Shakers N' Bakers - Heart Love

February 12, 2018

Label: Self Produced, 2018

Personnel - Jeff Lederer: tenor sax; Jamie Saft: piano, harpsichord; Chris Lightcap: bass; Alison Miller: drums; Mary LaRose: vocals; Miles Griffith: vocals + Kirk Knuffke: cornet; Steven Bernstein: trumpet; Lisa Parrott: baritone sax; Joe Fiedler: trombone.

Proficient American saxist Jeff Lederer, a fundamental piece in Matt Wilson’s bands, energetically leads the Shakers N’ Bakers, a group that blends Christian rock music (usually inspired on the 18th-century religious sect Shakers), gospel, and impromptu jazz. The orchestrator relies on a classy ensemble comprised of some of the finest musicians on the scene, including keyboardist Jamie Saft, who doubles on harpsichord, bassist Chris Lightcap, drummer Alison Miller, and singers Mary LaRose and Miles Griffith (a new addition).

On their third album, Heart Love, the horn section was occasionally reinforced with cornetist Kirk Knuffke, trumpeter Steven Bernstein, trombonist Joe Fiedler, and baritonist Lisa Parrott, who give an extra punch to the reformulation of a few selected pieces from Music Is the Healing Force of the Universe (1969) and New Grass (1968) by the iconic saxophonist Albert Ayler and his live-in girlfriend Mary Maria Perks. The Shakers also threw in a couple of traditional songs plus “Goin’ Home”, a tune based on Antonin Dvorak’s Symphony No. 9’s Largo Movement. This American folk-inflected piece features Lightcap’s passionate bass solo during the theme’s statement. The bassist brings it again on the traditional “Nobody Knows the Trouble I've Seen”, having the delicate percussive enlightenment of the special guest Matt Wilson in the background. The drummer shines unreservedly on the African-American spiritual “Swing Low Sweet Chariot”, whose preliminary march, marked by soprano and drums, is dissolved into a hard-swinging flow with the addition of piano and bass. Besides the bandleader, a true force in the art of improvising, the heroes here are Saft, who excels in the way he makes the dissonant sound beautiful, and Wilson, a drummer who can make his instrument ‘sing’ the tunes.

A persuasive invitation to the spiritual world arrives with the gospel-drenched “Deep River”, a prayerful and melodious traditional song whose instrumentation exhorts the beauty of things, and on “Music Is the Healing Force of the Universe”, a modal blessing containing impactful horn unisons, LaRose's soulful voice, Griffith's scat singing, and Lederer's welcoming in/out digressions.

Settling on diversification, the band serves up a pair of elated R&B spectacles with “Everybody’s Movin” and the cut title, and also reggae interpretations of “Oh Love of Life” and “A Man is Like a Tree”, all of them authored by Ayler/Perks.

By taking a fluid and often combustible approach to the material at hand, Shakers N’ Bakers will make you rejoice with their spirited vision expressed with hope and humor.

Favorite Tracks:
04 - Deep River ► 05 - Music Is the Healing Force of the Universe ► 09 - Swing Low Sweet Chariot

Matthew Shipp Quartet - Sonic Fiction

February 8, 2018

Label: ESP-Disk, 2018

Personnel - Matthew Shipp: piano; Mat Walerian: reeds; Michael Bisio: bass; Whit Dickey: drums.

Pianist Matthew Shipp, whose original voice constantly surprises and hypnotizes, returns in full force, spearheading a creative quartet with Polish multi-instrumentalist Mat Walerian, bassist Michael Bisio, and drummer Whit Dickey.

The follow up to the marvelous trio session Piano Song (Thirsty Ear, 2016) was released on the ESP-Disk label with the title Sonic Fiction and comprises ten tracks that explore mood through different sonic possibilities.

The quartet opens with “First Step”, where plaintive yet tense piano voicings, solemnly bowed bass, rambling saxophone lines, and whimsical cymbal impacts converge within an intimate, dramatic, and often mysterious musical setting.

The drum-less “Blues Addiction” shows the musicians’ respect for the blues genre and the enormous talent to bring it in spontaneously with a unique, visionary approach. Unaccompanied, Shipp starts by introducing sinuous bluesy lines supported by incisive bass notes inflicted with the left-hand, but his enveloping sound is suddenly muted to give place to an elastic duet of round bass plucks and velvety clarinet lines.

“The Station”, the first of a couple of solo pieces, is intended for Walerian’s bass clarinet, gaining avant-garde connotations through the use of ruminative jargon, long multi-pitched wails, occasional motifs, and other sonic splotches.

Before “Easy Flow” has been cooked up with an uncompromising solo piano, the full quartet delivers consecutive “Lines of Energy”, which may comfort or disquiet you. Expect striking action-reaction between Shipp and Walerian.

The powerful avant-jazz of “The Problem of Jazz”, suppressing the piano, works through a brisk swinging groove laid down by Bisio, which is periodically overcome by saxophone attacks tied to irruptions of energetic drumming.

The last three tracks immediately caught my attention. On the playful “3 by 4”, abundant rhythmic ideas packed with crisp accents and no apparent regard to form are constantly thrown in. A small part of its throttling energy is extended to “Cell in the Brain”, a piece that emphasizes tonal qualities more than melodic statements. Despite the predominant tranquility, the increase/release of tension is constantly fed by Whitey’s mallet activity.

The title track is the recording’s longest piece and one of the most ravishing as it ends the session with multiple intricacies, oblique moves, and extra angularity in the texture. Embracing a groovy atmosphere, it nearly enters free-bop zones with Walerian’s alto sax digressions on top of Shipp’s cluster-infused comping and jabbing left-hand detonations. It's pretty evocative of Cecil Taylor's early work.

With Bisio and Dickey assuring a firm foundation, Shipp and Walerian ascend the stairway to the stars, putting their eminent rapport at the service of another impressive release.

Favorite Tracks:
08 - 3 by 4 ► 09 - Cell in the Brain ► 10 – Sonic Fiction

Nicolas Masson - Travelers

February 7, 2018

Label: ECM, 2018

Personnel - Nicolas Masson: tenor and soprano saxophone; Collin Vallon: piano; Patrice Moret: double bass; Lionel Friedli: drums.

Swiss reedman Nicolas Masson teams up with three associates who have accompanied him for more than a decade under the name of Nicolas Masson’s Parallels. They are Collin Vallon on piano, Patrice Moret on double bass, and Lionel Friedli on drums. Comprehending quiescent and slumbering soundscapes, the album Travelers was released on the ECM Records, label whose catalog includes a couple of works by the Third Reel, a modern creative trio co-led by the saxophonist.

The CD’s opener, “Gagarine” is a monochromatic exercise that doesn’t take us to the moon but displays a dangly rhythmic flow that oozes energy uninterruptedly.

Painted lightly with chiaroscuro, “Fuchsia” incorporates some nostalgia and a wide sense of loneliness that sometimes is turned into anguish, in its melodic and harmonic canvas. This reflective mood persists in other tunes like “Almost Forty”, which falls into an attractive final vamp over which the bandleader improvises, also in “Travelers”, whose crystalline complexion is reinforced by the interpolation of entrancing melodies, and “Wood”, which still feels contemplative despite the tenuous tension infused by relentless piano notes, cadenced bass lines, and weeping sax phrases.

The initial moments of “Philae” promise a change in direction as the group’s dynamic is slightly intensified. One can enjoy an addictive bass groove with occasional exclamative licks, and the all-embracing percussive initiatives by Friedli, which gain further dimension on “The Deep” with the exertion of multiple metal clangs, gongs, and forceful tom-tom activity. This particular piece, paradoxically reflective and vastly percussive, called my attention through the well-oiled collective mechanisms that incorporate sensitive piano arpeggios and bright clarinet moves conveying a sensation of immensity.

The real strength of the recording resides in the musicians’ convergence, reciprocity, and team spirit. They denote a clear understanding of one another’s moves.

More reserved than effusive, Masson’s music dawns slowly, subverting unnecessary stunts while describing through lightly smoky soundscapes the magical realism of a hermetic, personal world. Regardless if their storytelling is deep or shallow, the quartet engages in the commitment of wringing every emotion from a song.

Favorite Tracks:
03 - Almost Forty ► 04 - The Deep ► 06 - Philae

Andy Sheppard Quartet - Romaria

February 6, 2018

Label: ECM, 2018

Personnel – Andy Sheppard: tenor and soprano saxophones; Eivind Aarset: guitar; Michel Benita: double bass; Sebastian Rochford: drums.

With a penchant for the intimacy and the subtlety, British saxophonist Andy Sheppard, earned international reputation while playing with Gil Evans, George Russell, and Carla Bley. His new ECM album, Romaria, features experienced bandmates from early recordings: Norwegian guitarist Eivind Aarset, Algerian-born French bassist Michel Benita, and Scottish drummer Sebastian Rochford.

The resplendent tones of the opening tune, “And a Day…”, a lyric ballad with sparse bass lines, non-intrusive yet weighty percussion, and sustained effect-drenched guitar chords, is one of those gifts from above. The mood gets pretty close to Mark Guiliana Quartet and his pop-jazz balladry. Sheppard’s command of the saxophone enables statements whose richness of language and sentiment are truly beautiful. Benita also excels on this one with an expressive solo and iterates his meditative sayings on the closing piece, “Forever…”, another dusky ballad with low-pitched airy notes.

Even infusing a bit more tension on “Thirteen”, the quartet creates an unfussy urban scenario. The groundwork consists of a nuanced bass pedal settled on top of sparkling cymbal rides and innocuous snare drum snarls, establishing the best conditions for Sheppard to express himself on the soprano, having Aarset’s atmospheric moves below.

The title track is a well-known Brazilian folk tune popularized by Elis Regina in 1977 and penned by Renato Teixeira. The intro shows the bassist and the saxophonist pairing up euphoniously while the understated textural work of guitar and drums is added later to assure that creamy consistency.

My favorite composition happens to be “Pop”, perhaps the simplest yet the most illuminated and forthright. Sheppard brings up a dazzling melody that finds its placement over the excellent accompaniment provided by the rhythm section.

“They Came From the North” and “With Every Flower That Falls” take divergent directions since each counterpoint in the former hinges mystery, driving the drummer to meddle and respond effusively to the sax-guitar interplay, while the latter embarks on a sensuous romanticism.

Sheppard’s compositions and leadership reflect his experience as a musician. The pure, full-bodied timbre of his sax, diffusing favorable energy in an effortless way, fortifies the luxury of his impeccably layered compositions.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - And a Day… ► 04 – Pop ► 05 – They Came From the North

James Hall - Lattice

February 5, 2018

Label: Outside In Music, 2018

Personnel – James Hall: trombone; Jamie Baum: flute; Deanna Witkowski: piano, Fender Rhodes; Tom DiCarlo: bass; Allan Mednard: drums + guest Sharel Cassity: alto sax.

American trombonist James Hall was born in Omaha, Nebraska but has been enriching the New York jazz scene for quite some time now, after moving to Brooklyn. The effortless genre-bending approach that characterizes him is well patented on Lattice, his sophomore album inspired by his own love story and Herbie Hancock’s Speak Like a Child.

In this recording, Hall links up with flutist Jamie Baum, pianist Deanna Witkowski, bassist Tom DiCarlo, and drummer Allan Mednard, with this group being expanded into a sextet with the addition of alto saxophonist Sharel Cassity in a couple of pieces. The latter delivers crisp improvisations on “Brittle Stitch”, which, being piloted in swinging post-bop mode, evinces some interesting rhythmic curbs and ensemble work, and “Black Narcissus”, a charming reading of Joe Henderson’s classic, piqued here by the extra groove of the Fender Rhodes in an incessant cooperation with the indivisible rhythmic flow provided by bass and drums. Outlining the melody by turns, Cassity and Baum enjoy the momentary counterpoint by Hall. This works in variance with the opening track, “Shoy”, a medium-fast 3/4 Hancock-like composition, where paralleled melodic activity runs on top of the theme’s inviting harmonic progression. Both the bandleader and Baum carry out their improvisations with a purity of tone and considerable slices of tension, while Witkowski pervades the terrain with a fluid set of rhythmic figures and ambitious phrases.

During the introductory section of the title track we have an empathetic legato passage of solo Rhodes keyboard, which provides us with enough evidence to prognosticate a ballad capable of hypnotizing. Whenever I listen to this track, the exotic moods and amenable Afro grooves of Sun Ra’s music pop up in my mind.

Completely divergent in nature are “Gaillardia”, another Hall’s original, and “Kind Folk”, composed by the late master trumpeter Kenny Wheeler. Whereas the former showcases seductive melodies, led by trombone and alto flute, over a Latin rhythmic spell, the latter, renouncing to the ternary flow of the primitive version, hugs a delicate 4/4 groove that comes in the sequence of a bass introductory monologue. Even creating a sound of their own, the silky smooth lines and rich harmonization put forth by the quintet, allows us to clearly identify Wheeler’s modes and sonic pathways.

“Terrace” closes the album with sympathetic friendliness, bringing in a proactive walking bass, muted trombone lines converging and intersecting with the glossy flute, and Mednard’s enthusiastic and conclusive cymbal work.

The tunes we hear on Lattice are easy to connect and assimilate. They not only show a high level of musicianship but also authenticate Hall as a talented voice in today’s jazz.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - Shoy ► 02 - Black Narcissus ► 03 - Lattice

Living Fossil - Never Die!

February 1, 2018

Label: Self produced, 2018

Personnel - Gordon Hyland: tenor sax; Neil Whitford: guitar; Torrie Seager: guitar; Andrew Roorda: electric bass; Mackenzie Longpre: drummer + Mike Murley: tenor sax; Sam McLellan: acoustic bass.

Toronto-born saxophonist Gordon Hyland gathered a conceptual post-bop ensemble that he named Living Fossil to release musical pieces he wrote between 2013 and 2017 plus a few modern orchestrations of world-known tunes.

Resorting to deft arrangements and bracing solos, Hyland stamps his distinctive signature on every tune of Never Die!, entrusting the harmonization to electric guitarists Neil Whitford and Torrie Seager and assuring groove-oriented underpinnings through the work of electric bassist Andrew Roorda and drummer Mackenzie Longpre. With the exception of Seager, all the members mentioned above were partners of the bandleader in the electro-prog rock band Ninja Funk Orchestra.

“Macrophages” opens the recording with ominous chimes and other disconcerting guitar sounds that hover and dissipate. There’s a mysterious electronic-like vibe that comes from the electric bass, encouraging the bandleader and his inventive drummer to explore several timbres on their instruments. While soloing, Hyland presents a dark, wry vein that feels very Henry Threadgill.

Embracing openness but not devoid of a certain ambiguity, “Living Fossil” takes us to quieter post-bop waters where we listen to a composed description of the Nautilus, a living creature that, according to Jacques Cousteau, hasn’t evolved since the Triastic period. The music sounds like something that David Binney would do. While these tunes worked up an appetite, the standout title track, “Never Die!”, packed a powerful punch with its rock-solid moves and magnetic melody. It was extremely easy to identify myself with the inspired drumming provided with stamina and syncopation, the groovy bass lines tinged with funk, and the sinuous saxophone phrases delivered with muscle. The parts are irreproachably put together, oscillating between the soft jazzy glow of the main statement and the funk-rock of the improvisational sections, escalating into a zesty prog-rock to accommodate a ‘dirty’ guitar solo wrapped in effect.

In order to tackle a trio of jazz classics, Hyland calls in tenorist Mike Murley, who also co-produced, and contrabassist Sam McLellan. The rendition of Ornette’s “Lorraine”, perfect for a modern spaghetti Western, is seasoned with sugar and salt in its both solemnly cool and hasty swinging passages. This is by far the most playful tune on the record, while Coltrane’s “Giant Steps”, here melodically altered and re-entitled “Baby Steps”, flows unflappably tuneful with saxophone dialogues and a drum solo over a circular progression. In turn, “Lessforgettable”, a variation on Irving Gordon’s “Unforgettable”, was devised with bowed bass, flickering guitar chords, and decorative electronic sounds.

On “Satellite”, the band cuts loose on a dynamic driving rhythm and bass groove, emulating the force of a funk-metal song. They soften it up for a serene middle section, bringing tremulous yet limpid guitar chops and sunny smiles delivered by Hyland’s resplendent melodicism. The saxophonist flies higher as the tune progressively gains that density typical of bands such as Body Count and Faith No More, and Longpre shows some more of his abilities behind the drum kit.

Living Fossil boasts eminent sonorities well rooted in today's jazz and rock genres, but wisely seeks inspiration in essential jewels from the past. Never Die! is an auspicious debut for this flexible Canadian band.

Favorite Tracks:
02 - Living Fossil ► 03 - Never Die! ► 05 - Satellite

François Carrier / Michel Lambert - Out of Silence

January 30, 2018

Label: NoBusiness Records, 2018

Personnel - François Carrier: alto saxophone, Chinese oboe; Michel Lambert: drums.

Canadian saxophonist François Carrier, a dauntless improviser, has been associated mostly with his country fellow drummer Michel Lambert, whether in duo or trio formats. His discography is rich in valuable collaborations with likes such as Paul Bley, Bobo Stenson, Dewey Redman, Tomasz Stanko, and many others. In the case of Lambert, the idiosyncratic percussive style he follows led him to recordings with David Torn, Dominic Duval, Ellery Eskelin, and Barre Phillips.

Even if the rapport between the two musicians is undeniable, Out of Silence, their new outing on NoBusiness Records, doesn't reach the immediacy of the commendable Freedom Is Space For The Spirit (FMR, 2016), an album released last year with pianist Alexey Lapin.

The stretching free-form improvisations begin with the title track, where multiple interrogations and exclamations are thrown in at different speeds and with varied tones. Despite the imperturbable percussive flow, they evolve naturally to denser textures with Carrier’s angular phrases ranging from fierce and tribal to casually conversational. In contrast, during the brief moments he switches to the Chinese oboe, a weeping intonation takes care of providing an alternative mood.

“A Thousand Birds” starts with high-pitched whistles swirling around the edges, rapidly slipping into deep multiphonic howls and growls. Lambert’s dry thumps and cymbal arrhythmias fluctuate according to the desired dynamics, and the Coltrane influence is perceptive in some fragments of Carrier’s manifestations.

With ascendant melodic movements that reminded me the repetitive organ anthem played at certain key points of the NBA games, “For No Reason” feels like an unorthodox march containing asymmetric heartbeats. It unfolds and progresses toward a faster, busy finale.

Carrier tosses discernible melody at both extremities of “Soul Play”, while on “When the Hearts Starts Singing” he introduces some patterned phrasing while advancing at the sound of multi-timbral percussion. By the end, the tune takes a fanfare-like shape with the Chinese oboe sounding almost like a Scottish bagpipe.

To close the album, the duo reserved us “Happy To You”, a fragmented version of the worldly recognized song "Happy Birthday to You".

Even lacking groove in its kinetic dynamics, there’s a palpable energy on Out Of Silence, an intermittently amusing record by two inveterate explorers.

Favorite Records:
01 - Out Of Silence ► 02 - A Thousand Birds ► 05 - When the Hearts Starts Singing

Meyer/Slavin/Meyer/Black - Other Animal

January 29, 2018

Label: Traumton Records

Personnel - Peter Meyer: guitar; Wanja Slavin: saxophone, synth, flute; Bernhard Meyer: bass; Jim Black: drums.

Other Animal is a quartet led by the German brothers Peter and Bernhard Meyer, guitarist and bassist, respectively, who take all the credit for the twelve compositions on the band's debut album. They are joined by the Berlin-based saxophonist Wanja Slavin and the American drummer Jim Black, a pivotal figure in the New York jazz scene.

The animated beat that introduces “Drown Dreams”, an oblique, dreamy, chamber pop song, doesn’t dissemble some solemnity attached to its melody and harmonic conduction. There are a few grey clouds encircling it, but shining sunrays make the liberation possible. Exclusively on this tune, Slavin plays synth and flutes.

The sluggish drum chops of “Name of Cold Country”, sparse yet well coordinated with the bass lines, go along with the melodious saxophone and soaring electronic effects. The lightness of this architecture of sound gains further depth with Peter’s beautiful harmonics and warmly distorted chords. Yes, it may feel ponderous and wintry, but comes stuffed with emotion.

“Mr. Manga” and “Qubits” share vibrant pulses characteristic of the alternative rock genre. The former shifts tempo with resilience and autonomy, unraveling into interesting experimental passages, while the latter adopts a cool danceable posture reinforced with syncopation and the presence of a shaker. The opposite scenario is set up on “Downbear” whose dark and gloomy textures depicted by distorted guitar would give a great doom-metal piece. These sonic waves impel Black to adventure himself a little bit more by the end.

Obeying intricate time signatures and packed with clear-cut unisons, “Nongeniality” showcases strong melodic ideas turned into ostinatos. They keep echoing all through Slavin’s eloquent, cliché-free improvisation.
The somber “E Dance” concentrates forthright bass plucks, flickering guitar cries, and an edgy drumming that toggles between adaptably human and metrically robotic. A unified sonic cloud grows simultaneously spacious, intense, and haunting.

Slightly jazzier, “Spectral” is a ruminative song whose sound propagations lead us to atmospheric realms borrowed from ambient electronica and neo-glam. With bass and drums anchored in a polyrhythmic web, both guitar and sax comfortably seek freedom to roam.

Sometimes thinly polished, sometimes strenuous and unyielding, Other Animal creates interesting and variegated soundscapes dipped in the independent rock genre.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - Drown Dreams ► 02 - Name of Cold Country ► 06 - Nongeniality

Kevin Sun - Trio

January 25, 2018

Label: Endectomorph Music

Lineup – Kevin Sun: tenor and C-melody saxophones; Walter Stinson: acoustic bass; Matt Honor: drums.

Brooklyn-based saxophonist Kevin Sun, a graduate from Harvard College and New England Conservatory, has been playing in bands such as Earprint, Mute, and Great On Paper. In order to definitely cement his status as a bandleader, he assembled his own trio, featuring Walter Stinson on bass and Matt Honor on drums. The album Trio, released on the saxophonist’s label Endectomorph Music, allows him to explore textures and dynamics with freedom while merging the contemporary and the tradition in a tasteful way.

Carrying harmonic fragments from Parker’s “Confirmation” and boasting an airy tone that resembles Lester Young, “Transaccidentation” starts off nice and easy with a dreamlike mannerism that includes lost-in-thought saxophone lines, steady drumming, and a bass pedal that soon disintegrates to pulsate with movement. The tune is played at a 15/8 tempo and brings a gravitational sense attached, even when the trio increases the robustness of their moves. Furthermore, we have intelligible, expressive, and not infrequently playful improvisations by the threesome.

Flying with avant-garde intricacy, “Three Ravens” is a hard-swinging slice of Steve Lacy-esque free-ish bop. Gorgeously displaying motivic phrases that go up and down within the main statement, Sun dives headfirst in a stirring improvisation until Honor grabs his way. After the re-establishment of the theme, the piece acquires an enthusiastic Latin pulse that I wished it would have run for a longer period of time.

The completely improvised “One Never Knows Now” booms with several horn timbres, humming arco playing, propulsive drum rolls, as well as percussive rattles and clangs. Deeply connected with this piece, “Does One Now Does One Now Does” is its logic continuation, showcasing Sun’s electrifying multiphonics and other extended techniques on top of well-anchored bass grooves. Yet, the trio awakes further tonal instincts within the dark chamber atmosphere of “Misanthrope”, where bowed bass abrasions combine with saxophone tonalities that brought Tony Malaby to mind. The energy steps up considerably whenever Honor is active.

Operating across a rock platform, “Find Your Pose” sounds close to Chris Speed Trio, while “Announcements” sparks with cymbal splashes and a frantic improvisational language that immediately takes us to Steve Lehman. They differ from “Bittergreen”, which, emerging as a reharmonization of “Sweet Georgia Brown”, flows with a velvety tone while finding plenty of room to breathe. The rendition of “All of Me”, melodically delineated by Sun’s C-melody saxophone, is the one that feels a bit out of context due to its more purist, swinging treatment.

I have no doubt that Sun’s musical integrity will bring him wide recognition. Trio proves him a high flyer whose presence is voluminous and a gifted saxophonist who feels comfortable in a variety of musical contexts.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - Transaccidentation ► 03 - Three Ravens ► 05 - Does One Now Does One Now Does

Mark Wade Trio - Moving Day

January 24, 2018

Label: Edition 46 Records, 2018

Personnel - Tim Harrison: piano; Mark Wade: acoustic bass; Scott Neumann: drums.

Mark Wade is a proficient double bassist and composer who has been playing in NYC for two decades, showing off his fluid, athletic sound. The follow-up to his widely recognized debut album, Event Horizon, is entitled Moving Day and like its previous, features a classic trio with Tim Harrison and Scott Neumann on piano and drums, respectively. Together, they achieve an impressive triangular tightness that can be heard without delay on the first track, the 6/4 post-bop wonder that gave the album its title. It kicks off with the pianist delivering an ostinato, which, minutes later, is reutilized by the bassist to install the groove. The bandleader, embarking on an effusive back-and-forth solo, discharges melody and rhythm aplomb, and the energy doesn't faint when Neumann unleashes his clear-sighted chops over a rock-inflected vamp.

These soloists are furiously active again on “Wide Open”, a pretty straightforward tune with a catchy piano riff and a gorgeous rhythm that brings a scent of R&B and soul to the jazz-rock stamina that sustains its core. I thought of it as a crossing between Stevie Wonder and Chick Corea.

Borrowing melody from Debussy’s “La Mer”, “The Bells” is an imaginative waltz encompassing glorious suspensions and a chamber-esque sparseness created by the bowed bass. On top of this musing, Harrison’s left-hand onrushes are perceptible on the lower register, bringing McCoy's technique to the mind. The coolness of the piano solo sparks nice melodies while the brushwork of the drummer is noticeable throughout the bass solo.

Wade devised new shiny outfits for a couple of jazz standards, with “Another Night in Tunisia” being shuffled in tempo while maintaining the strong Latin affinity present in Dizzy’s original, and “Autumn Leaves” being subjected to a successful reorganization to include Herbie Hancock’s “Maiden Voyage”.

Virtuosity and creativity also reign on “Midnight in the Cathedral” in which the band plunges into a dense modal spirituality. Although honoring medieval music, I sensed it more like a mantra-based chant within a style that reminisces Alice Coltrane.

With disparate natures, “Something of a Romance” and “The Quarter” are a medium-tense ballad and an elated march, respectively. The latter has a decompressing effect, displaying occasional bluesy flourishes and a more traditional flow that feels as humorous as the compositions of drummer Matt Wilson.

With an impressive command of his instrument, Wade takes his tightly-knit acoustic trio beyond stereotyped formulas or just simplistic reinterpretations of known songs. Moving Day is a dazzling testament to his evolving artistry, where inventiveness is on full display.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - Moving Day ► 02 - Wide Open ► 03 - The Bells

Jamie Saft - Solo A Genova

January 23, 2018

Label: RareNoise Records

Personnel – Jamie Saft: piano.

Solo a Genova, the first solo album in 25 years by pianist Jamie Saft, a blistering figure in the art of playing the keyboard, is actually something special.
To better face the political instability in the US, the pianist resorted to originals and a number of American songs, in an attempt to resist hatred and negativity through art. Showing a strong affinity for disparate musical genres and operating a 9-foot Steinway Model D piano for a grandiose sound, Saft designs astonishing soundscapes with biting audacity and infallible inspiration.

He takes off on a soulful voyage that has its first landing on “The Makings Of You”, a soul hit by Curtis Mayfield, where he induces a greater emotional force than the original itself. Yet, nothing compared to the splendor achieved with “Human/Gates”, a lyrical rubato exercise that seamlessly melds Human League’s ‘80s synthpop song “Human” with “Gates”, a composition of his own. The relentless work on the lower register in coalescence with far-reaching sweeps on the last two-thirds of the keyboard is even more accentuated on “Naima”, an unforgettable introspective rendition of the Coltrane’s classic. Another jazz masterpiece in the lineup is “Blue in Green”, so many times delivered since it saw the daylight in 1959, but thriving here with a unique touch of brilliance.

Attaining homogeneity with the whole, “The New Standard/Pinkus” packages two originals previously recorded by the keyboardist. The former, finding hope through a melodious crossing between Bill Evans and Brad Mehldau, appeared on Swallow/Saft/Previte’s album of the same name (RareNoise, 2014), while the latter is a recital on how to fuse modal jazz, American folk, blues and classical, which appeared on Borscht Belt Studies (Tzadik, 2011), New Zion Trio’s Chaliwa (Veal Records, 2013), and Swallow/Saft/Previte’s Loneliness Road (RareNoise, 2017).

While Stevie Wonder’s “Overjoyed” feels thankful and illuminated, ZZ Top’s “Sharp Dressed Man”, despite the abstraction of its first minutes, feels more like a spiritual hymn provided with classical routines and epic harmonic turnarounds rather than a rock smasher.

The pianist also plunges into the aesthetic traditions of American folk-rock with very personal renditions of tunes by Joni Mitchell and Bob Dylan. He maintains the humor on the latter’s “Po’ Boy”, which brims with bluesy lines and honeyed popular charisma.

Tossing passing notes with pinpoint accuracy to better express his nimble pianistic movements, Saft pays a beautiful homage to American music through a work that sheds light on the depth of his talent.

Favorite Tracks:
03 – Naima ► 04 – Sharp Dressed Man ► 07 – The New Standard/Pinkus

Thomas Stronen's Time Is a Blind Guide - Lucus

January 22, 2018

Label: ECM, 2018

Lineup – Thomas Stronen: drums; Ayumi Tanaka: piano; Hakon Aase: violin; Lucy Railton: cello; Ole Morten Vagan: bass.

Norwegian drummer/composer Thomas Stronen, a member of the experimental jazz band Food, returns with a quintet variation of his Time Is A Bling Guide project. Entitled Lucus, the 11-track album features the collective’s core members: violinist Hakon Aase, cellist Lucy Railton, and bassist Ole Morten Vagan, plus a valuable new addition with the up-and-coming Japanese pianist Ayumi Tanaka sitting in for Kit Downs. Also noticeable is the absence of the two percussionists that helped to carry out the rhythmic flow of the previous album.

An ethereal chamber setting is immediately assimilated on the first track, “La Bella”, a reiterative meditation of great beauty that, suspended and static in nature, varies in intensity. All the compositions belong to Stronen, except this one, penned in conjunction with Aase and Vagan.

“Release” is a floating, semiopaque exercise whose energy keeps being adjusted according to the artists’ interactions. Besides the bandleader’s exposed brushwork, one can detect short-lived buzzing sounds of strings, lyric violin appeal (bowed and plucked), and pianistic craftsmanship in the form of permeating rhythmic dots or prearranged melodic waves.

Tanaka propitiates greater harmonic definition on the title track, which achieves a pleasurable consonance with the understated sound of the strings and the ingratiating movements locked down by bass and drums.

“Fugitive Places”, inspired by Anne Michael’s novel of the same name, opens with nocturnal moods set by violin and cello, passing through a contemplative phase defined by sparse solo piano, and ending in a cohesive unification as the remaining musicians join in. If there’s no case for haste here with the low-key posture adopted, “Baka”, in opposition, opens with stirring thumps, injects motivating rhythmic accentuation, and appeals to playfulness. Nevertheless, it was with the idiosyncratic arrangement of “Wednesday” that the band captivated me the most, showcasing classical piano spells and beautiful folk melodies instilled by Aase. It all ends up engulfed by a gallant groove in five.

Exhaling non-Western scents, “Tension” starts off with Vagan’s open discourse and only vaguely brings what its title discloses. In turn, both “Truth Grows Gradually” and “Islay” deliver an admirable breezy liveliness. The latter showcases another fabulous moment by Tanaka, who interrupts the rhythmic flow with rampant voicings and infuses unexpected crosscurrent responses to plucked violin embellishments.

Stronen gives his counterparts the freedom they need to totally connect with his spacious sense of composition, and Lucus lives from the harmony of their constant exchanges.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - La Bella ► 07 - Wednesday ► 10 - Islay

Sylvie Courvoisier Trio - D'Agala

January 18, 2018

Label: Intakt Records, 2018

Lineup - Sylvie Courvoisier: piano; Drew Dress: double bass; Kenny Wollesen: drums and percussion.

Swiss-born, Brooklyn-based Sylvie Courvoisier is an outstanding pianist whose style falls under the avant-garde and free improvisation. She recurrently performs in duo and trio formats with names such as Mark Feldman, Ikue Mori, Evan Parker, Erik Friedlander, Nate Wooley, and more recently Mary Halvorson.
On D’Agala, her eleventh record for Intakt, Courvoisier dedicates the nine originals to people (musicians or not) she admires and was influenced by. Her textures find sustenance in the effortless rhythmic work delivered by two long-time associates, bassist Drew Dress and drummer Kenny Wollesen. The trio had already teamed up before on the pianist’s Double Windsor (Tzadik, 2014).

“Imprint Double" (For Antoine Courvoisier), a piece with an irresistibly galloping pulsation that allures and transfixes, was love at first listen. The work of the pianist is remarkable, not only on the lower register, from where the main rhythmic force arrives, but also while designing the main statement with scientific precision. After the stimulating ecstasy of the first minutes, the trio embarks on a meditative journey that includes a bass solo over demure ambiances coordinated by the bandleader. Comfortably striding the keyboard from end to end, she adorns with dreamy classical progressions, occasional atonal scintillations, and subtle crescendos, before repossessing that initial throbbing cadence.

An unfettered funky groove laid down by the bassist and corroborated by the drummer establishes the foundation of “Bourgeois’s Spider" (For Louise Bourgeois). Here, Courvoisier goes for more sound exploration, employing prepared piano and string piano techniques. Sometimes massive and turbulent, the tune feels energetically compressed, never eschewing the groove, but fluctuating between the explosive, the tense, and the untroubled.

The vivid “Éclats for Ornette" (For Ornette Coleman) is a worthy stretch fueled by intricate melodies over a swinging flow, frequently interrupted by aesthetic rhythmic accentuations. Following the pianist, who delivers an infectious marriage of angularity and exuberance, Wollesen makes his refined chops shining.

“Pierino Porcospino" (For Charlie) and “D’Agala" (for Geri Allen) have nothing but a bass solo in common. While the former is an extrovert hectic dance, the latter was penned with mournful introspection, having Wollesen’s subdued rattlings and creaks running in the background.

“Fly Whisk" (For Irene Schweizer) starts off with widely sparse phrases uttered timidly on the piano. They are the beginning of a story that also leans on shimmering brushes and hummed arco bass to compose the whole. As the time advances, the pianist rushes her narrative by intensifying the conversational flow, while the bassist veers to a restless pizzicato with occasional pedal sustains, having the encouragement of several sly twists put up by the drummer.

The trio warmed my heart with “South Side Rules" (For John Abercrombie), where Gress shows off a sterling control of his instrument through incisive, full-bodied plucks that have in Wollesen’s tasteful cymbal work a faithful ally. On one hand, Courvoisier infuses some obscurity with low-pitched strikes enforced by her left hand, but illuminates on the other, as intriguing harmonies and clear-sighted melodic lines are appended. Driven by true emotion, this piece exudes sadness, yearning, and exultation.

D’Agala maintains a strong bite throughout and comes dressed with ingratiating sonorities that are a joy to explore. Much more can be said about it, but the best thing to do is to let the music spin, so it can speak for itself.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - Imprint Double ► 03 - Éclats for Ornette ► 09 - South Side Rules

John Surman - Invisible Threads

January 17, 2018

Label: ECM, 2018

Lineup - John Surman: soprano and baritone saxophones, bass clarinet; Nelson Ayres: piano; Rob Waring: vibraphone and marimba.

British multi-reedist John Surman continues to touch hearts, sounding miraculously good on his new ECM outing, Invisible Threads. His intercontinental new trio features Brazilian pianist Nelson Ayres and American vibraphonist Rob Waring, who occasionally switches to marimba on a few tracks. The pair often provides the underpinnings for stellar improvised lines developed by the saxophonist, who shows great presence. However, they are not limited to that function, also soloing within the reflective spirit that this music requires and providing extra flexibility through texture.

The shimmering contemplation of “At First Sight”, the opening track, conveys a sublime pleasure that stems from listening to radiant soprano sounds floating on top of melancholic harmonic fluxes. Despite unhurried, the chord progressions are naturally less lingering when compared with the minimal synth changes in the form of loops made by Surman on his previous solo records. That sense of flowing motion is reinforced on “Autumn Nocturne”, an amiable classical tune fueled by crystalline folk delineations and where the threesome finds space to create spontaneously.

“Within the Clouds” starts with penetrating phrases emanated from the bass clarinet, which quickly takes me out of the solid ground to a sky freckled with stars. The beautiful buzzing sounds created by Surman over an enchanting aura of piano and vibraphone help us reach that ecstatic momentum that precipitates us into the fluffy, misty textures of a cloud. The trio describes this concentration of suspended particles with perplexing infatuation and admiration. The peaceful folk dance “Byndweed” passes that strange sensation it could also be turned into a pop song, differing from “The Admiral” and “Pitanga Pitomba”, which I imagine describing a coastal landscape, from South America to Africa, with the marimba conferring them an exotic taste. The former incorporates a rubato introductory section with interlaced bass clarinet and marimba, before acquiring a soft ternary flow. The latter brings exciting variations in intensity, mood, and tempo.

The flair for ternary cadences continues with Ayres' “Summer Song”, an amusingly playful waltz with a classic Brazilian touch, reminiscing some of Chico Buarque’s compositions. Also the final track, “Invisible Threads”, is a jazz waltz with characteristics of an American jazz standard. It displays a precise melodic theme plus the delicate branching patterns of Surman’s baritone. The immense sounds of this instrument got me into another trance on “Concentric Circles”, where the placidness becomes slightly moody without ever entirely abandoning that initial state. It’s a great work by the lower vertices of the triangle, gracefully spreading crepuscular radiances of energy from below.

Expect rich, velvety textures with timbral abundance in an album that sometimes feels balmy and spacious, and other times, active and kindled.

Favorite Track:
01 – At First Sight ► 03 – Within The Clouds ► 10 – Concentric Circles

Kris Davis & Craig Taborn - Octopus

January 16, 2018

Label: Pyroclastic Records, 2018

Lineup - Kris Davis: piano; Craig Taborn: piano.

Two of the most formidable pianists and master improvisers of today’s jazz, Kris Davis and Craig Taborn, let their endless creativity fly high with a live recording session that comprises magnetic originals and ingenious reimaginations of pieces from Carla Bley and Sun Ra.

The idea came up after the studio collaboration between the two musicians for Davis’ last album Duopoly (Pyroclastic Records, 2016). Their unmistakable rapport triggered a series of live performances across the country, including the University of Michigan, the Wexner Center, and the UC San Diego, where the pieces of Octopus were recorded.

Opening with whispering invocations, Taborn’s “Interruption One” escalates into thoughtful reflections, ultimately inflating through gusts of melodic whirlwinds supported by regular sparse chords and tense strokes anchored in the lower register. Inexorable, these are consequentially transferred to high-pitched zones to work in counterpoint with other premeditated phrases or extemporaneous ideas. The finale includes an erudite cyclic movement with 14 beats per measure that easily catches the ear.

The following two pieces, “Ossining” and “Chatterbox”, were penned by Davis and are very dissimilar in nature. While the former, inspired by her recent move to the Hudson Valley, combines metallic timbres of prepared piano, smothered ticking sounds, and contrapuntal ostinatos in order to enrich the pulse and texture that lead to a serene finale, the latter sounds like a verbose abstraction of a bluesy swing song built through dense and expressionistic maneuvers delivered at a busy pace. Despite the free posture at the surface, tempo and coordination are addressed with unmistakable intuition, a fact that is noticeable again on “Interruption Three”, where the duo’s go-getting demeanor creates an untamed groove armored with agitated phrases and swift harmonic sequences. You’ll also find shrill trills and lively spirals dancing atop.

The 14-minute rendition of Carla Bley’s “Sing Me Softly of the Blues” is drowned in pure experimentalism and comes attached to “Interruption Two”, traversing the realms of classical and avant-jazz.

The album closes with a devoted version of Sun Ra’s “Love in the Outer Space”, whose slow awakening in tones of classical throws us into a state of dreamy idleness before falling into the irresistible African groove in six presented in the original.

Davis and Taborn’s fingers, like the tentacles of an octopus, have the ability to pull simultaneously this music in many directions or, in certain circumstances, make it flow within the same current. As spunky experimenters, their interplay is both surefooted and focused, aiming at a voluminous overall whose parts are congruously attached. There’s a lot to digest here, but this is definitely worthy of your time and attention.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - Interruption One ► 02 - Ossining ► 06 - Love in the Outer Space

Bobo Stenson Trio - Contra La Indecision

January 15, 2018

Label: ECM, 2018

Lineup – Bobo Stenson: piano; Anders Jormin: acoustic bass; Jon Fält: drums.

Swedish pianist Bobo Stenson’s musical aesthetics is all elegance and graciousness. He earned a sterling reputation while accompanying the brilliant saxophonists Charles Lloyd and Jan Garbarek, as well as trumpeter Tomasz Stanko.

As a leader, Stenson gained notoriety with his classic piano trio, which went through several changes along the way. Bassist Anders Jormin replaced Arild Andersen in 1993, right after the trio’s debut, and since 2008, Jon Fält earned the drummer’s chair, replacing Paul Motian, who had stopped by in 2005, also replacing the original member Jon Christensen.

Following a hiatus of six years, Stenson and his associates re-emerge with Contra La Indecision, another poetic work comprising ravishing originals (one by the bandleader, five by Jormin, and one by the collective) and world-class interpretations of compositions by Erik Satie, Bela Bartok, Silvio Rodriguez, and Frederic Mompou.

Just like it happened on Cantando (ECM, 2008), they open the album with a tune by the Cuban singer/songwriter Silvio Rodriguez, “Cancion Contra La Indecision”, which battles against the indecision with an enviable resoluteness of soft pianistic touch and tuneful melody throughout.

Jormin's tunes pervade a modernistic vagrancy that is quite absorbing - “Doubt Thou The Stars” starts delicately with Fält’s fully-integrated drumming, but turns into an awe-inspiring sort of dance played in six, revealing much of the trio’s spirit; “Oktoberhavet” is a richly harmonized song advancing at a simple triple tempo; “Stilla” boasts a magnanimous bass groove that, feeling like a rock riff, is grist to the mill for Stenson’s deft interventions; and “Three Shades of a House” turns to its advantage the independence of the three instrumentalists to compose a picturesque musical setting containing bright piano notes, occasional bass harmonics and fainted arco cries, metallic clanks and scratches, and plenty of conversational cymbal flair.

Whereas Stenson’s sole composition, “Alice”, was penned with relatively innocuous abstraction, featuring crying bowed bass and resolute brushwork, “Kalimba Impressions” is a short collective improvisation with a nice percussive flow.

Contrasting elements within a body of work can be extremely valuable and Stenson opted to deliver the Slovak folk song “Wedding Song From Poniky” by Bartok with an introductory rubato feel, subsequently throwing in some dramatic jolts on the lower register to shake the free-floating romanticism and dreamy classical intonations of the tune.

They render Satie’s “Élégie” with a blossoming vernal atmosphere and Mompou’s “Cancion Y Danza VI”, taken from Cançons I Danses collection, with intimate lyricism and ultimately groovy propulsion set off by Jormin.

Avoiding standards in his repertoire, Stenson displays the highly developed language that has been characterizing his cultivated playing throughout all these years. He also evinces a distinctive complicity with his trio mates, which obviously has positive repercussions in their sound. And how they seemed to have fun riding these sonic waves!

Favorite Tracks:
02 - Doubt Thou The Stars ► 06 - Cancion Y Danza VI ► 10 - Stilla

Wayne Escoffery - Vortex

January 10, 2018

Label: Sunnyside Records, 2018

Lineup – Wayne Escoffery: tenor and soprano saxophone; Dave Kikoski: piano; Ugonna Okegwo: bass; Ralph Peterson: drums.

The exceptional language and broad range of expressiveness of London-born, New York-based saxophonist Wayne Escoffery can be reported as sagacious and enthralling. He has been using his bright ideas, frequently colored by a blazing timbre, not only to pump up works from Mingus Orchestra and Mingus Big Band, Eric Reed, and Tom Harrell Quintet, but also to bring his own albums into life, usually delivered in quartet or quintet formats.

A former protégé of Jackie McLean, Escoffery gathers a deluxe quartet for his new album, Vortex, his third Sunnyside release. To give wings to a collection of nine marvelous compositions, the saxophonist summoned the creditable pianist Dave Kikoski, the reliable bassist Ugonna Okegwo (a bandmate in Harrell's quintet), and the vibrant drummer Ralph Peterson.

Vortex, shaped in an urgent, socio-political way that aims to racism, bigotry, and hate in the US, is a tour de force and the title track exemplifies this better than any other track. It’s an attractive post-bop discharge whose kicking-and-screaming locomotion is absolutely stunning. The bandleader shows his magnificent soloing capabilities, showing an affinity to explore deeply and widely with irrepressible inventiveness and bristling provocation. Kikoski and Peterson don’t squander their chances to be noticed when called to intervene.

“Judgement” is a short Coltrane-influenced prayer of gratitude, trust, and abandonment that functions as an introduction to “Acceptance”, a piece penned and propelled by Peterson, who buoys it up with a rhythm impregnated of complexity and sophistication. Kikoski is the first to shine by swirling through intertwining lines, while Escoffery, eloquent as ever, establishes his momentum through extravagant interval combinations and expeditious melodic lines crammed with hot rhythmic figures.

“February” cools down the impetus with its balladic intonation, yet, this slightly Latinized slow burner arrives exuberantly harmonized and reveals a conscious melodic orientation. Peterson’s exotic dry drumming extends to “The Devil’s Den”, where the bandleader brings into play a flickering, vertiginous soprano.

“Tears for Carolyn”, a thriving song with a catchy melody, takes us to familiar soundscapes in a sort of McCoy Tyner catches up with Michael Brecker, while the swift ternary “To the Ends of the Earth” expresses a myriad of edgy rhythmic accentuations, attaining the perfect balance between group interdependence and individual ego.

In a more traditional line, the gently swinging “In His Eyes” displays dreamy horn unisons with the addition of guest trumpeter Jeremy Pelt. Closing the record, “Baku” returns that post-bop vitality of Coltrane, Dexter, and Rollins.

Vortex, definitely a highlight in Escoffery’s career, starts the new year with lancinating energy and hope in a better world. It’s an engrossing exercise on tension and release, as well as on tightness and flexibility.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - Vortex ► 03 - Acceptance ► 07 - To the Ends of the Earth

Marta Sanchez Quintet - Danza Imposible

January 9, 2018

Label: Fresh Sound New Talent, 2017

Lineup - Roman Filiu: alto saxophone; Jerome Sabbagh: tenor saxophone; Marta Sanchez: piano; Rick Rosato: bass; Daniel Dor: drums.

Madrid-born pianist Marta Sanchez has been an influential voice on the New York jazz scene since she moved to the Big Apple seven years ago.

Danza Imposible, couldn’t have been a better follow-up to Partenika (Fresh Sound New Talent, 2014), exceeding all the expectations by presenting music that challenges, intrigues, and bewilders. Just like the previous, her newest body of work was mounted in a quintet format, but the band denotes alterations in the rhythm section. Bassist Rick Rosato and drummer Daniel Dor were enlisted, replacing Sam Anning and Jason Burger, respectively, while the extremely pliant team of saxophones is maintained with Jerome Sabbagh on tenor and Roman Filiu on alto.

The sparkling “Copa de Luz” opens with paralleled sax ostinatos supported by relentless piano chords and alluring phrases excavated on the upper register. A strong Spanish feeling arises from the accompaniment, especially during the saxophone solo, while the navigated meter, counting nine beats per measure, feels not strange but splendid. If Sanchez based herself on Eric Revis’ In Memory of Things Yet Seen (Clean Feed, 2014) to write this first tune, she used a digital delay effect by Aphex Twin as the inspirational source for the title track. In this sophisticated, shape-shifting piece you’ll find superb polyphony and delicate if intricate sonic streams. The improvisers are Sabbagh and Sanchez.

With “Scillar”, a shimmering feel of suspension is attained through elliptical piano reflections and double saxophone agglomerations. The floating mood quite differs from the one set in “El Girasol”, a seven-metered piece with a nice flow, galvanized by intense rhythmic accentuations. It takes wing with Filiu’s inspired solo and continues with the bandleader’s pianistic dexterity. Before she finishes her solo, the wonderful contrapuntal work by the saxophonists bursts with activity. Their presence, a major asset in the art of coloring Sanchez’ writing style and idea of fluency, is also noticeable on “Board”, whose groovy side brings strains of electronic music along with smooth funk and hip-hop. The beautiful drum fills and exciting timbres of Daniel Dor are a joy to behold.

The nocturnal “Nebulosa”, a rubato lyrical forlornness, is pure noir exploration, and “Junk Food”, a modernistic portraiture of the contemporary itself, finishes the album in great style, bringing a panoply of intensities, groove, and punchy improvisations in the package.

Conquering her space with a triumphant confidence, Marta Sanchez, proves she is a top 21st-century composer. This seminal work takes us to unexpected places, radiating energy in its most varied forms and passages. This outstanding Danza is not Impossible at all!

Favorite Tracks:
01 - Copa de Luz ► 04 - El Girasol ► 08 - Junk Food

Lupa Santiago & Anders Vestergard Quartet - Inside Turnabout

January 8, 2018

Label: Drumvoice Records, 2017

Lineup - Lupa Santiago: guitar; Rodrigo Ursaia: tenor saxophone; Mattias Hjorth: bass; Anders Vestergard: drums.

Brazilian guitarist Lupa Santiago and Finish drummer Anders Vestergard first recorded together in 2015, co-leading an international quintet that gigged in Lisbon for a week. The album Lisbon Sessions was the result of that musical experience, but its follow-up, Inside Turnabout, sounds even richer.

For this new outing, packed with diverse rhythms and meters, they gathered a highly flexible quartet that includes Brazilian tenorist Rodrigo Ursaia and Swedish bassist Mattias Hjorth.

Vibrantly energized, the title track opens the record with strong improvisations, starting with Santiago, whose language develops with stirring motion, and then Ursaia, who expresses himself with ascendancy over the dexterous comping of the guitarist. The final honors are reserved for Vestergard, who fits his competent rhythmic vocabulary over a vampy coda, before the theme is recaptured. The mood is similar to that created by Chris Cheek’s quartet on the album I Wish I Knew.

While “Caixa Cubo” conjures a feel-good vibe that stems from a formidable groove and a catchy melody, “New Houser” is rhythmically elaborated in its prime statement but pretty linear throughout the 4/4 improvisational sections. Ursaia takes off in a glowing solo, letting his language flow through an effortless articulation reminiscent of Joe Lovano and Mark Turner. Responding to his longtime collaborator, Santiago fills the scenario with his charismatic presence, striking with an impressive technique that lets the emotions flow. By the end, the guitarist brings up a conspicuous synth guitar effect as the band trades eights with the drummer.

Marked by 5/4 time signatures and a shimmering melodic sensitivity, “Stu” and “L.O.V.” are mandatory points of interest. The latter is delivered as a sweet, tasty ballad, while the former brings another improvisational elan by saxophonist and guitarist, who embark on transitory unisons during the theme’s statement.

Tinged with pronounced Brazilian rhythms, “Lakran” counts seven beats per bar, and comes seasoned with warm harmonic progressions. The quartet closes the album in a more traditional way with “Two Step Leap”, a subtle hybridity of post-bop and Latin that is actually very pleasurable.

A myriad of dynamics and moods, ranging from intimate to uplifting to zippy, creates beautiful moments of jazz. You'll find auspicious musical settings without borders.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - Inside Turnabout ► 03 - New Houser ► 05 - Stu

Kjetil Moster/Jeff Parker/Joshua Abrams/John Herndon - Ran Do

January 4, 2018

Label: Clean Feed, 2017

Lineup - Kjetil Moster: tenor saxophone; Jeff Parker: guitar; Joshua Abrams: bass; John Herndon: drums.

As an adventurer who explores with no concrete boundaries, Norwegian tenorist Kjetil Moster couldn’t have found a more suitable foundation for his sounds than the streamlined rhythm team composed of Jeff Parker and John Herndon, Tortoise’s guitarist and drummer, respectively, and bassist Joshua Abrams, founder of Natural Information Society, whom we could hear recently in projects such as Rempis/Abrams/Ra trio and Jason Stein Quartet.

After gigging together for some time, the musicians decided to hit the studio, and Ran Do is a positive payoff that dignifies their talent.

“Orko” resonates affirmatively with the impromptu drumming of Harndon. The rest of the members join him, one after another, starting with the bandleader, who pours out chant-like phrases, and then the bassist, who integrates his throbbing flippancy with the disentangled yet often disconcerting guitar sounds of Parker. The musical scenario feels simultaneously volatile and strapping as the improvisations occur.

“Dig Me Out” takes a darker and more intriguing sonic path. On top of that, it is noisy and polyrhythmic. The deeply cavernous blows freed by Moster are strongly imprinted on a surface that also exhibits long and distorted guitar lunges and a multitude of percussive elements. These are intensified in order to uphold bowed bass euphoria, quirky guitar vagaries, as well as the hissing and growling of the saxophonist. Even climaxing in an approachable rhythmic cadence nurtured by bass and drums, it all becomes very ghostly.

The absorbing “Annicca”, the longest piece on the record at more than 15 minutes, serves up African ritualistic pulses, raucous saxophone expressions peppered with vibrato effect and dark timbre, wha-wha guitar dipped in modern funk, and incessant marching bass lines. After Abrams’ monologue, the tune changes skin like a chameleon, presenting a more melodious sax operating with a sweeter timbre on top of permeable guitar chords.

The last tune is funnily entitled “Pajama Jazz” and puts us in orbit with an ostentatious groove reclined in glory. Dripping until coagulate, the piece thrives with the magnificence of Moster’s ramblings filled with revolutionary, spiritual, and charismatic freedom. While accompanying, Parker sounds more surrounding than incendiary, but shows he can also be a wirepuller, delivering a spectacular solo and showing off his matchless sound.

These self-determined orchestrators, provided with instinctive stimulus and scintillating inspiration, are valid voices on today’s vanguard jazz scene.

Favorite Tracks:
01 – Orko ► 04 – Annica ► 05 – Pajama Jazz