Jonathan Finlayson - 3 Times Round

October 2, 2018

Label: Pi Recordings, 2018

Personnel – Jonathan Finlayson: trumpet; Steve Lehman: alto saxophone; Brian Settles: tenor saxophone; Matt Mitchell: piano; John Hebert: bass; Craig Weinrib: drums.

If you dig sterling modern jazz, Jonathan Finlayson is a name to memorize. At the age of 36, the Californian trumpet ace is flying way above the standards and is still receiving accolades for his fantastic CD Moving Still, featuring his Sicilian Defense group. On the newest 3 Times Round, his third outing on Pi Recordings, he is joined in the frontline by two vibrant saxophonists - altoist Steve Lehman and tenorist Brian Settles - whose fieriness and passion help taking Finlayson’s compositions to a level that many experienced musicians would aspire to reach.

The album’s opener, “Feints”, is full of life. Punchy unisons, impeccably executed by the horn section, buoy up the theme statement while the sonic tapestry underneath is allusive of Steve Coleman, with whom Finlayson has been working with for the past 20 years as a core member of his Five Elements group. The improvisations kick off with pianist Matt Mitchell, who weaves single-note melodies before dexterous concurrent movements are delineated on distant registers. The bandleader embarks on a swaggering three-way dialogue with the saxophonists. They delve into the agitated textures with gusto, taking their advanced vocabularies with them. This becomes also salient on “Grass”, a modernistic epic laid out with nerve. Here, Lehman and Settles compete furiously, employing sharp-edged speeches. After Finlayson’s searching discourse, Mitchell departs for a compellingly beautiful exploration. Freedom is so intense, and still, the tunes have well-defined structural ideas locked in.

“A Stone, A Pond, a Thought” is a haunting modal contemplation that sort of dissipates the brisk vibes emanated by the previous compositions. Piano, drums and John Hebert’s arco bass conspire to create an extraordinary, functional foundation that supports the prevailing appeals by the trio of horns with firm spirituality. There are some other pieces with a controlled temperament, cases of “Refined Strut”, which is sprinkled with a fanciful tango-ish rhythmic feel and affecting balladic tones; and “Rope From The Sky”, a dark chamber-like experience.

The longest cut on the album is “The Moon is New”, which clocks in at 14:07 and commences with an enthusiastic piano ostinato flanked by timely piano/bass wallops on the lower register. This odd-metered rhythmic flux is posteriorly dismantled through a combination of reflective melodies from piano and bowed bass. There are more unisons declared with terse angularity, anticipating the individual improvisations, which arrive separated by deliberate pauses. All of them are surrounded by a particular mood and comes filled with evolutionary spontaneity and supple fluidity. In his own arresting style, Finlayson assures the tone and quality of his instrument; Lehman fires up shuddering attacks with fractured curls and sharp angles; Settles is tremendous, aspiring to a sort of Coltranean ascension; and Mitchell is never redundant in its creative process. The soloists also shine on the provocative “Tap-Tap”, whose rich orchestration and defying tempo sort of align with the slanted push-pulls of Henry Threadgill.

This is a must-have album from a rising trumpet star and smart composer whose innovative jazz perspective has absolutely everything one might ask for. One of the year's very best.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - Feints ► 03 - A Stone, A Pond, a Thought ► 07 – Tap Tap

Troy Roberts - Nu Jive Perspective

October 1, 2018

Label: Inner Circle Music, 2018

Personnel – Troy Roberts: saxophone; Tim Jago: guitar; Silvano Monasterios: keys; Eric England: bass; Dave Chiverton: drums.

New York-based Australian saxophonist Troy Roberts, a two-time Grammy-nominated artist/composer, releases a rhythmically provocative album, his eighth as a leader, in the company of an adventurous quartet: guitarist Tim Jago, keyboardist Silvano Monasterios, bassist Eric England, and drummer Dave Chiverton.

The opening track of Nu-Jive Perspective, “Fame & Four Tune”, is an amalgam of Steve Coleman’s M-base and Michael Brecker’s crossover jazz. With Roberts expelling fierce popping sounds from his tenor, the tune’s passages oscillate between ecstatic turbulence and hip composure.

Abiding by a 6/8 meter, “Slideshow” incorporates an immersive sax solo over a funky strut. Mordant wha-wha bass thumps and organ flare-ups are also part of the show. Rippled wha-wha effects also mark the short “Phish HQ”, whose conglomeration of soul, jazz, and funk vibes recalls Jamiroquai’s style.

The bass pumps 5/4 grooves with vigor on the emphatically rhythmic “Table For Five” and “Jack The Sipper”. With the rhythm team playing in the pocket, the latter piece thrives with remarkable improvisations by Roberts and Jago, two exciting soloists. The soulful, explorative side of the guitarist is ruling on “Adamant Eve”, an R&B song, slowly developed with deep melodicism and a hip-hop beat; as well as on the shifting “Through The Eyes of Psychoville”, whose vertiginous rhythm takes us to a psychedelic neo-funk realm intercalated with moments of pure jazz.

The lullaby-ish melody introduced by Monasterios on “Professor Ghetto-Rig” is posteriorly overlapped by the cool funk that slinks its way through the groove. Roberts also maintains a close relationship with melody on “Avni Lane” and the more contemplative “Belle”, whose pure laconic voice diverges from the joy imparted by the gospel-infused “Veepea-Are”.

Nu-Jive Perspective is a kaleidoscopic and groove-oriented endeavor that showcases Roberts’ passionate musicality. The way he traverses styles feels all at once genuine, accessible, and daring.

Favorite Tracks:
04 - Jack The Sipper ► 06 - Avni Lane ► 08 - Through The Eyes of Psychoville

Shai Maestro - The Dream Thief

September 27, 2018

Label: ECM Records, 2018

Personnel – Shai Maestro: piano; Jorge Roeder: acoustic bass; Ofri Nehemya: drums.

Comprising six originals and two solo piano covers, The Dream Thief marks a strong ECM debut as a leader from the Israeli pianist Shai Maestro, whose trio includes longtime associate Jorge Roeder on bass and a new partner, the drummer Ofri Nehemya (replacing Ziv Ravitz). The band’s state of mind airs a candid sophistication that also feels gentle and literate, expressing carefully practiced mechanisms and spontaneity alike. However, Maestro decides to open solo with a rendition of Matti Caspi’s “My Second Childhood”, a rubato reflection eked out by yearning tenderness and profound beauty. The choice to include a song from Caspi is not fortuitous since Maestro is a confessed admirer of his work and even took some lessons from him in the past.

“The Forgotten Village” is sculpted with a rich lyricism, adheres to a quintuple meter, and counts on subtle irregular beats to pave an irregular ground. The Peruvian bassist is eloquent in his solo, drawing vivid emotions with virtuosic deliberation.

Gently lit by the glow of legato/staccato cymbal moves in Nehemya’s brushwork, the title track also soars well above, feeling more spherical than polygonal in its reserved posture. This inclination is gradually dismantled as texture and rhythm step up in intensity. It culminates in a scintillating improvisation by the bandleader.

Tidal rubato waters wash “A Moon’s Tale”, whose deep sonority comes from the mallet drumming, whereas “Lifeline” shines through with an aching fascination for the impressive melody. According to the pianist, this piece was originally conceived as a 4/4 burner, but was conveniently slowed down here to fit the album’s introspective mood.

Instigating fondness through gracious developments and inspired interplay, “New River, New Waters” is a fulfilling experience that also proves the trio as high flyers. Even when there's a loud call for freedom, they never eschew melodic and motivic clarity in its statements nor ingenious rhythmic nuance.

A confluence of classical and jazz streams give a magical touch to “These Foolish Things”, another solo effort, before the poignant “What Else Needs To Happen” raises awareness of the gun problem with the assistance of a couple Obama speeches.

Emotionally charged atmospheres surround The Dream Thief, a definitive statement of maturity from Maestro, a refined world-class pianist.

Favorite Tracks:
02 - The Forgotten Village ► 05 - Lifeline ► 07 - New River New Waters

Cory Smythe - Circulate Susanna

September 26, 2018

Label: Pyroclastic records, 2018

Personnel - Cory Smythe: piano, autoharp, electronics; Daniel Lippel: detuned acoustic guitar, electronics; Sofia Jernberg: vocals.

Pianist Cory Smythe, an experimental visionary artist who has collaborated with Tyshawn Sorey, Ingrid Laubrock, and Peter Evans, releases his first album as a bandleader. For that purpose, he convenes the quirky guitarist Daniel Lippel, a bandmate in the International Contemporary Ensemble, and the groundbreaking vocalist Sofia Jernberg, a key member in Mats Gustafsson’s The End. Circulate Susanna, heavily inspired by the violent words of Stephen Forster’s “Oh, Susanna”, comprises a set of microtonal studies that convey perplexity and a touch of fear.

The extraordinary strangeness of Smythe’s formula prods and baits the listener, following bizarre circular trajectories that, pushing boundaries, feel uncomfortably dystopian.

Valid examples of what was described above are “Susanna Soil Flutter”, whose foreboding vibes communicate dissonantly with jagged chants in its piercing, wailing, and guttural forms; “Ladies Load the Telegraph” stealthily brings obscure undercurrents conjured up by rolled, birdlike vocalizations, low notes on the piano, and vehement guitar plucks and scratches; “Circulate Susanna”, whose angular pianism incites Jernberg to mutate her voice; and also “Heads Circulate to Mole”, in which guitar and piano synchronize in an odd way to establish another enigmatic soundscape.

“Circulate to Mole” offers detuned guitar bends, which serve as platforms for the clamorous, flickering vocal projection of the singer. If this piece openly embraces an oblique avant-country, then “Reverse Soil Flutter” ends up covered in dense layers of sound that bring forth a psych rock-inflected expressionism.

Among my favorite tracks are “Heads Gather The Stars” and “To Gather The Wind”. The former behaves like an unearthly operetta, running with tweaky, dreamlike intonations due to aerial guitar slides and gloomy piano; while the latter applies fragmented lyrics from “Strange Fruit”, earning chamber contours due to Lippel’s bowed guitar.

This spine-chilling opus reflects a chimeric ambiguity charged with phantasmagoria. It's terrifying, definitely risk-taking, and not like anything you’ve heard before. It might not get an immediate positive impact, though, due to its uncanny nature.

Favorite Tracks:

02 - Circulate to Mole ► 07 - Heads Gather The Stars ► 13 - To Gather The Wind

Ilhan Ersahin's Instanbul Sessions - Solar Plexus

September 25, 2018

Label: Nublu Records, 2018

Personnel - Ilhan Ersahin: saxophone; Alp Ersonmez: bass; Izzet Kizil: percussion; Turgut Alp Bekoglu: drums + guests Erik Truffazz: trumpet; Ibrahim Maalouf: trumpet; Nils Petter Molvaer: trumpet; Dave Harrington: guitar; Mauro Refosco: percussion; Arto Tuncboyaciyan: percussion; Kenny Wollesen: drums.

New York-based Swedish-Turkish saxophonist Ilhan Fredrik Ersahin is not only an eclectic musician and composer but also a successful club owner since 2002, the year he opened Nublu in Manhattan’s East Village.

Boasting the same alternative sounds this club has been cultivated for more than a decade, the project Istanbul Sessions has another album coming out on Nublu Records with the title Solar Plexus. The core members - bassist Alp Ersonmez, percussionist Izzet Kizil, drummer Turgut Alp Bekoglu - are joined by a set of respected guests on this album, broadening textures and creating gripping soundscapes. They are French trumpeter and longtime collaborator Erik Trufazz, drummers Kenny Wollesen and Brandon Lewis, guitarist Dave Harrington, percussionists Mauro Refosco and Arto Tuncboyaciyan (also a singer), and trumpeters Ibrahim Maalouf and Nils Petter Molvaer.

“Overture Solar Plexus” mixes atmospheric synth, saxophone wails, and pounding rhythmic strokes that have little in common with the dancing percussion of the piece that follows it. On “Farewell to Earth”, the linearity of the bass groove, laid down with a quasi-tribal, funky feel marks the nucleus of this piece, which explodes with seismic intensity in the last minute with a rampant synth invasion.

“Infinite Gathering” feels like a work song. Introduced by a rebellious saxophone and wet percussion, this number also displays epic chants uttered with the force of Karmina Burana. Before the triumphant finale, there are soaring trumpet lines and keyboard-driven modulations that take us to Jocelyn Pook’s mechanisms used in Kubrick's Eyes Wide Shut.

The longest piece, at more than 11 minutes, is the flickering “Pris”, a trippy voyage that is not averse to dark tonalities, especially in its last phase. Along the way, you will find melodious trumpet, lamenting vocals, psychedelic synth sounds, distorted guitar, saxophone aphorisms, and a static rhythm established by the deep resonance of electric bass and mallet drumming.

Ersahin explores saxophone timbres with echoing effects on “Rachel & Rick”, which starts off with airy electronic pointillism. The music goes through a radical change when an elated, danceable rhythm is put into practice before returning to calm waters.

Malleability is a key factor in the group’s performance and that is obvious on pieces like “Moon Dance”, a trip hop-ish exercise with an invariably downtempo vibe a-la Massive Attack; the contemplative yet rhythmically uninhibited “Sea of Stars”; and the imaginative yet unsettled closing piece, “Arrival”, which was wrapped in wha-wha acidity in a part obscure, part primal exploration.

Ersahin makes use of his wide-ranged influences to explore mood with a sense of comfort and delightfulness. If you have a penchant for the experimental ambient genre in its multiple variations and forms, this is a record for you.

Favorite Tracks:

02 - Farewell to Earth ► 03 - Infinite Gathering ► 05 - Rachel & Rick

Stefon Harris & Blackout - Sonic Creed

September 24, 2018

Label: Motema, 2018

Personnel – Stefon Harris: vibraphone, marimba; Casey Benjamin: alto and soprano saxophones, vocoder; Felix Peikli: clarinet, bass clarinet; James Francies: piano, keyboards; Mike Moreno: guitar; Jean Baylor: vocals; Regina Carter: violin; Daniel Frankhuizen: cello; Elena Pinderhughes: flute; Joseph Doubleday: marimba; Joshua Crumbly: bass; Tarreon Gully: drums; Pedrito Martinez: percussion.

Prodigious vibraphonist/marimbist/composer Stefon Harris, a mallet master who has recorded as a member of the SF Jazz Collective and The Classical Jazz Quartet, renews the group Blackout for their first recording since 2009, the time when the Grammy-nominated Urbanus caught the jazz world’s attention.

Sonic Creed, a reflection on African American life in our times, comprehends inspiring explorations of tunes by masters such as Bobby Timmons, Horace Silver, Wayne Shorter, Bobby Hutcherson, and Abbey Lincoln, plus a tribute to Michael Jackson and a couple of original compositions that go perfectly well with the rest of the material.

Absorbing funk and Latin rhythms revive Timmons’ “Dat Dere”, here colorfully arranged with smooth vibe/keys-induced textures and Mike Moreno’s catchy guitar. The soloists operate distinctively under the rhythmic fervency put together by keyboardist James Francies, bassist Joshua Crumbly, drummer Tarreon Gully, and guest percussionist Pedrito Martinez.

Harris originals show the importance of the family. The ethereal “Let’s Take a Trip to the Sky” was penned with his wife in mind and treated with rich chordal movements and a steady minimalistic beat supporting the lustrous voice of Jean Baylor, while “Chasin’ Kendall” was written for his two sons, capturing a summertime breezy feel that results from an accessible jazz with cool posture, rhythmic stability, and an esteemed, memorable bass riff anchoring the groove. After Harris, the soloists are Felix Peikli on bass clarinet and Casey Benjamin on alto saxophone.

The latter and the vibraphonist exchange phrases on the lenient “Throw It Away”, a tribute to Abbey Lincoln where the melody flies confidently on the wings of a daring soprano saxophone. You’ll also find electronic sound waves mixing with a syncopated rhythm, subdued guitar with dissonant bends, soaring vibes, and invariably strong bass delineations.

Horace Silver’s “Cape Verdean Blues” is a danceable number with Afro-Latin cross-rhythms and glittering improvisations by Benjamin, who shows proficiency in range, tone, and language; and Harris, who sounds unclouded while articulating fluid melodies with unrestraint conviction.

Whereas Shorter’s “Go” is introduced by a relatively complex guitar ostinato in nine, embracing an earnest post-bop that gradually slants to funk before slowing down in the last minute, Hutcherson’s “Now” has an initial chamber treatment with the presence of violinist Regina Carter, cellist Daniel Frankhuizen, and flutist Elena Pinderhughes. Inducing an adult, contemporary melange of soul, R&B, and jazz, Baylor enhances the piece with an expert vocal arrangement.

To conclude the CD, Harris, unaccompanied, drives Michael Jackson’s ear-pleasing ballad “Gone Too Soon” with meditative introspection.

Filled with gorgeous ideas, Sonic Creed offers a smooth voyage to the world of jazz masters with imaginative, regenerating sounds deep-rooted in the powerful African American culture.

Favorite Tracks:

01 – Dat Dere ► 02 - Chasin’ Kendall ► 04 - Cape Verdean Blues

Miguel Zenón - Yo Soy La Tradición

September 20, 2018

Label: Miel Music, 2018

Personnel – Miguel Zenón: alto saxophone + The Spektral Quartet - Clara Lyon: violin; Maeve Feinberg: violin; Doyle Armbrust: viola; Russell Rolen: cello.

The powerful musicality and extended possibilities one can achieve by combining saxophone and strings were tested and confirmed by jazz giants such as Charlie Parker, Stan Getz, Ben Webster, Cannonball Adderley, Lee Konitz, and many more.

Drawing from several musical and cultural Puerto Rican traditions, saxophonist Miguel Zenón takes the concept to a completely different level on Yo Soy La Tradición, recipient of 8 chamber-like pieces written for alto sax and a quartet of strings. With the help of The Spektral Quartet - Clara Lyon and Maeve Feinberg on violin, Doyle Armbrust on viola, and Russell Rolen on cello - the saxophonist validates his own identity, exploring the Puerto Rican roots and heritage with compositional virtuosity.

Rooted in the Catholic tradition, “Rosario” is layered with sequences of rapid movements, occasional counterpoint but also a convergent unity presented in the form of unisons. Zenón breathes in synch with the quartet at his service, just like happens on the following “Cadenas”, a phenomenon metered in six, where the folk melodies of the saxophonist are subjected to violin responses and episodic replications.

Both “Yumac” and “Viejo” are connected to the Jibaro tradition. The former, set about like a Paganini’s caprice, has the quintet symphonizing tunefully with contrapuntal brilliance, pointillistic pizzicatos, and unfailing parallel lines; while the latter makes its way through arpeggiated interplay, having portentous slashes of cello contrasting with limpid saxophone wails in a beautiful dance of timbres. By the end, Zenón casts off an inspired solo. He pulls off another great improvisation on the melodious “Promesa”, a mournful lament inspired on the festivities of the Three Kings Day.

With a sequence of dominant chords in its harmonic progression, “Cadenza” waltzes steadily with the strength of a Mozart’s minuet until a pulse-free navigation makes us lose the sense of tempo. The final section reinstates the triple time, appending handclaps in an exultation of the Latin music's spirit.

Yo Soy La Tradición is a chamber tonic for the ears. Its complexities, in form and tempo, are hidden through cerebral arrangements that permit an intuitive readability of the music. Because in music, demanding executions usually require demanding listenings, get ready for the challenges this CD offers.

Favorite Tracks:

02 - Cadenas ► 05 - Viejo ► 07 – Promesa

JP Schlegelmilch / Jonathan Golberger / Jim Black - Visitors

September 19, 2018

Label: Skirl Records, 2018

Personnel - JP Schlegelmilch: keyboards; Jonathan Goldberger: guitars; Jim Black: drums.

This cohesive new organ trio co-led by Brooklyn-based keyboardist JP Schlegelmilch, guitarist Jonathan Goldberger, and drummer Jim Black, ventures down creative paths of indie rock with a casual, serrated jazzy edge in its statements. Their album, Visitors, is staggeringly crafted with a rugged, psychedelic rock technique and assertive textural developments, featuring eight tracks whose instrumental depth is consummated by the magical interplay among the trio members.

“Corvus” is a prog-rock archetypal that perhaps better illustrates this. Electronic manipulations precede the excavation of a 7/4 groove exalted by sturdy rock moves and fleshed out by an incandescent guitar solo that comprehends flickering sound waves, bluesy riffs, arpeggiated sequences, and jazzy chords. After a calmer passage, the groove shifts to six, seducing Schlegelmilch and Goldberger to embark on a cross-conversational dialogue while Black holds to a funky percussive flux.

Showcasing brighter tones and intense emotions, “Ether Sun” is a Pink Floyd-esque song elegantly arranged with soaring keyboard sounds, smooth bass coordination, and firmly fixed rhythm.

Stressing idiomatic rock textures, “Lake Oblivion” is divided into two distinct yet complementary parts. The first one carries a restless ambiguity in its classic hard-rock charisma, while the second, advancing at a 5/4 tempo, equips the same package with popish acoustic instrumentation and a distorted electric fizz.

The title track comes hooked in a triple meter. The versatile drummer moves with sheer boldness, supporting the use of methodical synth maneuvers for ambient and noisy guitar strokes for impact.

If “Chiseler” erupts with tactile dissonances and power chords in a clear inclination toward prog-rock, then “Terminal Waves” has its climatic peak with Goldberger’s cryptic metal-inflected solo over an exquisite textural work that becomes slightly tumultuous until mitigated by atmospheric organ layers and drones.

Being a deluxe product of like-minded cohorts, Visitors is also striking and rewarding, displaying enough personality and range to keep us thrilled.

Favorite Tracks:

03 - Ether Sun ► 04 - Corvus ► 06 - Lake Oblivion II

Walking Distance - Freebird

September 18, 2018

Label: Sunnyside Records, 2018

Personnel – Caleb Curtis: alto saxophone, trumpet; Kenny Pexton: tenor saxophone, clarinet; Adam Coté: double bass, mellotron; Shawn Baltazor: drums, percussion. Featured guests - Jason Moran: piano, samples; Ben Rubin: bass, mellotron.

Walking Distance, a quartet of emerging New York artists, takes inspiration on Charlie Parker to create bop-derived originals with a contemporary twist. For their sophomore album, Freebird, they invite virtuosic pianist Jason Moran to join them in 6 of the 9 tracks. Alto saxophonist Caleb Curtis signs nine of the twelve tracks, two of them co-penned with bassist Adam Coté, who also delivers “Quasar Halo”, a disciplined chamber musing sweetened by docile unisons traced by clarinet, alto sax, and arco bass, and contrastingly bolstered by enthusiastic piano injections and relatively busy drum work.

Relying on an unbending form and structure, “William” starts the album off as a pure hard bop exercise, thriving with Curtis and Moran’s eruptive vocabularies while Coté and drummer Shawn Baltazor assure an indestructible bass-drums foundation. An engulfing melodic crescendo announces a short drum solo, renewing its vows before the reestablishment of the theme’s vibrant energy.

Tenor saxist Kenny Pexton devises “Pexterity” as a primordial bop fantasy, having thrilling horn lines crossing the frantic rhythm led by Coté’s sturdy pizzicato and followed by Balatazor’s swinging drum flow. “Donnalise” is a recognizable contrafact of the celebrated “Donna Lee”.

Producer Ben Rubin plays mellotron and additional bass on the absorbing “Simple Ghilnoorty”, whose rhythmic suggestions bring a mechanical electronic feel, for which stationary noir-toned chordal layers also contribute. Feeling fresh, these mechanisms deviate from the briskly swinging pulse of “Ghilnoorty Classic”, whose walking bass and static saxophone lines confer it a moderate flow; and “Bigment”, which starts as a classic march before swinging with strategic coordination. This particular piece was built on Bird's “Segment” and features Curtis on trumpet.

On “Lost & Found”, Baltazor starts coloring with loose hi-hat hits but later infuses snare-driven transition fills while enjoying the thumping bass rambles of Coté. Both support the bright melodicism of the reeds.

Even idolizing this swing-to-bop core, the band vouches for variety, which is reflected on “Feather Report” (an allusion to the revered band Weather Report), a fusion delight, magnificently enhanced by Moran’s keyboard dexterity and containing multiple shifting passages and interesting rhythmic deconstructions. What had started as a sort of desert song due to the freedom of its bass plucks and sliding moves, ended up in a triumphant jazz-rock stride. Another example of variability is “Cheat Sheet”, whose magnetic funky bass and melodic punctuation invite us to an adjacent swinging passage before returning to the initial boiling point.

Baltazor’s “Fly By” gains ground as a transformative stretch, starting with considerable bop affluence but morphing into a danceable, uptempo 3/4 ritual marked by keyboard samples, vigorous bass, Eastern-tinged lines, and ebullient drum attacks. A breath of fresh air in an album that, enjoying the comforts of hard bop, empowers up-to-dateness so it can be considered colorful, modern, as well as a personal statement.

Favorite Tracks:

02 - Feather Report ► 04 - Simple Ghilnooorty ► 11 - Fly By

Allison Miller / Carmen Staaf - Science Fair

September 17, 2018

Label: Sunnyside Records, 2018

Personnel – Carmen Staaf: piano; Allison Miller: drums; Matt Penman: bass; Dayna Stephens: tenor saxophone; Ambrose Akinmusire: trumpet.

Science Fair marks a successful collaboration between drummer Allison Miller and pianist Carmen Staaf, both accomplished musicians and composers. The album, produced by the avant-garde clarinetist Ben Goldberg, flourishes with great musical choices and dynamic interplay. Each tune, regardless of the group configuration, displays an attractive jazz-rock hybridity that sparkles with genuine vitality.

Miller’s “What?!” suggests a kaleidoscopic avant-garde explosion before a cool drum beat takes over. Agreeable yet challenging melodies are delivered by illustrious trumpeter Ambrose Akinmusire and saxophonist Dayna Stephens, both inventive soloists. Mood and rhythm are subjected to changes, impeccably designed by Miller, Staaf, and bassist Matt Penman, who rounds out the rhythm section. Together, they coordinate effervescent pulses, thick grooves, and dizzying undertows.

The horn players become fully active once again on “Weightless”, a triple-metered piece that starts rambunctiously rhythmic, shining with pinpointed piano-bass articulations and lyric improvisations from sax, bass, piano, and trumpet. Not all of them are delivered under the same mood, and Akinmusire’s tremulous and lachrymose dissertation demands careful contemplation at the end.

The elegiac “Symmetry” sheds rich, emotional chord passages, featuring the pianist in the pinnacle of her lyricism. Her methodical dark voicings pair with Miller’s intelligent, multi-timbral drum chops, setting the perfect tone for Stephens’ poignant exhortation.

The band is reduced to a classic piano trio configuration for “Ready Steady”, which explores the shapes of space and rhythm with easygoing melodies surrounding the shimmering brushwork of the drummer and the tireless if undeviating trajectories of the bassist, who improvises upfront. However, Staaf dares to thrill by going through rowdy angular contortions at the same time that liberates delicious fragrances of Monk's music in the air. The bandleaders refuse additional accompaniment for the Latin-tinged duet “MLW” (a tribute to pianist Mary Lou Williams), which they eke out with an acute sense of timing. The song recalls “Caravan” in a crossing between Dizzy’s exotic spells and Jessica Williams’ rhythmic punches.

Staaf speaks sophisticated idioms on her breezy “Nobody’s Human”, a jazzy straight-eight piece with a fine melodic figure at the center; and on “West of the Moon”, a contrafact on the jazz standard “East of The Sun”, whose serpentine patterns perpetuate a certain uncertainty about which path to take: rock or swinging jazz? She ends up mixing both before the definitive installation of a frantic, combustible rhythm with Miller in absolute command.

And “Skyway” is a honey-toned ballad that closes out the album with minimalist fashion, featuring Penman in a double front: theme’s statement and improvisation.

Miller and Staaf's openness to exploration and their knowledge of jazz tradition allow great interactions to occur, with the rest of the members integrating this fantastic, hook-filled project with commitment and fun. The sonic aesthetics pack a punch, luring you in when you least expect it.

Favorite Tracks:

01 - What?! ► 03 – Ready Steady ► 07 – West Of The Moon

Dave Anderson - Melting Pot

September 13, 2018

Label: Label 1, 2018

Personnel - Dave Anderson: soprano and alto saxophones; Dave Restivo: piano; Hans Glawischnig: bass; Memo Acevedo: drums; Roberto Quintero: percussion; Bryan Davis: trumpet; Itai Kriss: flute; Need Murgai: sitar, voice; Ehren Hanson: tabla; Deep Singh: tabla.

Saxophonist/composer Dave Anderson celebrates New York City’s cultural differences in his latest album Melting Pot, for which he convened an incredibly professional world-jazz ensemble to dispatch five eclectic originals. The pieces, elegantly woven into an integrated sonic tapestry, are personalized with his unique signature.

Anderson starts off with the three-part Immigrant Suite, suffused with Afro-Cuban, Brazilian, and Indian influences. Its first part, “Juror Number One” has the rhythm section - pianist Dave Restivo, bassist Hans Glawischnig, drummer Memo Acevedo, and percussionist Roberto Quintero - launching an irresistible Latin rhythm to sustain a blues progression that serves as a magic carpet for the jazz peregrinations of the improvisers. Propelled by an elated rhythm of drums and pandeiro, “Querida”, meaning sweetheart in Portuguese, is also the title of a Jobim song. However, there’s no relation between the two, aside from being impregnated with smooth Brazilian-jazz flavors. The suite is concluded with “A Candle For Isaac”, which additionally features Bryan Davis on trumpet, Itai Kriss on flute, Need Murgai on sitar, and Ehren Hanson on tabla. The song was penned for Anderson’s girlfriend’s father (whom he never met) and blends the vivacity of the post-bop and the distinctive aesthetics of the Indian ragas. Anderson’s tone is particularly attractive here, and his off-kilter hooks enhance the already coloristic instrumentation.

The bandleader cooks another great solo on alto on the closing “Trance-like”, discharging sequences of notes that show his propensity for combining inside and outside playing. As a product of emotional inspiration, the piece feels inebriant, lifted up by the exotic sounds of the sitar and tabla.

“Mantra” is pure jazz-fusion anchored in a deft groove, departing from a funky slogan repeated by Fender Rhodes and sax. Emboldened by the presence of Deep Singh’s tabla, the band navigates chord changes with forceful impulsivity, also revealing high levels of proficiency in the art of rhythm.

Melting Pot provides memorable songs that I plan to revisit many more times. Anderson transpires integrity and versatility in a refreshing, concise work whose energizing aural vibe is also disseminated by his kindred accompanists.

Favorite Tracks:

03 - Immigrant Suite: A Candle For Isaac ► 04 - Mantra ► 05 - Trance-like

Helen Sung - Sung With Words

September 12, 2018

Label: Stricker Street Records, 2018

Personnel - Helen Sung: piano; John Ellis: tenor and soprano sax, bass clarinet; Ingrid Jensen: trumpet; Reuben Rogers: bass; Kendrick Scott: drums; Samuel Torres: percussion + guests Jean Baylor, Carolyn Leonhart, Christie Dashiel, Charenee Wade: vocals

Helen Sung keeps up the glowing sophistication in her way of playing that withstands any sort of a synthetic approach to music. She puts this skill into use in her new recording, Sung With Words, the first containing all original compositions. Every single piece was inspired by the words of Californian poet Dana Gioia.

Sung puts together a central sextet with saxophonist/clarinetist John Ellis, trumpeter Ingrid Jensen, bassist Reuben Rogers, drummer Kendrick Scott, and percussionist Samuel Torres. The vocal tracks, in which every syllable is served with lyric refinement after Gioia’s spoken-word intros, are ‘entrusted’ to whether one or two accomplished guest singers such as Jean Baylor, Carolyn Leonhart, Christie Dashiel, and Charenee Wade.

Scott’s drumming announces “Convergence” even when Gioia is still reciting the introductory poem. This straight-ahead instrumental is infectiously swinging, sparkled by the bopish idioms of Ellis and Jensen, and having a rhythmically daring Sung synchronizing single-note melodies with bouncy chordal movements. Splitting up solos are interludes that propagate ephemeral yet surprising Afro-Latin winds.

Other instrumentals that stand out are “Into The Unknown”, a post-bop exaltation, first enlivened by Ellis’ fluent digressions on tenor and then cooled down by Sung’s delicate pianism before Scott bursts in a drum solo over an odd-metered vamp; and “In The Shadowland”, which, spreading a gentle bossa nova scent in the air, burns with positive statements by Ellis (now on soprano) and Rogers. The bassist is also active on the seductive “The Stars on Second Avenue”, the first of two vocal songs sincerely expressed by Ms. Baylor's voice.

Dashiell and Leonhart team up on “Hot Summer Night” and “Too Bad”. The former composition is an R&B-tinged feast marked by a warm rhythm and great horn fills, also having saxophone, trumpet, and piano exchanging lines; whereas the latter, flowing with a three time feel, is enhanced by Jensen’s grooving solo, beautifully articulated with on-spot timbral variations. Sung follows her tenderly. Dashell also collaborates with Wade on “Mean What You Say”, a soul-jazz manifesto recalling the work of Horace Silver.

Based on a sad story of injustice, “Lament For Kalief Browder” kicks off in obscurantism, featuring Leonhart, who vocalizes ethereally with stable piano support. A wistful bass clarinet ostinato fortifies the foundation, yet the intensity of the music varies according to the shifting passages. There’s an opportunity here for Kendrick and Torres shine in a percussive coalition.

The rhythms and textures devised by Sung, an intelligent composer, somehow restore and revitalize Gioia’s poems in an ingenious combination of jazz and poetry. This work feels like a necessary, certainly confident step in the pianist’s career.

Favorite Tracks:

02 - Convergence ► 05 - Hot Summer Night ► 11 - Into The Unknown

Marcin Wasilewski Trio - Live

September 11, 2018

Label: ECM Records, 2018

Personnel - Marcin Wasilewski: piano; Slawomir Kurkiewicz: double bass; Michal Miskiewicz: drums.

Polish pianist Marcin Wasilewski showcases his first-time live album, recorded two years ago at the Jazz Middelheim Festival in Belgium, in the company of his pace-setting partners: Slawomir Kurkiewicz on double bass and Michal Miskiewicz on drums. On Live, Wasilewski follows the same methodology that hailed him as a spellbinding pianist whose charming jazz propagates warmness and comfort. The three musicians, all former members of the Tomasz Stanko Quartet, thank the late trumpeter on the CD booklet for ‘the inspiration as well as precious and unique experiences in music’.

Wasileswki’s collage of “Sparkle of Life” and “Sudovian Dance” opens the session with delicate reserve but diffusing light in abundance. The refined integration of breathable yet vigorous bass plucks, scintillating brushwork, and tearful pianism promotes an emotional splendor that morphs into a dance of freedom set at an unobvious tempo. The pianist's fully developed technique stands out through beautiful details, dazzling swirls, and precise chordal movements successfully anchored in low notes.

“Night Train To You” is another highlight where the pianist assembles several influences. He evokes the intimacy of Bill Evans, the effervescence of Keith Jarrett and the out-of-the-box groove/tempo of Esbjorn Svensson. Here, each phrase is delivered with assertiveness and eloquence, filling an extended vamp whose spiritual tones get close to John Coltrane or Sonny Rollins. Before the epic finale, one can enjoy Miskiewicz’s exteriorization in a rich rhythmic confluence with his co-workers.

The two remaining originals are “Three Reflections”, poured out with lush delicacy, even when the melodic and rhythmic densities escalate; and “Austin”, a ballad that flows in rubato mode before holding on to a sober 4/4 tempo.

Invigorating pleasures stem from a pair of exciting covers. One of Sting’s most familiar pop songs, “Message in a Bottle”, is taken to new heights through a fluid, cool-tempered post-bop drive. The song had been included in the 2013 album Spark of Life, but here is re-contextualized and pushed forward with freeing determination and thirst for groove, featuring a jaunty bass solo with interesting rhythmic figures; a stellar excursion by the bandleader, who flies and soars with inside/outside rides; and a mature drum work that closes out the improvisations.

The album comes to an end with Herbie Hancock’s “Actual Proof”, which, brought by an imaginative interpolation of bass and drums, becomes a perfect vehicle for Wasilewski’s fluttering, disorienting curls of notes, a component of his articulated commanding prowess.

The material speaks to me gracefully and the trio roses to the occasion with inventive interpretations of an excellent set of songs.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - Sparkle of Life/Sudovian Dance ► 02 - Message in a Bottle ► 04 - Night Train To You

Charles Pillow Large Ensemble - Electric Miles

September 10, 2018

Label: Mama Records, 2018

Personnel – Charles Pillow: alto and soprano sax, flutes; David Liebman: soprano sax; Colin Gordon: alto and soprano sax, flute; Luke Norris: tenor sax, clarinet; CJ Ziarniak: tenor sax; Karl Stabnau: bass clarinet; Michael Davis: trombone; Abe Nouri: trombone; Jack Courtright: trombone; Gabe Ramos: bass trombone; Tony Kadleck: trumpet; Charlie Carr: trumpet; Clay Jenkins: trumpet; Tim Hagans, trumpet; Julian Garvue: electric piano; Chuck Bergeron: electric bass; Mike Forfia: acoustic bass; Jared Schonig: drums.

Besides being a sought-after sideman in both pop and jazz genres, saxophonist Charles Pillow is also a qualified bandleader whose musical adroitness shines through on his latest work for large ensemble, aimed to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Bitches Brew and the strong heritage of the early electric period of Miles Davis’ music.

Conveniently entitled Electric Miles, the album features amazing soloists such as saxophonist Dave Liebman and trumpeters Tim Hagans and Clay Jenkins in a cross-pollination of jazz and rock with ample textural dimension. Aggregating 8 tightly structured compositions (four by Miles, three by Joe Zawinul, and one by Wayne Shorter), the program is competently handled by a 17-piece big-band comprising gifted multi-generational musicians with an unaffected ability to read and improvise.

Zawinul’s “Pharaoh’s Dance” opens with a deep-running tranquility, indicating that this music can be satisfyingly funkified with coolness and strongly boosted by legitimate solos. Pillow’s voice erupts with clarity after a short interlude that echoes trumpet riffs. Before him, it was Hagans who delivered a great solo with pure post-MIles intention.

Also penned by Zawinul and popularized by Miles, “In a Silent Way”, displays a blatant variation in the rhythmic intensity, having the inaugural docile atmosphere veering to an electrifying rock groove populated by Jared Schonig’s stupendous transition fills and Julian Garvue’s keyboard ecstasy. The drummer takes the liberty to embark on a short solo ride before concluding the piece with the rest of the band.

Rendered with grandiose counterpoint and delicious unison lines, “Bitches Brew” never boils over, except when Hagan's trumpet hits the stars. In turn, the solo-free “Sanctuary”, which honors Wayne Shorter, is filled with abundant serenity, in opposition to the relentless, outgoing moves of Miles’ “Spanish Key”, fueled with passionate improvisations from Jenkins and Pillow..

Coaxing wide dynamics with broader hooks “Black Satin” and “Yesternow” are set on fire due to Dave Liebman’s stunning flights on soprano. His discourses are designed with flashy outside efforts, lavish emotional crescendos, and brilliant resolve. While “Satin” thrives with the rhythmic magnetism of powerful bass lines and rocking drum fluxes, “Yesternow” is elegantly brought to life by a creamy alto flute.

Mr. Pillow shaped up Electric Miles with scrupulous arrangements containing fluttering horn lines and expressionistic individual solos. Everything flows with an electrifying poise.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - Pharaoh’s Dance ► 04 - In a Silent Way ► 07 - Yesternow

Rich Halley 3 - The Literature

September 6, 2018

Label: Pine Eagle Records, 2018

Personnel - Rich Halley: tenor saxophone; Clyde Reed: double bass; Carson Halley: drums.

Tenorist Rich Halley, a native of Portland, releases The Literature, his first album of covers in 20 years. With bassist Clyde Reed and his drummer son Carson Halley, he homages musicians who influenced him in a career that spans almost 40 years. The powerhouse trio plunges directly into the eclectic jazz of Miles Davis with “Little Willie Leaps”, a groundbreaking oeuvre where Rich’s effulgent tone resonates fabulously. Navigating avant-jazz logic sequences with enjoyable expansions and contractions, the trio takes the blues as their final destination. The genre is also brought up on Ornette Coleman’s playful “Broad Way Blues”, Jimmie Rodgers’ vintage number “High Powered Mama”, and Charlie Mingus’ “Pussy Cat Dues”, another blues-saturated shout primarily furnished with free instrumental rambles.

The burning “Law Years” is another one by Ornette, in which the saxophonist initially echoes the bassist’s phrases but concludes it in unison. Without surprising, he borrows two famous pieces from Monk, putting his own stamp on them. “Misterioso” is given a vagrant impression as he improvises over a diffuse rhythm that later gains a Latin touch; in turn, the snake-charming “Brilliant Corners” is shouted with honking low notes of considerable rhythmic impact in an avant-gardish setting that integrates a hard-swinging gush.

Also swinging, Sun Ra’s early composition “Kingdom of Not” is marked by an irreverence that stems from the saxophonist’s inventive lines, whereas “Mood Indigo”, a classic ballad by Duke Ellington, has its soothing melodies sliding over the supportive, malleable rhythmic conduction of pizzicato bass and murmuring brushed drums.

The bright percussive allure of the drummer stands out on “Chano Pozo”, a composition by Mongo Santamaria that merges jazz and Latin, and on “Motherless Children”, which cheerfully revives the early country/folk music of The Carter Family.

Although not choosing a tune from Charlie Parker, Halley imprints a vinyl of Bird Symbols on the cover of his album, another way of paying tribute to the bop giant. Comfortably straddling the familiar and the adventurous, the trio packs their infectious playing with grit, tenacity, and explorative vein.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - Little Willie Leaps ► 07 - Brilliant Corners ► 12 - Law Years

WeFreeStrings - Fulfillment

September 5, 2018

Label: self produced, 2018

Personnel – Melanie Dyer: viola; Charles Burnham: violin; Gwen Laster: violin; Tomeka Reid: cello; Ken Filiano: bass; Brandon Lopez: bass; Michael Wimberly: djembe and trap set.

Combining written lines and spontaneous interjections with expertise, the string sextet WeFreeStrings, named after Rahsaan Roland Kirk’s album We Free Kings, showcases five original compositions and six ‘paraphrases’ (collective improvisations that pay tribute to important free thinkers and artists) on their debut recording, Fulfillment. The classically trained violist Melanie Dyer spearheads the group, which effortlessly provides a certain degree of avant-gardism within an organized musical setting. Violinists Charles Burnham and Gwen Laster, cellist Tomeka Reid, bassists Ken Filiano and Brandon Lopez, who take turns, and percussionist Michael Wimberly, catch up on Dyer’s interesting personal ideas, turning them into positive collective synergy.

Multi-toned statements, lyric and hopeful, set “Hope & Fulfillment” in motion. The resultant chamber reflection on womanhood takes a more joyful direction as the tune advances. Also waltzing and centered on the womanhood topic, “I’m Still Here” employs both diatonic and atonal segments, featuring efficiently smooth improvisations.

Evoking the rhythm of Harlem, “So(u)lstice Song” is brought up with tension before embarking on a Herbie Nichols style that comprises a bump-free swinging rhythm, intelligible melodic lines (unison or isolated), and a deep sense of freedom.

Inspired by Sonny and Linda Sharrock’s “Black Woman”, “After Linda, Say Her Name” sets a folk melody against flickering texture while the band members say the names of black women who tragically died due to police/mob violence in the US.

“Bayaka/Yangissa”, a traditional Batwa song from the Congo rainforest, denotes a lovely blend of world music and avant-jazz, whose spirituality and rhythmic flow encourage everyone to fight and pray for a better world. Tempo is shifted with ease in the last two and a half minutes, with a groove in five supplanting the prior cadence in six, which later regains the command. This particular piece demonstrates some affinity with violinist Billy Bang, one of the free artists revered on the short, collectively composed ’paraphrases’. Sun Ra, Leroy Jenkins, and Ornette Coleman are other honorees whose artistic impact inspired moods ranging from sinister laments to exultations to extremely percussive tracts with chirping puncture and colorful tonalities.

Fulfillment is a solid first effort from a promising, socially conscious ensemble that knows which direction to take.

Favorite Tracks:
02 - Hope & Fulfillment ► 04 - So(u)lstice Song ► 10 - Bayaka/Yangissa

Steve Coleman and Five Elements - Live at the Village Vanguard-Vol. 1

September 4, 2018

Label: Pi Recordings, 2018

Personnel – Steve Coleman: alto saxophone; Jonathan Finlayson: trumpet; Miles Okazaki: electric guitar; Anthony Tidd: electric bass; Sean Rickman: drums.

How infectious and original is the music of M-Base disciple and pioneer Steve Coleman! The alto saxophonist/composer has been a true creative force on the jazz scene for more than three decades, contributing with great recordings where he showcases striking new ways of improvising along with an impressive ability to play with texture and mood.

On the trail of last year's Morphogenesis, orchestrated with the extended Natal Eclipse ensemble, the saxophonist releases the double CD-set Live at the Village Vanguard-Vol. 1 (The Embedded Sets) with his most emblematic group, The Five Elements, featuring Johnathan Finlayson on trumpet, Miles Okazaki on electric guitar, Anthony Tidd on electric bass, and Sean Rickman on drums.

The band not only brings the necessary tension but also illumination on several tunes of the first set, starting with “Horda” (from the previous album), superiorly driven by a spasmodic rhythm section that underpins powerful staccato notes expelled by the frontline. Coleman overcomes conventions and transcends in an inflamed improvisation before embarking on unison lines with Finlayson, who also gleams in his own idiomatic style.

Full-throttle riffs resonate on “Djw”, inspiring a pressurized funky thrust that never loses intensity. After Okazaki’s congruent exploration, coordinated with timbral perspicacity, Coleman forges ahead in his statements by infusing incredible patterned cadences and steep accentuations. By the end, Rickman puts his flexible percussive technique at the service of the band through colorful attacks.

Slow-moving clouds are gently portrayed on “idHw” and Bunky Green’s “Little Girl I’ll Miss You”, here gradually layered with the sequential addition of drums, guitar, and then bass, flowing with a slightly Latin feel.

Marvelous intricacies and rich details are detectable, even when the groove is primal, like on “twf” or “Figit Time”, a jazz-funk piece written by Doug Hammond. This latter tune keeps bouncing oddly before touching the spiritual with Coltranean inspiration in its final segment.

“Nfr” is a legitimate swinging explosion of avant-funk and neo-bop that convinces and captivates with enraptured sensitivity. It anticipates the arrival of the closing tune, “Change of Guard” (first recorded in 86), where Coleman even scats at a blazing tempo and then slows down the pace to a swinging 4/4 finale.

Even avowing form and structure, the sense of freedom/adventure is everywhere. Coleman excites the listeners, constantly stepping outside comfort zones through unpredictable arrangements suffused with spiraling movements and a free-funk infectiousness that dazzles.

Favorite Tracks (first set):
01 – Horda ► 02 – Djw ► 07 - Nfr

Mark Turner / Ethan Iverson - Temporary Kings

August 30, 2018

Label: ECM, 2018

Personnel - Mark Turner: tenor saxophone; Ethan Iverson: piano.

Tenorist Mark Turner and pianist Ethan Iverson, two resplendent titans of the current jazz scene, join forces for an intimate outing. Temporary Kings aggregates nine compositions - six by Iverson, two by Turner and one by Warne Marsh - that, besides bristling with competence, allow for space, reflection, and expansion. Ten years after meeting for the first time in New York, the two distinguished players and members of the Billy Hart Quartet release their first duo album on the ECM label, opening with the introspective wistfulness of Iverson’s “Lugano”, whose melodic traits recall “Autumn in New York”. Turner’s ethereal contribution tints everything with a celestial blue, while Iverson, a marvelous accompanist, creates intriguing textures, contributing for the permeation of yellow sun rays through the scattered soft clouds. The title refers to the Swiss city where the album was recorded.

The title track offers great contrapuntal sections with folk-like melodies running on top of stunning chords colored with contrasting tonalities. Iverson’s initially spacious solitary incursion is transformed in patterns of pointillistic notes as soon as Turner starts to explore unanticipated melodic trajectories, which continue in a brisker way on the luminous “Turner’s Chamber of Unlikely Delights”. Composed by Iverson, this chamber piece doesn’t hide jazz, classical, and even pop influences, evoking at times the successful aesthetic of Marsh/Tristano. However, a bona fide tribute to these two musicians arrives with a strong swinging feel on Marsh’s “Dixie’s Dilemma”, a bop-derived study with the same harmonic progression of “All The Things You Are”, frank bluesy lines, and propelled by Iverson’s nimble bass conduction on the left side.

The game of timbres becomes particularly noticeable on the final section of “Unclaimed Freight”, a blues with a scent of third stream, whose theme blossoms through repetitive phrases expressed in unison.

Delivered with a cool, quiet precision, “Yesterday’s Bouquet” is a lyrical ballad that sounds more ambiguous than Strayhorn’s “Lush Life”, despite some similarities between them. Iverson digs it alone, finding rich sonic palettes within an interesting arrangement.

Turner’s “Myron’s World” kicks off with a radiating saxophone introduction that shines further with the emergence of the pianist’s intuitive steps. Here, the mood comes closer to the snug post-bop of Kenny Wheeler/John Taylor, in a mix of charm and complexity.

The 3/4 melancholy of “Seven Points” is another product of Turner’s mind, closing out the record with a dreamy ambiance, equally graceful and intriguing.

Temporary Kings is a guileless jazz session whose bi-directional moves converge and diverge with an astounding conviction.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - Lugano ► 06 - Unclaimed Freight ► 09 - Seven Points

Jeff Siege Siegel Quartet - London Live

August 29, 2018

Label: ARC, 2018

Personnel - Erica Lindsay: tenor saxophone; Francesca Tanksley: piano; Uli Langthaler: bass; Jeff ‘Siege’ Siegel: drums.

Drummer Jeff ‘Siege’ Siegel, a sculptor of rhythm with a tendency to spiritual post-bop and gospel-inflected modalism, showcases London Live, an 8-track album recorded at the Pizza Express Jazz Club on the last night of a 2010 European quartet tour. The band features habitual co-workers Erica Lindsay on tenor saxophone and Francesca Tanksley on piano, both contributing with originals, plus Vienna-based bassist Uli Langthaler.

Lindsay-penned “Meet Me at The Station” anchors in a radiant modal jazz, evoking the work of Coltrane, McCoy, and Chico Freeman. The piece has Siegel’s effervescent drumming highlighting ride cymbal attacks and evincing a natural ability to swing distinctively. The quartet maintains the Coltrane invocations and spiritual connotations on Tanksley’s exuberant “A New Freedom”, in which the saxophonist embarks on circular agitation and angular figures, having the pianist building harmonic blocks with perfect pedal-points. Defining the layer beneath with magical tension, Tanksley works together with the bandleader and Langthaler, who both improvise after employing skittering percussive methods and grooving pizzicatos, respectively.

If Siegel’s “Art’s Message” follows a blues-based modal form to honor the inspiring drummer Art Blakey, then “Crescent Sound” opens with the bandleader dancing on the toms before adding cymbals in an Elvin Jones-inspired drum solo. A brief hard-swinging passage holds up Lindsay’s rhythmically inventive improv fueled by crisp exclamations, which totally come to a halt when Tanksley takes the lead. Having just bass as accompaniment, she becomes unpredictably bluesy prior to the reinstatement of the avant-gardish short theme.

Tranquility is found not only on Coltrane’s “Peace On Earth”, which opens with a bass solo, but also on “M Song”, a ballad Siegel wrote for his wife, implementing harmonic movements typical from jazz standards.

With the exceptional level of interplay that characterize them, the band renders the African American spiritual “I Want Jesus To Walk With Me”, arranged by tenorist Arthur Rhames, with rock-steady tonalities and a riveting pose.

Even if not so strong as last year's King of Xhosa, London Live has an uplifting quality deriving from a rich combination of melodic, harmonic, and rhythmic senses that also shows the generous and thoughtful temperament of Siegel’s compositional style.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - Meet Me at The Station ► 02 - A New Freedom ► 04 - I Want Jesus To Walk With Me

Gilad Hekselman - Ask For Chaos

August 28, 2018

Label: Hexophonic/Motema Music, 2018

Personnel - Gilad Hekselman: guitar; Aaron Parks: keyboards; Rick Rosato: bass; Jonathan Pinson: drums; Kush Abadey: drums.

The demand for and accomplishment of New York-based jazz guitar stylist Gilad Hekselman, a native from Israel, is a predicted reward for his enormous talent.

Comprising 10 striking originals brought into play by two distinct new trios, Ask For Chaos is to be released on his own imprint Hexophonic Music in partnership with Motema Music. Following the classic guitar formation, The gHex Trio features bassist Rick Rosato and drummer Jonathan Pinson, whereas the adventurous bass-free ZuperOctave has Aaron Parks on keyboards and Kush Abadey on drums. Strategically, Hekselman interspersed the work of both bands so surprising effects hailed from the contrasting sounds could be a constant.

The album kicks off in ZuperOctave-mode with “Prolog00001101”, a 23-second exercise on guitar pointillism mixed with a binary-patterned electronic vibe that clearly alludes to digital technology. This piece serves as an introduction to “VBlues”, an asymmetric blues with round and methodical funky bass lines and conspicuous hi-hat monitoring the pulse. Displaying his terrific technique, Hekselman naturally builds a highly developed vocabulary with an incredible sound and extremely tasteful guitar effects. Although the melodic paths of the blues throughout the theme are easily identifiable, the piece sounds unconventionally agreeable through shifting tempos, hauntingly scintillating chord changes, and the alternation of passages that range from strenuous to delicate.

The other pieces delivered by ZuperOctave are the well-cooked “Tokyo Cookie”, where pinpointed keyboard and guitar sounds give its place to a blend of acid funk and electronica before veering again toward a prog rock direction; “Stumble”, a downbeat item based on Wayne Shorter’s “Fall”, which still allows the shinning rays of the sun crossing through its texture; “Home To You”, an enchanting song harmonically driven by Parks’ tonal chords and with improvisational guitar-piano interspersion; and the lifting “Clap Clap”, a crossover jazz celebration with Metheny-esque passages and an impactful percussive work by Abadey.

The gHex Trio starts with the hopeful ballad “It Will Be Better”, featuring Rosato’s hefty bass solo over a moderately intensive yet texturally rich guitar-drums accompaniment; the sparkling Brazilian-jazz of “Milton”, a tribute to the musical genius of Milton Nascimento; the folk-tinged “Little Song For You”; and the country pop feel of “Do Re Mi Fa Sol”, whose indelible melody can be easily whistled.

The two trios cohabit the same space seamlessly, creating a diverse program outlined with fresh artistic ideas. This is definitely a career peak for Hekselman, an already consummate young guitarist whose fulfilling music consolidates rock-steady rhythmic engagement and singing quality.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - VBlues ► 04 - Tokyo Cookie ► 07 - Home To You