
They have been obviously advised by their major label producer to keep the tracks short. There is nothing over about nine minutes and most tracks are much shorter than that. They leave you with the impression that this is a band you would want to see live.
Reviewed by Jack Kenny
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CLAUDIO SCOLARI – Colors Of Red Island
Principal Records MISV04
Claudio Scolari: drums, percussion, flute, piano, synthesizers; Daniele Cavalca: drums, percussion, vibraphone, bass; Simone Scolari: trumpet.
Three musicians make very distinctive music with drums and percussion at the heart of the journey. This is not Art Blakey rhythm, Buddy Rich or even Elvin Jones. This is new exploring all aspects of drums from the rounded depths of the percussion to taps on rims. Simone Scolari is the trumpeter, eighteen at the time of the recording. Claudio Scolari his percussionist father is the driving force here aided by Daniele Calvaca.
Calvaca on vibraphone opens “Movement Inspiration” with Claudio Scolari and the improvisation is clever and inspired exploration of percussiveness. Simone Scolari’s trumpet has a wide, rounded sound with strong emotional content. On ‘Earth Dances Explosions’ he declaims with great dignity as insistent rhythms from drums and synths roll under him with an insistent forward thrust. The vibraphone opens ‘Improvised Sentimental Song’ hammering a simple phrase repetitively leaving the drums to improvise and seethe underneath it all.
Painting pictures with sound is very much part of this music. Sea sounds open ’Electric Light Over Water’ restless cymbal splashes, clicks and Debussy like key board sounds.
The duet between trumpet and piano on the title track “Colors of Red Island creates a sense of spacious ness which is carried through the rest of the album thanks to the quality of the recording from the Vox studio in Reggio Emilia. This is really a case where the recording engineer is an extra musician.
‘Nobility’ is the word that suggests itself after prolonged listening. The lonely sound of the trumpet as it declaims over the rolling percussion is what remains with you.. In spite of the fact that there are just three musicians there is never any concern that music lacks variety.
Reviewed by Jack Kenny
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Claudio Scolari: drums, percussion, flute, piano, synthesizers; Daniele Cavalca: drums, percussion, vibraphone, bass; Simone Scolari: trumpet.
Three musicians make very distinctive music with drums and percussion at the heart of the journey. This is not Art Blakey rhythm, Buddy Rich or even Elvin Jones. This is new exploring all aspects of drums from the rounded depths of the percussion to taps on rims. Simone Scolari is the trumpeter, eighteen at the time of the recording. Claudio Scolari his percussionist father is the driving force here aided by Daniele Calvaca.
Calvaca on vibraphone opens “Movement Inspiration” with Claudio Scolari and the improvisation is clever and inspired exploration of percussiveness. Simone Scolari’s trumpet has a wide, rounded sound with strong emotional content. On ‘Earth Dances Explosions’ he declaims with great dignity as insistent rhythms from drums and synths roll under him with an insistent forward thrust. The vibraphone opens ‘Improvised Sentimental Song’ hammering a simple phrase repetitively leaving the drums to improvise and seethe underneath it all.
Painting pictures with sound is very much part of this music. Sea sounds open ’Electric Light Over Water’ restless cymbal splashes, clicks and Debussy like key board sounds.
The duet between trumpet and piano on the title track “Colors of Red Island creates a sense of spacious ness which is carried through the rest of the album thanks to the quality of the recording from the Vox studio in Reggio Emilia. This is really a case where the recording engineer is an extra musician.
‘Nobility’ is the word that suggests itself after prolonged listening. The lonely sound of the trumpet as it declaims over the rolling percussion is what remains with you.. In spite of the fact that there are just three musicians there is never any concern that music lacks variety.
Reviewed by Jack Kenny
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WEBSTER WRAIGHT ENSEMBLE - No Lucky Days
Miso 025
Let’s get the praise out of the way first. This album is beautifully played. The arrangements for this large group are interesting and it is easy to recognise the influences: Quincy Jones , Gil Evans and maybe Stan Kenton in his quieter moments. The ensemble passages are played with sensitivity and precision. The recording is warm and resonant. There has been a great deal of money
spent here.
The Webster Wraight Ensemble is a project by “deep house maestro” Charles Webster and pianist and orchestral arranger Peter Wraight, who works with the Matthew Herbert Big Band. They have endeavoured to produce a big band jazz album with vocals from Emilie Chick and Detroit's Paul Randolph. Saxophonist Dave O’Higgins is present too. You can imagine that with a little more bravery and a little less control those involved could have created an album that would have startled.
What keeps this middle of the road music from being memorable is its blandness. Some of that is the influence of Emilie Chick. She has a pleasant voice but her lyrics are the kind that that slip into the mind and slide straight through without leaving any trace elements.
There is a claim that it is difficult to pigeon hole the album, that it transcends barriers of genre and style. Not really true. Jazz, in the most memorable definition, is the sound of surprise. Charles Webster has been very successful in his own musical niche but there are few surprises here. It does avoid the clichés of vintage big band music but brings in new ones.
Reviewed by Jack Kenny
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Let’s get the praise out of the way first. This album is beautifully played. The arrangements for this large group are interesting and it is easy to recognise the influences: Quincy Jones , Gil Evans and maybe Stan Kenton in his quieter moments. The ensemble passages are played with sensitivity and precision. The recording is warm and resonant. There has been a great deal of money
spent here.
The Webster Wraight Ensemble is a project by “deep house maestro” Charles Webster and pianist and orchestral arranger Peter Wraight, who works with the Matthew Herbert Big Band. They have endeavoured to produce a big band jazz album with vocals from Emilie Chick and Detroit's Paul Randolph. Saxophonist Dave O’Higgins is present too. You can imagine that with a little more bravery and a little less control those involved could have created an album that would have startled.
What keeps this middle of the road music from being memorable is its blandness. Some of that is the influence of Emilie Chick. She has a pleasant voice but her lyrics are the kind that that slip into the mind and slide straight through without leaving any trace elements.
There is a claim that it is difficult to pigeon hole the album, that it transcends barriers of genre and style. Not really true. Jazz, in the most memorable definition, is the sound of surprise. Charles Webster has been very successful in his own musical niche but there are few surprises here. It does avoid the clichés of vintage big band music but brings in new ones.
Reviewed by Jack Kenny
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AARON PARKS – Arborescence
ECM 374 4401
Aaron Parks (piano)
Recorded November 2011
This is pianist Aaron Parks debut album for ECM, although he has been a key player amongst, dare I say it, the younger generation of musicians that are currently making a big impression on the New York scene and beyond. As well as his own projects, and having recorded for Blue Note, Parks is a frequent collaborator with guitarist Kurt Rosenwinkel and trumpeter Christian Scott, and has recorded with the collective quartet, James Farm with Joshua Redman.
Although only thirty years old, this former prodigy is already being hailed as reaching full artistic bloom. How such accolades and plaudits are viewed is very much a matter for debate, but what is indisputable is the recorded evidence that we are presented with on this album of solo piano recitals.
Recorded in the warm and luxurious acoustics of Mechanics Hall in Worcester, Massachusetts Parks has simply sat at the piano and played. If this is a somewhat simplistic analogy, the pianist has said that the session was approached with an open mind and that little was predetermined prior to the recording. The album’s title, Arborescence itself is by definition means “the way something grows”, and these delightful pieces take their cue from spontaneous improvisations that develop organically and logically. Nothing is over played, and each piece is complete in its own right.
Of the eleven tracks, ‘Elsewhere’ and the album’s concluding ‘Homestead’ have their origins in pieces that were composed by the pianist prior to the sessions. The other improvisations that Parks says that “often felt less like conscious intention, and more like something half remembered”.
The improvised recitals draw on a wide variety of sounds and textures, from the peaceful and dreamy qualities of ‘Reverie’ with its faint echoes of Bartok, and the album’s opener atmospheric ‘Asleep In The Forest’. This is immediately followed by the episodic ‘Toward Awakening’ that patiently builds to a climax over its six minute duration. Parks’ ability to know exactly when his improvisation is complete is evident throughout, and is demonstrated to a most satisfying effect on the dense and darkly ominous tone of ‘In Pursuit’ and in the briefly scurrying ‘Squirrels’.
These variations bring a much welcome tension and release that prevails throughout this disc of often contemplative and gentle lyricism, and if Parks is not afraid to acknowledge a debt to Bartok and to jazz piano master Paul Bley, then this recording has sufficient individuality to demonstrate that he is very much his own man and a distinctly original voice on his instrument.
Reviewed by Nick Lea
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Aaron Parks (piano)
Recorded November 2011
This is pianist Aaron Parks debut album for ECM, although he has been a key player amongst, dare I say it, the younger generation of musicians that are currently making a big impression on the New York scene and beyond. As well as his own projects, and having recorded for Blue Note, Parks is a frequent collaborator with guitarist Kurt Rosenwinkel and trumpeter Christian Scott, and has recorded with the collective quartet, James Farm with Joshua Redman.
Although only thirty years old, this former prodigy is already being hailed as reaching full artistic bloom. How such accolades and plaudits are viewed is very much a matter for debate, but what is indisputable is the recorded evidence that we are presented with on this album of solo piano recitals.
Recorded in the warm and luxurious acoustics of Mechanics Hall in Worcester, Massachusetts Parks has simply sat at the piano and played. If this is a somewhat simplistic analogy, the pianist has said that the session was approached with an open mind and that little was predetermined prior to the recording. The album’s title, Arborescence itself is by definition means “the way something grows”, and these delightful pieces take their cue from spontaneous improvisations that develop organically and logically. Nothing is over played, and each piece is complete in its own right.
Of the eleven tracks, ‘Elsewhere’ and the album’s concluding ‘Homestead’ have their origins in pieces that were composed by the pianist prior to the sessions. The other improvisations that Parks says that “often felt less like conscious intention, and more like something half remembered”.
The improvised recitals draw on a wide variety of sounds and textures, from the peaceful and dreamy qualities of ‘Reverie’ with its faint echoes of Bartok, and the album’s opener atmospheric ‘Asleep In The Forest’. This is immediately followed by the episodic ‘Toward Awakening’ that patiently builds to a climax over its six minute duration. Parks’ ability to know exactly when his improvisation is complete is evident throughout, and is demonstrated to a most satisfying effect on the dense and darkly ominous tone of ‘In Pursuit’ and in the briefly scurrying ‘Squirrels’.
These variations bring a much welcome tension and release that prevails throughout this disc of often contemplative and gentle lyricism, and if Parks is not afraid to acknowledge a debt to Bartok and to jazz piano master Paul Bley, then this recording has sufficient individuality to demonstrate that he is very much his own man and a distinctly original voice on his instrument.
Reviewed by Nick Lea
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ENSEMBLE MONTAIGNE – (Bau 4 2013) Compositions by Anthony Braxton: Conducted by Roland Dahinden
Leo Records CD LR 684
The Ensemble Montaigne: Claudia Kienzler (violin) David Sonton Caflisch (violin) Markus Wieser (viola) Celine-Giulia Voser (cello) Kaspar Wirz (double bass) Julianna Wetzel (flutes, piccolo) Peter Vogeli ( oboe, cor anglais) Nicola Katz ( clarinet, bass clarinet) Maurus Conte (bassoon) Martin Huber ( French horn).
Conducted by Roland Dahinden
Recorded in Switzerland, April to June 2013
Followers of the remarkable avant-garde composer and instrumentalist, Anthony Braxton, whose work bestrides the worlds of jazz and contemporary classics, categories that he would no doubt eagerly reject in preference for `pure music`, will be thrilled by these interpretations of his work by a top flight Swiss chamber orchestra under the baton of Roland Dahinden, a Swiss composer and trombonist and assistant to Braxton in the mid nineties.
Seven pieces, numerically identified and contained in a single track, are reinterpreted in orchestral terms quite different from their original realisation and it is difficult to know where Braxton’s compositional intentions and Dahinden’s improvisational embellishments begin and end. It is widely acknowledged that Braxton’s idiosyncratic scores, with symbols and diagrams replacing conventional notation, are notoriously difficult to understand and in this respect Dahinden and his players must be congratulated on producing a recital that communicates with a powerful clarity.
This is music that requires a high degree of concentration on the part of the listener but let me assure you, it is worth the effort for within these complex, at times fragmentary and episodic motifs and textures you will find jostling together, the dramatic, the cathartic , the melodic and often humorous statements that speak of a musical intelligence that encompasses the baroque thru the late Viennese school to the wayward Americana of Charles Ives not to mention a huge dollop of Braxtonian iconoclasm.
What I hear in this music are resonances of Gyorgy Ligeti, Edgard Varese, Anton Webern and woven within, snatches of melody that recall Sousa marches: in all ,a rich tapestry of sound which the instrumental prowess of the Ensemble Montaigne is able to exploit to the full through its formidable virtuosity. Though episodic at times the music is not without form: there are iridescent textures, hammer blows of percussive power, terrifying climaxes, and baroque delicacy and rousing march like passages for the wind instruments. What is offered is nothing less than a cornucopia of sounds to indulge the discerning ear.
Reviewed by Euan Dixon
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The Ensemble Montaigne: Claudia Kienzler (violin) David Sonton Caflisch (violin) Markus Wieser (viola) Celine-Giulia Voser (cello) Kaspar Wirz (double bass) Julianna Wetzel (flutes, piccolo) Peter Vogeli ( oboe, cor anglais) Nicola Katz ( clarinet, bass clarinet) Maurus Conte (bassoon) Martin Huber ( French horn).
Conducted by Roland Dahinden
Recorded in Switzerland, April to June 2013
Followers of the remarkable avant-garde composer and instrumentalist, Anthony Braxton, whose work bestrides the worlds of jazz and contemporary classics, categories that he would no doubt eagerly reject in preference for `pure music`, will be thrilled by these interpretations of his work by a top flight Swiss chamber orchestra under the baton of Roland Dahinden, a Swiss composer and trombonist and assistant to Braxton in the mid nineties.
Seven pieces, numerically identified and contained in a single track, are reinterpreted in orchestral terms quite different from their original realisation and it is difficult to know where Braxton’s compositional intentions and Dahinden’s improvisational embellishments begin and end. It is widely acknowledged that Braxton’s idiosyncratic scores, with symbols and diagrams replacing conventional notation, are notoriously difficult to understand and in this respect Dahinden and his players must be congratulated on producing a recital that communicates with a powerful clarity.
This is music that requires a high degree of concentration on the part of the listener but let me assure you, it is worth the effort for within these complex, at times fragmentary and episodic motifs and textures you will find jostling together, the dramatic, the cathartic , the melodic and often humorous statements that speak of a musical intelligence that encompasses the baroque thru the late Viennese school to the wayward Americana of Charles Ives not to mention a huge dollop of Braxtonian iconoclasm.
What I hear in this music are resonances of Gyorgy Ligeti, Edgard Varese, Anton Webern and woven within, snatches of melody that recall Sousa marches: in all ,a rich tapestry of sound which the instrumental prowess of the Ensemble Montaigne is able to exploit to the full through its formidable virtuosity. Though episodic at times the music is not without form: there are iridescent textures, hammer blows of percussive power, terrifying climaxes, and baroque delicacy and rousing march like passages for the wind instruments. What is offered is nothing less than a cornucopia of sounds to indulge the discerning ear.
Reviewed by Euan Dixon
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David Chesky - Jazz in the New Harmonic
Chesky Records JD 358
David Chesky – piano; Javon Jackson – tenor saxophone; Jeremy Pelt – trumpet; Peter Washington – bass; Billy Drummond – drums.
The New Harmonic here refers back to 1957 when a so-called 'Third Stream' of music was identified in a lecture by composer and conductor, one Gunther Schuller. The notion of this ‘stream’ was not
long-lived and never achieved the vigour of a torrent. Supposedly, it was a confluence of jazz and contemporary, 20th century, European, classical music. Now Chesky wants to define his music in terms of 21st century structures, but in my opinion, modern jazz outstripped such ideas all on its own.
Claims about ‘grooving’ the harmonic structure of 21st century classics notwithstanding, the album to me is particularly evocative of In a Silent Way and more particularly, the later Bitches Brew, both recorded in1969.
What we have in this album is by no means a ‘new genre of jazz’. Critical though I may sound, I should point out that my criticism refers to the words, not to the music. I liked the sounds of Bitches Brew immediately and immensely and I find this evocation most appealing. The recording is gorgeously implemented, each sound extraordinarily detailed and seeming to be executed or suspended in a clear space all its own.
Incidentally, the recording is described in sleeve notes as ‘binary’. What this means simply is that the recording was made and is held as a digital file, a computer file, a non-physical source of music stored on a computer or similar media. An MP3 file is one example, a WAV is another. Any such file is a binary file: their information is encoded in a variety of formats to yield a file made up of ones and zeroes. Much simpler text files are also stored in this form, though their dissimilarity is suggested by the fact that sound and image files are referred to as binary even though the term is common to all.
Back with the music, yes, of course there are themes and patterns from both jazz and classical sources, including Olivier Messiaen and Anton Webern both of whom became involved with total serialism. This method of composition used series constructed from the 12-note, chromatic scale and other factors including duration, dynamics, pitch and register. The musicians themselves are outstanding, delivering thematic and tonal bolts from the blue, with stabbing trumpet and pulsating saxophone burgeoning against intricate rhythms and textures from bass, drums and piano.
A thoroughly rehearsed album from start to finish, it should bring considerable pleasure to any jazz listener.
Reviewed by Ken Cheetham
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David Chesky – piano; Javon Jackson – tenor saxophone; Jeremy Pelt – trumpet; Peter Washington – bass; Billy Drummond – drums.
The New Harmonic here refers back to 1957 when a so-called 'Third Stream' of music was identified in a lecture by composer and conductor, one Gunther Schuller. The notion of this ‘stream’ was not
long-lived and never achieved the vigour of a torrent. Supposedly, it was a confluence of jazz and contemporary, 20th century, European, classical music. Now Chesky wants to define his music in terms of 21st century structures, but in my opinion, modern jazz outstripped such ideas all on its own.
Claims about ‘grooving’ the harmonic structure of 21st century classics notwithstanding, the album to me is particularly evocative of In a Silent Way and more particularly, the later Bitches Brew, both recorded in1969.
What we have in this album is by no means a ‘new genre of jazz’. Critical though I may sound, I should point out that my criticism refers to the words, not to the music. I liked the sounds of Bitches Brew immediately and immensely and I find this evocation most appealing. The recording is gorgeously implemented, each sound extraordinarily detailed and seeming to be executed or suspended in a clear space all its own.
Incidentally, the recording is described in sleeve notes as ‘binary’. What this means simply is that the recording was made and is held as a digital file, a computer file, a non-physical source of music stored on a computer or similar media. An MP3 file is one example, a WAV is another. Any such file is a binary file: their information is encoded in a variety of formats to yield a file made up of ones and zeroes. Much simpler text files are also stored in this form, though their dissimilarity is suggested by the fact that sound and image files are referred to as binary even though the term is common to all.
Back with the music, yes, of course there are themes and patterns from both jazz and classical sources, including Olivier Messiaen and Anton Webern both of whom became involved with total serialism. This method of composition used series constructed from the 12-note, chromatic scale and other factors including duration, dynamics, pitch and register. The musicians themselves are outstanding, delivering thematic and tonal bolts from the blue, with stabbing trumpet and pulsating saxophone burgeoning against intricate rhythms and textures from bass, drums and piano.
A thoroughly rehearsed album from start to finish, it should bring considerable pleasure to any jazz listener.
Reviewed by Ken Cheetham
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JACQUI DANKWORTH – Live To Love
Specific SPEC018
Jacqui Dank worth ( vocals ); Ben Castle ( tnr / sop ); Charlie Wood ( pno / fender Rhodes / organ ); Chris Allard ( acoustic / el. Gtr ); Geoff Gascoigne ( acoustic bass / electric bass / celeste / synth ) Ralph Salmins ( drs ) Mike Smith ( drs ) Paul Clarvis ( perc )
The Brodsky Quartet
Recorded London, May 2013
Jacqui Dankworth comes from a family of distinguished musicians,
father Sir John Dankworh, mother Dame Cleo Laine and brother Alec Dankworth which is a hard act to follow. It is therefore not surprising that she has had a chequered career moving from style to style and on the evidence on this album I am not sure she has found her niche yet. It is by no means a jazz album but she is backed by some notable jazz musicians and the album is produced by Geoff
Gascoyne who has experience of working with jazz singers.
I believe we should take our cue from Duke Ellington and consider whether this is good music or not and it certainly is not bad music. Miss Dankworth has a fine voice with a good range and is a good interpreter of lyrics.
The majority of the songs on the album are by members of the backing musicians with lyrics written by the singer and although they have a certain cohesiveness none of them strike me as memorable except for the one with words and music by Miss Dankworth, “Be Kind”. Words and music blend beautifully and with a slightly country feel it is by far the best track on the album.
John Dankworth’s theme for “Tomorrow’s World” is not given lyrics and is all the better for it and is probably best left as an instrumental piece. The only standard song on the album is Johnny Mercer’s “Something’s Gotta Give” is fairly successful but there are much better interpretations around.
I found this a difficult album as it seems to lack direction and style, although it’s by no means a poor album it did not hit the spot for me but there may be people out there who find it very satisfying.
Reviewed by Roy Booth
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Jacqui Dank worth ( vocals ); Ben Castle ( tnr / sop ); Charlie Wood ( pno / fender Rhodes / organ ); Chris Allard ( acoustic / el. Gtr ); Geoff Gascoigne ( acoustic bass / electric bass / celeste / synth ) Ralph Salmins ( drs ) Mike Smith ( drs ) Paul Clarvis ( perc )
The Brodsky Quartet
Recorded London, May 2013
Jacqui Dankworth comes from a family of distinguished musicians,
father Sir John Dankworh, mother Dame Cleo Laine and brother Alec Dankworth which is a hard act to follow. It is therefore not surprising that she has had a chequered career moving from style to style and on the evidence on this album I am not sure she has found her niche yet. It is by no means a jazz album but she is backed by some notable jazz musicians and the album is produced by Geoff
Gascoyne who has experience of working with jazz singers.
I believe we should take our cue from Duke Ellington and consider whether this is good music or not and it certainly is not bad music. Miss Dankworth has a fine voice with a good range and is a good interpreter of lyrics.
The majority of the songs on the album are by members of the backing musicians with lyrics written by the singer and although they have a certain cohesiveness none of them strike me as memorable except for the one with words and music by Miss Dankworth, “Be Kind”. Words and music blend beautifully and with a slightly country feel it is by far the best track on the album.
John Dankworth’s theme for “Tomorrow’s World” is not given lyrics and is all the better for it and is probably best left as an instrumental piece. The only standard song on the album is Johnny Mercer’s “Something’s Gotta Give” is fairly successful but there are much better interpretations around.
I found this a difficult album as it seems to lack direction and style, although it’s by no means a poor album it did not hit the spot for me but there may be people out there who find it very satisfying.
Reviewed by Roy Booth
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JOHN ESCREET - Sabotage and Celebration
Whirlwind Recordings Ltd: WR 4634
John Escreet ( piano, Fender Rhodes, harpsichord) David Binney ( alto and soprano sax) Chris Potter (tenor sax) Matt Brewer (bass) Jim Black (drums) with additional personnel : Adam Rodgers (guitar) and Louis Cole, Genevieve Artadi, Nina Gieger (vocals) plus string section comprising Fung Chern Hwei (violin) Annette Homann (violin) Hannah Roberts (viola) Mariel Roberts (cello) Garth Stevenson (double bass) with brass section featuring Shane Endsley (trumpet) Josh Roseman
(trombone)
Recorded in Brooklyn, November 7th 2012
John Escreet is a British composer and pianist now domiciled in New York and in this latest recording –his fifth apparently- he demonstrates an assimilation of diverse influences in a way that denotes a powerful command of contemporary musical idioms whilst displaying a fertile imagination when reassembling them in the strikingly original way heard on this album. Whether he would own up to the influences I, as a mere lay listener, detect is a matter for speculation –on my part at least – but it is my belief that the work of several 20th century composers and genres resonate powerfully throughout.
What we have is a suite of seven pieces for jazz quintet, strings, voices and brass ,thematically linked by the influence of events occurring during the time of its conception, namely the tensions of uncertainty and euphoria surrounding the 2012 Presidential election and the almost simultaneous devastation wrought by Hurricane Sandy . This much
is revealed in the PR briefing accompanying the reviewers’ copy of the disc but given the absence of sleeve notes I can’t see how this will be of any relevance to the regular purchaser so let’s forget about the narrative and concentrate on the music which is sufficiently compelling to stand on its own without the need of programmatic props.
The disc opens with a short string prelude entitled `Axis of Hope‘ which is reminiscent of the orchestral style of Charles Ives (1874 – 1954) a rugged individualist in the mould of the New England transcendentalists like Emerson and Thoreau – a good start for a piece motivated by democratic idealism. If Ives was an inspiration this would be most apposite because Leonard Bernstein once said of the composer that” he wrote music about other music” weaving into his orchestral tapestry the sounds of church music, music hall pieces and military marches. Escreet does much the same thing but his musical palette is more contemporary.
Thus, the prelude quickly segues into a knotty free-bop theme for the jazz quintet, augmented by soaring strings and underpinned with a heavy rock beat. The orchestration and the quirky melody line remind one of Frank Zappa’s concert pieces with the horns of Potter and Binney tearing up the arpeggios in their familiar hyperactive way pushing themselves to the very limits of technique. A torrid free- jazz workout follows before relaxing into more tonal, albeit chromatic, introspection in which Escreet’s fine piano and keyboard eloquence is heard.
The third movement, or piece if you prefer, bears the title of the whole suite and features an acrid free jazz blowout before morphing to a triumphal conclusion. Four other movements follow ,some featuring motivic atonal themes underpinned by minimalist keyboard ostinati , augmented with string chorales and punchy brass riffs and sustained by pumping rhythms of such exuberance and complexity that one marvels at the energy and concentration of drummer , Jim Black, whilst others bring us back to a more relaxed world of smooth jazz elegance.
The finale `Beyond Your Wildest Dreams` certainly delivers its promise with strings and multi tracked voices building a symphonic backing to the thumping piano vamps and harpsichord arpeggios laid down by Escreet as well as the excoriating solo by Binney on soprano sax. This final piece also offers the most fully realised, dare I say hummable,
theme reminding one of the cinematic quality of the music Michael Nyman wrote and performed for various Peter Greenaway films.
All in all a most ambitious work of rare musical intelligence that combines many influences in a truly eclectic post modern vision whilst allowing space for improvisational virtuosity of staggering brilliance.
Reviewed by Euan Dixon
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John Escreet ( piano, Fender Rhodes, harpsichord) David Binney ( alto and soprano sax) Chris Potter (tenor sax) Matt Brewer (bass) Jim Black (drums) with additional personnel : Adam Rodgers (guitar) and Louis Cole, Genevieve Artadi, Nina Gieger (vocals) plus string section comprising Fung Chern Hwei (violin) Annette Homann (violin) Hannah Roberts (viola) Mariel Roberts (cello) Garth Stevenson (double bass) with brass section featuring Shane Endsley (trumpet) Josh Roseman
(trombone)
Recorded in Brooklyn, November 7th 2012
John Escreet is a British composer and pianist now domiciled in New York and in this latest recording –his fifth apparently- he demonstrates an assimilation of diverse influences in a way that denotes a powerful command of contemporary musical idioms whilst displaying a fertile imagination when reassembling them in the strikingly original way heard on this album. Whether he would own up to the influences I, as a mere lay listener, detect is a matter for speculation –on my part at least – but it is my belief that the work of several 20th century composers and genres resonate powerfully throughout.
What we have is a suite of seven pieces for jazz quintet, strings, voices and brass ,thematically linked by the influence of events occurring during the time of its conception, namely the tensions of uncertainty and euphoria surrounding the 2012 Presidential election and the almost simultaneous devastation wrought by Hurricane Sandy . This much
is revealed in the PR briefing accompanying the reviewers’ copy of the disc but given the absence of sleeve notes I can’t see how this will be of any relevance to the regular purchaser so let’s forget about the narrative and concentrate on the music which is sufficiently compelling to stand on its own without the need of programmatic props.
The disc opens with a short string prelude entitled `Axis of Hope‘ which is reminiscent of the orchestral style of Charles Ives (1874 – 1954) a rugged individualist in the mould of the New England transcendentalists like Emerson and Thoreau – a good start for a piece motivated by democratic idealism. If Ives was an inspiration this would be most apposite because Leonard Bernstein once said of the composer that” he wrote music about other music” weaving into his orchestral tapestry the sounds of church music, music hall pieces and military marches. Escreet does much the same thing but his musical palette is more contemporary.
Thus, the prelude quickly segues into a knotty free-bop theme for the jazz quintet, augmented by soaring strings and underpinned with a heavy rock beat. The orchestration and the quirky melody line remind one of Frank Zappa’s concert pieces with the horns of Potter and Binney tearing up the arpeggios in their familiar hyperactive way pushing themselves to the very limits of technique. A torrid free- jazz workout follows before relaxing into more tonal, albeit chromatic, introspection in which Escreet’s fine piano and keyboard eloquence is heard.
The third movement, or piece if you prefer, bears the title of the whole suite and features an acrid free jazz blowout before morphing to a triumphal conclusion. Four other movements follow ,some featuring motivic atonal themes underpinned by minimalist keyboard ostinati , augmented with string chorales and punchy brass riffs and sustained by pumping rhythms of such exuberance and complexity that one marvels at the energy and concentration of drummer , Jim Black, whilst others bring us back to a more relaxed world of smooth jazz elegance.
The finale `Beyond Your Wildest Dreams` certainly delivers its promise with strings and multi tracked voices building a symphonic backing to the thumping piano vamps and harpsichord arpeggios laid down by Escreet as well as the excoriating solo by Binney on soprano sax. This final piece also offers the most fully realised, dare I say hummable,
theme reminding one of the cinematic quality of the music Michael Nyman wrote and performed for various Peter Greenaway films.
All in all a most ambitious work of rare musical intelligence that combines many influences in a truly eclectic post modern vision whilst allowing space for improvisational virtuosity of staggering brilliance.
Reviewed by Euan Dixon
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JOHN CRAWFORD - Ulía River of Time
Monpas Records/ 2012: JCURTCD 1
John Crawford (piano) Guille Hill (guitar) Andres Ticino (percussion) Giili Lopes (bass) Eduardo Marques (drums) with special guests, Emma Blackburn (vocals) Jorge Bravo (guitar) Trevor Mires( trombone)
Recorded at Red Gables Studios (2010 -11)
If you’re beginning to hanker after some winter sunshine but don’t want to undergo the cost, inconvenience and indignity of travel to somewhere warm you could do worse than treat yourself to this wonderful disc which offers the musical equivalent of a double strength shot of vitamin D. Not that it is in any way mere mood music for there is some serious A* virtuosity on display from everyone concerned, all of whom are inspired by a mutual love of Latin American inflected jazz and the vision of session leader Crawford, an emerging instrumental talent of note as well as being a published authority on the art of Latin piano jazz.
Crawford lays out his musical manifesto in the opening track, a melody of Irakere and Pat Metheny tunes in which he demonstrates his avowed passion for the music of the two Americas. What follows indicates that his interests also take in the music of Spain, Mexico and the Mediterranean which make for a vibrantly rhythmic and melodic cocktail that exudes exotic fragrance.
As well as the core quintet which moves with fluid ease between the various stylistic conventions that comprise the Latin American genre and for which the leader’s piano provides an ever present jazz leitmotiv, there are two
idiomatic vocals from Emma Blackman one which is a song by Avishai Cohen sung convincing in what sounds like a Hebrew dialect and features some deliciously blousy trombone obligatti from another of Crawford’s guests, Trevor Mires. Elsewhere an alternative guitar sound by Jorge Bravo provides some tonal variation as well as another example of peerless dexterity.
As well as tunes by Jobim, Nascimento and the aforementioned Cohen, there is a stately, flamenco inspired original by Crawford which demonstrates his mastery of the idiom but my personal favourite is their version of that insinuatingly seductive classic, `Estate` which will keep me hitting the repeat button for some time to come.
Reviewed by Euan Dixon
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John Crawford (piano) Guille Hill (guitar) Andres Ticino (percussion) Giili Lopes (bass) Eduardo Marques (drums) with special guests, Emma Blackburn (vocals) Jorge Bravo (guitar) Trevor Mires( trombone)
Recorded at Red Gables Studios (2010 -11)
If you’re beginning to hanker after some winter sunshine but don’t want to undergo the cost, inconvenience and indignity of travel to somewhere warm you could do worse than treat yourself to this wonderful disc which offers the musical equivalent of a double strength shot of vitamin D. Not that it is in any way mere mood music for there is some serious A* virtuosity on display from everyone concerned, all of whom are inspired by a mutual love of Latin American inflected jazz and the vision of session leader Crawford, an emerging instrumental talent of note as well as being a published authority on the art of Latin piano jazz.
Crawford lays out his musical manifesto in the opening track, a melody of Irakere and Pat Metheny tunes in which he demonstrates his avowed passion for the music of the two Americas. What follows indicates that his interests also take in the music of Spain, Mexico and the Mediterranean which make for a vibrantly rhythmic and melodic cocktail that exudes exotic fragrance.
As well as the core quintet which moves with fluid ease between the various stylistic conventions that comprise the Latin American genre and for which the leader’s piano provides an ever present jazz leitmotiv, there are two
idiomatic vocals from Emma Blackman one which is a song by Avishai Cohen sung convincing in what sounds like a Hebrew dialect and features some deliciously blousy trombone obligatti from another of Crawford’s guests, Trevor Mires. Elsewhere an alternative guitar sound by Jorge Bravo provides some tonal variation as well as another example of peerless dexterity.
As well as tunes by Jobim, Nascimento and the aforementioned Cohen, there is a stately, flamenco inspired original by Crawford which demonstrates his mastery of the idiom but my personal favourite is their version of that insinuatingly seductive classic, `Estate` which will keep me hitting the repeat button for some time to come.
Reviewed by Euan Dixon
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DAVE LIEBMAN TRIO - Lieb Plays the Beatles
Daybreak/ Challenge Records: DBCHR74558
David Liebman (soprano and tenor sax, piano and wooden flute) John Ruocco (tenor sax, clarinet and bass clarinet) Marius Beets (bass) Eric Ineke (drums)
Recorded by Marius Beets at Studio `De Smederİį `, Zeist, Holland, April 29th 2012
With over 350 recording dates to his credit, of which he has been
leader or co-leader of 150 plus a repertoire ranging from jazz and songbook standards, several hundred self penned originals and interpretations of classic composers like Bernstein, Kurt Weill and Puccini to name but three it’s hardly surprising that it has taken
Liebmann so long to get around to the Beatles ; suffice to say it has been worth the wait and the thoughtful, if at times rather sombre lines he and his partner Ruocco weave about these familiar melodies invest them with a gravitas that elevates them to the condition of contemporary chamber jazz of a very high order.
The employment of John Ruocco in a conversational counterpoint reminds me very much of the late recordings that Jimmy Giuffre partnered with French clarinettist Andre Jaume, the effect is rather like that of two old friends chewing over a topic of mutual nterest but whereas Giuffre and Jaume operated purely as a duo this project by Liebman is supported on a buoyant bass and drums foundation that is integral to the artistic process and provides a polyphonic fabric that enhances the quality and complexity of the dialogue.
The recital features seventeen Beatles songs including seven that form a part of three medleys: some like `Blackbird ‘will be familiar to those with only a passing interest in Fab Four’s output whilst there are others that will only readily recalled by diehard fans. None of them, as you would expect, offer facile sing- along immediacy but are reinterpreted with sensitive originality. No post modern parodies here. Tunes like `While My Guitar Gently Weeps` and the lesser known `That Means A Lot` receive fairly lusty ,straight ahead blow outs but mostly the mood is introspective and ruminative with dark hued bass clarinet musings contrasting with sharper, keening soprano voicing.
On two pieces Liebman plays piano to effect some tonal variation. On the first, a chromatic and at times atonal version of `The Fool on The Hill` there is an assertive walk through part for bass which contrasts effectively
with the tentative keyboard musings and in the final solo piano piece, `And I Love Her`Liebman barely alludes to the melody but makes statement that shorn of romantic effusiveness still manages to communicate on an emotional
level.
If through limited exposure to his music –something to which I must confess- you had Liebman marked down as a post –Coltrane speed merchant, this disc will convince you of his magnitude as a creative artist of considerable depth and sensitivity.
Reviewed by Euan Dixon
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David Liebman (soprano and tenor sax, piano and wooden flute) John Ruocco (tenor sax, clarinet and bass clarinet) Marius Beets (bass) Eric Ineke (drums)
Recorded by Marius Beets at Studio `De Smederİį `, Zeist, Holland, April 29th 2012
With over 350 recording dates to his credit, of which he has been
leader or co-leader of 150 plus a repertoire ranging from jazz and songbook standards, several hundred self penned originals and interpretations of classic composers like Bernstein, Kurt Weill and Puccini to name but three it’s hardly surprising that it has taken
Liebmann so long to get around to the Beatles ; suffice to say it has been worth the wait and the thoughtful, if at times rather sombre lines he and his partner Ruocco weave about these familiar melodies invest them with a gravitas that elevates them to the condition of contemporary chamber jazz of a very high order.
The employment of John Ruocco in a conversational counterpoint reminds me very much of the late recordings that Jimmy Giuffre partnered with French clarinettist Andre Jaume, the effect is rather like that of two old friends chewing over a topic of mutual nterest but whereas Giuffre and Jaume operated purely as a duo this project by Liebman is supported on a buoyant bass and drums foundation that is integral to the artistic process and provides a polyphonic fabric that enhances the quality and complexity of the dialogue.
The recital features seventeen Beatles songs including seven that form a part of three medleys: some like `Blackbird ‘will be familiar to those with only a passing interest in Fab Four’s output whilst there are others that will only readily recalled by diehard fans. None of them, as you would expect, offer facile sing- along immediacy but are reinterpreted with sensitive originality. No post modern parodies here. Tunes like `While My Guitar Gently Weeps` and the lesser known `That Means A Lot` receive fairly lusty ,straight ahead blow outs but mostly the mood is introspective and ruminative with dark hued bass clarinet musings contrasting with sharper, keening soprano voicing.
On two pieces Liebman plays piano to effect some tonal variation. On the first, a chromatic and at times atonal version of `The Fool on The Hill` there is an assertive walk through part for bass which contrasts effectively
with the tentative keyboard musings and in the final solo piano piece, `And I Love Her`Liebman barely alludes to the melody but makes statement that shorn of romantic effusiveness still manages to communicate on an emotional
level.
If through limited exposure to his music –something to which I must confess- you had Liebman marked down as a post –Coltrane speed merchant, this disc will convince you of his magnitude as a creative artist of considerable depth and sensitivity.
Reviewed by Euan Dixon
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ODDARRANG - In Cinema
Edition Records - EDN1046
Olavi Louhivuori: drums, piano, synths, harmonium; Osmo Ikonen: cello, vocals; Lasse Sakara: guitars; Ilmari Pohjola: trombone, guitar; Lasse Lindgren: bass, synths
Oddarrang is an extraordinary band from Finland. It has two previous releases of which it may be justly proud and this third builds on, but diverges from the music previously presented. This isn't jazz, but it isn't 'avant-garde' or 'modern folk' or whatever else either. It is in fact yet
another album which leads one to suggest that we spend too much energy trying to categorize instead of trying to hear. The very title leads one to think that the musical intention is clear and it transpires that the original music was written for independent films.
The line-up too is unusual and intriguing: cello and trombone provide lofty, swelling melodies against a background of complex crescendos and convincing drumming and bass. Much of the content of these crescendos became confusing, when it was virtually impossible to distinguish any one part of the sound from another – reminiscent
of something from an earlier age which I cannot now recall.
The one track to stand out for its differences is 'Cultivate & Contemplate', consistently plaintive or perhaps nostalgic? It is well-balanced in its allure and is later followed by the gentle charisma of 'Quiet Steps' and the almost visual
soundscapes of these two tunes demonstrate the elegant potential of the cello and trombone liaison.
Reviewed by Ken Cheetham
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Olavi Louhivuori: drums, piano, synths, harmonium; Osmo Ikonen: cello, vocals; Lasse Sakara: guitars; Ilmari Pohjola: trombone, guitar; Lasse Lindgren: bass, synths
Oddarrang is an extraordinary band from Finland. It has two previous releases of which it may be justly proud and this third builds on, but diverges from the music previously presented. This isn't jazz, but it isn't 'avant-garde' or 'modern folk' or whatever else either. It is in fact yet
another album which leads one to suggest that we spend too much energy trying to categorize instead of trying to hear. The very title leads one to think that the musical intention is clear and it transpires that the original music was written for independent films.
The line-up too is unusual and intriguing: cello and trombone provide lofty, swelling melodies against a background of complex crescendos and convincing drumming and bass. Much of the content of these crescendos became confusing, when it was virtually impossible to distinguish any one part of the sound from another – reminiscent
of something from an earlier age which I cannot now recall.
The one track to stand out for its differences is 'Cultivate & Contemplate', consistently plaintive or perhaps nostalgic? It is well-balanced in its allure and is later followed by the gentle charisma of 'Quiet Steps' and the almost visual
soundscapes of these two tunes demonstrate the elegant potential of the cello and trombone liaison.
Reviewed by Ken Cheetham
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SCHUBERT/BAUER/WILLERS/KELLERS - Grid Mesh: Live in Madrid
Lep Records - CD LR 677
Frank Paul Schubert - alto & soprano saxophones; Johannes Bauer –
trombone; Andreas Willers - electric guitar, sound effects and electronics; Willi Kellers - drums & remote piano.
I am not sure exactly what is meant here by ‘remote piano’ and it is not
annotated in the sleeve notes. A remote piano may be played from a thousand miles away, where a player’s keystrokes are transmitted via a network environment to a Yamaha Disklavier, also connected to a network environment. Through a control unit this actually reproduces the player’s keystrokes and pedal movements, physically and precisely on your piano. Should you like to know more take a look at:
http://www.theverge.com/2013/1/29/3924506/elton-john-yamaha-remote-live-digital-piano-player and
http://www.yamaha.com/usa/DisklavierTV/home.html.
Like Franz Peter, this Schubert too is an Austrian scholar, but was a student of saxophone. He concentrated on new
musical forms and music from outside of the European enclave. Andreas Willers, like many guitarists before him, played blues and then moved into the avant-garde arena, though holding on to his classical stroke. He is a decidedly
individual and innovative musician, also employing sound and electronic effects with considerable panache, all of which has brought its own rewards in playing and recording with such highly regarded musicians as Paul Bley, Mark Feldman, Trilok Gurtu and David Murray.
Trombonist Johannes Bauer has a large discography to his name and an exceptional profile on the Avant-Garde/Free Improvisation/Free Jazz scenes. Willi Kellers has worked in a duo with Free Jazz saxophonist Peter Brötzmann for more than 30 years. He has led his own Workshop Band and has played with many distinguished artists of the European Free Jazz movement, including Fred Frith, Phil Minton, Tony Oxley, bassist Barre Phillips, Keith Tippett and Julie Tippetts.
This current, live recording is presented as three tracks entitled Part l, Part lla and Part llb. Part l leads into a
veritable wall of cacophonous sound and chaos that soon fades away to moments and passages of quiet contemplation and hiatus. What we hear is purely and freely improvised music in multi dimensions, a mesmerising conglomeration and amalgam, a mesh even of electronic and acoustic sounds. It is utterly animated, cerebral and
somewhat elusive. The musicians collaborate in the expansion of extraordinary concepts through their understanding of contemporary jazz language. The result is an astonishing, consummate and resonant contour of
modern-day, musical inventiveness and despite the individual, highly accomplished technical skills of the artists, it is also a master-class in ensemble playing. Anyone out there with an interest in free jazz should not forsake this opportunity to explore in depth the sounds of free improvisation from the European scene. This album is highly recommended.
Reviewed by Ken Cheetham
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Frank Paul Schubert - alto & soprano saxophones; Johannes Bauer –
trombone; Andreas Willers - electric guitar, sound effects and electronics; Willi Kellers - drums & remote piano.
I am not sure exactly what is meant here by ‘remote piano’ and it is not
annotated in the sleeve notes. A remote piano may be played from a thousand miles away, where a player’s keystrokes are transmitted via a network environment to a Yamaha Disklavier, also connected to a network environment. Through a control unit this actually reproduces the player’s keystrokes and pedal movements, physically and precisely on your piano. Should you like to know more take a look at:
http://www.theverge.com/2013/1/29/3924506/elton-john-yamaha-remote-live-digital-piano-player and
http://www.yamaha.com/usa/DisklavierTV/home.html.
Like Franz Peter, this Schubert too is an Austrian scholar, but was a student of saxophone. He concentrated on new
musical forms and music from outside of the European enclave. Andreas Willers, like many guitarists before him, played blues and then moved into the avant-garde arena, though holding on to his classical stroke. He is a decidedly
individual and innovative musician, also employing sound and electronic effects with considerable panache, all of which has brought its own rewards in playing and recording with such highly regarded musicians as Paul Bley, Mark Feldman, Trilok Gurtu and David Murray.
Trombonist Johannes Bauer has a large discography to his name and an exceptional profile on the Avant-Garde/Free Improvisation/Free Jazz scenes. Willi Kellers has worked in a duo with Free Jazz saxophonist Peter Brötzmann for more than 30 years. He has led his own Workshop Band and has played with many distinguished artists of the European Free Jazz movement, including Fred Frith, Phil Minton, Tony Oxley, bassist Barre Phillips, Keith Tippett and Julie Tippetts.
This current, live recording is presented as three tracks entitled Part l, Part lla and Part llb. Part l leads into a
veritable wall of cacophonous sound and chaos that soon fades away to moments and passages of quiet contemplation and hiatus. What we hear is purely and freely improvised music in multi dimensions, a mesmerising conglomeration and amalgam, a mesh even of electronic and acoustic sounds. It is utterly animated, cerebral and
somewhat elusive. The musicians collaborate in the expansion of extraordinary concepts through their understanding of contemporary jazz language. The result is an astonishing, consummate and resonant contour of
modern-day, musical inventiveness and despite the individual, highly accomplished technical skills of the artists, it is also a master-class in ensemble playing. Anyone out there with an interest in free jazz should not forsake this opportunity to explore in depth the sounds of free improvisation from the European scene. This album is highly recommended.
Reviewed by Ken Cheetham
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CARLA BLEY/ANDY SHEPPARD/STEVE SWALLOW - Trios
ECM 372 4551
Carla Bley (piano); Andy Sheppard (tenor & soprano saxophones); Steve Swallow (bass)
Recorded April 2013
With Trios, Carla Bley makes her debut recording for ECM, although of course she has been an integral part of the label's history for the last forty years, with many of her recordings for the JCOA and her own WATT imprint being distributed through the ECM network. Working with her regular trio with musical cohort and life partner, Steve Swallow and British saxophonist Andy Sheppard, this is only their second recording in some twenty years of playing together as a unit, having previously recorded the live set Songs With Legs that was released in 1995.
The intervening years have cemented their working relationship, and the trio show an uncanny empathy of not just each others playing but also the vast body of material they have amassed in their band book. Bley says that the session pretty much amounted them playing one tune after another and recording the ones that producer Manfred Eicher liked. In doing so, Bley has brought in material both old and new, and blended this with pieces that started life with the trio and then arranged for larger aggregations with those that began as large scale works honed down for the trio. In doing so, Bley's writing for the trio juxtaposes the complex with apparent simplicity to present music of such elegancy that is quietly engaging in a set that has a nice mixture of older and more recent compositions.
First heard on Paul Bley's Footloose album from 1963, 'Vashkar' is the oldest piece featured, and finds Sheppard in typically lyrical mood on soprano. Indeed the saxophonist also brings his innate sense of sound and melody to his solo on 'Paws Without Claws', part of a trilogy of compositions under the heading 'Wildlife', which is followed by an equally satisfying solo from Bley. Sheppard's tenor is also heard in all its full toned warmth on the Scandinavian influenced 'Utviklingssang' (meaning 'Development Song' in Norwegian), and this is perhaps the strength that is such an important and appealing part of the group in that each of the members have their own core sound that Bley utilises
to the maximum. If not renowned as a virtuoso pianist Carla has a way of making her solos simply stated mini masterpieces with nothing wasted, with an impromptu self editing process that filters out superfluous gestures, and in essence allows her to play exactly what is required to make the composition work.
More fine examples of this in working practice is heard on 'Les Trois Lagons (d'apres Henri Matisse) which was commissioned by the Grenoble Jazz Festival, and was written specifically for the trio, and later re-arranged for Bley's octet on the WATT release 4 x 4. The piece opens with a typically pithy piano introduction by Carla to 'Plate
XVII', before turning into a straight ahead and swinging opener with Andy Sheppard's lean yet muscular tenor to the fore, that segues in to a delicate duet with bass and piano on 'Plate XVIII'. The piece concludes with the studied
precision that is 'Plate XIX', completing a wholly satisfying 'suite'.
With Trios, Carla Bley has once again shown just why she is held in such high regards as a composer and arranger, and more than ably demonstrated an underrated and individual approach to her piano playing. This set is much more
than a meeting of the musicians to run through a few tunes from the band book, and instead provides a fresh interpretation and totally in the moment view of the strength, character and timelssness of the writing. This is pretty much flawless on just about every level.
Reviewed by Nick Lea
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Carla Bley (piano); Andy Sheppard (tenor & soprano saxophones); Steve Swallow (bass)
Recorded April 2013
With Trios, Carla Bley makes her debut recording for ECM, although of course she has been an integral part of the label's history for the last forty years, with many of her recordings for the JCOA and her own WATT imprint being distributed through the ECM network. Working with her regular trio with musical cohort and life partner, Steve Swallow and British saxophonist Andy Sheppard, this is only their second recording in some twenty years of playing together as a unit, having previously recorded the live set Songs With Legs that was released in 1995.
The intervening years have cemented their working relationship, and the trio show an uncanny empathy of not just each others playing but also the vast body of material they have amassed in their band book. Bley says that the session pretty much amounted them playing one tune after another and recording the ones that producer Manfred Eicher liked. In doing so, Bley has brought in material both old and new, and blended this with pieces that started life with the trio and then arranged for larger aggregations with those that began as large scale works honed down for the trio. In doing so, Bley's writing for the trio juxtaposes the complex with apparent simplicity to present music of such elegancy that is quietly engaging in a set that has a nice mixture of older and more recent compositions.
First heard on Paul Bley's Footloose album from 1963, 'Vashkar' is the oldest piece featured, and finds Sheppard in typically lyrical mood on soprano. Indeed the saxophonist also brings his innate sense of sound and melody to his solo on 'Paws Without Claws', part of a trilogy of compositions under the heading 'Wildlife', which is followed by an equally satisfying solo from Bley. Sheppard's tenor is also heard in all its full toned warmth on the Scandinavian influenced 'Utviklingssang' (meaning 'Development Song' in Norwegian), and this is perhaps the strength that is such an important and appealing part of the group in that each of the members have their own core sound that Bley utilises
to the maximum. If not renowned as a virtuoso pianist Carla has a way of making her solos simply stated mini masterpieces with nothing wasted, with an impromptu self editing process that filters out superfluous gestures, and in essence allows her to play exactly what is required to make the composition work.
More fine examples of this in working practice is heard on 'Les Trois Lagons (d'apres Henri Matisse) which was commissioned by the Grenoble Jazz Festival, and was written specifically for the trio, and later re-arranged for Bley's octet on the WATT release 4 x 4. The piece opens with a typically pithy piano introduction by Carla to 'Plate
XVII', before turning into a straight ahead and swinging opener with Andy Sheppard's lean yet muscular tenor to the fore, that segues in to a delicate duet with bass and piano on 'Plate XVIII'. The piece concludes with the studied
precision that is 'Plate XIX', completing a wholly satisfying 'suite'.
With Trios, Carla Bley has once again shown just why she is held in such high regards as a composer and arranger, and more than ably demonstrated an underrated and individual approach to her piano playing. This set is much more
than a meeting of the musicians to run through a few tunes from the band book, and instead provides a fresh interpretation and totally in the moment view of the strength, character and timelssness of the writing. This is pretty much flawless on just about every level.
Reviewed by Nick Lea
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KENNY GARRETT - Pushing The World Away
Mack Avenue Records MAC1078
Kenny Garrett (as, ss, p); Benito Gonzalez, Vernal Brown (p); Corcoran Holt (b); Marcus Baylor, McClenty Hunter, Mark Whitfield, Jr. (d); Rudy Bird (perc); Jean Baylor (v); Carolin Pook (vln); Jen Herman (vla); Brian Sanders (clo)
Recorded Avatar Studios, New Yrok; no date
Pushing The World Away is Garrett's seventeenth album as leader, and his third for Mack Avenue Records, and follows on from his double Grammy nominated Seeds From The Underground. Presenting twelve new compositions the altoist continues to demonstrate why is perhaps the most important saxophonist of his generation.
Miles Davis once described the young Kenny Garret as "wearing Sonny Stitt's dirty drawers" in a wry comment on the altoist's plangent blues soaked tone. Now having put firmly behind him his time with Davis' last touring band, and
refusing to sit on his laurels, Garrett forges ahead in his own inimitable style. Over the course of his recording career you can hear the work of a patient and dedicated artist working his way to a maturity that is immediately identifiable and musically rich. If the seeds of this album have been planted in previous recordings this is not a repeat of former glories but more a development of his approach to his compositional style and playing, with each new album leading on seamlessly and logically from the last.
In moving his music forward, he has also made a significant change to the core sound of the group by the introduction of a fifth member with the arrival of percussionist Rudy Bird, whom he worked with in Miles' band, and opening up the rhythmic aspect of the compositions considerably in the process. This is heard to particularly good effect on 'Chucho's Mambo' with its dancing rhythms, and also on the delightful 'J'ouvert (Homage To Sonny Rollins) which Garrett describes as "his 'St. Thomas'". Garrett's also gets to further shows his developing prowess as an arranger on 'Brother Brown' which is dedicated to friend and producer and friend Donald Brown, and features a string trio along with Garrett putting down his alto and playing piano himself.
Whether by design or chance, the album has three focus points where the music seems to reach a pinnacle, and these occur at the beginning, middle and end of the album commencing with a fiery opener 'A Side order of HHijiki' with some blistering playing from Garrett. The mid point of the set has the title track with the saxophonist switching to soprano in a piece that boils with tension, complete with chanting from Garrett and pianist Vernell Brown that is the calm before the storm that is Kenny's impassioned and braying solo in what is perhaps his most personal statement to date. The disc closes with the hard swinging 'Rotation' that features both pianists and all three drummers in a tour de force blowout in which everything locks into place rhythmically, with some boiling solos from alto and pianists, Vernall Brown and Beito Gonzalez.
Yet another strong outing to add his already impressive discography, and giving every indication that there is still much more to come.
Reviewed by Nick Lea
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Kenny Garrett (as, ss, p); Benito Gonzalez, Vernal Brown (p); Corcoran Holt (b); Marcus Baylor, McClenty Hunter, Mark Whitfield, Jr. (d); Rudy Bird (perc); Jean Baylor (v); Carolin Pook (vln); Jen Herman (vla); Brian Sanders (clo)
Recorded Avatar Studios, New Yrok; no date
Pushing The World Away is Garrett's seventeenth album as leader, and his third for Mack Avenue Records, and follows on from his double Grammy nominated Seeds From The Underground. Presenting twelve new compositions the altoist continues to demonstrate why is perhaps the most important saxophonist of his generation.
Miles Davis once described the young Kenny Garret as "wearing Sonny Stitt's dirty drawers" in a wry comment on the altoist's plangent blues soaked tone. Now having put firmly behind him his time with Davis' last touring band, and
refusing to sit on his laurels, Garrett forges ahead in his own inimitable style. Over the course of his recording career you can hear the work of a patient and dedicated artist working his way to a maturity that is immediately identifiable and musically rich. If the seeds of this album have been planted in previous recordings this is not a repeat of former glories but more a development of his approach to his compositional style and playing, with each new album leading on seamlessly and logically from the last.
In moving his music forward, he has also made a significant change to the core sound of the group by the introduction of a fifth member with the arrival of percussionist Rudy Bird, whom he worked with in Miles' band, and opening up the rhythmic aspect of the compositions considerably in the process. This is heard to particularly good effect on 'Chucho's Mambo' with its dancing rhythms, and also on the delightful 'J'ouvert (Homage To Sonny Rollins) which Garrett describes as "his 'St. Thomas'". Garrett's also gets to further shows his developing prowess as an arranger on 'Brother Brown' which is dedicated to friend and producer and friend Donald Brown, and features a string trio along with Garrett putting down his alto and playing piano himself.
Whether by design or chance, the album has three focus points where the music seems to reach a pinnacle, and these occur at the beginning, middle and end of the album commencing with a fiery opener 'A Side order of HHijiki' with some blistering playing from Garrett. The mid point of the set has the title track with the saxophonist switching to soprano in a piece that boils with tension, complete with chanting from Garrett and pianist Vernell Brown that is the calm before the storm that is Kenny's impassioned and braying solo in what is perhaps his most personal statement to date. The disc closes with the hard swinging 'Rotation' that features both pianists and all three drummers in a tour de force blowout in which everything locks into place rhythmically, with some boiling solos from alto and pianists, Vernall Brown and Beito Gonzalez.
Yet another strong outing to add his already impressive discography, and giving every indication that there is still much more to come.
Reviewed by Nick Lea
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DIZZY GILLESPIE QUINTET 1953 & HANS KOLLER NEW JAZZ STARS 1953 – NDR 60 Years Jazz Edition No.1
Mooscus Records
Dizzy Gillespie Quintet 1953
Dizzy Gillespie, trumpet; Bill Graham, baritone sax; Wade Legge, piano; Lou Hackney, bass; Al Jones, drums.
Hans Koller New Jazz Stars 1953
Hans Koller, tenor sax; Albert Mangelsdorff, trombone; Jutta Hipp, piano; Shorty
Roeder, bass; Karl Sanner, drums.
Dizzy Gillespie Quintet 1953 and Hans Koller New Jazz Stars 1953 is a single album in two parts, both recorded in Hamburg in 1953. Gillespie's rise to stardom through the 1940s was doomed to commercial failure and by 1950 he was, basically, 'out of
work', no contracts and no band and when he could get a gig, he was resorting to his clowning to attract attention.
However, there is none of this evident in these five tracks. First of all the music swings, as his music always has; he insisted on it. Then there is the synthesis of Latin rhythms and resonances that he brought to his individual style of jazz and the melding of all of that with the overtones and undertones of bebop, the revolutionary music to which he essentially gave birth. His playing is marvellous: the originality of his trumpet style, which so many who followed were to study, still intact and as prodigious as ever, his clarity and speed – hear Manteca - astonishing. It's all nicely balanced by the rhythm section and Bill Graham's baritone. Despite all that I hear in the sound detail, the overall effect is nearer to that of swing and its era, rather than his later bebop. This is a fine though short collection, possibly more useful for an audience unfamiliar with his work as it will serve to introduce different aspects of Gillespie's talent.
Like Gillespie, saxophonist Hans Koller liked to swing. He was Austrian, graduating from Vienna University and serving in the army during the 2nd World War. He played with both Jutta Hipp and Albert Mangelsdorff through the 1950s, both serving on this short collection. They were part of his band which was to become a key factor in the
burgeoning modern jazz in Germany. Jutta Hipp played bebop piano from her late teens, playing right through
those war years and moving to New York, was later to record for Blue Note with people like drummer Ed Thigpen, tenor sax Zoot Simms and trumpeter Jerry Lloyd. Trombonist Mangelsdorff, similarly, played regularly with American bands and recorded with John Lewis. The interchanges between the saxophone, piano and trombone on the NDR recordings are impressive. Despite their date and their source, as jazz was banned in Nazi Germany, these tracks demonstrate how much dedication the musicians brought to their music and to learning and practising their
technical skills.
An Internet search may provide further information and comment and of course a variety of sources from which you may purchase the album and possibly hear it before you purchase. This is an excellent album for both bands and one you should not miss, especially if the music is new to you.
Reviewed by Ken Cheetham
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Dizzy Gillespie Quintet 1953
Dizzy Gillespie, trumpet; Bill Graham, baritone sax; Wade Legge, piano; Lou Hackney, bass; Al Jones, drums.
Hans Koller New Jazz Stars 1953
Hans Koller, tenor sax; Albert Mangelsdorff, trombone; Jutta Hipp, piano; Shorty
Roeder, bass; Karl Sanner, drums.
Dizzy Gillespie Quintet 1953 and Hans Koller New Jazz Stars 1953 is a single album in two parts, both recorded in Hamburg in 1953. Gillespie's rise to stardom through the 1940s was doomed to commercial failure and by 1950 he was, basically, 'out of
work', no contracts and no band and when he could get a gig, he was resorting to his clowning to attract attention.
However, there is none of this evident in these five tracks. First of all the music swings, as his music always has; he insisted on it. Then there is the synthesis of Latin rhythms and resonances that he brought to his individual style of jazz and the melding of all of that with the overtones and undertones of bebop, the revolutionary music to which he essentially gave birth. His playing is marvellous: the originality of his trumpet style, which so many who followed were to study, still intact and as prodigious as ever, his clarity and speed – hear Manteca - astonishing. It's all nicely balanced by the rhythm section and Bill Graham's baritone. Despite all that I hear in the sound detail, the overall effect is nearer to that of swing and its era, rather than his later bebop. This is a fine though short collection, possibly more useful for an audience unfamiliar with his work as it will serve to introduce different aspects of Gillespie's talent.
Like Gillespie, saxophonist Hans Koller liked to swing. He was Austrian, graduating from Vienna University and serving in the army during the 2nd World War. He played with both Jutta Hipp and Albert Mangelsdorff through the 1950s, both serving on this short collection. They were part of his band which was to become a key factor in the
burgeoning modern jazz in Germany. Jutta Hipp played bebop piano from her late teens, playing right through
those war years and moving to New York, was later to record for Blue Note with people like drummer Ed Thigpen, tenor sax Zoot Simms and trumpeter Jerry Lloyd. Trombonist Mangelsdorff, similarly, played regularly with American bands and recorded with John Lewis. The interchanges between the saxophone, piano and trombone on the NDR recordings are impressive. Despite their date and their source, as jazz was banned in Nazi Germany, these tracks demonstrate how much dedication the musicians brought to their music and to learning and practising their
technical skills.
An Internet search may provide further information and comment and of course a variety of sources from which you may purchase the album and possibly hear it before you purchase. This is an excellent album for both bands and one you should not miss, especially if the music is new to you.
Reviewed by Ken Cheetham
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MACK AVENUE SUPER BAND - Live From The Detroit Jazz Festival
2012
Mack Avenue MAC1076
Collective personnel: Sean Jones ( tpt ) Tia Fuller ( alto ) Diego Rivera ( tnr ) Gary Burton ( vibes ) Kevin Eubanks ( gtr ) Evan Perri ( gtr ) Aaron Diehl ( pno ) Alfredo Rodriguez ( pno ) Rodney Whitaker ( bass ) Carl Allen ( drs ) Cecile McLorin Salvant ( vocals )
Recorded at the Detroit Jazz Festival 2012
My initial reaction on receiving this album for review was not positive but on hearing the music contained in it I was hooked. Each track has a
different personnel the only constants are the drummer Carl Allen and bassist Rodney Whitaker who is also musical director. The only exception is “Guantanamera” which is a solo outing for pianist Alfredo
Rodriguez.
The opening track “Liberty Avenue Stroll” is an original by trumpeter Sean Jones who is featured along with altoist Tia Fuller, pianist Aaron Diehl plus bass and drums. This is a hard bop piece and includes some fiery trumpet from the composer along with some equally inspired alto from Tia Fuller.Aaron Diehl’s swinging piano completes a very satisfying track.
“All Blues” by Miles Davis is a feature for guitarist Kevin Eubanks and vibes wizard Gary Burton who both solo well but Burton in particular gives us a fine free flowing solo.
Tia Fuller’s ”Breakthrough” is another composition in the hard bop mould but I found the altoist’s solo a little wild and without much meaning but the audience appeared to love it. Django Reinhardt‘s “Nuages“ is taken at a faster tempo than usual but it works and is by far the best track on the album. It features the guitar of Evan Perri and apart from the final track on the album it is his only appearance but he makes the most of it and gives a stunning performance.
The singer Cecile McLorin Salvant makes her only vocal contribution on “Oh Daddy Blues“ and turns in an adequate performance if not earth shattering. The final track “Honky Tonk “ is just great fun with everyone joining in and getting a piece of the action,, the highlight is the exchanges between the two guitarists.
The album is patchy but has it’s rewarding moments and is worth a listen if you enjoy live performances.
Reviewed by Roy Booth
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Collective personnel: Sean Jones ( tpt ) Tia Fuller ( alto ) Diego Rivera ( tnr ) Gary Burton ( vibes ) Kevin Eubanks ( gtr ) Evan Perri ( gtr ) Aaron Diehl ( pno ) Alfredo Rodriguez ( pno ) Rodney Whitaker ( bass ) Carl Allen ( drs ) Cecile McLorin Salvant ( vocals )
Recorded at the Detroit Jazz Festival 2012
My initial reaction on receiving this album for review was not positive but on hearing the music contained in it I was hooked. Each track has a
different personnel the only constants are the drummer Carl Allen and bassist Rodney Whitaker who is also musical director. The only exception is “Guantanamera” which is a solo outing for pianist Alfredo
Rodriguez.
The opening track “Liberty Avenue Stroll” is an original by trumpeter Sean Jones who is featured along with altoist Tia Fuller, pianist Aaron Diehl plus bass and drums. This is a hard bop piece and includes some fiery trumpet from the composer along with some equally inspired alto from Tia Fuller.Aaron Diehl’s swinging piano completes a very satisfying track.
“All Blues” by Miles Davis is a feature for guitarist Kevin Eubanks and vibes wizard Gary Burton who both solo well but Burton in particular gives us a fine free flowing solo.
Tia Fuller’s ”Breakthrough” is another composition in the hard bop mould but I found the altoist’s solo a little wild and without much meaning but the audience appeared to love it. Django Reinhardt‘s “Nuages“ is taken at a faster tempo than usual but it works and is by far the best track on the album. It features the guitar of Evan Perri and apart from the final track on the album it is his only appearance but he makes the most of it and gives a stunning performance.
The singer Cecile McLorin Salvant makes her only vocal contribution on “Oh Daddy Blues“ and turns in an adequate performance if not earth shattering. The final track “Honky Tonk “ is just great fun with everyone joining in and getting a piece of the action,, the highlight is the exchanges between the two guitarists.
The album is patchy but has it’s rewarding moments and is worth a listen if you enjoy live performances.
Reviewed by Roy Booth
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TOMMASO STARACE - Simply Marvellous!
Emarcy 0602537001927
Tommaso Starace (as, ss); Michele Di Toro (p); Atttilio Zanchi (b); Tommy Bradascio (d); Roger Beaujolais (vib); Fabrizio Bosso (t, fl-h)
Recorded August 4th& 5th, 2011
Subtitled 'Celebrating The Music of Michel Petrucciani' this latest offering from Italian alto saxophonist, Tommaso Starace, certainly does that, serving to remind us that Peterucciani as well as being a great pianist was also a fine composer of some memberable tunes.
Starace, although born in Milano, has been resident in London for more the last five years and in that time has made a big impact on the UK and International stage and leading two quartets, one UK based and his Italian quartet. This is now his fifth release under his own name, although his big label debut for Emarcy/Universal, and presents his fellow countrymen on a set that features one original composition from the leader and nine tunes penned by the late painist.
The saxophonist has a warm and pliable tone on alto, never sounding rushed even at the most brisk of tempos, with well crafted and melodic solos. This is ably demonstrated on the albums opening cut,the superb 'Looking Up' with its
infectious rhythmic feel and strong melody. There are good solos both from Starace and special guest, vibesman Roger Beaujolais who has been a regular musical companion over the years. This is followed by a nicely laid back
interpretation of 'Guadelope' featuring the mellow flugelhorn of Fabrizio Bosso, who also makes a special guest appearance. Bosso again gets to shine on the up tempo 'My Bebop Tune (the title says it all) squeezing notes out of trumpet, complete with slurs and tonal smears to be followed by the headlong rush of the leaders alto.
Starace picks up the soprano on 'Rachid', and if his tone on the smaller horn lacks the originality and muscularity of his alto sound, he is still able to negotiate its difficulties of pitch in a most expressive manner, especially on the jaunty
'Little Peace In C For You'. The rhythm section retain a tight rein on proceedings with a light yet propulsive swing throughout. Pianist, Di Toro, impresses with his imaginative accompaniment and flowing lyrical solos, and on
'Even Mice Dance' his opening statement is suitably contemplative. The bass and drums partnership of Attilio Zanchi and Tommy Bradascio are sutably solid yet unobtrusive, and combine with Di Toro to make a suitably responsive unit for the saxophonist.
A tight, well thought out and programmed set that indeed celebrates the music of Petrucciani, and also serves as testament to the continued musical development of Starace as one of the outstanding and distinctive alto saxophonists on the current scene.
Reviewed by Nick Lea
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Tommaso Starace (as, ss); Michele Di Toro (p); Atttilio Zanchi (b); Tommy Bradascio (d); Roger Beaujolais (vib); Fabrizio Bosso (t, fl-h)
Recorded August 4th& 5th, 2011
Subtitled 'Celebrating The Music of Michel Petrucciani' this latest offering from Italian alto saxophonist, Tommaso Starace, certainly does that, serving to remind us that Peterucciani as well as being a great pianist was also a fine composer of some memberable tunes.
Starace, although born in Milano, has been resident in London for more the last five years and in that time has made a big impact on the UK and International stage and leading two quartets, one UK based and his Italian quartet. This is now his fifth release under his own name, although his big label debut for Emarcy/Universal, and presents his fellow countrymen on a set that features one original composition from the leader and nine tunes penned by the late painist.
The saxophonist has a warm and pliable tone on alto, never sounding rushed even at the most brisk of tempos, with well crafted and melodic solos. This is ably demonstrated on the albums opening cut,the superb 'Looking Up' with its
infectious rhythmic feel and strong melody. There are good solos both from Starace and special guest, vibesman Roger Beaujolais who has been a regular musical companion over the years. This is followed by a nicely laid back
interpretation of 'Guadelope' featuring the mellow flugelhorn of Fabrizio Bosso, who also makes a special guest appearance. Bosso again gets to shine on the up tempo 'My Bebop Tune (the title says it all) squeezing notes out of trumpet, complete with slurs and tonal smears to be followed by the headlong rush of the leaders alto.
Starace picks up the soprano on 'Rachid', and if his tone on the smaller horn lacks the originality and muscularity of his alto sound, he is still able to negotiate its difficulties of pitch in a most expressive manner, especially on the jaunty
'Little Peace In C For You'. The rhythm section retain a tight rein on proceedings with a light yet propulsive swing throughout. Pianist, Di Toro, impresses with his imaginative accompaniment and flowing lyrical solos, and on
'Even Mice Dance' his opening statement is suitably contemplative. The bass and drums partnership of Attilio Zanchi and Tommy Bradascio are sutably solid yet unobtrusive, and combine with Di Toro to make a suitably responsive unit for the saxophonist.
A tight, well thought out and programmed set that indeed celebrates the music of Petrucciani, and also serves as testament to the continued musical development of Starace as one of the outstanding and distinctive alto saxophonists on the current scene.
Reviewed by Nick Lea
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GERI ALLEN - Grand River Crossings: Motown and Motor City
Inspirations
Motema /Membran 233768
Geri Allen (piano) with guest appearances by Marcus Belgrave (trumpet) and David McMurray (alto sax)
Recording date not given.
In this recording, her third in a series of solo piano recitals, Geri Allen claims inspiration from her native city, Detroit and the distinctive
soul music that made it famous the world over in the form of a string of hit records produced by the impresario, Berry Gordy for his Tamla-Motown record label.
Interspersed with familiar tunes like Smokey Robinson’s “ Tears
of a Clown”, Holland, Dozier and Holland’s “Baby I Need Your Loving’” and Stevie Wonder’s “That Girl” are some self penned impressionistic vignettes that presumably convey Ms Allen’s nostalgic feelings about a particular place and time of significance to her in her formative years.
No one can argue with these because they represent a personal experience but one wonders why she has delivered the vibrant Motown hits in such a bloodless, dispassionate fashion when she is quoted in the accompanying PR notes as “having her mind blown every she hears them”, for there is, sadly, nothing strikingly mind blowing about her
interpretations which effectively rob the music of its vitality.
Take as an example the aforementioned “Baby “which is recast in a minor key chromaticism underpinned by a doleful ostinato that renders it gloomy and dirge like without any sense of soulfulness or yearning. Much of the music seems afflicted with an all pervading melancholy that has more to do with existential angst rather than the “open fearlessness and soulful beauty” she claims to find in the music of that era. My feeling is that her project has more to do with the appropriation of the products of popular culture to serve an agenda which rather patronisingly imbues them with `high art` significance` (my italics) in the way that Andy Warhol took soup can labels and transposed them to canvas and the art gallery. As a jazz musician she is, of course, required to effect a change in her selected material that alters or enhances its melodic, rhythmic or harmonic substance and inevitably she will make her own choices for good or ill. The listener, on the other hand, brings personal expectations and those who remember Motown music as being vivid, life affirming and joyfully terpsichorean may find her wistful, somewhat detached approach too low key and dull.
What could have been an outstanding session is marred by this rather po-faced sensibility and its shortcomings are highlighted by the excellence of the guest appearances which in contrast are lively and stimulating. In these she is joined by two fellow Detroit musicians: Marcus Belgrave, veteran trumpeter and revered educator who contributes some deliciously smeary blues lines and David McMurray ,an alto sax player, who blows up a blues laden storm in
his all too brief interpretation of another Holland –Dozier-Holland hit, “Itching in My Heart”.
Geri Allen is unquestionably a world class musician of considerable importance in contemporary jazz and though I have failed to connect with this particular recording I don’t mind admitting that I have many fine examples of her work in my collection. Furthermore it can’t be denied that there are passages of elegiac beauty to be found in her interpretations but it you are looking for something to lift your spirits you may be disappointed. My advice is sample
before purchase.
Reviewed by Euan Dixon
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Geri Allen (piano) with guest appearances by Marcus Belgrave (trumpet) and David McMurray (alto sax)
Recording date not given.
In this recording, her third in a series of solo piano recitals, Geri Allen claims inspiration from her native city, Detroit and the distinctive
soul music that made it famous the world over in the form of a string of hit records produced by the impresario, Berry Gordy for his Tamla-Motown record label.
Interspersed with familiar tunes like Smokey Robinson’s “ Tears
of a Clown”, Holland, Dozier and Holland’s “Baby I Need Your Loving’” and Stevie Wonder’s “That Girl” are some self penned impressionistic vignettes that presumably convey Ms Allen’s nostalgic feelings about a particular place and time of significance to her in her formative years.
No one can argue with these because they represent a personal experience but one wonders why she has delivered the vibrant Motown hits in such a bloodless, dispassionate fashion when she is quoted in the accompanying PR notes as “having her mind blown every she hears them”, for there is, sadly, nothing strikingly mind blowing about her
interpretations which effectively rob the music of its vitality.
Take as an example the aforementioned “Baby “which is recast in a minor key chromaticism underpinned by a doleful ostinato that renders it gloomy and dirge like without any sense of soulfulness or yearning. Much of the music seems afflicted with an all pervading melancholy that has more to do with existential angst rather than the “open fearlessness and soulful beauty” she claims to find in the music of that era. My feeling is that her project has more to do with the appropriation of the products of popular culture to serve an agenda which rather patronisingly imbues them with `high art` significance` (my italics) in the way that Andy Warhol took soup can labels and transposed them to canvas and the art gallery. As a jazz musician she is, of course, required to effect a change in her selected material that alters or enhances its melodic, rhythmic or harmonic substance and inevitably she will make her own choices for good or ill. The listener, on the other hand, brings personal expectations and those who remember Motown music as being vivid, life affirming and joyfully terpsichorean may find her wistful, somewhat detached approach too low key and dull.
What could have been an outstanding session is marred by this rather po-faced sensibility and its shortcomings are highlighted by the excellence of the guest appearances which in contrast are lively and stimulating. In these she is joined by two fellow Detroit musicians: Marcus Belgrave, veteran trumpeter and revered educator who contributes some deliciously smeary blues lines and David McMurray ,an alto sax player, who blows up a blues laden storm in
his all too brief interpretation of another Holland –Dozier-Holland hit, “Itching in My Heart”.
Geri Allen is unquestionably a world class musician of considerable importance in contemporary jazz and though I have failed to connect with this particular recording I don’t mind admitting that I have many fine examples of her work in my collection. Furthermore it can’t be denied that there are passages of elegiac beauty to be found in her interpretations but it you are looking for something to lift your spirits you may be disappointed. My advice is sample
before purchase.
Reviewed by Euan Dixon
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RENE MARIE - I Wanna Be Evil (With Love To Eartha Kitt)
http://www.renemarie.com/
Rene Marie ( vocals ); Wycliffe Gordon ( tmb ); Etienne Charles ( tpt, perc ); Adrian Cunningham ( tnr, clt, flute ); Kevin Bales ( pno ) Elias Bailey ( bass ) Quentin Baxter ( drs, perc, washboard )
Recorded in New York early 2013
Eartha Kitt is not the first name you would think of for a jazz singer to record a tribute album to but Rene Marie manages to come up with a
suitable dedication without sacrificing her jazz credentials. Not all the songs lend themselves to a jazz interpretation but Rene Marie makes the most of what is less than suitable material.
The album gets off to a swinging start with ”I’d Rather Be Burned As A Which” which works with Rene Marie’s treatment and is helped by an agile trombone solo from Wycliffe Gordon. “C’est Si Bon” is much better material and Rene Marie sings in a mixture of English and French, it also has solo from Adrian Cunningham which starts in the low register before reaching a climax in the high register.
“Oh John” doesn’t really work and the solos from both Wycliffe Gordon and Adrian Cunningham are a bit off the wall. We’re back to sanity with Cole Porter’s “Let’s Do It”, Wycliffe Gordon contributes some attacking fills behind the vocal. This is probably the best track on the album with Rene Marie turning in a spirited performance.
“My Heart Belongs To Daddy” works well but “Come On-A My House” is a throw away track and not one to give repeated playings.
“Santa Baby” is a slow burner and has a beautiful muted trumpet solo by Etienne Charles and it would be a shame to treat as just a seasonal song. Rene Marie’s own composition “Weekend” closes out the album and is well worth inclusion.
I am not too sure you would enjoy this release if you were an Eartha Kitt fan but I am sure any Rene Marie admirer will love it.
Reviewed by Roy Booth
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Rene Marie ( vocals ); Wycliffe Gordon ( tmb ); Etienne Charles ( tpt, perc ); Adrian Cunningham ( tnr, clt, flute ); Kevin Bales ( pno ) Elias Bailey ( bass ) Quentin Baxter ( drs, perc, washboard )
Recorded in New York early 2013
Eartha Kitt is not the first name you would think of for a jazz singer to record a tribute album to but Rene Marie manages to come up with a
suitable dedication without sacrificing her jazz credentials. Not all the songs lend themselves to a jazz interpretation but Rene Marie makes the most of what is less than suitable material.
The album gets off to a swinging start with ”I’d Rather Be Burned As A Which” which works with Rene Marie’s treatment and is helped by an agile trombone solo from Wycliffe Gordon. “C’est Si Bon” is much better material and Rene Marie sings in a mixture of English and French, it also has solo from Adrian Cunningham which starts in the low register before reaching a climax in the high register.
“Oh John” doesn’t really work and the solos from both Wycliffe Gordon and Adrian Cunningham are a bit off the wall. We’re back to sanity with Cole Porter’s “Let’s Do It”, Wycliffe Gordon contributes some attacking fills behind the vocal. This is probably the best track on the album with Rene Marie turning in a spirited performance.
“My Heart Belongs To Daddy” works well but “Come On-A My House” is a throw away track and not one to give repeated playings.
“Santa Baby” is a slow burner and has a beautiful muted trumpet solo by Etienne Charles and it would be a shame to treat as just a seasonal song. Rene Marie’s own composition “Weekend” closes out the album and is well worth inclusion.
I am not too sure you would enjoy this release if you were an Eartha Kitt fan but I am sure any Rene Marie admirer will love it.
Reviewed by Roy Booth
Top of Page