Chris Cheek - Saturday Songs

Chris Cheek: tenor saxophone; Steve Cardenas: guitar; David Soler: pedal steel; Jaume Llombard: bass; Jorge Rossy: drums, vibes, marimba.

The full-blooded American saxophonist, Chris Cheek, always had an inclination for choosing guitarists instead of pianists to participate in the recordings under his own name. Two examples are Kurt Rosenwinkle and Ben Monder who helped to make of “I Wish I Knew”, “Vine”, and “A Girl Called Joe” memorable works.
For his new album, “Saturday Songs”, the fulfilling sounds of Steve Cardenas wasn’t enough, so he added the second guitar, a pedal steel operated by the Spanish David Soler. The band is completed with the electric bassist Jaume Llombard, and the experienced and longtime collaborator Jorge Rossy on drums. The combination works well and the resultant urban jazz is both snug and sprightly. The inspirations come from several sources: “String Finger” and “Saturday Song” are marked by a playful, Frisell-like ambiance; “Ginger Something”, “Alhambros”, and “Strawberry Jam” gained an energetic rock pulse with strong riffs; “Windmill Hill”’s approach triggers a sound that gets closer to the mood created in “I Wish I Knew”; “Eye Factory” mirrors a ravishing exoticism while Jobim’s “Forever Green” comes wrapped in an uninterrupted tranquility.
To be absorbed by the fans of both traditional and modern jazz.

Favorite Tracks:
01 – String Finger ► 07 – Saturday Song ► 09 – Forever Green

Kenny Barron Trio - Book Of Intuition

Kenny Barron: piano; Kiyoshi Kitagawa: double bass; Johnathan Blake: drums.

I’ve always had a special fondness for the music of Kenny Barron, a dashing composer and creative pianist of huge technical caliber. I grew up listening to some of his gems such as “Scratch” and “Wanton Spirit”, albums that transpire all his charming spells and elastic expressiveness grounded on hard-bop and post-bop styles.
His new record, “Book of Intuition”, was recorded with Kiyoshi Kitagawa on double bass and Johnathan Blake on drums, a furiously responsive rhythm section that much contributed to the musical quality of the songs.
Barron’s compositions are quite impressive - “Magic Dance” shows pure Bossanova delicacy, “Bud Like” bounces with a frenzy Latin pulse, “Cook’s Day” delivers a calm yet expressive groove, and “Lunacy” is a rhythmically splendorous experience. In addition, we also have the magic of solo piano in “Light Blue”, one of the two Monk’s numbers, and the plaintive sounds of Charlie Haden’s “Nightfall”. 
The trio pulls a myriad of emotions throughout the ten tracks of the recording, making it another captivating and essential work in Barron’s extended discography.

Favorite Tracks:
02 – Bud Like ► 06 – Light Blue ► 07 – Lunacy

Bill Charlap Trio - Notes From New York

Bill Charlap: piano; Peter Washington: double bass; Kenny Washington: drums.

Bill Charlap is a traditional pianist whose recordings usually consist of jazz standards and borrowed compositions. In his latest, “Notes From New York”, the story repeats itself and he leads his reputable trio, composed of his longtime associates Peter Washington on double bass and Kenny Washington on drums, on a voyage that tries to bring the past into the present.
To the habitual structural simplicity, Charlap adds his personal melodic touch through a clear language that also reveals agility.
Whether in a hurried or laid-back pace, the rigor of the rhythm section guarantees the solid foundation for the pianist’s nimble moves.
From the selection of standards, I was particularly pleased with the beautifully dragging accent of “Make Me Rainbows”, the looseness of “A Sleepin’ Bee”, and the sentimentality of “Too Late Now”.
Clearly, jazz purists will be content… but probably they won’t be the only ones.

Favorite Tracks:
02 – Make Me Rainbows ► 05 – A Sleepin’ Bee ► 07 – Too Late Now

Phantom Trio - #00

Fabio Almeida: saxophones and electronics; Sergio Tavares: double bass; João Martins: drums.

“#00” is the energetic debut record from the Portuguese Phantom Trio whose music relies heavily on a powerful rhythm section, regardless if the tune is a rapid-fire excursion or a floating ballad.
The pulsations and webs drawn by Tavares and Martins are diversified enough to avoid monotony, guaranteeing a vital space for the freedom of expression of the saxophonist, Fabio Almeida, who fearlessly explores the ground with intelligence and force. 
The latter also shows an artistic aptitude in managing of the electronic effects.
As some of the track titles suggest, spontaneity can be felt throughout this experimental voyage, where we can identify joyous rhythm syncopations, pressurized atmospheres, twisting-yet-melodic contemplations, and even some influence from other cultures, specifically in “Lacrau”.
I found the Phantom Trio surprisingly calibrated and extremely confident, and
“#00” is an album with personality and ready to be savored by the modern free enthusiasts.

Favorite Tracks:
01 – Espontaneo #1 ► 06 – Zimbro ► 08 – Lacrau

Steve Kuhn Trio - At This Time...

Steve Kuhn: piano; Steve Swallow: electric bass; Joey Baron: drums

The adroit and sensitive American pianist Steve Kuhn has been changing his famous trio along the years, maintaining his vision and personality within a wide variety of styles. 
For this recording, he reunited Steve Swallow and Joey Baron, who had done a staggering job in the excellent “Wisteria” from 2012.
With a refined touch, Kuhn and his peers open with “My Shining Hour”, which flourishes with the appropriate boppish approach, excelling later with a touching version of Quincy Jones’ “The Pawnbroker” and in two originals from the pianist, “All the Rest Is the Same”, delivered with a sensual bossanova feeling, and “The Feeling Within”, played solo.
Less literate and more swinging than its predecessor, this record evenly spreads class, sentiment, and an unrestrained passion.

Favorite Tracks:
01 – My Shining Hour ► 03 – The Pawnbroker ► 04 – All the Rest Is the Same

Mario Pavone - Blue Dialect

Mario Pavone: double bass; Matt Mitchell: piano; Tyshawn Sorey: drums.

Mario Pavone, a robust bassist with guts to wing it, returns to the trio format (after the successful Nu Trio and Arc Trio), this time in the company of the pianist Matt Mitchell and the drummer Tyshawn Sorey.
Pavone creates his usual throbbing grooves, often resorting to a shifting, abstract, and yet swinging walking bass, and showing his magnificent sense of tempo. The combustible and frequently disruptive drumming of Sorey follows him everywhere with technique, great style, and a strong purpose of making this trio sound good. And they succeed, also because Mitchell is in the same mood, building silky non-linear textures and exquisite harmonies that are fun to listen to.
Replete of charisma and planned discontinuities, the trio plays eight original compositions by the leader (“Xapo”, “Zines”, “Silver Print”, and “Language” were already recorded on previous albums) and a lucid rendering of “Reflections” by Monk.  
When everyone speaks the same dialect, the communication becomes effortless and fluid. That’s what happens in the homogeneous “Blue Dialect”.

Favorite Tracks:
01 – Suitcase in Savannah ► 02 – Xapo ► 09 – Blue

Tyshawn Sorey - The Inner Spectrum of Variables

Tyshawn Sorey: drums; Cory Smythe: piano; Chris Tordini: bass; Rubin Kodheli: violoncello; Fung Chern Hwei: violin; Kyle Armburst: viola.

The highly in-demand and proficient drummer, Tyshawn Sorey, enriches the sound of his experimental trio, the same that gave us “Alloy” two years ago, with the addition of a resolute trio of strings. 
“The Inner Spectrum of Variables”, a double-disc album that comprises six creative movements and a loose percussive tune, successfully rambles on jazz, classical, avant-garde, and exotic territories, creating several cinematic soundscapes that enthrall and satisfy. Sometimes low-key and minimal, sometimes effusive and intricate, this record gives us a lot to discover. Through his openhanded compositions, Sorey concedes enough space for his peers to express themselves in an erudite way. Smythe, in particular, deserves attention in the way he communicates, proving himself a specialist in the art of creating tension. 
This music breathes at the same time that casts a powerful effect on us.  

Favorite Tracks:
03 (cd1) – Movement III ► 02 (cd2) – Movement IV ► 03 (cd2) – Movement V + VI + Reprise

Renato Diz / Maria Quintanilla - Distance Chemistry

Renato Diz: piano; Maria Quintanilla: vocals.

Recorded in just one take with improvised arrangements, the tunes of “Distance Chemistry” might not be an ideal choice for some intrepid explorers of the contemporary jazz scene, but that doesn’t mean they’re not adventurous in their own style.
Both based in NYC, the emergent and rhythmically bold Portuguese pianist, Renato Diz, and the confident Peruvian singer, Maria Quintanilla, prove to have a beneficial chemistry. In no rare occasions, their musical choices reminded me another duo, Tuck & Patti, in their explorations of diverse styles that not only jazz. Besides a few well-known jazz standards, whose highlight is an uncanny version of “Strange Fruit”, the duo effortlessly incurs into R&B, gospel, and reggae territories with covers of Bill Withers, Jevetta Steele, and Stevie Wonder. However, it was with one of their improvised fantasias entitled “Conversation I” that they impressed me most. The cited piece pulsates with a catchy African feeling and exciting melodic counterpoints.

Favorite Tracks:
01 – Conversation I ► 04 – Strange Fruit ► 07 – Master Blaster

Alan Ferber Nonet - Roots and Transitions

Alan Ferber: trombone; Jon Gordon: alto saxophone; John Ellis: tenor saxophone; Scott Wendholt: trumpet; Shane Endsley: trumpet; Charles Pillow: bass clarinet; Nate Radley: guitar; Bryn Roberts: piano; Matt Clohesy: bass; Mark Ferber: drums.

Alan Ferber, a persuasive trombonist with strong writing skills and modernistic vision, keeps his nonet active since 2005, time when he released the excellent “Scenes From An Exit Row”. The saxophonist John Ellis and the drummer Mark Ferber, Alan’s twin brother, were the ones present in all the recordings of the nonet so far.
The leader sought inspiration on his two-year-old son, Theo, during the first months of his life, and the music conveys a comforting effect, filling our souls with an inebriating musicality that flows with passion and sensitivity.
The surefooted “Roots and Transitions” has a majestic opening with the stately downbeat “Quiet Confidence”, and moves forward providing us other memorable experiences. The edgy “Clocks” features outstanding solos from Jon Gordon and Nate Radley, “Wayfarer” presents a more traditional voice leading and structure, and “Cycles” exhibits a radiating collective improvisation over a motivic idea.

Favorite Tracks:
01 – Quiet Confidence ► 03 – Clocks ► 08 – Cycles

Jazz Albums 2016 - Weekly Listening Jul 4-10

Another 6 fresh Jazz records to enjoy!

INGRID LAUBROCK / TOM RAINEY - BUOYANCY

Ingrid Laubrock: tenor and soprano saxophones; Tom Rainey: drums. 

Two Brooklyn-based innate adventurers and partners, both in music and life, Ingrid Laubrock and Tom Rainey are really impressive in the way they dominate their instruments and express themselves. 
By sounding so tight and natural, “Buoyancy”, let the couple’s perfect communication flow both in its fast and furious vindications or hushed sensitivities. It’s their new excavation of rhythms and sounds.
If you’re familiar with their work, you’re probably imagining that rhythm might take over melody throughout the four pieces presented here. Well, this is partly true, if we take into account that this genre lives mostly from the gradual rhythmic alternations, motivic ideas, and interchanges. Still, sweet melodic murmurs and lulls can be assimilated. 
“Buoyancy” is a special record, not only for its creators, but also for those who look for intensity, agility, and creativity in the expansive world of modern jazz.

Favorite Tracks:
01 – Buoyancy ► 02 – Twenty Lanes ► 03 – The Museum Of Human Achievement

DANIEL FREEDMAN - IMAGINE THAT

Lionel Loueke: guitar, vocals; Jason Lindner: piano, keyboards; Omer Avital: bass, oud; Daniel Freedman: drums; Gilmar Gomes: percussion.

The flexible New York drummer Daniel Freedman convenes a super multicultural band to play in “Imagine That”, a penetrating record that crosses the boundaries of jazz and world fusion. 
The Brazilian Gilmar Gomes, a member of Forro in the Dark, joins Freedman for the first time, in opposition to the Israeli-American bassist Omer Avital, the American pianist Jason Lindner, and the fantastic and influential Benin-born guitarist Lionel Loueke, who are longtime collaborators. 
The leader, who incorporated two compositions of Lindner, one of Loueke, and a remarkable interpretation of Radiohead’s “Codex”, boasts his West African and Middle Eastern influences with four dulcet pieces of his own authorship. Three of them were enveloped in cheerful demeanors and the remaining one was delivered with elegiac undertones.
The sum of the parts makes a solid whole, and the noteworthy “Imagine That” sparks as a universal festivity.

Favorite Tracks:
02 – Baby Aya ► 04 – Codex ► 05 – Mindaho

THE CLAUDIA QUINTET - SUPER PETITE

Chris Speed: tenor saxophone, clarinet; Red Wierenga: accordion, piano; Matt Moran: vibraphone; Drew Gress: acoustic bass; John Hollenbeck: drums.

Minimally composed and meticulously conceived, the music of The Claudia Quintet, led by the drummer/composer/arranger John Hollenbeck, is always difficult to categorize.
I describe it as a sort of cerebral jazz that merges with fragments of modern classic and folk music, and then is delivered in the form of ethereal, unobstructed, and hypnotic dances.
The tunes are more programmed than improvised, only occasionally opening space to Chris Speed’s non-aggressive saxophone/clarinet, which sound soars over the moods created by Moran’s vibes, Wierenga’s accordion, and the rhythm section. “JFK Beagle” and “Philly” are the tracks that better illustrate this exception.
Hollenbeck’s phenomenal percussive timbres match Gress’ subtle bass work in an irreproachable way. A generalized relentless symbiosis is created, emphasizing the whole rather than the individual.

Favorite Tracks:
02 – JFK Beagle ► 04 – Philly ► 10 – Mangold

SERA SERPA / ANDRE MATOS - ALL THE DREAMS

Sara Serpa: vocals, piano, Fender Rhodes; Andre Matos: guitar, electric bass, percussion; Pete Rende: synthesizer; Billy Mintz: drums, percussion.

Dreamy and atmospheric, “All the Dreams” soars higher with every listening. 
Its airy, often sedative effect comes from the compelling melodies sang by Ms. Serpa, who spreads a sweet languor over the well-crafted textures delineated by her husband, the guitarist Andre Matos. The Portuguese duo, besides playing other instruments that aren’t normally associated with them, counted on the subtle-yet-determined synthesizer of Pete Rende and the percussive skills of the veteran Billy Mintz, in order to materialize their compositions.
Tinged with several influences - from pop to jazz to Middle Eastern music - and featuring the poetry of William Blake, Luis Amaro, and Alvaro de Campos, these tunes sound authentic, taking us to the very particular musical universe of Serpa/Matos. 
Get yourself ready to experience minimalism, complexity, and sophistication throughout this eclectic fusion.

Favorite Tracks:
02 – A La Montagne ► 03 – Estado de Graça ► 06 – Água

BRIAN GRODER TRIO - R TRAIN ON THE D LINE

Brian Groder: trumpet, flugelhorn; Michael Bisio: bass; Jay Rosen: drums.

Brian Groder’s “R Train on the D Line” is an excellent follow-up to “Reflexology”, which was recorded with exactly the same partners in 2014.
The leader’s talking trumpet/flugelhorn evinces melodic consistency and a disarming eloquence regardless the pace and mood of the tunes. Groder's phrasing slides freely and whimsically over the non-static rhythmic masses created by the dauntless bassist Michael Bisio, a distinctive skipper in the pizzicato and bowing approaches, and the off-kilter drummer Jay Rosen. 
Attentive listeners will notice transitory swinging sections being intercalated with the more exploratory ones, an option that avoids steady routines by suggesting a different trajectory.
The super balanced trio approaches Groder’s crisp compositions with discipline, maneuvering the sounds and rhythms with perception, purpose, and accuracy. Multiple listenings will bring new discoveries.

Favorite Tracks:
01 – Quanta ► 02 – Retooled Logic ► 05 – Praxis

LEFTERIS KORDIS - MEDITERRANA

Lefteris Kordis: piano; Petros Kamplanis: double bass; Ziv Ravitz: drums; 

Greek pianist Lefteris Kordis takes us on a nice cruise, sailing on accessible waters that are shared by jazz and Eastern Mediterranean folk territories.
We can have a better notion of Korda’s beautiful lyricism in the tunes he plays in trio, with the double bassist Petros Kamplanis and the drummer Ziv Ravitz. Sometimes their sound reminisces Steve Kuhn’s textural compositions.
However, it’s not uncommon to hear exotic scales and allusions to flamenco played on top of the more traditional folk songs. This is achieved with the juxtaposition of some other elements such as a restless ney flute, a melodious harmonica, a moving accordion, a crying clarinet, or the medieval touch of a lute. To join these assorted combinations, Mr. Korda seamlessly jazzified “And I Love Her” by The Beatles, giving it a personal touch.

Favorite Tracks:
01 – In the Land of the Phrygians ► 02 – Yota ► 05 – The Raven and the Fox

Jazz Albums 2016 - Weekly Listening Jun 27-Jul 3

Six new recommended jazz records to enjoy. Listed by order of preference.

IVO PERELMAN - BREAKING POINT

Ivo Perelman: tenor saxophone; Mat Maneri: viola; Joe Morris: bass; Gerald Cleaver: drums.

The prolific Brazilian saxophonist Ivo Perelman, a reference in the free jazz panorama, is always interesting to follow, no matter what project he’s immersed in. 
In April of the current year, he saw five new albums under his name being released on Leo Records. One of them, entitled “Breaking Point”, was recorded in quartet with a creative cohort of leaders. Maneri is hyperactive on viola, Morris is unflagging on bass, and Cleaver shows why he's one of the most in-demand drummers these days. Fiery solos and jittery rhythms often suggest chaos and anarchy, but there are also even-tempered moments that bring out softer ambiances and textures. The flaming disputes between Perelman and Maneri are powerfully absorbing, and “Breaking Point” is an essential choice for any free/avant jazz collector.

Favorite Tracks:
01 – Harsh Moon ► 03 – Catch 22 ► 07 – Breaking Point

RICH HALLEY 5 - THE OUTLIER

Rich Halley: tenor saxophone; Vinny Golia: reeds; Michael Vlatkovich: trombone; Clyde Reed: bass; Carson Halley: drums.

Rich Halley, a saxophonist/composer of extended talent, extends his quartet to five elements by adding the portentous and explorative multi-reedist Vinny Golia.
In “The Outlier”, we can indulge ourselves in Halley’s flying improvisations marked by a half-in-half-out approach and frequently adorned with tasteful rhythmic figures, and also the striking low sounds, carrying both fluency and stamina, that are poured out of Golia’s bass reed instruments. The trombonist Michael Vlatkovich is the least adventurous of the three, but no less important in the final product, while the rhythm section guarantees the sometimes groovy, sometimes tribal paths, on top of which the soloists can establish their passive-aggressive interactions without ever forgetting melodic sense. 
A delight for avant-gardists.

Favorite Tracks:
01 – Recipe for Improvisers ► 03 – Around the Fringes ► 10 – The Nuthatches

MATT WILSON'S BIG HAPPY FAMILY - BEGINNING OF A MEMORY

Andrew D’Angelo: alto saxophone, bass clarinet; Jeff Lederer: saxophones, clarinet; Joel Frahm: saxophones; Terell Stafford: trumpet; Kirk Knuffke: cornet; Gary Versace: piano, organ, accordion; Larry Goldings: piano; Matt Balitsaris: guitar; Martin Wind: bass; Paul Sikivie: bass; Yosuke Inoue: bass; Chris Lightcap: bass; Matt Wilson: drums.

“Beginning of a Memory” is the first CD by the imaginative drummer Matt Wilson since he lost his wife Felicia, also a musician, to leukemia. It’s a challenging project that comprises 17 songs recorded without written arrangements or rehearsals.
Traditionally, Wilson’s bands are always composed of excellent musicians, and the Big Happy Family project is no different. In addition to brand new compositions, this album also comprises a few old ones, which were subjected to different treatments and orchestrations without lowering a bit of the original energy and humor. The 1998 album “Going Once, Going Twice” was the most revisited, with four tunes, followed by “The Scenic Route” with two. We missed you, Mr. Wilson!

Favorite Tracks:
08 – Getting Friendly ► 09 – Andrew’s Ditty ► 16 – Schoolboy Thug

NOAH PREMINGER - DARK WAS THE NIGHT, COLD WAS THE GROUND

Noah Preminger: saxophone; Jason Palmer: trumpet; Kim Cass: bass; Ian Froman: drums.

Noah Preminger assembles nine classic Mississippi Delta blues to be part of his new album. 
Oscillating between languorous moans and effervescent dissertations, the tunes are colorfully revitalized and delivered with an actual sound and approach. Preminger’s catchy improvisations reveal an expeditious language and haunting tones as he rambles positively along different registers.
Whether pushing forward or laying back, the rhythm section evinces an enviable coordination while Palmer is more an ally than a stooge in his confident interventions and counterpoints. After all, old blues can still be thrilling.

Favorite Tracks:
02 – Hard Times Killin’ Floor Blues ► 04 – I Am The Heavenly Way ► 06 – Spoonful Blues

PETER BERNSTEIN - LET LOOSE

Peter Bernstein: guitar; Gerald Clayton: piano; Doug Weiss: bass; Bill Stewart: drums.

“Let Loose” is another solid effort by the guitarist Peter Bernstein, whose sound is immediately recognizable. Owner of a clear hard-bop expressiveness, Bernstein insists on the competent rhythm section he knows so well, primarily composed of Weiss and Stewart, while the multi-faceted pianist Gerald Clayton, who recently recorded with Charles Lloyd, makes his first appearance in a project led by the guitarist. Regardless the tempo adopted or the approach (straight-ahead or bluesy), the material sounds genuine and mature. The surprises are a passionate and popular bolero by the Cuban Osvaldo Ferrer and a striking cover of Woody Shaw’s “Sweet Love of Mine”, which features breathtaking improvisations by the leader and Clayton.

Favorite Tracks:
01 – Let Loose ► 03 – Hidden Pockets ► 07 – Sweet Love of Mine

JOHN BLEVINS - MATTERHORN

John Blevins: trumpet; Drew Williams: tenor saxophone; Brad Mulholland: alto saxophone, flute, clarinet; Nick Grinder: trombone; Marta Sanchez: Fender Rhodes; Jeff McLaughlin: guitar; Marty Kenney: bass; Nathan Ellman-Bell: drums; John Doing: congas.

“Mattherhorn” is a promising debut by the trumpeter John Blevins.In the company of his tight band, which benefits from well-delineated compositions, he confidently bonds to an attractive crossover jazz that lives up to current conceptions and sound specificities.
Amidst the mostly jazzistic excursions, we can easily spot glimpses of Latin and oriental music, as well as progressive rock instincts. The blend encompasses stylish unisons and freewheeling exchanges.

Favorite Tracks:
01 – Identity Theft ► 02 – Unaware ► 06 – See

+ 12 Recommended Albums - Retrospective 2015 Part III

The third and last part of my recommended Jazz records from 2015. Don't miss them!

VIJAY IYER TRIO - BREAK STUFF

Vijay Iyer: piano; Stephan Crump: double bass; Marcus Gilmore: drums 

As one of the most accomplished progressive pianists, Vijay Iyer still exceeded expectations, surprising everyone with the grandiose sound of his latest album ‘Break Stuff’, recorded in trio with the bassist Stephan Crump and the drummer Marcus Gilmore. The taut compositions, revealing the pianist’s advanced language, are pelted with unexpected mood changes and brave crescendos. One can find a variety of styles here: abstract/exploratory musical pieces, syncopated waltzes, movements in the vicinity of hard-bop and classical music, and even shades of reggae in ‘Taking Flight’. This is an unmissable work!

Favorite Tracks:
03 – Diptych
06 – Taking Flight
11 – Geese

ANTONIO SANCHEZ & MIGRATION - THE MERIDIEN SUITE

Seamus Blake: tenor saxophone; Adam Rogers: guitar; John Escreet: piano; Thana Alexa: vocals; Matt Brewer: bass; Antonio Sanchez: drums, keyboards.

Antonio Sanchez is a skilled drummer and composer whose name traveled the world after he has won a Grammy award for Birdman’s movie soundtrack. The wide-ranging vision of Sanchez is patented in ‘The Meridien Suite’, which provides us positive energies caused by the fervent grooves and impetuous improvisations of his Migration band. The musicians had the opportunity to fully express themselves individually and also demonstrate a salutary understanding in regard to the collective.

Favorite Tracks:
01 – Grids and Patterns
04 – Magnetic Currents
05 – Pathways of the Mind

JUHANI AALTONEN & IRO HAARLA - KIRKASTUS

Juhani Aaltonen: tenor saxophone, flutes; Iro Haarla: piano, harp, chen, percussion.

If you’ve never heard the music of this pair of Finnish musicians, do yourself a favor and get “Kirkastus”, a beautifully mounted set of psalms and prayers whose inspired tonal palettes urge us to search for light while enjoying heart-warming expansions, a poetic minimalism, and a reflective musicality. In the past, both individuals were associated with the late drummer, composer, and avant-garde bandleader, Edward Vesala.

Favorite Tracks:
01 – Evening Prayer
04 – Kirkastus
10 – Lead Me to the Rock

MARIA SCHNEIDER ORCHESTRA - THE THOMPSON FIELDS

Maria Schneider: conductor/composer; Donny McCaslin, Steve Wilson, Rich Perry, Dave Pietro and Scott Robinson: reeds; Tony Kadleck, Greg Gisbert, Augie Haas and Mike Rodriguez: trumpet/flugelhorn; Keith O'Quinn, Ryan Keberle, Marshall Gilkes, George Flynn: trombone; Gary Versace: accordion; Lage Lund: guitar; Frank Kimbrough: piano; Jay Anderson: bass; Clarence Penn: drums. 

The big band leader and composer, Maria Schneider, keeps on working to impress us every time she releases a new album. Unsurprisingly, her orchestra counts on some of the most inspired musicians of the current jazz scene, and ‘The Thompson Fields’ is another triumph. Schneider’s emotionally charged pieces range from descriptions of the open landscape of her home in southwest Minnesota to happy recalls of the first time she heard a samba school rehearse in Rio. Take your time to stroll through these magnificent fields.

Favorite Tracks:
02 – The Monarch And The Milkweed
03 – Arbiters of Evolution
04 – The Thompson Fields

CHRIS DINGMAN - THE SUBLIMINAL AND THE SUBLIME

Chris Dingman: vibraphone; Loren Stillman: alto saxophone; Fabian Almazan: piano; Ryan Ferreira: guitar; Linda Oh: bass; Justin Brown: drums.

Teaming up with a group of talented musicians, the vibraphonist Chris Dingman digs into the subliminal with a sublime attitude and confidence. The five parts that comprise this record try to capture the profound wonders of nature. I don’t know if that purpose was achieved, but I can tell that the sumptuous movements flow lucidly, often in the form of contemplative meditations.
Pleasurably layered and enriched by atmospheric interludes, ‘The Subliminal and the Sublime’ surpasses Dingman's debut album ‘Waking Dreams’.

Favorite Tracks:
02 – Voices of the Ancient
03 – Plea
05 – All Flows Forth

JD ALLEN - GRAFFITI

JD Allen: saxophone; Gregg August: bass; Rudy Royston: drums.

Whether playing ebullient fast tempos or tender ballads, JD Allen always guarantees those lavish energy transferences that make us think he should get much more attention than what he actually gets. The title ‘Graffiti’ fits perfectly here since ornamentation and multicolor are associated with the stirring music played by the energetic trio.
The musical ideas sound urban and ambitious, and ‘Graffiti’ sparks with intentional melodies and celebratory rhythms.

Favorite Tracks:
01 – Naked
02 – Jawn Henry
05 – G-Dspeed, B. Morris

CHARLIE HUNTER TRIO - LET THE BELLS RING

Charlie Hunter: 7-string guitar; Curtis Fowlkes: trombone; Bobby Previte: drums

Charlie Hunter’s palpable guitar notes find brilliant ways to flow when in the company of Bobby Previte’s jovial drums and Curtis Fowlkes’ expressive trombone. 
“Let the Bells Ring” has the ability to be effortlessly absorbed due to its adroit blend of present-day jazz and conventional folk/blues styles, often presented with crafted riffs and spins. Evoking the past with the present in mind, Hunter’s compositions are a source of both amusement and relish.

Favorite Tracks:
03 – Pho-Kus On-Ho-Ho-Kus
05 – Hillbilly Heroine Chic
09 – Vernel

MARK GUILIANA - FAMILY FIRST

Jason Rigby: saxophone; Shai Maestro: piano; Chris Morrissey: bass; Mark Guiliana: drums.

Besides being a tremendous drummer, Mark Guiliana proves to be a great composer. His acoustic jazz quartet deserves praise for ‘Family First’, a rewarding album that is fertile in good ideas. 
The tunes succeed one another with different flavors and tempos, showcasing the ability of its executants. I was particularly impressed with the airy ballads, ‘2014’ and ‘Family First’, where Maestro, Morrissey, and Guiliana set the classy harmonic tones to receive Rigby’s melodious saxophone. There’s also a passionate cover of Bob Marley’s ‘Johnny Was’.

Favorite Tracks:
03 – 2014
04 – Long Branch
09 – Family First

DAVE LIEBMAN EXPANSIONS - THE PUZZLE

Dave Liebman: soprano saxophone; Matt Vashlishan: alto saxophone, clarinet, flute; Bobby Avey: piano, keyboard; Tony Marino: bass; Alex Ritz: drums.

The gifted soprano saxophonist, Dave Liebman, at the age of 69, is in great shape and expresses himself in a clear and profound way. His group, Expansions, includes both veteran and younger musicians, who also contributed with compositions of their own. Together with Liebman, they are masters in the art of deconstructing the obvious and create musical puzzles of great intensity. 
This is an adventurous, sultry, and straightforward ride that takes us to the delicious crossroads of post-bop and avant-garde jazz.

Favorite Tracks:
02 – For J.A.
04 – Good Bait
06 – The Puzzle

MIKE REED'S PEOPLE, PLACES & THINGS - A NEW KIND OF DANCE

Greg Ward: alto saxophone; Tim Haldeman: tenor saxophone; Marquis Hill: trumpet; Matthew Shipp: piano; Jason Roebke: bass; Mike Reed: drums.

The 10th album of the drummer Mike Reed, a representative of the Chicago modern jazz scene, features three enthusiastic reedists and an explosive rhythm section that highly benefits with the unparalleled atonal chords of the pianist Matthew Shipp. 
Bridging the gap between heritage and modernity, “A New Kind of Dance” can be seen as a trippy celebration filled with broken swing songs, cheerful dispositions, disrupted cross-rhythms, and exultant melodies that superimpose one another. One can really dance to this record.

Favorite Tracks:
01 – A New Kind of Dance
05 – Reesie’s Waltz
09 – Fear Not of Man

STEVE TURRE - SPIRITMAN

Steve Turre: trombone; Bruce Williams: alto/soprano sax; Xavier Davis: piano; Gerald Cannon: bass; Willie Jones: drums; Chembo Corniel: congas.

In “Spiritman”, the influential trombonist, Steve Turre, opts to play standards and originals, the latter in the form of inspiring spiritual blues. Even with one foot in the jazz tradition, Turre manages to inject the required refreshing vibes into the bouncing funky creations, swinging standards, soothing ballads, and Latin explorations. 
Joy and relaxation are two keywords to define this album.

Favorite Tracks:
01 – Bu
04 – Trayvon’s Blues
05 – It’s Too Late Now

JOE FIEDLER TRIO - I'M IN

Joe Fiedler: trombone; Rob Jost: bass; Michael Sarin: drums.

Joe Fiedler is an understated trombonist whose album “I’m In” is as gutsy as it is playful. Here, he plunges headfirst in the crazy grooves created by the bassist Rob Jost and the drummer Michael Sarin, showing he’s equally comfortable in a variety of styles, including hard-bop, funk, Latin jazz, and modern free. 
The symbiotic rapport of the trio is transferred to the tunes, which are delivered with attitude, keenness, and exuberance.

Favorite Tracks:
01 – Grip
02 – Erstwhile
07 – Completely ‘Peccable

Jazz Albums - Weekly Listening Jun 20-26

Last week's six records. All recommended.

JACK DEJOHNETTE/RAVI COLTRANE/MATTHEW GARRISON - IN MOVEMENT

Jack DeJohnette: drums, piano; Ravi Coltrane: saxophones; Matthew Garrison: electric bass.

A perplexing odyssey into a spiritual splendor is the best gift from In Movement, a tour de force engagement of inner meditations and beneficial energy fluxes. The veteran drummer Jack DeJohnette, 73, doesn’t stop to surprise and marvel us with the musicality of his compositions and excellence of his drumming. Here, he couldn’t have had better company since the saxophonist Ravi Coltrane and the electric bassist Matthew Garrison were exemplary in their work. The selection of tunes, containing the dazzling "Alabama" by John Coltrane and a beautiful ad lib version of “Blue in Green” by Miles Davis, are part of a stunning mix of peaceful composures, frenzy exaltations, and thrilling jazz-funk pieces. 
Undoubtedly, this is my favorite record of 2016 so far.

Favorite Tracks:
01 – Alabama ► 02 – In Movement ► 07 – Rashied

REZ ABBASI & JUNCTION - BEHIND THE VIBRATION

Rez Abbasi: guitar; Mark Shim: tenor saxophone; Ben Stivers: keyboards; Kenny Grohowski: drums.

Throughout the years, the gifted Pakistan-born American guitarist, Rez Abbasi, has developed impressive compositional skills and impeccable techniques he put into practice in this beautiful album. 
His electrifying sound and entrancing improvisations gain even more power and meaning in Behind the Vibration, one of the year’s must-listen and his best album to date. This happens thanks to the tangible progressive fusion he practices with the complicity of his fresh new quartet, Junction. There’s a mordant vitality that comes from Shim’s eloquent and anxious phrasings, reminiscing Steve Lehman’s attacks, and the impactful rhythmic variations imposed by Stevens and Grohowski.

Favorite Tracks:
02 – Groundswell ► 04 – Uncommon Sense ► 08 – Matter Falls

CARLA BLEY - ANDANDO EL TIEMPO

Carla Bley: piano; Steve Swallow: bass; Andy Sheppard: saxophones.

Following Trios, dated from 2013, Andando el Tiempo shows us pianist Carla Bley teaming up again with the bassist Steve Swallow and the saxophonist Andy Sheppard. The music, meditative and delicate, is an amalgamation of selective jazz with traces of yearning tango and classical.
Throughout these five transparent reflections, Bley often incurs into a gentle romanticism in her approach, which is enriched by Swallow’s tuneful high-pitched interventions and Sheppard’s ruminative divagations.

Favorite Tracks: 02 – Potación de Guaya ► 04 – Saints Alive! ► 05 – Naked Bridges / Diving Brides

JANE IRA BLOOM - EARLY AMERICANS

Jane Ira Bloom: soprano saxophone; Mark Helias: bass; Bobby Previte: drums.

When we think of soprano saxophonists in the avant-jazz panorama, the name of Jane Ira Bloom pops up immediately, together with her fellow iconic musicians Dave Liebman and Steve Lacy, the latter already deceased. 
“Early Americans” catapults Bloom’s vertiginous melodic streams into the highly coordinated structures created by Helias and Previte, a reputable rhythm section. As versatile executants, the trio offers us a variety of moods, tempos, and approaches. Still, they speak identical idioms and share the same desire of making the tunes sound unique. Working diligently to shape the collective, they don’t refrain from flying high whenever it’s time to exhibit individual capabilities.

Favorite Tracks:
01 – Song Patrol ► 02 – Dangerous Times ► 12 – Big Bill

DAVID GILMORE - ENERGIES OF CHANGE

David Gilmore: guitar; Marcus Strickland: saxophones, bass clarinet; Luis Perdomo: piano; Ben Williams: bass; Antonio Sanchez: drums.

There are many aspects to praise in David Gilmore’s Energies of Change, a fruitful rendering that transpires motivation and competence at the same time that allows pure energy to flow. 
The excellent musicians, all of them respected leaders in their own right, experience the right balance and assemble Gilmore’s compositions with sufficient ingredients to broad our palate. Sparkling conversational exchanges occurring within dynamic passages are recurrent throughout the songs, which work as recipients for an intertwining of post-bop and fusion.

Favorite Tracks:
01 – Energies of Change ► 02 – Raja Guna ► 07 – Awakenings

JAIMEO BROWN TRANSCENDENCE - WORK SONGS

Jaimeo Brown: drums; Chris Sholar: guitar; Jaleel Shaw: alto saxophone; JD Allen: tenor: saxophone; Big Yuki: keyboards; James Francies: keyboards; Marcia Miget: flute. 

Understated drummer/percussionist Jaimeo Brown, pairing with the guitarist/ producer Chris Sholar, dabbles in the roots, giving it the proper contemporary touch to fit in today’s trendy currents. His conceptual work songs are established over samples that carry traditional blues, African-American slave protests, and oriental lamentations. 
Brown’s trippy hip-hop beats and Sholar’s dirty guitar invite us to a rainbow of harmonious musical layers that include tasteful electronic elements, intentional vocal reproductions, atmospheric keyboard sounds, and resplendent saxophone melodies drawn by Jaleel Shaw and JD Allen.

Favorite Tracks:
04 – Safflower ► 07 – 2113 ► 12 – The Valley

Jazz Albums 2016 - Weekly Listening, June 13-19

From the 6 chosen albums of the week, I recommend all of them. The list is below.

CUONG VU TRIO MEETS PAT METHENY

Cuong Vu: trumpet; Pat Metheny: guitar; Stomu Takeishi: bass; Ted Poor: drums. 

It’s not the first time a renowned guitarist joins Cuong Vu’s powerful trio. It happened in 2006 when Bill Frisell recorded the mandatory “It’s Mostly Residual”. 
And now, 10 years later, we have Pat Metheny experiencing the same trippy electro-jazz-rock often stocked with articulated melodic lines, psychedelic atmospheres, and addictive polyrhythms. Perfectly adapted to the trio’s musical context, Metheny not only draws awesome melodic solos, contrasting with Vu’s more frantic approach, but also incurs freely into abstract and exploratory regions. 
This is a revolutionary, strenuous, and catchy body of work.

Favorite Tracks:
01 – Acid Kis ► 02 – Not Crazy ► 05 – Telescope

MICHAEL BLAKE - FULFILLMENT

Michael Blake: tenor/soprano saxophones; J.P. Carter: trumpet, electronics; Ron Samworth: guitar, banjo; Aram Bajakian: guitars; Emma Postl: vocals; Peggy Lee: cello; Neelamjit Dhillon: tabla; Chris Gestrin: piano; André Lachance: bass; Dylan van der Schyff: drums, percussion.

 Michael Blake is a saxophonist of enormous resources who’s not afraid to innovate and explore in diverse musical contexts.
“Fulfillment”, his latest work, marks the debut of his new band, and the outcome can be described as a 'softened Blake Tartare contemplates Indian sunsets'. 
Appealing to the senses, this comfortable body of work comprised of interesting compositions and arrangements, gains even more impact whenever we hear Blake’s bold and stirring solos. Evocative and triumphant moods dominate the scenarios.

Favorite Tracks:
01 – Sea Shanty ► 06 – Battle at Baj Baj ► 08 – The Soldier and the Saint

ESPERANZA SPALDING - EMILY'S D + EVOLUTION

Esperanza Spalding: bass, vocals; Matthew Stevens: guitar; Justin Tyson: drums; Karriem Riggins: drums, percussion.

The versatile bassist/vocalist Esperanza Spalding continues to create music that inhabits outside the jazz boundaries. Here, she explores electric rock, tuneful pop songs, and funk, funk, funk.
Moving effortlessly between styles, Spalding embraces experimentalism with a firm attitude and is not afraid to assume influences. She has become a valuable representative of the modern American subculture. This album features pulsating textures, rich guitar riffs and strumming, theatrical nuances, and long lyrics that end up in several memorable choruses enhanced by suitable background vocals. The shifting moods, raging from vigorous to slink, are truthful to Spalding’s musical beliefs.  

Favorite Tracks: 01 – Good Lava ► 04 – Earth to Heaven ► 10 – Elevate or Operate

SAMO SALAMON BASSLESS TRIO - UNITY

Samo Salamon: guitar; Julian Arguelles: tenor/soprano saxophones; John Hollenbeck: drums. 

Unity, the new album from the Slovenian guitarist Samo Salamon, was recorded live in Europe with his renovated bassless trio. Apart from the opening tune, “Asking For a Break”, which was retrieved from the previous Little River, this provocative album is made of new material. 
Salamon, often introducing tension in his comping, and Hollenbeck, invariably unequivocal in his pounding rhythms, create the conditions that enable Arguelles’ exciting saxophone explorations. 
I had so much fun listening to this excellent trio whether in its agitated or moderated states.

Favorite Tracks:
03 – Kei’s Venice ► 05 – Soundgarden ► 07 – Seagulls in Maine

ARTIE ROTH QUARTET - DISCERN

Mike Filice: tenor/soprano saxophones, bass clarinet; Geoff Young: guitar; Artie Roth: bass; Anthony Michelli: drums. 

This is a gratifying modern jazz quartet that typically comprises saxophone, guitar, bass, and drums, following the same paths and currents as other memorable quartets such as Jerome Sabbagh, Andrew Rathbun, and Chris Cheek. 
Roth’s extraordinary compositions are subjected to careful treatment and the band members evince a unified state of mind, as well as an admirable discipline and commitment. Never stagnant, the album plays replete of reverential awe, refreshing and articulated improvisations, and intense crescendos.

Favorite Tracks:
01 – The Compromise Blues ► 02 – Still Hear ► 04 – Something That Is Lost

RENEE ROSNES - WRITTEN IN THE ROCKS

Renee Rosnes: piano; Steve Wilson: saxophone, flute; Steve Nelson: vibraphone; Peter Washington: bass; Bill Stewart: drums.

The Canadian pianist, Renee Rosnes, has been associated with preponderant quartets such as those of Ron Carter, Buster Williams, and Jimmy Greene, a fact that only confirms her skills. 
This new record, a product of the Smoke Sessions, showcases polished compositions that live in the contemporary jazz without totally abandoning the tradition. 
The tunes, ranging from straight-ahead incursions to dreamy waltzes, are boosted by Steve Wilson’s unambiguous language and Steve Nelson’s never-intrusive vibes.

Favorite Tracks:
01 – The KT Boundary ► 02 – Galapagos ► 07 – Cambrian Explosion

+ 12 Recommended Jazz Albums - Retrospective 2015 Part II

Listed below are another 12 great jazz records of 2015.
Part 2 out of 3.

HENRY THREADGILL'S ZOOID - IN FOR A PENNY, IN FOR A POUND

Henry Threadgill: alto saxophone, flutes; Jose Davila: tuba, trombone; Liberty Ellman: guitar; Christopher Hoffman: cello; Elliot Humberto Kavee: drums.

Henry Threadgill, together with his compatible quintet Zooid, continues probing uncommon jazz grounds with the same voracity for improvisation and a distinct conception of instrumentation. The outlandish musical pieces that compose this Pulitzer-winner double album are intriguing and fascinating. Here, the amorphous meets the convoluted, and the tones fluctuate from jubilant and animated, to mysterious and dark. Despite never obvious or accessible, there are moments of pure genius in the best Threadgill’s in years.

Favorite Tracks:
01 (cd2) – Off the Prompt Box
02 (cd2) – Tresepic [For Trombone and Tuba]
03 (cd2) – Unoepic [For Guitar]

RUDRESH MAHANTHAPPA - BIRD CALLS

Rudresh Mahanthappa: alto saxophone; Adam O’Farrill: trumpet; Matt Mitchell: piano; Francois Moutin: acoustic bass; Rudy Royston: drums.

mahanthappa.jpg

The NY-based alto saxophonist, Rudresh Mahanthappa, has found inspiration in Charlie Parker and released “Bird Calls”, a fantastic and vigorous album that enriches his upright career as a leader. Constantly playing in and out of focus, Mahanthappa shows how fluid, and often fiery, is the language he speaks. O’Farrill is great at counterpointing and creating a positive equilibrium while the muscled rhythm section is flawless.

Favorite Tracks:
01 – Bird Calls #1
02 – On the DL
06 – Talin is Thinking

THE BAD PLUS JOSHUA REDMAN

Ethan Iverson: piano; Reid Anderson: double bass; Dave King: drums; Joshua Redman: saxophone.

The celebrated trio from Minneapolis, The Bad Plus, definitely got a plus with the addition of the saxophonist Joshua Redman, whose precious improvisations encourage us to levitate. The album is a triumph in all its conception, conquering us through classy harmonic passages and lyrical incursions of refined quality.
The trio’s laid-back grooves and dry rhythms were ideal for Redman’s persuasive eloquence. A perfect match!

Favorite Tracks:
02 – Beauty Has it Hard
08 – Friend or Foe
09 – Silence is the Question

STEVE COLEMAN - SYNOVIAL JOINTS

Steve Coleman: saxophone; Jonathan Finlayson: trumpet; Tim Albright: trombone; Miles Okazaki: guitar; David Bryant: piano; Anthony Tidd: electric bass; Marcus Gilmore: drums; Jen Shyu: vocals; other.

Steve Coleman immerses us in his rich musical universe, which often features solidly established structures, collective synergies, inside/outside improvisations, and a dynamic, spontaneous approach that makes his music both recognizable and appealing. 
For more than a decade he led a group called The Five Elements, but in “Synovial Joints” he debuts another collective baptized as Council of Balance, which finds exactly that special balance to bring this record to the forefront.

Favorite Tracks:
03 – Synovial Joints (Suite): Part I - Hand And Wrist
08 – Harmattan
09 – Nomadic

LIBERTY ELLMAN - RADIATE

Steve Lehman: alto saxophone; Jonathan Finlayson: trumpet; Jose Davila: tuba, trombone; Liberty Ellman: guitar; Stephan Crump: bass; Damion Reid: drums.

Liberty Ellman’s fourth album, “Radiate”, incurs in post-bop fantasies and free funk whims. Defying conventions and genres, the tunes we are offered take us to the elaborate discourses of Henry Threadgill, with whom Ellman has been collaborating along the past few years, and also Steve Coleman’s M-base raids. 
Invigorating rhythmical contrasts and sharp melodic counterpoints are part of the plan.

Favorite Tracks:
01 – Supercell
05 – A Motive
07 – Vibrograph

LIONEL LOUEKE - GAIA

Lionel Loueke: guitar; Massimo Biolcati: bass; Ferenc Nemeth: drums.

Loueke shows competence and versatility in his outstanding record entitled “Gaia”, which, due to a variety of approaches and impressions, never sounds boring. 
The guitarist strolls comfortably and passionately through arresting landscapes. 
His explorations are rooted in a contemporary straight-ahead jazz, which is occasionally adorned with African and other influences.

Favorite Tracks:
01 – Broken
02 – Sleepless Night
05 – Aziza Dance

MATTHEW SHIPP QUARTET - OUR LADY OF THE FLOWERS

Matthew Shipp: piano; Sabir Mateen: tenor saxophone, clarinet; William Parker: double bass; Gerald Cleaver: drums.

Matthew Shipp is a resourceful and innovative pianist/composer that never lets us down. 
In “Our Lady of the Flowers” (the title pays tribute to the writer Jean Genet), he wanders through mesmeric environments whether solo or accompanied by this experienced quartet. 
Actually, the song titles are pretty suggestive about what you can expect from this record – ‘atomic note’; ‘new tension’; ‘a different plane’; and ‘silence blooms’ are good examples.

Favorite Tracks:
02 – New Tension
03 – A Different Plane
09 – Cosmic Joke

BEN WILLIAMS - COMING OF AGE

Marcus Strickland: saxophones; Christian Scott: trumpet; Stefon Harris: vibraphone; Matthew Stevens: guitar; Masayuki Hirano: fender Rhodes; Christian Sands: fender Rhodes, piano; Ben Williams: bass; John Davis: drums.

There’s a lot to like in Ben Williams’ sophomore album. Diving in a mix of crossover-jazz and post-bop, the compulsive “Coming of Age” is packed with wonderful atmospheres, remarkable improvisations, and an enviable coordination among the musicians. 
Here, groove and lyricism radiantly live together as Williams’ round sound fills the air. Plus, there’s a cool solo bass cover of Nirvana’s ‘Smells Like Teen Spirit’.

Favorite Tracks:
02 – Strength & Beauty
07 – Forecast
11 – Coming of Age

CHRIS LIGHTCAP'S BIGMOUTH - EPICENTER

Tony Malaby: tenor saxophone; Chris Cheek: tenor saxophone; Craig Taborn: Wurlitzer, piano, organ; Chris Lightcap: bass, acoustic guitar, organ; Gerald Cleaver: drums.

These harmonious compositions authored by the adaptable bassist Chris Lightcap, exhale sophistication, readiness, and vehemence. It was like this in the previous “Deluxe”, and the story repeats itself now in “Epicenter”. 
Lightcap’s Bigmouth reappears in big and the fabulous five musicians (this time without Andrew D’Angelo), are evenly the artisans of the stupendous material.

Favorite Tracks:
01 – Nine South
06 – Stillwell
08 – All Tomorrow's Parties

ORRIN EVANS - THE EVOLUTION OF ONESELF

Orrin Evans: piano; Christian McBride: bass; Karriem Riggins: drums. 

Outbursts of sensitive hard-bop arise from the pianist Orrin Evans’ ways of expression. 
While the standards get a personal touch in order to gain the desired freshness, his original compositions feel actual, quite flavored, and bewitching.

Favorite Tracks:
02 – For Miles
09 – Iz Beatdown Time
16 – Professor Farworthy

WILLIAM PARKER - GREAT SPIRIT + FOR THOSE WHO ARE, STILL

"Great Spirit" - Rob Brown: alto saxophone; Lewis Barnes: trumpet; Eri Yamamoto: piano; William Parker: bass; Hamid Drake: drums; Leena Conquest: voice.

"For Those Who Are, Still" - Rob Brown: alto saxophone; Darryl Foster: saxophones; Charles Gayle: saxophones; Klaas Hekman: bass saxophone, Ravi Best: trumpet; Cooper-Moore: piano; William Parker: bass, flutes; Hamid Drake: drums; JT Lewis: drums; Mike Reed: drums; Leena Conquest: voice; other. 

I’ve lost the count of the records that William Parker, a bassist with a predilection for free and avant-garde territories, has been participating throughout the years, both as a leader and sideman. 
When it comes to his own projects, he often counts on the aptitude of the alto saxophonist Rob Brown, the monumental drumming skills of Hamid Drake, the harmonic richness of the Japanese pianist Eri Yamamoto, and the endeavoring voice of Leena Conquest. 
All of them have participated in “Great Spirit”, an emotional ode to the intangible, and “For Those Who Are, Still”, a 3 disc-box set featuring many collaborators who help to give form to the bassist’s fertile (and sometimes super long) compositions and arrangements.

Favorite Tracks (Great Spirit):
01 – Bowl of Stone Around the Sun
02 – Doson Ngoni Blues
05 – Prayer-Improv 

Favorite Tracks (For Those Who Are, Still):
01 (cd1) – For Fannie Lou Hamer
02 (cd2) – Souls Have Fallen Like Rain
03 (cd2) – The Giraffe Dances

Jazz Albums 2016 - part 1

Below are 6 albums of 2016 I keep listening to.
Keep tuned as I'll introduce you to more of my choices on a weekly basis!

ANDRÉ FERNANDES - Dream Keeper

André Fernandes: guitar; Perico Sambeat: saxophones, flute; Alexi Tuomarila: piano; Demian Cabaud: bass; Iago Fernandez: drums; + guests.

Lisbon-born guitarist, Andre Fernandes, has an exceptional ability to merge powerful rock tones with an attractive contemporary jazz language. The result is a very legitimate urbanity that immediately exhilarates and leaves its mark.
“Dream Keeper” belongs to another dimension, excelling in many different ways. An effusive sound (great band), tasteful guitar effects, opulent moves, and riveting dynamics add enough punch to elevate this album to levels of brilliance.

Favorite Tracks:
01 – Chifre
02 – Rabbit Hole
05 – Jack

CHES SMITH - THE BELL

Ches Smith: drums, vibraphone, timpani; Craig Taborn: piano; Mat Maneri: viola.

smith.jpg

“The Bell” had a strong and strange influence over me. Its minimalism, abstractionism, and airy chamber tones, which occasionally incur into more ghostly scenarios, slowly perforated my ears and wrapped my brain. This unique sonorous aesthetic comes from Smith’s astoundingly rhythmic sensibility, Maneri’s profoundly dramatic interventions, and Taborn’s complex piano meshes. Reflective, lyrical, and intuitive, “The Bell” defies the conventional and is ravishingly beautiful.

Favorite Tracks:
03 – Isn't It Over?
06 – Wacken Open Air
07 – It's Always Winter (Somewhere)

MICHAEL FORMANEK ENSEMBLE KOLOSSUS - THE DISTANCE

Chris Speed: tenor sax, clarinet; Oscar Noriega: alto sax, clarinets; Loren Stillman: alto saxophone; Brian Settles: tenor sax, flute; Tim Berne: baritone sax; Dave Ballou: trumpet; Ralph Alessi: trumpet; Shane Endsley: trumpet; Kirk Knuffke: cornet; Alan Ferber: trombone; Jacob Garchik: trombone; Ben Gerstein: trombone; Jeff Nelson: bass trombones; Mary Halvorson: guitar; Kris Davis: piano; Patricia Franceschy: marimba; Michael Formanek: double bass; Tomas Fujiwara: drums.

The virtuous bassist, Michael Formanek, composed the tunes of “The Distance” to be performed by an impressive line-up. The talent of the musicians emerges in every single movement, which overflows under the direction of another acclaimed bassist, Mark Helias, who conducts the colossal ensemble.
The soloists can be heard one after another, spreading different complexions that keep flying over the multi-layered communion of sounds. The tunes, divergent in mood, may emanate senses of relaxation and danger, and one may jump at the sound of spasmodic rhythms or just slightly sway the body when in the presence of pacific textures.


Favorite Tracks:
01 – The Distance
04 – Exoskeleton: Pt. 4 - Echoes / Pt. 5 - Without Regrets
05 – Exoskeleton: Pt. 6 - Shucking While Jiving / Pt.7 - A Reptile Dysfunction

ARUAN ORTIZ TRIO - HIDDEN VOICES

Aruan Oritz: piano; Eric Revis: bass; Gerald Cleaver: drums.

The Cuban-born, Brookyn-based pianist Aruan Ortiz loves to add a slice of his roots to the audacious jazz style he practices. Together with bassist Eric Revis and drummer Gerald Cleaver, he creates a panoply of noises, relentless motifs, percussive sounds, and dense harmonic webs that are put together with millimetric precision.
Besides Ortiz’s eight original tunes, “Hidden Voices” features two covers: “Open & Close/The Sphinx” by Ornette Coleman and “Skippy” by Thelonious Monk.
Challenging and worthy.

Favorite Tracks:
03 – Caribbean Vortex/Hidden Voices
06 – Arabesques of a Geometrical Rose (Summer)
09 – Skippy

BILL FRISELL - WHEN YOU WHISH UPON A STAR

Bill Frisell: guitars; Petra Haden: voice; Eyvind Kang: viola; Thomas Morgan: bass; Rudy Royston: drums, percussion.

Bill Frisell’s spacey guitar chords guide us through friendly and harmonious locations in “When You Wish Upon a Star”, a dignified album that pays a wistful tribute to the world of cinema. Still, these tunes sound much more wide-ranging than just cinematic, as we find Frisell comfortably mixing pop/rock, jazz, and folk as he has been doing for years. 
Compellingly performed with the help of his first-rate quintet, this album presents multifaceted textures that invariably convey a sweet melancholy where the old and the modern converge.

Favorite Tracks:
01 – To Kill a Mockingbird, Pt. 1
02 – To Kill a Mockingbird, Pt. 2
09 – As a Judgement

MARC COPLAND - ZENITH

Marc Copland: piano; Ralph Alessi: trumpet; Drew Gress: bass; Joey Baron: drums.

A beautiful light arises from “Zenith”. Marc Copland worked tightly with the notable musicians of his new quartet in order to deliver harmonic sophistication and melodic intelligence on top of temperate rhythms.
Each tune points to a different direction, but the virtuosity and inspiration are never lost. Alessi’s communicative expressiveness works beautifully with the splendorous ambiances created by Copland, who must be glad to have found a dignified substitute for Kenny Wheeler. Gress and Baron are one.

Favorite Tracks:
02 – Mystery Song
04 – Waterfalls
05 – Best Bet

10 recommended avant-garde/free improvisation records of 2015

JACK DEJOHNETTE - MADE IN CHICAGO

Henry Threadgill: alto saxophone, bass flute; Roscoe Mitchell: soprano/alto saxophones; Muhal Richard Abrams: piano; Larry Gray: double bass, cello; Jack DeJohnette: drums.

This album is a lesson on how to play this type of music with refinement, competence, and gusto. These veterans can’t be a better inspiration for the ones who like to open wings and fly freely throughout atmospheric, dissonant, and unexplored galaxies. Always expertly organized in terms of structure.

Favorite Tracks:
01 – Chant
02 – Jack 5
04 – Museum of Time

THE RESONANCE ENSEMBLE - DOUBLE ARC

Ken Vandermark: baritone saxophone, clarinet; Dave Rempis: alto/tenor saxophones; Mikolaj Trzaska: alto saxophone, bass clarinet; Waclaw Zimpel: clarinets; Magnus Broo: trumpet; Per-Ake Holmlander: tuba; Steve Swell: trombone; Christof Kurzmann: loops; Mark Tokar: double bass; Tim Daisy: drums; Michael Zerang: drums.

Vandermark’s vibrating saxophone timbres had glorious days with the superb quintet known as Vandermark 5. His versatility and poise continue to impress me as I hear him in his own projects and collaborations. The Resonance Ensemble’s new album is a collection of neurotic and electric divagations that often convey a welcoming melodic sense. Whenever introduced, the electronic components have a beneficial effect on the groovy whole. 

Favorite Tracks:
02 (cd1) – Section B
03 (cd1) – Section C
04 (cd2) – Section D

MYRA MELFORD - SNOWY EGRET

Myra Melford: piano, harmonium; Ron Miles: trumpet; Liberty Ellman: guitar; Stomu Takeishi: bass guitar; Tyshawn Sorey: drums.

The ones who are familiar with the work of the creative pianist/composer Myra Melford won’t have problems understanding what’s going on here. Melford’s compositional virtuosity gains a sympathetic expression, and even some accessibility, with this impeccable quintet. Adequate resolutions are given to the stylish harmonic sequences and auspicious melodic threads.

Favorite Tracks:
02 – Night of Sorrow
03 – Promised Land
10 – The Strawberry

METTE HENRIETTE - METTE HENRIETTE

Mette Henriette: saxophone; Eivind Lonning: trumpet; Henrik Norstebo: trombone; Andreas Rokseth: bandoneon; Johan Lindvall: piano; Sara Ovinge: violin; Karin Hellqvist: violin; Odd Hannisdal: violin; Bendik Bjornstad Foss: viola; Ingvild Nesdal Sandnes: cello; Katrine Schiott: cello; Per Zanussi: double bass; Per Oddvar Johansen: drums.

Mette Henriette’s auspicious debut album as a leader is already a valuable conquest for the ECM records. Adorned with delicate and nostalgic touches while invoking distant memories and a strong heritage, the 35 homogeneous little pieces are distributed by two discs, each of them played by a different trio. The organic, entrancing sounds, whether peaceful or slightly agitated, may shovel us into treeless arctic tundras or misty forests.

Favorite Tracks:
02 (cd1) – .OoO.
01 (cd2) – Passé
13 (cd2) – I

TOM RAINEY TRIO - HOTEL GRIEF

Ingrid Laubrock: tenor/soprano saxophones; Mary Halvorson: guitar; Tom Rainey: drums. 

Effusively exploratory, “Hotel Grief” falls in a sort of jazz-rock whose atonal rambles and knotty textures are connected with logic and intention. Often balancing expansive moments with more introspective ones, it was great to hear Rainey’s tribal whirlwinds and disruptive hums, Halvorson’s dissonant chords occasionally molded by effects, and Laubrock’s unobstructed yet punctilious tenor speeches.  

Favorite Tracks:
01 – Last Overture
03 – Briefly Lompoc
04 – Proud Achievements In Botany

NATE WOOLEY QUINTET - (DANCE TO) THE EARLY MUSIC

Nate Wooley:  trumpet; Josh Sinton: bass clarinet; Matt Moran: vibraphone; Eivind Opsvik: double bass; Harris Eisenstadt: drums.

Nate Wooley is a boundless trumpeter with a knack for free improvisation. Six out of the nine tunes presented here have the signature of Wynton Marsalis. They were sumptuously rearranged by Wooley, who instill them competent strokes of modernity and sophistication with the help of Matt Moran’s atmospheric vibes, Josh Sinton’s clarinet counteractions, and the bang-up cohesion between Opsvik and Eisenstadt on bass and drums, respectively.

Favorite Tracks:
1 – Hesitation
4 – Delfeayo’s Dilemma
8 – Skain’s Domain

MARILYN CRISPELL / GERRY HEMINGWAY - TABLE OF CHANGES

Marilyn Crispell: piano; Gerry Hemingway: drums, percussion, vibraphone.

This fruitful association between Crispell and Hemingway, who first play together in the 80’s with the fabulous Anthony Braxton, is rhythmically rich and melodically daring. The album’s incisive callings, powerfully charming but never easy, requires multiple listenings in order to be fully absorbed.

Favorite Tracks:
01 – Spirings
07 – Ev’rytime We Say Goodbye
08 – Change of Tables

RODRIGO AMADO - THIS IS OUR LANGUAGE

Rodrigo Amado: tenor saxophone; Joe McPhee: pocket trumpet, alto saxophone; Kent Kessler: double bass; Chris Corsano: drums.

Loaded with energetic and pulsing dialogues, the vigorous language played here and conducted by the Portuguese tenor saxophonist, Rodrigo Amado (Lisbon Improvisation Players), is approved. The contribution of three consecrated avant-gardists was primordial for the success.

Favorite Tracks:
02 – This is Our Language
04 – Ritual Evolution

JAMIE SAFT - TICONDEROGA

Joe McPhee: saxophones; Jamie Saft: piano; Joe Morris: bass; Charles Downs: drums.

The compositions might be a bit long in duration, but they gradually hauled me to the quartet's frantic expeditions, which have no obvious destinies. Saft’s intuition and responsive comping were crucial as a reaction to the arguments and brawls suggested by McPhee. The combustible rhythm section, consisting of Morris and Downs, never eased up.

Favorite Tracks:
02 – Simplicity of a Man
04 – A Backward King

INGRID LAUBROCK - UBATUBA

Ingrid Laubrock: tenor/alto saxophones; Tim Berne: alto saxophone; Ben Gerstein: trombone; Dan Peck: tuba; Tom Rainey: drums. 

Enigmatic enough to attract us into its methodical textures, “Ubatuba”, a complex horn-driven reciprocation, arises multiple sensations as we move from tune to tune. One can expect apprehension, perplexity, uncertainty, and a mysterious tension that never weakens, persisting below the surface. Ms. Laubrock’s articulated language and captivating timbre are remarkable.

Favorite Tracks:
02 – Homo Diluvii
06 – Hypnic Jerk

12 Recommended Jazz Albums - Retrospective 2015 - I

KAMASI WASHINGTON - The Epic

Kamasi Washington: tenor saxophone; Ryan Porter: trombone; Igmar Thomas: trumpet; Cameron Graves: piano, organ; Brandon Coleman: keyboards, organ; Miles Mosley: acoustic bass; Stephen Bruner: electric bass; Tony Austin: drums.

Contagious and vibrant, the triple album, 'The Epic', does justice to its title and sounds great. 
It's an intense, spiritual and Coltranean blend of bop, afro-jazz, soul, and much more. 
A favorite from last year!

Favorite tracks: 
01 (CD1) - Change of the Guard
04 (CD1) - Final Thought
02 (CD2) - Leroy and Lanisha
03 (CD2) - Re Run
02 (CD3) - Cherokee
03 (CD3) - Clair de Lune

CHARLES LLOYD - WILD MAN DANCE

Charles Lloyd: tenor saxophone; Gerald Clayton: piano; Joe Sanders: bass; Gerald Cleaver: drums; Sokratis Sinopoulos: lyra; Miklos Lucaks: cymbalom.

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Charles Lloyd stands firm as one of the strongest and most exciting musicians of our times. An overflowing spirituality can be felt through his unique style. Invariably, his sublime latest record is to explore multiple times and rejoice with the discovers...

Favorite tracks:
02 - Gardner
03 - Lark
04 - River

john scofield - past present

John Scofield: guitar; Joe Lovano: tenor saxophone; Larry Grenadier: bass; Bill Stewart: drums.

Top-notch executants, Scofield and Lovano, can't help but make fabulous records, blowing my mind every time they play together. With a lively interaction, they mix post-bop, jazz funk, and beautiful ballads with exquisite artistry. 'Past Present' confirms that every single note they play carries an immense joy and absolute confidence. 

Favorite tracks:
04 - Museum
06 - Get Proud
08 - Mr. Puffy

chris potter - imaginary cities

Chris Potter: saxophones, bass clarinet; Adam Rogers: guitar; Craig Taborn: piano; Steve Nelson: vibraphone and marimba; Fima Ephron: electric bass; Scott Colley: acoustic bass; Nate Smith: drums; Mark Feldman: violin; Joyce Hammann: violin; Lois Martin: viola; David Eggar: cello. 

The imaginary cities that Mr. Potter and his Underground Orchestra offer us are phenomenal. His robust, liberating sound proves his impeccable qualities as an instrumentalist and composer. The breathtaking compositions go instantly into our minds and souls.

Favorite tracks:
01 - Lament
02 - Imaginary Cities 1: Compassion
06 - Firefly 

 

tim berne's snakeoil - you've been watching me

Tim Berne: alto saxophone; Oscar Noriega: bass, clarinets; Ryan Ferreira: guitar; Matt Mitchell: piano; Ches Smith: drums, vibraphone, percussion.

Tim Berne's Snakeoil combines intricate structures with creative improvisations. This album is another powerful addition to the extended discography of the prolific contemporary saxophonist. The music played by the stirring quintet can be described as agitating, floating, enveloping, and ingenious.

Favorite tracks:
01 - Lost in Redding
02 - Small World in a Small Town
03 - Embraceable Me

kenny wheeler - songs for quintet

Kenny Wheeler: flugelhorn; Stan Sulzman: tenor saxophone; John Parricelli: guitar; Chris Laurence: bass; Martin France: drums.

Wheeler's inviting sound stems from his capacity to make the notes breathe by themselves. Often cerebral, yet always generous, 'Songs for Quintet' was the swan song from one of the most respected, and already missed, trumpeters of the last four decades.

Favorite tracks:
01 - Seventy-Six
06 - Old Time
07 - 1076

aaron diehl - Space time continuum

Aaron Diehl: piano; David Wong: bass; Quincy Davies: drums; Benny Golson: tenor saxophone; Stephen Riley: tenor saxophone; Joe Temperley: baritone saxophone; Bruce Harris: trumpet; Cécile McLorin Salvant: vocals.

Good taste and fluidity are part of the elegant language of the pianist Aaron Diehl whose new album presents passionate and sophisticated arrangements. The very special guests on reeds and vocals are assets to the skillful sounds created by the compact trio.

Favorite tracks:
03 - Flux Capacitor
06 - Santa Maria
08 - Space, Time, Continuum

donny mccaslin - fast future

Donny McCaslin: tenor saxophone; Jason Lindner: keyboards; Tim Lefebvre: bass; Mark Guiliana: drums.

'Fast Future' isn't one of McCaslin’s best records but it's still competent enough to mirror all his intelligence and versatility. The warm patterns and solos, as well as the multiple variations of intensity are first class. An absorbing record that features an agreeable exploration of unexpected rhythms and three tunes co-authored by David Binney.

Favorite tracks:
01 - Fast Future
02 - No Eyes
06 - Love What is Mortal

kris davis' infrasound - save your breath

Ben Goldberg: clarinets; Oscar Noriega: clarinets; Joachim Badenhorst: clarinets; Andrew Bishop: clarinets; Nate Radley: guitar; Kris Davis: piano; Gary Versace: organ; Jim Black: drums.

The often difficult and intriguing sounds of the pianist Kris Davis force us to stay alert throughout the record. Slowly cooked with sufficient atmospheric baits, the bassless, complex tunes occasionally become tumultuous as their textures evolve. The outstanding musicians (with four clarinetists) did a great job to make it work.

Favorite tracks:
02 - Jumping Over Your Shadow
03 - Always Leave Them (Wanting More)
04 - Whirly Swirly

enrico rava - wild dance

Enrico Rava: trumpet; Gianluca Petrella: trombone; Francesco Diodati: guitar; Gabriele Evangelista: bass; Enrico Morello: drums.

Toggling between sweet and moderately effervescent, Rava's known sound and approach show how virtuous he is as a musician and composer. 'Wild Dance' is far from the brilliance of other journeys, however, its tunes fill our ears and hearts with a passionate musicality and create a set of interesting moments.

Favorite tracks:
01 - Diva
03 - Don’t
08 - F Express

dave douglas - high risk + brazen heart

2015 was a remarkable year for the prolific trumpeter Dave Douglas. After the hypnotic 'High Risk' whose bold compositions detach from the traditional jazz approach by playing profound melodic lines on top of consistent electronic bodies. In ‘Brazen Heart’, he returns to the sounds he accustomed us, creating a diversified universe, full of rich harmonic textures, where one can be stimulated by his exciting interactions with the tenor saxophonist Jon Irabagon.

Dave Douglas: trumpet; Shigeto: electronics; Jonathan Maron: basses; Mark Guiliana: drums.

Favorite tracks (High Risk):
01 - Molten Sunset
02 - Household Item
05 - High Risk

Dave Douglas: trumpet; Jon Irabagon: tenor saxophone; Matt Mitchell: piano; Linda Oh: bass; Rudy Royston: drums.

Favorite tracks (Brazen Heart):
03 - Deep River
05 - Lone Wolf
06 - Miracle Gro