Mary Halvorson - Code Girl

March 26, 2018

Label: Firehouse 12 Records, 2018

Personnel – Mary Halvorson: guitar; Ambrose Akinmusire: trumpet; Amirtha Kidambi: vocals; Michael Formanek: acoustic bass; Tomas Fujiwara: drums.

Guitarist Mary Halvorson is known for her ability to create wayward yet rich soundscapes. She has been spreading sonic charms in fruitful collaborations, usually in duo and trio formats. However, it was leading her octet that she definitely caught the jazz world’s attention, in a rapturous record from 2016 entitled Away With You. Now she’s back with a brand new experience permeated with genre-bending ideas, having penned lyrics and music of the 14 appealing tracks that compose Code Girl, a vocalized album envisioned for the quintet of the same name. It features Amirtha Kidambi on vocals, Ambrose Akinmusire on trumpet, Michael Formanek on bass, and Tomas Fujiwara on drums.

“My Mind I Find in Time”, the opening piece, is introduced by processed guitar replicas, giving a sensation that Halvorson is having an echoed conversation with herself. The powerful, incisive voice of Kidambi, a classical trained singer whose intonations sometimes bring Irene Aebi to mind, is placed over guitar melodies that take the form of rhythmic figures. Later on, while strumming, the guitarist designs pungent electro-acoustic chords, encouraging a striking pulse that sustains Akinmusire’s electrifying trumpet solo.

On “Possibility of Lightning”, guitarist and trumpeter utter parallel phrases with Kidambi’s voice flawlessly meddling to converge with their movements. While Formanek sticks to a pedal, distortion inflames Halvorson’s guitar, whose driving noisy bumps take us to alternative rock zones. Words and ‘ahs’ dance in counterpoint with guitar and trumpet, leading to a volatile crossing between the indie-rock bravery of Deerhoof and the innocuous modes of the new age.

Evoking King Crimson and Robert Wyatt, “Storm Cloud” unleashes melancholy through the guitar fingerpicking, a perfect vehicle for Kidambi’s forlorn and poetic declamation. Even with the bowed bass inflicting a deeper sense of gravitas, the robustness is only increased from the moment that Fujiwara takes action. The improvisations were assigned to the bandleader, who uses a slide-guitar effect for a quirky sound, and Akinmusire, who doesn’t rush his thoughts but builds them consistently.

Both “Pretty Mountain” and “Accurate Hit” are semi-obscure pop songs. The former is enlightened by Akinmusire’s fantastic improvisation and a few abrupt drum slaps, while the latter displays a simple harmonic progression painted blurred by Halvorson’s occasional dissonances.

The band interlocks pop/rock and cool swinging jazz with shape-shifting ease on “Off The Record”. After the guitarist’s idiosyncratic attacks and flashy effects, we have the gorgeous intervallic escalations emitted by the trumpeter.

The longest piece on the record and also one of the most beautiful, “The Unexpected Natural Phenomenon” is a dramatic avant-garde excursion with lugubrious arco bass work, impeccable vocal technique, expressive guitar phrases constantly falling ‘outside’ the expected, and poised drumming. Fujiwara remains in an understated position until the trumpeter starts a galvanizing statement filled with static electricity. At that time, one of those magic clamors is created.

If “Thunderhead”, a consolidated collective instrumental, marches resolutely with additive meters, “And” plays with tempo and time signature, toggling between a slow 4/4 and a faster 7/4.

With an enviable openness and a propensity to explore the unknown, the unrivaled Halvorson crafts a fantastic album that I urge you to enjoy out loud.

Favorable Tracks:
01 - My Mind I Find in Time ► 09 - The Unexpected Natural Phenomenon ► 10 - Thunderhead

Mayu Saeki - Hope

March 21, 2018

Label: Brooklyn Jazz Underground Records, 2018

Personnel - Mayu Saeki: flute, piccolo, shinobue; Aaron Goldberg: piano; Nori Ochai: piano; Joe Sanders: bass; John Davis: drums.

On her debut album, Hope, Japanese flutist Mayu Saeki sonically documents the adventurous journey that took her from her native Tokyo to New York City, where she is currently based. A former protégé of the celebrated drummer Chico Hamilton, who welcomed her into his group, Saeki reveals to have an independent voice both in the composition process and performance of her music. In addition to premiering three originals, she arranged two of the most emblematic tunes by Astor Piazzolla, where her classical training is most noticeable, and another one by Ryuichi Hattori. Joining her here are performers of undeniable quality like pianists Aaron Goldberg and Nori Ochai, who play three songs each, bassist Joe Sanders, and drummer John Davis.

“Dilemma” unbolts the door with a killer bass groove that is simultaneously sturdy and courteous. Having Goldberg at the piano, the solos succeed one to another, encompassing every member of the band, while the sweet-natured melody translates into an efficacious storytelling.

Goldberg also joins for the title track, a 3/4 tone poem gently propelled by a relaxed bass conduction and brushed drums, and Hattori’s “Soshu-Yakyoku”, an untied ballad lift up by a dreamlike aura and iridescent colors. While soloing, the pianist funnels his alluring ideas into the body of the songs with breathableness, preciseness, and focus. The malleability of Sanders, who accurately sings his magnetic improvisations, and the bandleader, whose roots are not neglected during the exploration of sensitive melodic lines, are also eminent.

If the shinobue, a high-pitched Japanese transverse flute, enlightened the latter piece, the piccolo, a half-size flute, was the right instrument to dig Piazzola’s Advancing through a triple-time cadence, “Oblivion” is a lovely tango introduced by Ochai’s piano and assembled with a tearful tonal decorum and unburdening chord changes. “Libertango”, another famous tune by the Argentine composer, was proudly arranged with an introductory section of flute and tambourine, having arco bass and flute operating in unison. Sanders and Saeki also aurify the improvisational section.

Descendant movements on the electric bass combine with cymbal accents and hi-hat marks to better guide the closing piece, “Do You Know..?”, which tilts toward a seductive Latin flux that holds Saeki’s candid solo.

Both the musical choices and the stainless nature of Saeki’s music-making, allow us to think of Toots Thielemans' line of work. Even leaning on an affectionate post-bop that mostly professes melodic and harmonic neatness, the music of Mayu Saeki still bears some adventure, brandishing the stamp of transparency.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - Dilemma ► 02 - Hope ► 03 - Soshu-Yakyoku

Caroline Davis - Heart Tonic

March 21, 2018

Label: Sunnyside Records, 2018

Personnel - Caroline Davis: alto saxophone; Marquis Hill: trumpet; Julian Shore: piano; Tamir Shmerling: bass; Jay Sawyer: drums + guests Rogerio Boccato (percussion); Benjamin Hoffmann: organ.

Alto saxophonist Caroline Davis lived a great part of her musical life in Chicago, but was recently relocated to New York. The move served as an inspiration for her new album, Heart Tonic, as well as the woes related to her father’s heart arrhythmia. The quintet she gathered has Marquis Hill on trumpet, Julian Shore on piano, Tamier Shmerling on bass, and Jay Sawyer on drums.

Manifesting a permanently genteel touch throughout, “Footloose and Fancy Free”, the opening track, is all rhythmic sophistication. Convulsive electric bass notes work in consonance with the lithe drumming, having Shore’s Fender Rhodes supporting the compelling horn improvisations. Despite the complexity of the arrangement, which thrives with shifting tempos, noble rhythmic gesticulation, and melodic lines delivered both in unison and counterpoint, one can feel the grace in Davis’ music. This gives our ears an illusion of easiness and simplicity. Admirably, nothing sounds obvious, which forces you to stop, focus, and ultimately enjoy the sumptuous progressions followed by the group.

The same principle applies to “Constructs”, the longest piece at 10:30 minutes, whose introductory synchronism between bass and piano is unerring. A double horn epiphany emphasizes the flexibility of language, after which saxophone and piano corroborate ideas until an intriguing flow, carried by the drummer’s methodical attacks, takes a sudden swinging direction. Occasionally, it seems we are hearing a big band such is the power of music. The improvisations were assigned to Hill, Shore, and the bandleader, whose motifs and eloquence mirror the logic behind her music.

Featuring Brazilian percussionist Rogerio Boccato as a special guest, “Loss” is a feel-good 4/4 post-bop ride with a slinky pulse and a great improvised moment by Davis, whose in-and-out movements spark off instinctive reactions in the pianist. After interspersing chords and single-note phrases with devotion in his individual statements, the latter enhances a final vamp magnetized by the unbridled exchanges of Davis and Hill. This sort of conversational mode is adopted once more on “Dyonisian”, a contrapuntal post-bop adventure whose stimulating give-and-take by the end has Davis and Shore as protagonists.

There’s a short interlude mounted with effusive drumming and the woozy organ sounds by Benjamin Hoffmann, another guest appearance. It separates two pieces heavily influenced by Wayne Shorter. The first one, “Fortune”, is a ballad where the drummer employs brushes for softness and the bassist delivers a responsive solo. “Penelope” is, in fact, a Shorter composition, here re-ignited with no major syncopation but an enjoyable pair of improvised moments.

Caroline Davis penned her compositions with zeal and intelligence. Tackled by open-minded musicians, they translate into a warm, cliché-free contemporary jazz that transpires confidence all around. Highly recommended.

Favorite Tracks:
02 - Loss ► 03 - Constructs ► 07 - Dyonisian

Arild Andersen - In House Science

March 20, 2018

Label: ECM, 2018

Personnel – Arild Andersen: acoustic bass; Tommy Smith: tenor saxophonist; Paolo Vinaccia: drums.

A new trio album by the Norwegian bass virtuoso Arild Andersen is out on the ECM label, promising to stun whoever takes a mindful listen to the marvelous music that inhabits here. The bassist played in amazing trios in the past, teaming up with Sam Rivers and Barry Altschul (albums) as well as with Jan Garbarek and Edward Vesala (albums), but the musical quality was not taken down when he was joined by Scottish tenorist Tommy Smith and Italian-born, Norway-based drummer Paolo Vinaccia on In-House Science. Recorded live in Austria, the album includes six original compositions by the bassist, whose durations are comprehended between 8 and 11 minutes, approximately.

With a remarkable ability to play several idioms, the sharp-witted trio creates music that is honest, vast in dimension, and raw in tone. One has immediate access to Andersen’s colossal gutsiness and technique on the opening tune, “Mira”. The bassist starts alone, guaranteeing harmonic definition and rhythmic heft from below. The soothing triple-meter cadence is intensified when the saxophonist comes to the forefront, taking folk and jazz trajectories, or when the drummer adapts his whispering cymbal strokes to the mood.

On “Science”, the rhythm section explores with vision, pointing the direction with a push-forward attitude while having extended saxophone runs molded by a variety of timbres. At some point, the piece shifts to a rhythm where hi-hat and walking bass command, anticipating swinging epiphanies occasionally interrupted by bass pedals, puffed up funky blazes, and visceral free jazz blowouts. It’s great to hear Smith releasing fiery multiphonics and dazzling chromatisms that ring in the air.

This fiery posture, which leans on free jazz to a degree, is also what makes “In-House” burn and gaining ground with a nervy spin and full-steamed propulsion. If the rhythm section does the heavy lifting here, they considerably low the tone for “North of the Northwind”, a reflective if resolute adventure where bowed bass, samplers, and prolonged saxophone notes are layered to produce a static effect.

If one can sense a folk tactility coming out of the saxophone on “Venice”, an empathetically groovy piece in six, it’s pretty clear that “Blussy” is a blues-based post-bop incursion saturated in jubilation and gracious manners.

Andersen is a fabulous and inveterate soloist whose terrific language, full of groove and rhythmic contortions, will blow your mind. Both the musical resources and imagination of his simmering trio are limitless and can easily assault your senses. With no time for ironies or playful games, they work brilliantly together, coloring their captivating soundscapes with a cutting-edge vibrancy.

Favorite Tracks:
02 - Science ► 03 - Venice ► 06 – In-House

Jakob Bro - Returnings

March 19, 2018

Label: ECM, 2018

Personnel – Jakob Bro: guitar; Palle Mikkelborg: trumpet; Thomas Morgan: double bass; Jon Christensen: drums.

Danish guitarist Jakob Bro might not be a heavyweight like Rosenwinkel, Frisell, or Metheny, but is a legitimate owner of a sui generis sound whose rich tones usually translates into intimate musical settings.

On Returnings, his third release on ECM, the guitarist plays alongside the sought-after American bassist Thomas Morgan, a regular in his bands, and a pair of veteran musicians: Danish trumpeter Palle Mikkelborg and Norwegian drummer Jon Christensen. The latter returns after a one-year hiatus, retrieving the drum chair that, two years ago, was occupied by Joey Baron on the previous recording, Streams.

The album starts with “Oktober”, a compassionate, stagnant song previously recorded in the album Gefion, and rearranged at this point with a combination of idyllic, cordial, and intensely emotional manners. The balmy trumpet-led melodies tell a story, conveying a comforting tonality and reinforcing what Bro had delivered in the original version.

On the following tune” Strands”, the quartet presses on with the contagious languor that characterizes their routines. Sticking to light textures, Bro fingerpicks beautiful voicings while Morgan’s touches show how wide can the possibilities be when he’s around. The percussion, simultaneously unobtrusive and unflashy, really makes the difference in the creation of an ultrapolished fascination that gains further emphasis throughout the melodious routes of “Lyskaster”, another original from Gefion. The piece, strongly influenced by folk and pop idioms, have all the four instrumentalists taking part in a circular congruity.

Although composed for the Norwegian writer Knut Hamsun, we can picture icy landscapes while listening to “Hamsun”. This guitar/bass duet, partly inspired by Paul Motian, has the bassist nodding to the lyric suggestions of the bandleader.

Standing out from the remaining tunes due to a more experimental sonority, the title track features Bro’s curious electronic effects, Christensen’s unflappable drumming, Morgan's unremittingly spot-on bass notes, and the precise trumpet lines uttered by Mikkelborg, often mirroring or matching the guitarist’s melodic suggestions. Mikkelborg co-wrote this song with Bro, but also supplies a couple more compositions of his own: “View” and “Youth”. The former defies form as it operates outside the conventional, having drums and bass pairing down to create moments of orbital suspension. The latter, solely outlined by guitar and trumpet, sheds tears as it evokes nostalgia, wistfulness, and abandonment.

With mood transcending any language or tempo, Returnings draws emotional vulnerabilities from the prevailing, slow-moving instrumental streams. This is a great record to have at hand whenever you need to disconnect from the ‘outside’ world.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - Oktober ►05 - Lyskaster ►07 - Returnings

Hal Galper Quartet - Cubist

March 15, 2018

Label: Origin Records: 2018

Personnel - Hal Galper: piano; Jerry Bergonzi: tenor saxophone; Jeff Johnson: bass; John Bishop: drums.

Despite having recorded with names such as John Scofield, Michael and Randy Brecker, Cannonball Adderley, and Lee Konitz, it’s very seldom to see the name of Hal Galper on lists of top-notch jazz pianists. However, he proves people wrong through a bunch of phenomenal albums released in an exciting career spanning fifty years.

On his most recent recording, Cubist, he is joined by longtime associates Jerry Bergonzi on tenor saxophone, Jeff Johnson on bass, and John Bishop on drums, who, together, form a very compact quartet. Their music carries much of the jazz tradition, but they are capable of garnishing those delicious plates with fresh scents and contemporary flavors.

A revamped rendition of Miles Davis’ “Solar” couldn’t be a better example. It poses with a marvelous rubato introduction from piano, followed by Bergonzi’s daring bop-ish language, which wisely expands in other directions in order to shine beyond the conventional. Galper keeps the cool pose, playing the harmonic changes with skill, even when intense bass and drums set a hectic swing in motion. In the course of the first couple choruses of his improvisation, Johnson works around the theme's melody and then takes off toward a different galaxy, which he paints with attractive rhythmic figures and stunning patterns.

The proficient bassist brings four of his own compositions to this session, namely, “Artists”, a ballad whose apparent faintness doesn’t hamper the artists’ force of speech; “Kiwi”, a 3/4 piece with discerning harmonic and soloing work from the bandleader; the title track, “Cubist”, where saxophone and bass fly in unison (with the piano assisting them in the phrase completions) before a speedy swinging verve is triumphantly installed; and “Scene West”, which sort of recreates a Freddie Freeloader-like atmosphere with startups and halts.

If the latter piece comes close to Miles Davis, Galper’s sole tune, “Scufflin” is definitely more Coltrane style, recalling the intro of “Moment’s Notice” in its melodic statement. Elated, this shifting tune has the drummer trading bars with the rest of the band.

The quartet delves into “Israel”, a song composed by John Carisi and popularized by Miles Davis in his Birth of the Cool phase, with passion and nicety. Bishop’s brushing perception interlaces with Johnson’s booming bass, underpinning Galper’s geometric figures brilliantly sketched with a bluesy, post-bop insouciance. Still, it was with the risk-taking blows of Bergonzi that I got that sense of sonic fulfillment. His language, built with a ferocious technique, is influenced by John Coltrane and Joe Henderson, yet his extensive timbral possibilities and energy make us think of Charles Lloyd.

There’s so much activity, adherence, and taste in the quartet’s moves that feels great to simply abandon ourselves to the music. Cubist is a contemporary record that sparks like a classic and demonstrates how cool is to bring the past into the present with charismatic momentum.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - Solar ► 02 – Israel ► 05 – Cubist

Anat Cohen / Fred Hersch - Live in Healdsburg

March 14, 2018

Label: Anzic Records, 2018

Personnel - Anat Cohen: clarinet; Fred Hersch: piano.

On their debut duo record, world-class instrumentalists Anat Cohen and Fred Hersch, clarinetist and pianist, respectively, included originals and carefully selected repertoire, whose variety enriches sonic possibilities as it supplements their creative vein. This intimate recording session was part of the 2016 Healdsburg Jazz Festival's lineup and comes in the sequence of very personal works recently put out by the two artists - Cohen gathered a skillful tentet to bring Happy Song (Anzic, 2017) to life, while Hersch orchestrated the enchanting Open Book (Palmetto, 2017) alone at a piano.

Produced by Cohen’s longtime musical partner Oded Lev-Ari, Live in Healdsburg starts with two compositions by Hersch. The opener, “A Lark”, which first appeared on the album Trio +2 (Palmetto, 2004), has the affectionate melody outlined by the clarinet, sliding over chord changes or ever-changing textures. Spinning with as much pleasure as free abandonment, Hersch, mostly conducting his accompaniment over the mid and high registers, achieves a further grandiosity whenever he hits the supporting bass notes.

The duo's gentleness continues on the following piece. “Child’s Song” holds a rubato piano introduction that takes us to a 6/4 tempo put on hold by a staccato pianism. Brief pedals are combined with folk and classical movements in a middle passage that sometimes feels enigmatic without losing the sweetness of tone.

Cohen also shows to be a serious connoisseur and adept of the jazz tradition on her waltzing, classical-tinged “The Purple Piece”. Although she rarely explored rhythmic ideas that go beyond the expected on the weightless rendition of Billy Strayhorn’s “Isfahan”, her improvisation was fantastic on Hersch's bebop-inspired “Lee’s Dream”, a tune harmonically based on “You Stepped Out of a Dream” that served to honor saxophonist Lee Konitz. Still, the true emotions were left to “The Peacocks”, where the clarinet digs deep into the essence of our soul. Bill Evan’s interpretation of this tune might be insuperable, but this ego-less duet also captures and exposes the grandeur of the piece based on a flawless instrumental alliance.

After Fats Waller’s emblematic “Jitterbug Waltz”, here re-invented with a playful intro from piano, expressive musical smiles, and loose-limbed interplay with some rhythmic wallops, the recording comes to an end with the amicable serenity of Ellington’s classic “Mood Indigo”.

Inspiring each other and divinely ingratiated by their natural talent and musical sophistication, Cohen and Hersch make effortless music. This cute live recording, warmly temperate and melodic, makes for a pleasant listen.

Favorite tunes:
01 – A Lark ► 05 – Lee’s Dream ► 06 – The Peacocks

Sara Serpa - Close Up

March 13, 2018

Label: Clean Feed, 2018

Personnel - Sara Serpa: vocals; Ingrid Laubrock: tenor and soprano saxophone; Erik Friedlander: cello.

The incomparable Portuguese vocalist/composer Sara Serpa remains faithful to her own musical signature, receiving universal acclaim with recent projects such as Sara Serpa’s Recognition (with harpist Zeena Parkins and saxophonist Mark Turner), Serpa/Matos duo, and now this fantastic new trio, whose first album, Close Up, is the subject of this review. Whether creating textural consonance or embarking on precise contrapuntal effects, the work of German-born saxophonist Ingrid Laubrock and American cellist Erik Friedlander coexists beautifully and pacifically with Serpa’s flawless phrasing and multi-sensitive tone.

Like in some past works, this album includes many references to literature, a deep-rooted passion now extended to film, with Abbas Kiarostami’s 1990 masterpiece Close-Up surfacing as an extra inspiration.

“Object” shows the threesome dancing in different ways, using distinct cadences yet perfectly integrated as a group. Brief cello slashes provide a thin tapestry for both Serpa’s lyrical buoyancy and Laubrock’s world music-inspired inflections on the soprano. The vocalist perambulates since the moment that sax and cello agree on standing side-by-side, anticipating a grand finale delivered in unison.

“Quiet Riot” is clearly hooked on Serpa’s style. Elegant parallel motions and counterpoints, phrase complementations, and Laubrock’s soprano knottiness over the groovy bends and swift drives imposed by Friedlander. These bright moments make you want to go back and re-listen to them again.

Exhibiting multiple ostinatos and the words of the Portuguese poet Ruy Bello, “Pássaros”, is a furtive chamber-jazz effort with a well-defined identity. Still, it couldn't match the irresistible enunciation of “The Future”, a poignant, unswerving song awaken by a continuously reiterated sax-vox pointillism and cello wails. Inspired by Virginia Woolf, the song merges light and darkness in genial moments of metrical defiance. This is naked music where the words mean highly focused sounds.

Friedlander’s seductive fingerstyle drives “Sol Enganador”, a meditative cinematic odyssey where Godard’s philosophical freedom gets in touch with a Fellini-esque flamboyance. Laubrock’s air blows, percussive and invasive at the same time, end up falling into short, feverish phrases that contrast with Serpa’s syllabic patterns, sparsely laid down with an infallible precision.

Floating like a breezy folk song, “Woman” was devised with a sort of angelic flair and erudite expressiveness, meaning that the spirit of Luce Irigaray, who inspired the composition, was properly captured and relocated into the music.

The album closes with “Cantar Ao Fim”, a spellbinding piece with a strong connection to nature, whose freedom erupts from all the pores of its smooth skin. The natural, impromptu vocal chant that inaugurates this piece is followed by a blossoming groove that pushes us into a rapturous sonic orb.

Composition-wise, Serpa is ahead of the curve, establishing her ideas with one foot on the avant-garde and the other on the new music. Categorization can be a difficult task, but what’s really relevant here is that Close Up guarantees an arresting affirmation of her artistic maturity.

Favorite Tracks:
03 - Sol Enganador ► 04 - The Future ► 09 - Cantar Ao Fim

Rob Clearfield - Wherever You’re Starting From

March 12, 2018

Label: Woolgathering Records, 2018

Personnel - Rob Clearfield: piano.

Wherever You’re Starting From is the sophomore solo album by Chicagoan pianist Rob Clearfield, whose classical purity of tone gives life to an intimate set of originals plus two renditions of renowned compositions, one classical and one jazz.

While working/touring with drummer Makaya McCraven, Clearfield formulated a new approach to music that consists in improvising complete pieces by focusing on individual moments. That same methodology is employed successfully here.

Multidisciplinary if strongly influenced by classical music, the pianist wraps his “Prologue” in an entangling evanescence, mesmerizing with the lightness of the movements, even when some dreamy uncertainty lurks around the corner. We find his left hand busy with rapid arpeggiated intricacies and the right one completely loose to create across the upper register.

Searching while exploring, he weaves “Starchild” with aural textural layers formed by melodic phrases in suspension and diffused broken chords. Controlled swirls and consecutive sweeps sketched with dexterity and emotion over several octaves of the instrument are reserved for the finale of a piece whose modernistic touch makes it more tempting than the classical inflections of the “Minor” and “Major” studies, symbols of cheerlessness and optimism, respectively, due to the nature of their contrasting modes.

Melody is passionately revered throughout the reading of Brahms’s “Intermezzo No. 2 In B Flat Minor, Op. 177”, a romantic, perfectly articulated piece set with a delicate touch. However, it was with the extravagantly unorthodox, Chick Corea-like groove of “What Was Your Name Again?” that he most excelled. A bold murmuring is well secured by the independence and dexterity of both hands.

The second ‘cover’ on the album, an inscrutable version of Coltrane’s “Giant Steps”, declares lost the jazz vibrancy of the original, which is totally engulfed by the wider abstraction of the classical confinement that better serves the performer’s intentions.

“Blues in C” comes dissimulated by enigmatic cadences and undeviating melodic ideas, while “Alice”, a graceful lyrical song, aims its gentle bends directly at our ears. The album finishes with “Epilogue”, a different narrative of the opening tune.

Sometimes squeezing his music into narrow alleys and back streets, sometimes expanding it into highways and vast lands, Clearfield always brings something very personal attached to his rides. The development of his voice is undeniable and this album can be seen as a sonic self-portrait of the artist.

Favorite Tracks:
02 - Starchild ► 04 - What Was Your Name Again? ► 11 - Alice

Kairos Sextet - Transition

March 8, 2018

Label: Dafnisonmusic, 2018

Personnel - Sam Neufeld: trumpet; Tom Kelly: alto and soprano saxophones; Sean Johnson: tenor saxophone; Nick Lamb: piano; Jon Dadurka: upright and electric bass; Johnathan Hulett: drums.

Transition, the debut album from Kairos Sextet - Sam Neufeld on trumpet, Tom Kelly on alto and soprano saxophones, Sean Johnson on tenor, Nick Lamb on piano, Jon Dadurka on upright and electric bass, and Johnathan Hulett on drums - homages the Cuban drummer Dafnis Prieto, their mentor and inspiration. The latter, who also served as executive producer, contributed with a composition, “Triangles and Circles”, which opens with a drum statement and develops to a glorious epiphany, reaching a finale with multiple horn trills and rhythmic punch. Another flagrant tune in which the collective captures the compositional style of Prieto is “Dafnison”, a waltz penned by Johnson.

Every single member of this band penned at least one tune for this work, which also contains an interesting reinvention of the standard "I Remember You". The arrangement by Kelly is fabulous, altering the traditional chord progression, favoring post-bop modulations, and still sticking to the most common swinging drive that normally characterizes the song.

Performed with vividness and carrying powerful rhythmic accents, the title track is a shape-shifting amalgam of rock and jazz with a tango-ish feel on the piano. The solos, embellished with horn fills, are attractive in language and suffused with abundant energy. By the end, there is a brief cacophonous passage before Hulett's adroit metrics are demonstrated.

Another pressurized song is Johnson’s “(No) Time to Spare”, inspired by saxophonist Brice Winston. The band actually spares quite some time stretching this one out, generating enough steam to keep you warm. While Johnson speaks loud and unreservedly, Kelly, catching the tail of his solo, delivers irresistible hooks, focusing on immediate rhythmic figures.

Dadurka’s “On and On” starts with an electric bass ostinato designed on an upper register. Unhurried unisons lead to trumpet melodies that, officially opening the improvisational section, stir emotions while sounding pleasant to the ear.

The sextet proves to have that desirable rapport that allows them to scintillate with creativity. Each individual statement feels hand-in-glove with the written material and Prieto has all the reasons to be flattered and proud of this band.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - Transition ► 03 - (No) Time To Spare ► 07 - I Remember You

Julian Lage - Modern Lore

March 7, 2018

Label: Mack Avenue, 2018

Personel - Julian Lage: guitar; Scott Colley: double bass; Kenny Wollesen: drums; Tyler Chester: keyboards; Jesse Harris: maracas, casio, acoustic guitar.

Guitarist Julian Lage recorded his new album, Modern Lore, with a quality lineup of musicians that include bassist Scott Colley, drummer Kenny Wollesen, keyboardist Tyler Chester, and Jesse Harris, who besides producing, also plays maracas, casio, and acoustic guitar. Lage digs deep into the American roots, presenting us something distinct, perhaps even more personal than in his previous Arclight (Mack Avenue, 2016), an album conceived in the typical guitar-bass-drums trio format.

Fusing country, rockabilly, and jazz, “The Ramble” takes you to a spine-tingling rollercoaster, erupting in a stunning guitar solo whose point of entrance is impactful enough to make you alert. Lage’s Fender Telecaster fills the air with its robust Western sound, and Colley, in addition to the groove, drives an intelligible if short bass solo before the reinstatement of that sort of Wild West foray.

The softness of “Atlantic Limited” is generated by a blend of country-pop and early rock n’ roll, in the same line of “Wordsmith”, which touches a bit further the roots rock before being wrapped up in distortion.

Different yet complying with the mood, “General Thunder” flows with a rock-steady beat, enlightened by the harmonious lines drawn from the country and folk-rock genres. The smoothness of its texture doesn’t lose the fine balance between the American roots and the modern lore that the band claims, feeling perfect for a dusty road trip. It’s like if the adult rock of Dire Straits had melded with the progressive country of Johnny Cash. It doesn’t have that funky wit of “Roger the Dodger” though, a ternary composition that explodes with bluesy screams and poignant outcries.

With techniques, styles, and lucid tones being constantly cross-wired and recombined, we can appreciate the easy listening pop/rock of “Splendor Riot”, the bluesy rodeo style of the hard-swinging “Look Book”, the Roy Orbison-esque lament of “Whatever You Say, Henry”, and the free state of mind of “Earth Science”, where the musicians endorse exploration. Far more reflective is the closing tune, “Pantheon”, abandoning the tradition in favor of a modern harmonization and shifting tempos.

Regardless if this is your style or not, it’s undeniable the superb instrumental outfits created by an ambitious rising-star who, without wasting time, is carving out his own space. He's making his way with a sui generis sound and a sure sense of direction, just like Bill Frisell and Pat Metheny did.

Favorite Tracks:
03 - General Thunder ► 04 - Roger the Dodger ► 06 - Splendor Riot

Megumi Yonezawa / Masa Kamaguchi / Ken Kobayashi - Boundary

March 6, 2018

Label: ESP-Disk

Personnel - Megumi Yonezawa: piano; Masa Kamaguchi: acoustic bass; Ken Kobayashi: drums.

New York-based Japanese pianist Megumi Yonezawa co-leads a sharp new trio with fellow countrymen, bassist Masa Kamaguchi and drummer Ken Kobayashi. Integrity, freedom, and an extraordinary improvisational facility are part of the group’s philosophy, and Boundary proves their individual and collective value in the process of creating spontaneously from predetermined ideas.

Toggling between the fragile and the firm, the title track is a sparse, unhurried, and deeply explorative piece that is ultimately taken by a stubborn tension. While pianist and bassist paddle in the same direction, the drummer, immersed in a precipitate brushwork, seems to get his own way without putting in cause the cohesiveness of the whole. “Meryon” is driven by a similar calm/tension duality. The initial vagueness and ambiguity, triggered by floating bass notes, will drive you to search the palpable, and yet, little by little, our ears begin to dig the virtuosic communication process between these three ramblers. Their steadfast actions end up in a compulsive dance of short high-pitched piano flurries, instinctive bass attacks, and intensive drumming.

Alone and confident, Yonezawa slowly cooks a blend of fragmented phrases, loose notes, and parallel motions to compose the introductory section of “Alchemy”, a pure avant-garde exercise that grows considerably in intensity toward the end. The pianist creates fantastic shapes over the bass-drums foundation, which, despite vigorous, feels constantly unobtrusive to her moves. This is also audible on the energizing “Tremor”, a song that achieves a punchy rhythmic infatuation through a propelling, nearly swinging groove that supports the assertive exclamations and affirmations uttered by the pianist, who develops her phrasing from a specific rhythmic figure.

Another stirring moment arrives with “Onement”, where a relentless note on the piano becomes the axis that will allow Kamaguchi to revolve around it with multiple acrobatic moves. Yonezawa brings in occasional counterpoint with the nuanced comping before the tune turns into a kaleidoscopic showcase for hypnotizing timbres. The language, rich and highly articulated, includes trilling obliques, penetrating harmonic progressions, and epic rhythmic strolls.

Even the most reflective moments convey an intrinsic complexity whose wide emotional range feels enthralling. It happens not only on “I’ll Be Seeing You”, a jazz standard captured with the freedom of a non-standard and piqued by the background stimulus of Kobayashi’s chops, but also on the wishful “Veil” and “Nostalgio”.

The plenitude of a fully integrated trio sounds like this. Boundary takes you to unimaginable places, making you not to want to return to your point of origin. Consequently, I hope this visionary Japanese trio has plans to continue experimenting together in the future.

Favorite Tracks:
03 - Tremor ► 05 - I’ll Be Seeing You ► 08 - Onement

Dr. Lonnie Smith - All In My Mind

March 5, 2018

Label: Blue Note Records, 2018

Personnel - Dr. Lonnie Smith: organ; Jonathan Kreisberg: guitar; Johnathan Blake: drums.

An ace of the B-3 Hammond organ, Dr. Lonnie Smith, is back on the Blue Note Records, this time with All In My Mind, a live record in which he tackles covers and originals with the same devotion. Accompanying him on this groovy journey are guitarist Jonathan Kreisberg and drummer Johnathan Blake, whose exceptional musicality could be heard on Smith's last year’s Evolution. Hence, the trio keeps well anchored in the groove, only here the guests are much less than on the cited album, which counted on Joe Lovano, John Ellis, Joe Dyson, and Robert Glasper, just to name a few.

All the fervency of Wayne Shorter’s “JuJu” is left intact in this absolutely stirring version. Throbbing at a swift 3/4 tempo, this modal exercise sparkles with a wondrous reverb-drenched guitar improvisation by Kreisberg, who, revolving around the melody, injects occasional rhythmic convulsions and jaw-dropping patterns within the limpid phrasing that characterizes his playing. Smith and Blake follow him with solos involved in brightness.

Elegantly atmospheric, “Devika”, an old original, offers up a polished slice of jazz-funk wrapped in blue tonalities. The relaxation identified with this number opposes to Paul Simon’s pop hit “50 Ways To Leave Your Lover”, whose buoyant spirit makes it instantly accessible. The song starts off with guest Joe Dyson’s colorful press rolls imposing the pace, while the melody is shared between the guitarist and the organist, who dig the A and B sections, respectively. By the end, after the bandleader’s organ explosion, we have vibrato guitar inflections and the amazing marching chops devised by the drummer.

The deft brushed drumming of Blake sets in motion Tadd Dameron’s ballad “On a Misty Night”, but it was with Smith’s never-recorded original “Alhambra” that his burning-hot style comes to the forefront. Rooted in Spanish music, the piece displays a rich sonic palette with horn and woodwind emulations mixed with egregious synth chords, electronics, and semi-acoustic guitar. Its flow is an invitation to discover new places and new sounds, and everything culminates in a fusion cocktail spiced by a cool Latin/samba rhythm.

The title track, another Smith’s classic, features the guest singer Alicia Olatuja duetting with the bandleader, whereas Freddie Hubbard’s “Up Jumped Spring”, a piece that first saw the daylight in 1962 through Art Blakey, closes the session in a bohemian hard-bop gaiety.

Produced by Don Was, the recording is presented with the finest quality, so every move or expression can be heard clearly and crisply. In a remarkable shape, the emblematic Dr. Lonnie Smith showcases his peculiar sounds, having fun with the beneficial organ-guitar-drums format.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - Ju Ju ► 03 - 50 Ways to Leave Your Lover ► 05 – Alhambra

Keith Jarrett / Gary Peacock / Jack DeJohnette - After The Fall

March 1, 2018

Label: ECM, 2018

Personnel - Keith Jarrett: piano; Gary Peacock: double bass; Jack DeJohnette: drums.

The Standards Trio consists of the incredibly talented Keith Jarrett, Gary Peacock, and Jack DeJohnette, on piano, bass, and drums, respectively. Together, they show off an insuperable communication on stage, playing almost with their eyes closed and letting their creativity to be guided by pure instinct. These respected bandleaders play together for 40 years, and still evince the same gusto for exploration, rendering tunes from The Great American Songbook, Charlie Parker, Bud Powell, Sonny Rollins, and John Coltrane, among others.

After The Fall, a double-disc album, was recorded live in a special concert that signaled the return of the pianist from a forced two-year interruption in his brilliant career due to chronic fatigue syndrome. The gig took place in 1998 at the NJPAC in Newark and the pianist himself expressed surprise when heard how well the music worked.

Possessing an incalculable knowledge of the jazz history and being savvy enough to embrace freedom and play these songs backward or in 50 different ways, the trio opens the 4-track disc one with a nearly 16-minute version of “The Masquerade Is Over”. Taking the plunge with a sensational piano overture, the song is a lesson on melody, harmony, expression, emotion, and technique. What could we expect more from music? When the bass and drums are incorporated, paces and moods are re-defined and the colors become even brighter and intense.

Dazzling rhythmic ideas flow from Jarrett’s nimble fingers on Parker’s “Scrapple From The Apple”, an explicit reawaken of bebop carrying that refined swinging affinity that leaves nobody indifferent. Peacock delivers a prodigious, woody solo while DeJohnette trades eights with his associates, drawing mainly elegance from his stunning chops.

The remaining tunes on the first CD are “Old Folks”, a ballad that breathes serenity with heart-rending melodies, on-spot bass lines, and shimmering brushwork, and the fully-explored “Autumn Leaves”, which gains a fresh perspective as it is designed with atmospheric passages and seasoned with the savor of Latin by the end.

Disc two comprises eight diversified tracks. There's another bebop incursion with “Bouncing With Bud”, a nice and bluesy swing ride with Sonny Rollins’ “Doxy” (DeJohnette’s drumming is a true delight) and Pete La Roca's “One For Majid”, affectionate ballads such as “I’ll See You Again”, “When I Fall in Love”, and Paul Desmond’s “Late Lament”, in which Jarrett grants his solo a laid-back heave, and a steamy rendition of Coltrane’s “Moment’s Notice”, here packed with kinetic sequences of notes.

Although “Santa Claus is Coming To Town” can be seen out of context at this time, there’s plenty of groove attached, with the pianist exhibiting his impressive and effortless capacity to create well-conjugated melodies and rhythms.

With a trio that has nothing more to prove and plays totally from the heart, we can only expect wonders. After The Fall is a record of unhesitating steps that renew our appetite for jazz standards and other known songs.

Favorite Tracks:
01 (CD1) - The Masquerade Is Over ► 02 (CD2) - Doxy ► 07 (CD2) – Moment’s Notice

Mathias Eick - Ravensburg

February 28, 2018

Label: ECM, 2018

Personnel – Mathias Eick: trumpet; Hakon Aase: violin; Andreas Ulvo: piano; Audun Erlien: electric bass; Thorstein Lofthus: drums; Helge Andreas Norbakken: drums, percussion.

Norwegian trumpeter Mathias Eick owns a very characteristic sound that has been applauded not only in his personal projects but also in works of other respected authors such as Jacob Young, Iro Haarla, and Manu Katché. From 1998 to 2014, he was a legitimate member of the peculiar big band Jaga Jazzist, artisans of an adventurous electronic jazz.

On Ravensburg, his fourth release on the ECM label, Eick delves into his original compositions with the habitual discipline and composure he has developed throughout the years. The eight tunes were shaped with the grandiose support of a musical crew that includes violinist Hakon Aase, pianist Andreas Ulvo, electric bassist Audun Erlien, and a pair of competent rhythm stylists such as Thorstein Lofthus and Helge Andreas Norbakken, who play together for the very first time.

The program begins with “Family”, a sedate and monochromatic song whose harmonic alignment brings more pensiveness than enthusiasm. Completely antagonistic in the mood, “Children” adds a lot more elements to an uplifted rhythmic dance that, still unaggressive and picturesque, brings in a sort of jazz-house feel. The bandleader uses his clear voice alongside the violin before embarking on unisons with the trumpet. He follows exactly the same procedures on “August” and “Parents”, two pieces that stick to a similar line of action. The former, a soothing ballad, features Ulvo’s acute statements and the drummers’ gorgeous effects with snare drags and cymbal slashes; the latter shows us the band generating a simple backbone with the drummers deserving all our attention for the valuable nuances induced in the pulse. If there’s any predictability in Eick’s musical moves, it's definitely not extended to the inventive rhythmic patterns.

One of the most interesting tracks is “Friends”, where we can spot calm, beautiful, and easy melodies delivered in unison within passages that flow naturally. Some of those passages thrive with curious samba-like pulsations and bass lines that jump from scattered groovy plucks to asymmetric heart poundings. It stands between the undisturbed and the excitable, like the tortuous water of a river when meeting the immense tranquility of the sea.
“Girlfriend” has a natural splendor, feeling like a crisp, ethereal acid jazz tune with smooth funk allusions and world percussion in the mix. The trance-like groove hails from bass and piano, whose work on the lower register is flawlessly coordinated, while Aase’s violin sounds in perspective with the flow.

Settling predominantly over the 4/4 time signature and avoiding knotty exchanges, Mathias Eick highlights the power of the collective instead of any individual proclamation. With dynamics that are as natural as they are low-key, Ravensburg brings his unique perspective and idiosyncratic personality into another engaging album.

Favorite Tracks:
03 - Friends ► 04 - August ► 06 – Girlfriend

Wanja Slavin Lotus Eaters - Salvation

February 27, 2018

Label: Why Play Jazz, 2018

Personnel – Wanja Slavin: alto saxophone; Philipp Gropper: tenor saxophone; Tom Arthurs: trumpet (#1); Erik Kimestad Pedersen: trumpet (#2-7); Rainer Bohm: piano, rhodes; Andreas Lang: acoustic bass (#1); Bernhard Meyer: electric bass (#2,3,4); Petter Eldh: acoustic and electric bass (#5,6,7); Tobias Backhaus: drums (#1); Nasheet Waits: drums (#2,3,4); Ivars Arutyunyan: drums (#5,6,7).

Wanja Slavin is a first-call German saxophonist who has been a beacon of small groups operating mostly in the avant-jazz and prog rock genres. His most charismatic group, The Lotus Eaters, has changed members and became more flexible. The new album, Salvation, comprises five originals plus one standard and features three different formations of old friends. Each note plays a big role in the process, just like each chord fills us with its richness and resonance.

The title track opens doors for a relevant modern music that is both fulfilling and evolutionary in the way jazz is heading these days. This piece can be dark and feathery at the same time, bringing Andrew Hill’s cryptic universe to my mind. A crystalline trumpet that evokes Kenny Wheeler strikes with an ingratiating emotional punch while the saxophonists' language articulates with quality and displays an engrossing tone. Indeed, the well-hooked horn section works nice and tight, emitting squeaks and squawks at the end.

“WS1” and “WS2” are dressed in fantastic arrangements. The first version, boosted by Nasheet Wait’s syncopated beat, carries a unique, intermittent vibe that seems equal parts inspired by funk and electronic music. The melodic lines are complex and sometimes jarring, befitting the idiosyncratic atmosphere created. Everything is modern creative with tantalizing prog-rock incursions. Even presenting three alterations in the band for the second version, which is also prone to syncopation, the sound is fueled by a searing heat and a fully adjusted drive.

On “Melancholy1” and “Melancholy2”, the band paints the same feeling with different brushstrokes. Whereas the former is an Eberhard Weber-like symphony with epic avant infusions, supportive synth texture, and a dashing piano improvisation, the latter floats with poignant melody, suggesting an idleness that feels more mysterious and obscure than relaxing.

On Jimmy Van Heusen’s “Moonlight Becomes You”, Slavin shines a bright new light on a classic piece. Preserving the original romantic touch, the song comes configured with pure and sophisticated refinement and features frontal improvisations from bass and piano.
The recording comes to an end with the ternary “Love Song”, where the band attractively blurs the line of balladry with intentional precision.

This is what I call intelligent jazz. Without assuming a spotlight-craving role, Slavin assures a responsive treatment to his compositions and still makes everyone shine. Salvation got me hooked on its contemporary charm.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - Salvation ► 02 - WS1 ► 04 - Melancholy2

Martin Wind - Light Blue

February 26, 2018

Label: Laika Records, 2018

Personnel – Martin Wind: upright bass, acoustic bass guitar; Ingrid Jensen: trumpet; Scott Robinson: saxophones, clarinet, taragota; Anat Cohen: clarinet; Gary Versace: organ, piano; Bill Cunliffe: piano; Maucha Adnet: vocals; Matt Wilson: drums; Duduka Da Fonseca: drums.

German-born, New-York based bassist Martin Wind, a regular in the bands of Matt Wilson, is also a respected bandleader whose first work was released 25 years ago.

His new album, Light Blue, was divided into two different parts/recordings, showing flexibility in the personnel. For the first five compositions, he leads a more robust quintet with Ingrid Jensen on trumpet, Scott Robinson on saxophones and clarinet, Gary Versace on piano and organ, and Matt Wilson on drums. The remaining five tunes are held by a new group with strong Brazilian accent called De Norte a Sul, featuring Bill Cunliffe on piano, Anat Cohen on clarinet, Maucha Adnet on vocals, Duduka Da Fonseca on drums, and again Scott Robinson, who works as a bridging element together with the bassist.

The six-minute kickoff, “While I’m Still Here” is a harmonic replication of “Sweet Georgia Brown”, bringing together the blues, bebop, funk, and swing with sprightliness. The soloists do their jobs with a kickass attitude, starting with a woody dissertation by the bandleader and proceeding with Robinson, Versace, and finally Wilson, whose resolute actions are surrounded by compacted horn fills.

Melody commands on “Rose”, a sober, good-natured song when compared to the sassy “Ten Minute Song”, an old bebop original that, after all, runs only for 5:41 minutes. The piece, devised with plenty of bite and carrying a joyous feel, makes us jump into the ballroom and swing. The artisans of improvisation step to the forefront one after another, with the spotlight turned to Robinson, who wields his bass saxophone with muscle while having a deluxe carpet weaved by only bass and drums under his feet. As an exception, the quintet is transformed into a sextet here with the addition of Ms. Cohen, whose sinuous lines cause the colors to saturate even more.

The band creates a vibrant rock-like density on “Power Chords”, a kaleidoscopic collage of mixed idioms and the most exciting track on the album. There’s an intriguing intro before a catchy, funky groove is installed to accommodate Versace’s inventive organ and Robinson’s forceful blows on bass sax. The rhythm section whips ahead and the trumpet of Jensen is particularly appealing here, with the tune acquiring a briefly swinging flow before reinstating that punchy rock stamina, based on roots and fifths, that leads to the final statement.

Still instrumental, “A Genius and a Saint” is a waltz suavely danced by two clarinets. It makes the bridge to the remaining four pieces sung by Adnet, whether in Portuguese or English, and propelled by the warm rhythms of Da Fonseca. The Brazilian musicians prevail on “Seven Steps to Rio”, a song that, inspired by soccer, mixes the mid-70s fusion of Wayne Shorter and the Brazilian jazz of Flora Purim.

Another two old songs were added to the lineup, “Sad Story”, a cruising ballad melodically adorned with bowed bass and clarinet, and “De Norte a Sul”, whose instrumental version has the title “The Cruise Blues”.

Mostly sailing in straight-ahead waters, Wind makes use of formulas that brought him recognition and continue to better serve his compositional efforts. On top of that, both formations responded accordingly to the way he composes and hears harmony and rhythm, making of Light Blue a satisfying stop for fans of easy-listening jazz and amicable tropical rhythms.

Favorite Tracks:
03 – Ten Minute Song ► 05 – Power Chords ► 07 - Seven Steps to Rio

Dave Liebman / Tatsuya Nakatani / Adam Rudolph - The Unknowable

February 22, 2018

Label: RareNoise Records, 2018

Personnel - Dave Liebman: tenor and soprano saxophones, flutes, piri, Fender Rhodes; Tatsuya Nakatani: drum kit, gongs, percussion; Adam Rudolph: handrumset, percussion, sintir, mbuti harp, overtone flutes, Fender Rhodes, electronics.

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Prolific saxophonist/bandleader Dave Liebman, a living jazz legend and one of the most influential musicians and educators of our times, joins an imaginative duo of percussionists, Tatsuya Nakatani and Adam Rudolph. Together, they create a variety of spontaneous conversations where the reaction to stimulus is a must. Hence, communication plays an essential role throughout The Unknowable, the result of their experimental meeting.

The first and last tracks on the album are static and share the same title, “Benediction”. Both versions comprise uncanny electronics and a saxophone story recited over drones and additional atmospheric noises, yet, the opening variant adds far more percussive elements to the intriguing scenario. By the way, it was Rudolph who came up with the track titles in a post-recording phase.

“The Simple Truth” thrives with hand drumming forays, diverse metal collisions, and Liebman’s cartoonish sketches formed with brief stabs of notes on soprano. He often centers his playing in the rhythmic axis, but some melodic incursions are also discernible.

Echoing brisk phrases through a delay effect and resorting to heavy electronic manipulation, the title track is filled with tremors and high-pitched clamors let loose by Liebman’s spiraling soprano. While the posture is active here, it changes to passive on the following piece, “Skyway Dream”, where the rhythm is thoroughly marked and the flute notes hang in the air.

Hand drums and metal percussion become the dominant elements on “Transmutations”, which includes a panoply of grating sounds, clashes, and creaks. It ends up in a sort of African exultation that also can be felt on “Present Time”, although the pulse here almost touches the Brazilian samba. Commanding the tenor with an impressive sense of liberty, Liebman embarks on a more familiar language, inclining his sayings toward bebop zones. Yet, the crashingly noisy assaults in the background remain active until the end.

The saxophonist’s disposition shifts again on “Premonition”, which serves as a vehicle for his timbral explorations and extended techniques. This urgency of speech combined with fragmented rhythms takes us to free jazz territory.

Flirtations with non-Western music translate into a pair of nomadic pieces, “The Turning” and “Distant Twilight”. With self-restraint, the trio resorts to meditative phrases taken from exotic scales as well as simple yet catchy grooves meticulously designed by sintir or thumb piano.

Both Liebman and Rudolph play the Fender Rhodes in one tune each, searching for the enigmatic and the atmospheric. “Cosmogram”, unpleasantly piercing at first, is a good example of how a musical piece can sound simultaneously acrid and dulcet.

The record sounds quite distinctive from what Liebman has done before and defies any categorization beyond the experimental. Abstraction they fear not, and you’ll find the adventurous threesome attempting to squeeze their individual sounds into a compact, organic whole. In some ways, they succeed.

Favorite Tracks:
07 - The Turning ► 08 - Present Time ► 12 – Premonition

Colin Hinton - Glassbath

February 21, 2018

Label: Self produced, 2018

Personnel – Peyton Pleninger: tenor saxophone; Edward Gavitt: guitar; Nick Dunston: electric bass; Colin Hinton: drums.

The blazing chops of Texas-born, Brooklyn-based drummer Colin Hinton are marked by raw intensity and spot-on fidelity. For his debut album, Glassbath, and despite the proficiency in a wide range of styles, his energy was canalized into a particular stratum where the avant-jazz cohabits with a panoply of alternative rock subgenres. The tunes were written under two weeks for quartet and the album recorded in a one-day studio session.

The inaugural track, “Welcome” drives us to a realm of tautness populated by saxophone grunts and interjections, noise guitar, unruly bass roams, and rambunctious drumming. The versatility of the quartet is on full display throughout the recording and the differences are noticeable when one compares the experimentalism of the opening tune to the restrained variation of the same song, entitled “Goodbye (Welcome Reprise)”, that closes the album. Just focus on the bandleader and you will find him concentrated on flavorful brushwork and spicy tom-tom inflections on the latter piece.

The sluggish rhythm of “Rontgen Smile”, exposing accents on the second and fourth beats, is reinforced by sparse bass tonics and fingerpicked guitar. The melody factor is upgraded, but the pacification ceases when the band flips out into a cacophonous turmoil that primarily passes by a forceful ska before reaching a freakish indie rock style whose sonorities resemble bands like Pavement and Half Japanese. Taking into account the refreshingly unpredictable transitions, Hinton’s fractured songwriting largely benefits his hyperactive routines. And yet, after the storm, everything returns to the initial rock-based melancholy.

Interspersed with the longer tunes, we have shorter interlude-like pieces penned by the band, such as “Wasteland”, an atmospheric toned-down orchestration with multiple gongs, chimes and metal clangs, “Cobalt-60”, a gloomier version of the previous, and the cathartic “We Are Already Dead”, where the guitarist, Edward Gavitt, stays plugged in and cranking up.

You can dance to the sound of “Felines”, assembled with prickly guitar riffs and chords burning in distortion, plus a melodic, often-groovy improvisation by Peyton Pleninger on tenor. It’s like if electrifying groups such as Sonic Youth and Wire were having a conversation with jazz explorers like David Murray and Fred Anderson. The same idea is transported to “Last Refuge”, a song with a vigorous rock pulse, while “The Great Heathen Army”, half-dark, half-heroic, presents refractory rhythms and guitar-sax interactions turned into unisons in its final section.

Oscillating between an undemanding pop ballad and a post-rock adventure, both “Partial Eclipse” and the closing tune, “Redemption Through Recovery”, show an unflappable energy, even staying among the record’s slower tunes.

. As of now, the bar is raised high for the work that will follow, which is, naturally, a very good sign.

Favorite Tracks:
02 - Rontgen Smiles ► 04 - Felines ► 08 - Partial Eclipse

Adam Nussbaum - The Leadbelly Project

February 20, 2018

Label: Sunnyside Records, 2018

Personnel – Ohad Talmor: tenor saxophone; Steve Cardenas: guitar; Nate Radley: guitar; Adam Nussbaum: drums.

Adam Nussbaum’s profile as a drummer gained significant recognition when he stinted/recorded with Steve Swallow, John Abercrombie, Michael Brecker, Dave Liebman, and John Scofield.

On The Leadbelly Project, his first work as a sole leader, he draws from the American roots, focusing on treasured repertoire by the influential blues and folk singer/songwriter Lead Belly, but still adding a couple of kindred compositions of his own. Besides being a powerful singer, Lead Belly was a dedicated 12-string guitar strummer. Hence, the choice of two guitars to revive the rawness of his bluesy tones through an entirely up-to-date perspective doesn’t feel particularly surprising. Playing in tandem yet resorting to sweet-tempered counterpoint, guitarists Steve Cardenas and Nate Radley join the drummer in a bass-less quartet rounded out by saxophonist Ohad Talmor.

The latter excels on the first track, “Old Riley”, opening it alone and improvising concisely with a strong inside/outside concept. The tune, feeling like an indulgently polished minstrel song damped in folk charisma, has Nussbaum showing his habitual drumming sophistication, first with brushes and then with drumsticks.

Conceived as a subtle quadrangular conversation, “Green Corn” embarks on a harvesting folk dance propelled by the glistening brushwork of the bandleader. It feels more untreated than the recognizable “Black Girl (Where Did You Sleep Last Night)”, a traditional American folk song that was extensively recorded by Lead Belly between 1944 and 1948 and gained high popularity in the 90s with a terrific unplugged version by the grunge band Nirvana. Nussbaum’s version is played Frisell-style at a 5/4 tempo.

There’s something reggae-ish on “Bottle Up and Go”, but the rhythm is lost somewhere by the end to favor a more rock-based texture that is further emphasized on “Black Betty”, a standard of the blues, here buoyed up by a double-guitar solo.

Cutting off the bustle, “Bring Me a Little Water, Sylvie” and the strikingly beautiful original “Insight, Enlight” make room for contemplation, flowing with consecutive docile movements. If the latter piece, in all its harmonic sophistication and pervading sense of melody, dragged me into a levitating state, the blues-drenched “Sure Would Baby“ pulled me back to the earth. With an up-front drum solo, the classic “Goodnight Irene” closes the album in a suave waltzing cadence.

Nussbaum’s drumming has that kind of shining quality that rewards the collective and enhances the tunefulness of the music. Throbbing with marvelous interplay and filled with compelling tonal colors, this project provides us with an optimum revitalization of the folk and blues genres, here seamlessly merged with the exciting language of jazz.

Favorite Tracks:
04 - Bottle Up and Go ► 09 - Insight, Enlight ► 10 - Sure Would Baby