Bill Stewart - Band Menu

November 6, 2018

Label: Self produced, 2018

Personnel - Walter Smith III: tenor saxophone; Larry Grenadier: acoustic bass; Bill Stewart: drums.

The heightened sense of musicality displayed by drummer Bill Stewart is vividly felt on Band Menu, a trio album where saxophone, bass, and drums live in artistic communion. The bandleader, whose name immediately brings John Scofield groups and Pat Metheny Trio to mind due to their fruitful associations, gets together with bassist Larry Grenadier, an old rhythm mate, and saxophonist Walter Smith III, who first recorded with the drummer in 2015 on Danny Grissett’s The In-Between.

The title track opens the session with melody, simmering in a 4/4 reduced pressure. Bringing further motivic energy and embracing a funk rock glow, “F U Donald” is a politically mordant, rhythmically enticing piece, which is pretty suggestive of Stewart’s political position in the face of America’s current situation.

Grenadier and Stewart dive into swinging virtuosity on “Think Before You Think”, one of the drummer's earliest pieces, and “Good Goat”, both stylish neo-bop statements that thrive with Smith’s fleet discourses filled with tempered tonal glides, Grenadier’s confident phrasing within the groove, and Stewart’s pulsating excursions, whether expressed over a vamp or aggregated into the final theme.

“Hair and Teeth” is an amiable, grooving, and unfaltering jazz funk that opposes to its adjacent number, “Invocation”, earnestly shaped with modal balladic contours. On the latter, Grenadier’s delicate extemporization comes across with Smith’s melody at the very end, and they naturally coalesce to a fully integrated finale. The following composition, “Modren”, shifts mood and pace once again, and Stewart soars, appending vigorous rim shots and inventive beats for a multi-timbral feast.

While Bill Evans’ “Re: Person I Knew” was a great choice for the repertoire, here recuperated as a celestial contemplation that verges on the magical, Smith enriches the song lineup with his “Apollo”, a post-bop marvel included in his 2014 CD Still Casual and the longest tune on the record. The manner in which saxophone and bass are conducted almost makes us hear the chords coloring the skeletal core of the song. Scintillating drumming keeps them company.

Stewart’s efficiency and exceptional taste are everywhere, whether when he hits the drums with roiling emotion or when slows down to a relaxed pace. He is a drummer with big ears, who categorically makes his co-workers sound better.

Favorite Tracks:
02 – F U Donald ► 03 - Re: Person I Knew ► 08 - Apollo

Joe Locke - Subtle Disguise

November 5, 2018

Label: Origin Records, 2018

Personnel - Joe Locke: vibraphone, piano; Jim Ridl: piano, Fender Rhodes, synth; Lorin Cohen: bass; Samvel Sarkisyan: drums + guests David Binney: alto saxophone; Adam Rogers: guitar; Raul Midón: guitar, vocals; Alina Engibaryan: vocals.

In a career spanning nearly four decades, vibraphonist Joe Locke conquered a high-ranking place among the most versatile mallet men in jazz. On his latest album, Subtle Disguise, he is edgier than ever, presenting two covers and seven original compositions, which are elevated to a superior dimension by the presence of exceptional colorists such as saxophonist David Binney and guitarists Adam Rogers and Raul Midón.

The eloquent saxman makes use of his complex phrasing to inundate “Red Cloud” with energy. The tune, named after the Oglala Sioux leader, bounces around with Samvel Sarkisyan’s dynamic drumming and an anchorable ostinato shared by pianist Jim Ridl and the bandleader, who improvises with sophisticated swoops of melody and rhythmic sense.

Midón, equally efficient on vocals and guitar, is featured on both cover songs, Bob Dylan’s “Who Killed Davey Moore?” and Blind Willie Johnson’s “Motherless Child”. While the former - a compound of funk, jazz, and R&B - is shaken by Lorin Cohen’s slick bass conduction and vibrant solos from Locke, Ridl on Fender Rhodes, and Midón on acoustic guitar; the latter features Rogers improvising with bluesy feeling in accordance to the tune’s gospel-blues essence. This flexible guitarist has the spotlight again on the title track, a triple rhythmic patterned song derived from an old Miles Davis’ original, where he interacts with Locke by running phrases in parallel and slightly shifted in tempo, and eventually fascinates through a solo by way of final theme.

The sweet-tempered “Make Me Feel Like It’s Raining” is devoted to the late master vibist Bobby Hutcherson, and has its vocal version on “A Little More Each Day”, which features Locke on piano and Russian-born singer Alina Engibaryan in a Stevie Wonder-esque style.

There is also a couple of jazz churners well worthy of mention: “Rogues of America”, whose obvious political connotations find expression in a sparkling rhythm that underpins effusive solos - including Binney, who starts by dancing neurotically on top of a percussion-only tapestry; and “Blondie Roundabout”, a crossover jazz number that borrows part of its intensity from the rock genre.

Locke’s lavishly textured compositions, often associated with imaginative post-bop trajectories, get to the top whenever its round edges are bent by contrasting stimuli. This is how the fiery lineup of special guests on this album brings extra flavor to the vibraphonist’s sweeping contemporary technique.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - Red Cloud ► 03 - Subtle Disguise ► 05 - Rogues of America

Mark Masters Ensemble - Our Métier

November 1, 2018

Label: Capri Records, 2018

Personnel includes – Mark Masters: composition, arrangements, conduction; Mark Turner: tenor saxophone; Oliver Lake: alto saxophone; Gary Foster: alto saxophone; Tim Hagans: trumpet; Dave Woodley: trombone; Bob Carr: baritone saxophone, bass clarinet; Anna Mjoll: vocals; Craig Fundyga: vibraphone; Putter Smith: bass; Andrew Cyrille: drums; and more.

American bandleader and trumpet player Mark Masters has been establishing a reputable career mostly with works released on Capri Records. Our Métier, his new album on that label, comprises eight originals specifically composed for an elite of top-notch soloists, cases of saxophonists Mark Turner and Oliver Lake, trumpeter Tim Hagans, and trombonist Dave Woodley. In fact, their stylistic range brings additional grandeur to Masters’ compositions, starting with the first track, “Borne Toward The Stars”, a vibrant swinger inspired by the conclusion of Malcolm Lowry’s novel Under the Volcano. It's cautiously introduced with atmospheric suspensions and furtive glances, exploding when Lake blows the alto with the atonal fervency that characterizes his playing. The coalition of Putter Smith’s swinging bass and Andrew Cyrille’s straight rhythm serves as the sole backdrop until horn riffs are added. Lake is followed by another meticulous sculptor: Hagans, who upholds the enthusiasm, even when employing a more standardized articulation.

The same soloists are featured on the Shorter-esque title track, a richly orchestrated bluesy waltz that closes out the album, and in between they make use of their in-the-moment creativity, collaborating with other artists on two collective improvisations: “A Précis of Dialogue” and “In Our Time”.

With lots of humor, “51 West 51st Street” shines with that busy jazzy feel of Midtown New York, featuring vocalist Anna Mjoll and bass clarinetist Bob Carr in a gently funky first phase, and then turning the focus to the muted trombone of Dave Woodley and the trumpet of Tim Hagans, both telling individual yet congruent stories.

The Icelandic jazz singer sweetens “Lift”, a 12-bar blues, with an upfront improv just before Lake invades the space by sliding out of the conventional and bringing necessary tension. His sayings are supported by the glorious vibes of Craig Fundyga, who closes out the improvisations with a distinctive sound. Before him, the bass player had his word.

“Ingvild’s Dance” is a sprightly medium-tempo waltz written for trombonist Art Baron’s wife. Tenorist Mark Turner excels, and not only here. Owning a formidable vocabulary enhanced by timbral faculties, he also takes “Luminescence”, a blues with a relaxed posture, to another level. He and Hagans challenge each other after the latter’s solo, sharing the sonic space with an enthusiastic conversational disposition.

Masters has the entire band having fun with his compositions and arrangements where the presence of jazz tradition is as important as it is the modern infiltration. The aesthetics of his music, built with passages that alternate between the adventurous and the predictable, have the soloists carrying much of the flame.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - Borne Toward The Stars ► 04 - Ingvild’s Dance ► 10 - Our Métier

Florian Weber - Lucent Waters

October 31, 2018

Label: ECM Records, 2018

Personnel – Florian Weber: piano; Ralph Alessi: trumpet; Linda May Han Oh: double bass; Nasheet Waits: drums.

The classically trained German pianist Florian Weber is equally proficient within low-key ambient styles and more agitated jazz atmospheres. However, his second ECM work, Lucent Waters, reveals a steeper inclination to haunting, if occasionally stirring, contemplation. Weber, who is accompanied by a stellar trio of musicians with Ralph Alessi on trumpet, Linda May Han Oh on double bass, and Nasheet Waits on drums, procures to have his eight originals purely layered, describing mostly serene landscapes with transparency and sharp focus.

On the short opener, “Brilliant Waters”, the quartet sails pacifically and continues doing it on “Melody of a Waterfall”, whose percussive introduction prepares us for a classical-influenced water channel where Rachmaninoff’s swift nimbleness comes to mind. Ms. Han Oh dexterously moves her fingers on the fretless bass, articulating an intricate dissertation before Weber takes over.

Ralph Alessi displays his unique, quietly crisp tone on “From Cousteau’s Point of View”, which unfolds with a crystalline beauty without ever stirring the waters. This composition was inspired by recent diving experiences.

A bit of agitation arrives with “Time Horizon” where the delicate virtuosic shimmering of the piano operates over the hearty rhythmic net weaved by Oh’s palpitating bass pedal and Waits’ revolutionary whirls. Weber finishes it with strong, appealing chords.

If “Schimmelreiter” brings a bit of Satie’s classical melancholy, then “Butterfly Effect” is a mesmerizing voyage to a melodic universe that reminds me of Italian trumpeter Enrico Rava. You will feel surrounded by smooth sonic surfaces while enjoying deep moments of breathiness. This predominant tranquility also dominates during the first minutes of “Fragile Cocoon”, however, the intensity is increased during another creative solo by Alessi, who finds harmonic backing in Weber’s tense movements.

Melding disparate influences - from Lennie Tristano’s ideas about lines and counterpoint to Karlheinz Stockhausen’s polyphony-inspired drawings - Weber dedicates “Honestlee” to mentor Lee Konitz, with whom he always learns something new whenever they meet.

The concept is democratic on Lucent Waters, allowing everyone to shine at some point, and a steady balance is achieved through an effective application of control and freedom. Even if not always emotionally warm, the tunes are delivered with heart.

Favorite Tracks:
03 - From Cousteau’s Point of View ► 05 - Butterfly Effect ► 07 - Fragile Cocoon

Dave Ballou & BeepHonk - The Windup

October 30, 2018

Label: Clean Feed, 2018

Personnel - Dave Ballou: trumpet; Anthony Pirog: guitar; Adam Hopkins: bass; Mike Kuhl: drums.

Trumpeter Dave Ballou has been a ubiquitous presence on the avant-jazz scene, participating in projects of likes such as bassist Mario Pavone, French hornist Tom Varner, pianist Satoko Fujii, and drummer John Hollenbeck. His second Clean Feed outing, The Windup, features a quartet that first played together in 2011 at the Windup Space in Baltimore, Maryland, where the bassist Adam Hopkins used to organize weekly concerts to promote collaboration between improvisers. Breaking the initial purpose of a one-time-only performance, the ensemble that played at that time - Ballou, Hopkins, guitarist Anthony Pirog, and drummer Mike Kuhl - reunited recently at the same place to explore Ballou originals.

“Fluffer Nutter” kicks in with trumpet and guitar asserting a phrase that keeps being suggested throughout, even after the musicians disperse their attention to focus on alternative yet still-communicative ostinatos. While Kuhl employs jittery ride cymbal, Hopkins sticks to a methodical pizzicato, completing a foundation that invites the guitarist and the trumpet player to persevere interaction. Before the peaceful ending, Pirog devises a crackling, exploratory, acid-rock-driven improvisation suffused with electronic momentum.

“BeepHonk” borrowed the title from the band’s name, taking us to a ruminative 15-minute journey initiated by bass alone. Hopkins’ thumping pizzicato is followed closely by the drummer and ultimately drizzled with bird-like electronic noises and curt remarks of a muted trumpet. At some point, the music earns a strong chamber feel that couldn’t be held out due to the uncanny synth vibes created by Pirog, a true specialist in digital manipulation.

Lasting for more than 26 minutes, the final piece, “Nice Spot - Another Fool” recuperates that chamber aura that places the band somewhere between fragility and sturdiness. By giving the rhythm a bit more profundity, the band designates Pirog as its catalyzer, and he responds by whether intensifying texture or pacifying the waters with the use of relaxed harmonic sequences. Serene passages, adorned with homespun electronic effects and mysterious dark drones, alternate with inharmonic gravitational spins. The last five minutes are marked by a rhythmic effervescence, promptly roughened by distorted guitar.

This is a rewarding effort from Ballou and his peers, who knew how to stuff the inventive structures with enjoyable musical moments.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - Fluffer Nutter ► 03 - Nice Spot - Another Fool

Andrew Cyrille - Lebroba

October 29, 2018

Label: ECM Records, 2018

Personnel – Andrew Cyrille: drums; Wadada Leo Smith: trumpet; Bill Frisell: guitar.

Andrew Cyrille, 78, is a veteran jazz drummer that doesn’t need any kind of pyrotechnics to stand out. Instead, he instinctively hits the different parts of the drum kit with disentangled discernment, almost in a search of the perfect minimalism to rhythmically drive a tune.

On this new outing, Lebroba, he is joined by two other giants of the modern jazz scene: trumpeter Wadada Leo Smith and guitarist Bill Frisell. All three explorers contribute with compositions and there’s also an improvised number, “TGD”, signed by the collective. This piece unfolds in a crossing of spontaneous trumpet gusts, communicative distorted guitar, and refined percussive enchantment, all disturbed by electronic manipulation. Exhibiting an analogous posture in terms of abstraction of sound and unprompted communication is Wadada’s 17-minute “Turiya: Alice Coltrane/Meditations and Dreams: Love”. It’s definitely a ‘free’, changeable, and unpredictable journey. Whether with melancholy or frisson, the trumpeter is constantly seeking new avenues to explore; conversely, Frisell’s incredible harmonic work sometimes melds with folk and blues melodies; whereas Cyrille's thoughtful tom-tom figures encompass a mix of wet and dry sounds. He’s definitely not a timekeeper but rather a time breaker and rhythm explorer.

The remaining trio of compositions is utterly melodic. Frisell’s “Worried Woman” is a charmer, displaying trumpet phrases echoed by guitar in a spiritual communion, while the drummer sounds magnificently offbeat as only the masters can do. It’s stunning how everything comes effortlessly into focus both rhythmically and melodically.

Cyrille’s 8-bar blues “Lebroba” has some melodic connotations with Mingus’ “Goodbye Pork Pie Hat” and suggests a march, which the drummer never validates overtly. The luminescent muted trumpet of Wadada, who offers plenty of long notes, combines with Frisell’s witty comping to design poetic sketches. Following the same parameters, the closing piece, "Pretty Beauty", also a product of the drummer's mind, is a sheer delight - a rubato ballad infused by plaintive chords and poignant melodicism, almost channeling John Lennon’s “Imagine” in slow-mo and having Cyrille coloring it beautifully with brushes.

Cyrille already made history in jazz, but keeps enriching his discography with great recordings and marking the scene with his grandiose presence and availability. His collaborators here are equally outstanding.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - Worried Woman ► 03 - Lebroba ► 05 - Pretty Beauty

Ran Blake / Christine Correa - Streaming

October 25, 2018

Label: Red Piano Records, 2018

Personnel: Ran Blake: piano; Christine Correa: voice.

Idiosyncratic veteran pianist Ran Blake is not only known for enjoying the freedom of playing alone but also for his fruitful collaborations with legitimate female singers such as Jeanne Lee, Dominique Eade, Sara Serpa, and Christine Correa. It is the latter who joins him on Streaming, an avant-garde album of mostly non-original Third Stream repertoire where piano and voice intersect in a privileged communication.

Blake exerts mordant clusters on Billie Holiday’s “Don’t Explain”, which takes the shape of a mysterious dream through spacious piano phrases and a hushed vocal candor. It’s a strong opening by the duo, whose tactile contingencies are increasingly pronounced on Ornette Coleman’s classic, “Lonely Woman”. Correa starts alone with a powerful Africa-inspired chant, followed by the rubato roams of the pianist. The transformation of the piece - dusky, erratic, deeply atmospheric - deserves admiration.

Without diverging too much from the jazz standard format, but offering plenty new things to be discovered, “Out Of This World” and “Bebopper” feel very accessible. The former is intuitively textured, allowing enough room to Correa’s remarkably controlled voice; the latter, swinging resolutely in an inexplicit way, has the pianist quoting the first notes of “Lullaby of Birdland” in his solo.

Unaccompanied, Blake presents three short variations on George Russell’s “Stratusphunk”, while Correa also claims a solo moment on “Wende”, probably Blake’s most known original.

Not without surprising us with a two-note piano pedal sustaining the expansive vocalization on “Ah, El Novio No Quere Dinero”, a lusty if static traditional Shephardic song, the duo closes out the album with “No More”, another composition intimately connected to Billie Holiday.

Blake, an unmatched genius in the art of deconstructing the obvious with trancelike dissonance, has in Correa a great accomplice in another work of inspired improvisational spontaneity.

Favorite Tracks:
02 - Out Of This World ► 03 - Lonely Woman ► 04 – Stratusphunk I

Jerome Sabbagh / Greg Tuohey - No Filter

October 24, 2018

Label: Sunnyside Records, 2018

Personnel – Jerome Sabbagh: tenor saxophone; Greg Tuohey: electric guitar; Joe Martin: acoustic bass; Kush Abadey: drums.

French-born, New York-based saxophonist Jerome Sabbagh co-leads a new quartet with his longtime buddy and collaborator, guitarist Greg Tuohey. Both worked together in another quartet, Filpside, in which they teamed up with bassist Matt Penman and drummer Darren Beckett. However, for this new outing, the bandleaders are joined by bassist Joe Martin, a core member of Sabbagh’s quartet (together with Ben Monder and Ted Poor), and drummer Kush Abadey, a recent discovery.

No Filter, which was recorded in New York with no edits or overdubs, includes three compositions from Sabbagh and four from Tuohey. The journey is initiated with the former’s “Vicious”, where a relatable guitar ostinato is drawn from the power rock compendium, conveying a cinematic Mission-Impossible-like vibe. Moreover, eccentric guitar strokes are part of the comping as the saxophonist slides outside the diatonic scale without losing the nice melodic flow of the song. Whereas Tuohey discloses his jazz-rock technique, Abadey awaits the last section of the tune to improvise with brio.

A great harmonic treatment is given to Tuohey’s “Lurker”. The guitarist employs a slightly dirtier sound and delivers a personal statement enriched with motivic ideas. The atmosphere, which was built upon an amalgamation of post-bop and pop/rock, favors Sabbagh’s creative phrasing.

Possessing authentic compositional styles, the bandleaders have musical personalities that allow for an effective musical match. They are able to play with dynamism but are also proficient when cooking beautiful ballads. That is the case of Tuohey’s “No Road”, whose sweet contagious torpor invades and conquers with a strong lyrical sensibility. He totally changes posture on “Chaos Reigns”, a shifting composition that starts by waltzing discreetly with a feeling of near sadness, passing through an unconfined yet minimalistic atmosphere marked by saxophone cries, and ultimately, as the title suggests, delving into a more chaotic urbanity. That's when the electric guitar infuses gripping tension and a distorted toxicity.

“Cotton” and “You Are On My Mind” are contrasting Sabbagh compositions. The former is a snail-paced lament stimulated by dark mallet propulsions, whereas the latter displays a joy-filled melody in a bright, saturated post-bop fashion.

No Filter provides an engaging experience filled with alluring melodies and harmonies and dexterous transitions. It translates into inspired, grown-up music with a fresh taste of youth.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - Vicious ► 03 - No Road ► 04 - Chaos Reigns

Ben Wendel - The Seasons

October 23, 2018

Label: Motema, 2018

Personnel – Ben Wendel: saxophone, bassoon; Aaron Parks: piano; Gilad Hekselman: guitar; Matt Brewer: bass; Eric Harland: drums.

The Seasons is not a new conceptual project by saxophonist and bassoonist Ben Wendel, a founding member of the eclectic band Kneebody, whose expressive tone jabs as much as bewitches. Still, this is the first time he presents it on record. For that purpose, he gathered a remarkable quintet harmonically driven by pianist Aaron Parks and guitarist Gilad Hekselman, and all propelled by the rhythmic bond of bassist Matt Brewer and drummer Eric Harland. In 2015, the saxophonist released 12 music videos on YouTube, corresponding to 12 original chamber duets that aimed to describe each month. The idea, introduced by classical Russian composer Tchaikovsky in 1876, gains now contemporary proportions with Wendel’s fluid stream of songs.

On “January”, despite the wintry connotations that the month implies, there’s a total absence of coldness in its ternary fluency due to the ardent way Hekselman and Wendel conduct their improvisations. Instead, that wintry torpor is left to “August”, a grey ballad that becomes darker and agitated as it moves forward.

Wendel is abrasively lyric in his solos, attaining climatic heights on pieces such as “February”, a confluence of vibrant post-bop and robust rock with a hint of Brazilian rhythmic flair; and “June”, a beautifully layered story influenced by post-bop and classical music, where the beseeching tenor of the bandleader reaches an extensive timbral range. The urbane pianism of Parks is not only noticeable on this latter tune, but also on “July”, a friendly and enthusiastic pop-meets-folk number melodically driven by bassoon; “September”, an exuberant funk rock title whereupon he excels in the art of comping and improvisation; and on the soulful “November”, where an indestructible pop/rock energy serves extemporizations by Brewer and Hekselman.

The guitarist, who shares an undeniable musical chemistry with the saxophonist, infuses contrasting folk textures on the Metheny-esque “May”, where the suggested crossover jazz takes the shape of a blues. Guitar and bassoon are complimentary forces on the effect-drenched “December”, a more contemplative piece that draws both mystery and enchantment. Harland’s drumming feels loosened here as required, yet, he demonstrates to have a conversational side when proclaimed sole accompanist of Wendel on the introductory section of “April”.

“March” takes us to cozy places with its rich harmonies and deliberate bossa nova accent, whereas “October” carries a primordially Afro touch besides the electro surface that confers it a modernly trippy aspect.

The Seasons is a wonderful, multi-colored work, a sagacious demonstration of Wendel's capacities. It’s an album that, deservedly, will be among the natural choices for best of the year.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - January ► 02 - February ► 06 - June

Rudy Royston - Flatbed Buggy

October 22, 2018

Label: Greenleaf Music, 2018

Personnel - John Ellis: bass clarinet, saxophone; Gary Versace: accordion; Hank Roberts: cello; Joe Martin: bass; Rudy Royston: drums.

Rudy Royston is a proficient American drummer who prefers an exemplary collective sound to any sort of ego demonstration. And that’s a rule he follows on Flatbed Buggy, the follow-up to the acclaimed Rise of Orion, a trio session recorded in 2006 with saxophonist Jon Irabagon and bassist Yasushi Nakamura.

For this new outing, dedicated to time and journeys, Royston assures a completely different sound aesthetic. Quirky chamber-folk sounds are brought by his estimable new quintet, featuring John Ellis on bass clarinet and sporadically on saxophone, Gary Versace on accordion, Hank Roberts on cello, and Joe Martin on bass.

“Soul Train”, the opening track, soon authenticates the tendency for melody-centric compositions with the accordion giving it a special, flattering touch. Behind the drum kit, the bandleader maintains a sober pose during improvisations from bass clarinet, which reinforces nostalgia, and double bass, actuating within a dark chamber vamp. However, he sets out an Afro groove that is permeated by the happy folk scintillations of Roberts’ bowed cello.

The title track stands at that threshold that separates old sepia memories and the more colorful hues of contemporary days. Versace’s comping becomes reggae-ish while Ellis improvises, and Royston enters in a sort of marching pulse without embracing it deliberately.

Although related thematically, “boy…Man” and “girl…Woman” are contrasting in the mood. The former is a spiritual with shifting tempos, luminous harmonic progressions, and empathetic melody, whereas the latter is a slow, bucolic exercise with minimalistic drum work and an acquiescent solo by Versace. Both songs rock for a little bit in its respective final sections and then fade out. The accordionist introduces a fine pop melody on “Hourglass” and is promptly supported by the rest of the crew. But the tune’s final destiny is the blues, here exposed with devotion and some playfulness as well.

Royston and his partners showed they are not averse to swing; and if they do it gently on “Twirler”, then they step up the tempo for the bop-infused “Bobblehead”, in which the drummer brings something more than just simple accompaniment. Another great swinging incursion happens on “The Roadside Flowers”, probably the most attractive piece on the album, with Ellis discharging large amounts of postbop energy on tenor sax. Royston penned this skillfully arranged composition with vivid past memories of a drive through wide-open space in Texas.

The journey ends with “I Guess It’s Time to Go”, the last of four interludes scattered through the album, which marks an unusual conclusion to an inviting set of songs.
More convex than angular, the jazz profiled by Royston has a strong empathic essence and transmits an exceptional, personal charisma.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - Soul Train ► 04 - boy…Man ► 09 - The Roadside Flowers

Scott Routenberg Trio - Supermoon

October 18, 2018

Label: Summit Records, 2018

Personnel - Scott Routenberg: piano; Nick Tucker: acoustic bass; Cassius Goens III: drums.

Supermoon, the second outing of the trio led by under-the-radar pianist Scott Routenberg, is the follow up to last year’s Every End Is A Beginning. As happened in the previous CD, the new work released on Summit Records, is exclusively composed of originals and features Nick Tucker on acoustic bass and Cassius Goens III on drums.

Routenberg, who was not averse to genre explorations in an initial phase of his career (Jazztronicus), provides us with a fine collection of jazz songs inspired by his two sons, Julian and Florian.

Opening the program is the title track, which dissipates all types of positive energy. The tune was written for Florian, who was born on the evening of the supermoon, and conveys the liveliness of a child in the form of a colorful rock-based song with boiling drum fills, grooving bass lines, as well as a burning piano ride.

Things start graciously feathery on “Everything Is Alive”. Still, the rhythmic and harmonic textures stiffen up for Routenberg’s eloquent solo, eventually returning to the initial quasi-classical docility.

Florian’s obsession with trains is illustrated on “Locomotivity”, an uptempo burner in six with a subtle Latin feel and boppish motifs to be enjoyed. This one was co-written by Routenberg and his wife Sofia Kraevska.

Both “Quiet Times”, a melodious reflection requiring cohesive interplay, and the closing “Little Song”, a tranquil ballad in which the trio finds room to breathe, have soft, warm-hearted natures, in opposition to the playful “Bebop Baby”, whose swinging verve is pelted with Bird-inspired lines and a rhythmic bounce similar to Benny Green. Tucker also enchants while discoursing in sympathy with Gershwin’s classic rhythm changes.

Supermoon is a product of Routenberg’s parental and musical inspirations, but also a work of unified expression from a charismatic trio that shows enough attributes to provide us with substantial moments of gratification.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - Supermoon ► 02 - Everything Is Alive ► 08 - Quiet Time

Kyle Nasser - Persistent Fancy

October 17, 2018

Label: Ropeadope, 2018

Personnel – Kyle Nasser: tenor and soprano saxophones; Roman Filiu: alto saxophone; Jeff Miles: guitar; Dov Manski: keyboards; Nick Jost: bass; Allan Mednard: drums.

Saxophonist Kyle Nasser, a native of Massachusetts, forges his sophomore album, Persistent Fancy, with a strong team spirit and a signature of his own. The CD, inspired by literary and philosophical works as well as personal experiences, comprises 14 compositions molded with classical, rock, and jazz influences. Nasser gathers a competent sextet, forming a dynamic frontline with Henry Threadgill’s indispensable altoist Roman Filiu. They are backed by an efficient rhythm section with Jeff Miles on guitar, Dov Manski on keyboards, Nick Jost on bass, and Allan Mednard on drums. The guitarist is the only ‘survivor’ from Nasser’s 2015 album Restive Soul.

The album’s opener, “Split Gut”, is a tempting invitation formalized by piano moves effortlessly synchronized with bass and drums. Amidst rock discharges and oblique crescendos, there is still space for a conversational interaction between the reed players. Initially cordial, the dialogue expands after a while, until getting the phrases juxtaposed. Miles’ wah-wah guitar is attractively noir and his attacks point in the direction of the next indie rock-driven song, “Arrival”, originally written for a trio gig in Chile.

The rock genre is revisited again with “Sticky Hipster”, a fusion exercise that homages the musical tendencies of Nasser’s Brooklyn neighborhood. It’s filled with guitar sounds in the style of Alan Holdsworth, rapid saxophone runs, and hearty drum slaps. Also, the second part of “Eros Suite”, featuring ostinatos and cyclical harmonic progressions with the drummer at full force, creates an adherent rock muscle that is dropped in its romantic third and last part.

There is another suite in the program that piqued my curiosity through its distinct tone colors in an agile amalgamation of jazz and classical music. The three-part “Baroque Suite” was inspired by Shostakovich’s Preludes and Fugues and shows Nasser’s compositional sophistication. The first part (prelude) implements a sort of rock-ish Middle Eastern cadence in seven before a passage that consolidates classical piano and synth effects. The second part (a fugue) serves as a showcase for the saxophonist's delineations, whereas the conclusive part three is a 2-minute swinging fantasy where they fully enjoy improvisatory freedom.

The classical influence sticks out once again on the sole non-original on the album. “Arioso” is an excerpt from prolific German violinist Paul Hindemith’s “Ludus Tonalis”, while, on the contrary, post-bop orientations are in the base of “The Ascent of Henry Monmouth” and “3-Way”.

Contrasting with the rest of the tunes, we have the title track, immersed in synth replications while rock and jazz elements fuse with an electronic-like vibe; and the happy, suggestive pop song “Coffee and Cannabis”, which closes out the album.

Pivoting into a variety of sonic territories, Nasser presented well-developed ideas that openly welcome cross-genre pollination.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - Split Gut ► 05-07 - Baroque Suite ► 07-09 - Eros Suite

Cuong Vu 4Tet - Change In The Air

October 16, 2018

Label: RareNoise, 2018

Personnel – Cuong Vu: trumpet; Bill Frisell: guitar; Luke Bergman: bass; Ted Poor: drums.

Cuong Vu nurtures the idea of group identity with another multifaceted quartet album featuring singular guitarist Bill Frisell, bassist Luke Bergman, and drummer Ted Poor. Change In The Air is the followup to Ballet: The Music of Michael Gibbs and includes only original compositions brought by all the four members of the ensemble - Vu, Poor, and Frisell contribute three tunes each, and Bergman one.

Surprisingly, the album starts with a longing jazz ballad penned by the drummer, who employs brushes for a more delicate sound. But there are other balladic incursions like Frisell’s discreetly bluesy “Far From Here” and “Long Ago”, a slow folk number with a rustic touch that advances methodically with conspicuous snare drum activity. The guitarist’s writing style is unequivocal and his sound aesthetics is transported to this quartet.

Poor’s “Alive”, one of the record’s most exhilarating pieces, is a resolute epic that shifts and shines with Frisell’s full-bodied country-rock guitar emboldened by the dependable bass-drums flux, while the adventurous Vu unleashes spontaneous phrases in tones of blue, where every note is played with passion and grit.

Bergman’s sole composition “Must Concentrate”, offers engrossing chord changes over an initially static rhythm. However, the group doesn’t linger in that particular orientation for too long. They work dynamics with gusto, weave engaging textures (Bergman plays additional guitars), and the song easily gravitates toward the alternative pop/rock style, differing from the less impetuous temper that had been created with the previous waltzing tune: Frisell’s contemplative yet alert “Look, Listen”.

“Round and Round” has the melodic instruments articulating polished phrases, whether in unison whether echoed in tandem. There are two versions of this examination, but Vu’s finest compositional effort is “March of the Bat and the Owl”, a jolt of swamp-funk and rock with staccato accents, distorted guitar, shifting tempos and sumptuous rhythms. Evidently, you’ll find the band following the routines of stretching and release with awe-inspiring virtuosity.

Cuong Vu and his reliable associates play melancholic melodies and embrace slow tempos with the same precision and creativity as when they improvise on the razor’s edge. This is a highly enjoyable disc; one that thrives through effective teamwork and forthright personal statements.

Favorite Tracks:
02 - Alive ► 07 - March of the Bat and the Owl ► 10 – Far From Here

Wayne Horvitz - The Snowghost Sessions

October 15, 2018

Label: Songlines, 2018

Personnel – Wayne Horvitz: keyboards, electronics; Geoff Harper: counterbass; Eric Eagle: drums.

Although well rooted in his jazz pianism, Wayne Horvitz, a likable musician who made his name in the 1980’s downtown New York music scene, dauntlessly ventures in different styles that range from classical to electronic. The Snowghost Sessions marks his first trio record since the 80’s, featuring 14 tracks whose cinematic quality is stepped up through the application of electronic effects, amplified and processed piano, and a few overdubs. Old compositions are rejuvenated and new ones come to life dressed in 21st-century sonic outfits.

The album is a product of a weeklong residency at SnowGhost in Whitefish, Montana, and features a rhythm pair from Seattle: contrabassist Geoff Harper and drummer Eric Eagle.

The overdubs work nicely on “No Blood Relation #1”, a plaintive waltzing experiment layered with acuteness. Horvitz pastes a surrounding noise effect with his keyboard for spiciness, having bass and drums working tight in the back. Conversely, the second version of this piece feels very jazzy, underscored by Eagle’s sober brushwork. Also recreating himself with brushes while waltzing, the drummer propels the short “Trish”, an old tune written for The Royal Room Collective Music Ensemble, with resolution.

While “The Pauls” is patiently cooked and feels experimental in its quietude, even evasive at times, the downtempo “Northampton” spreads beautiful melody and a gospel flavor that derives from the lengthened organ chords. The dissonant vibe induced by the combination of piano and bass is delicious. Also melodically poignant and prone to ambient, “Yukio and Nao’s Duet” - referring to dancers Yukio Suzuki and Nao Ashimine - rests on an endless harmonic cycle. Both dancers collaborated with Horvitz in 55: Music and Dance in Concrete, a 2014 installation whose variations 21 and 7 were picked up for this album. The former offers a short bass solo over a minimal classical loop, while the latter brings up a relaxed, trippy beat and soaring electronics as variants.

Don’t think everything is undisturbed and contemplative because broader gestures of the trio originate denser scenarios such as the ones heard on the riotous “IMB”, whose crazy swinging passages are enlivened with electronic processing for a psychedelic effect, and “For James Tenney”, which moves forward at a galloping rhythm until the final chordal burst.

Attentive to sound design, Horvitz goes on making interesting albums, typically distinct from one another, where audio mixing has an important role.

Favorite Tracks:
02 – No Blood Relation #1 ► 04 – IMB ► 06 – Northampton

Mary Halvorson - The Maid With The Flaxen Hair

October 11, 2018

Label: Tzadik, 2018

Personnel - Mary Halvorson: guitar; Bill Frisell: guitar.

Pursuing fashionable sounds, Mary Halvorson joins forces with her fellow guitarist Bill Frisell on The Maid With The Flaxen Hair, where both follow their natural stylistic impulses to interpret nine ballads associated with Johnny Smith. The idea came from saxophonist John Zorn, who opened the doors of his record label, Tzadik, to these guitar-centric duets with abundance of melody and experimentation.

Electronic seasoning confers a 21st-century presentation to timeless standards shaped with hints of folk and country, cases of the languid “Moonlight in Vermont”, which even swings a bit in its B section after a few slow dissonant bends; “In The Wee Small Hours of the Morning”, sculpted lightly with an uncompromising posture; “The Nearness of You”, limned with rhythmic staccato attacks and introductory melodic divagations to obtain a marvelously fresh sound; and “Misty”, whose unadulterated voice leading goes along with buzzing and sliding rusty drones.

Wry sounds spread throughout and sometimes the sound of the guitarists blend in such a way that it’s hard to say who’s doing what, especially when Halvorson doesn’t use that descendant pitch shifting effect that characterizes her playing. The title track, a classical prelude by Claude Debussy, exhibits echoing phrases and follows a necessary synchronization with a contemplative country-jazz propensity.

The duo pushes the envelope of the American folk idiom on both “Scarlet Ribbons For Her Hair”, a popular song, and “Shenandoah”, dated to the early 19th century.

The fanciful orchestrators end this session with Smith’s 1954 hit “Walk, Don't Run”, in which swinging jazz segments cohabit with Bach's innuendos.

This is a fun, accessible disc from two openminded sound-shapers who bring interesting ideas to songs from the past.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - Moonlight in Vermont ► 02 - The Maid With The Flaxen Hair ► 06 - The Nearness of You

John Scofield - Combo 66

October 10, 2018

Label: Verve Records, 2018

Personnel - John Scofield: guitar; Gerald Clayton: piano, organ; Vicente Archer: bass; Bill Stewart: drums.

On Combo 66, top-tier guitarist John Scofield is featured in a quartet with his longtime drummer, Bill Stewart, and two new collaborators, pianist/organist Gerald Clayton and bassist Vicente Archer. Scofield keeps the fire burning, commemorating his 66th anniversary with a provocative blend of post-bop, rock, swinging blues, soul-jazz, and funk.

His nonpareil guitar strokes and bracing language are immediately perceived on the opening tune, “Can’t Dance”. The guitarist discloses his incapacity to dance but, on the other hand, substantiates the ability to play swinging post-bop pieces with hints of soul-jazz à-la Lou Donaldson with groove, humor, and hot bluesy licks.

Also reflecting the state-of-the-art technique of the guitarist within a swinging environment, we find tunes such as “Icons At The Fair”, shaped with taut and joyous abandon and complemented with bar trades between guitar and drums; “King of Belgium”, where the bebop ethos is brought to the present for a tribute to Belgian harmonica master Toots Thielemans; and “Dang Swing”, which captures the essence of the country blues with a buoyant temperament. Clayton is in the spotlight on the latter tune, demonstrating with agile hands why he is the first choice of Charles Lloyd and Roy Hargrove.

An infectious rock riff inspirits “Willa Jean” (Scofield wrote it for his granddaughter) before it takes a more straight-ahead course when the melody becomes salient. A similar energetic stamp is also found on the noir-ish straight-eight “Combo Theme”, but it eventually faints on the ballad “I’m Sleeping In”, gently stirred by Stewart’s brushed snare.

The guitarist also has a penchant for waltzing songs and he colors them with a contagious energy. “Uncle Southern” has a soaring, lenient organ accompanying and brings strong American flavors for a brew of jazz, gospel and R&B, whereas “New Waltzo” exhales some driving funk at a medium-fast speed. Curiously, my favorite tune on the album also flows with a three time feel, but is none of the above. It’s a bonus track called “Ringing Out”, which comes impregnated with an astonishing rhythmic proficiency. Clayton sticks out once again with a superb improvisation imbued with logic flurries containing spiky notes, and expanded with clever harmonic integration.

Scofield creates an automatic empathy, letting us know that he is here to fly for many more years.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - Can’t Dance ► 03 - Icons At The Fair ► 10 - Ringing Out (bonus track)

Devin Gray - Dirigo Rataplan II

October 9, 2018

Label: Rataplan Records, 2018

Personnel - Ellery Eskelin: tenor saxophone; Dave Ballou: trumpet; Michael Formanek: bass; Devin Gray: drums.

Dirigo Rataplan, a genuine product of the fertile musical ground of New York, is one of the brainchildren of Brooklyn-based drummer Devin Gray, who also leads the quartets Relative Resonance and Fashionable Pop Music. This stellar chord-less quartet includes stalwarts of the ‘scene’ such as saxophonist Ellery Eskelin, trumpeter Dave Ballou, and bassist Michael Formanek, with whom Gray establishes a vital rhythmic thrust. For Dirigo’s second chapter, the drummer based himself on experiences he had over the past six years and also tried to reflect how we, as human beings, currently live in the current world.

Materializing bold modernistic impulses through a grooving, carnivalesque samba flavor, “Congruently” discloses in its title how the quartet communicates. The rhythm team weaves an unbreakable net over which Eskelin and Ballou interacts, going separate ways but eventually converging when required.

“Rollin’ Thru Town” flows freely and loosely, digressing without a particular direction. While the frontline juxtaposes insouciant phrases, the bassist pushes back and the drummer completes the scenario with colorful, freewheeling chops. The musicians find a common path by the end, rejoicing in their trajectories with a laudable affinity.

If the quietness of “The Feeling of Healing”, dedicated to Steve Grover (Gray’s former teacher in his Maine), is also prone to divagation, then the shifting “Trends Of Trending” bounces off with an astute bass groove that is momentarily interrupted to install an unanchored passage demarcated by a darker semblance. The piece regains further impetus for the final section, where dry rhythmic punches are validated by the restless horn players. There is some hints of funk in its nature, just like it happens on “The Wire”, an energetic avant-garde feast a-la Don Cherry where melodic unisons give place to an uproarious reaction while Eskellin blows with an unrestricted sense of exploration. Ballou also impresses with a sudden, energetic entrance, complemented with fulminant high-pitched attacks that never feel extreme.

Before finishing dynamically with “Micro Dosage”, a short yet adventurous piece, the quartet builds “Intrepid Travelers”, departing from an unhurriedly rubato and landing on a waltzing cadence that brings Formanek to the forefront. The bassist shows how fluid and creative he can be with melody.

Employing modern jazz patterns to describe the quotidian life, Gray is far from predictable as a composer. By proclaiming an intelligent approach to song structure with plenty of groove and diversified tempos, Gray shapes Dirigo Rataplan II as an urgent contemporary record. And of course, because each member of his quartet is a virtuoso player, it all sounds effortless and responsive, regardless of the complexity of the passages.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - Congruently ► 03 - Trends of Trending ► 10 - Micro Dosage

Tyshawn Sorey - Pillars

October 8, 2018

Label: Firehouse 12, 2018

Personnel – Tyshawn Sorey: conductor, drum set, percussion, trombone, dungchen; Stephen Haynes: trumpet, flugelhorn, small percussion; Ben Gerstein: trombone, melodica; Todd Neufeld: electric and acoustic guitar; Joe Morris: guitar, double bass; Carl Testa: double bass; Mark Helias: double bass; Zach Rowden: double bass.

Drummer/composer/bandleader Tyshawn Sorey is a genius of modern composition. Embracing a completely different lineup and instrumentation when compared to his previous piano-trio session Verisimilitude (Pi Recordings, 2017), Sorey sculpts his forthcoming CD, a nearly four-hour, three-CD set opus entitled Pillars, to be quite an experience. However, it requires patience from the listener since the electro-acoustic octet he conducts digs deep into the abstract with a combination of sounds that can range from minimalistic hushes to ominous shouts and slashes to relentless machine-like sonic cycles. It’s difficult to say which parts are improvised and which are scored, but his willingness to try new things yields unpredictable outcomes on this particular work.

Part I kicks in with a long section of resonant ruffs with changing frequencies and overtones, morphing into a variegated patchwork of acoustic guitar and cymbals. This happens before the bassists are brought to the forefront and, whether bowing or strumming, create buzzing drones that support Stephen Haynes’ trumpet bursts designed in the upper register. Later, he is joined by Ben Gerstein’s trombone for a long conversation. Tweaked electronic vibes help to describe an unsettled cosmic reality through eerily phantasmagoric incursions or extraordinarily luminous points. Somewhere closer to the end, I could hear a bomb being dropped, an ambulance, a final blow… the trombone screams and the jittery percussion give the final touch to a dystopian scenario.

Part II is launched with a coalition of double basses - dented bowed reflections, cutting scratches and loose pizzicato sometimes create odd grooves. Then it’s time for electrical guitar rumination with effects, strident pointillism, harmonics, and drones. It precedes the war-like battalion that is arriving, emulated by melodica and drums. Water sounds with frenzied trumpet atop end up in a more accessible passage with trombone, guitar, and percussion.

Well-coordinated guitar plucks join the bowed basses to form eccentric chords in the solemn ritual that opens Part III. The trombone wails sound sweet when compared to the following lethargic section marked by cavernous arco bass, cymbal shatters, thumping toms, and electronic reverberance. The climax arrives with riotous attitude, softening again with the addition of acoustic guitar before diving into the haunting low-pitched sound waves that always return at the end of each part.

Sorey and his bandmates don’t reinvent but rather create from scratch with no preconceptions. This type of sound design would work wonders in movies like Malick’s The Tree of Life or Guy Maddin's experimental docufictions, offering sinister textures and timbres with sensorial intensity, instead of easy melodies on top of chord changes with perceptible rhythms underneath. I cannot say I would listen to this music every day (you have to be in that particular mood), but there is always something to be discovered when I do it. I’m still adjusting to Sorey's bold new sonic shapes.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - Part I ► 02 - Part 2

Wolfgang Muthspiel - Where The River Goes

October 4, 2018

Label: ECM Records, 2018

Personnel - Wolfgang Muthspiel: guitar; Ambrose Akinmusire: trumpet; Brad Mehldau: piano; Larry Grenadier: bass; Eric Harland: drums.

In order to address a new set of never-recorded compositions, Austrian guitarist Wolfgang Muthspiel reenlists the same American musicians who had brought Rising Grace, his previous album, to life. The guitarist builds up Where The River Goes as a natural follow-up to its predecessor but offering new experiences with each tune, a fruit of his deep musical sensibility.

Pensive guitar expressions introduce the title track right before they are turned into systematic chordal fluxes accompanied with gentle single-note delineations from pianist Brad Mehldau. The lyric vein inspires the soloists - fabulous trumpet player Ambrose Akinmusire sounds sharp and candid; Muthspiel brings some folk influence into the jazz linguistic domain; and Mehldau, invariably conveying interesting ideas, outlines precise phrases articulated with gusto.

The title “For Django” (supposedly penned for guitarist Django Reinhardt) should make us think about some sort of swinging treatment, which doesn’t happen. Instead, the piece feels more thoughtful than precipitous, becoming immersed in a dignified solemnity that never darkens. This lightness in mood is effectively corroborated by bassist Larry Grenadier and drummer Eric Harland, who restrain from pushing too far, and reinforced through a passage that promotes end-to-end communication between piano and guitar. Akinmusire justifies the constant calls from his fellow musicians, pulling off soaring solos that nobody else can match. Afterward, he lays down the melody of “Descendants” with lingering notes and fine focus. Although the piece starts nostalgically crystalline, seeking a certain amount of ambiguity and actually getting it with the contribution of slightly dissonant bends from the bandleader, it ends up being shaken by an intense rhythmic passage.

After “Clearing”, a complete spontaneous creation that touches modern classical and cyclical minimalism, it's time for the acoustic glow of “Buenos Aires”, a solo guitar portrait of the Argentinean capital.

The initially ruminative “One Day My Prince Was Gone” enjoys the exploratory freedom for a while, before exhibiting unison lines over a swinging rhythm. This ultimate thrill anticipates Mehldau’s “Blueshead”, which stands up for bop-derived melodies and solos containing abundant call-response interaction.

Muthspiel returns to the acoustic guitar introspection on the closing piece, “Panorama”, decompressing through amiable chromatic shifts within the arpeggiated movements.

The quintet, united by a strong rapport, adopts this uniform, exquisite approach to Muthspiel’s writing, creating a catchy narrative that incorporates both warm and glacial developments.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - Where The River Goes ► 04 - Clearing ► 07 - Blueshead

Darren Barrett's Time For Romance - But Beautiful

October 3, 2018

Label: dB Studios, 2018

Personnel – Darren Barrett: trumpet, vocals; Takeru Saito: piano; Santiago Bosch: keyboards, synth; Youngchae Jeong: bass; Daniel Moreno: drums; Judy Barrett: percussion + guest Kurt Rosenwinkel: electric guitar.

On his new album with the Time For Romance band, Canadian trumpet player Darren Barrett shows an enormous respect for jazz tradition, devoting himself to pure melody and transforming eight classic ballads to be firmly fit in the present. Sporadically, we can sense the same innovative, futuristic vibes that made The Opener, his previous album, an unexpected phenomenon of the contemporary jazz. These are mirrored in tunes like “Everything Happens To Me”, where we find him flirting with hip-hop rhythms and dubstep synthesis while reeling off bop-inflected phrases with long-held notes; and “The Touch Of Your Lips”, here designed with a flamboyant Afro-Latin rhythm and tasteful sound effects while upholding the warm, mellow tone reminiscent of Chet Baker.

The passionate guitar of Kurt Rosenwinkel (playing the intro all alone) lights Dizzy Gillespie’s “Con Alma” before the invasion of a percolating Latin rhythm emphasized by the presence of percussionist Judith Barrett. The bandleader improvises with soul, having Santiago Bosch’s synth ‘disturbances’ rolling sporadically in the back. In that way, he is even more persuasive on the wonderfully sedative “Invitation” as well as on “But Beautiful”, in which he has the company of Japanese pianist Takeru Saito as a featured soloist. Both pieces have the foundation builders - bassist Youngchae Jeong and drummer Daniel Moreno - holding on their function of timekeepers.

Horace Silver’s “Nica’s Dream” was subjected to a laid-back treatment in order to get an inebriating feel without losing its original soul-jazz flair. It opposes to Benny Golson’s “Ugly Beauty”, which is not so interesting in terms of texture.

The album closes with “Every Time We Say Goodbye”, which conforms to the romantic direction with a somewhat cheesy dedication to all the lovers. Besides adding organic sounds to it, Barrett sings the song.

These re-imaginations of ballads chosen from the Great American Songbook don’t have the powerful impact of Barrett’s last year’s originals. That wasn’t expected since the nature of the music is very different. However, and despite making us enjoy immortal melodies, the instrumentation and modernistic garnishes of But Beautiful, didn’t captivate me as much as I would have liked.

Favorite Tracks:
02 - Invitation ► 06 - But Beautiful ► 07 - Everything Happens To Me