Jim Snidero - Project-K

January 23, 2020

Label: Savant, 2020

Personnel - Jim Snidero: alto saxophone; Dave Douglas: trumpet; Orrin Evans: piano; Do Yeon Kim: gayageum; Linda May Han Oh: bass; Rudy Royston: drums.

Everyone knows how hard American saxophonist Jim Snidero can push his music into pleasant hard-bop and post-bop territory. As a disciple of tradition, he is a musician of reference for many others, a truly inspiration on how to play jazz passionately and structurally. However, his new outing on the Savant imprint, Project-K, breaks preconceptions, presenting a totally new facet in the way he composes and arranges. Inspired by the culture, philosophy and history of South Korea, this new music adds an unprecedented contemporary vibe to his music, capable of surprising and enchanting. The stellar sextet behind the achievement includes the resourceful trumpeter Dave Douglas, The Bad Plus’ pianist Orrin Evans, solid bassist Linda May Han Oh, and highly-sensitive drummer Rudy Royston. Rounding out the group is Korean gayageum player Do Yeon Kim, who assists in providing a strong exotic touch to a few tunes. Gayageum is a Korean traditional stringed instrument that sounds like a zither.

On the opening track, “Han”, he seems to tip his hat to Wayne Shorter and his “Footprints”, coloring the bright melodic paths with some cool rhythmic ideas. His porous tones contrast with those of the muted trumpet played by Douglas, and it’s Evans who concludes the section meant for improvisation. The pianist grooves with elasticity as the horn section adorns with terse, spiky rhythmic accents.

“DMZ” (referencing the Korean Demilitarized Zone) is my favorite tune on the record. It starts audaciously with eery gayageun percussive sounds - sweeps, crawls, and some metallic disturbance - and ends vibrantly stately with the collective sounding as compact as a big band. Two types of grooves flutter below the surface, one from the theme statement and another to underpin the solos. A peak moment is achieved when the smoking-hot frontline exchanges thoughts with zest.

Despite of its possibly misleading title, “Jeju” has nothing in common with Shorter’s “Juju”, apart from the 3/4 tempo. It’s rather a sonic depiction of the Korean Jeju Island. With a relaxed posture, it sounds very folksy due to the strong melodic presence of the gayageum. Also a waltz, but played at a faster tempo, “Jenga” is a jazzy reading of a pop hit by Korean singer Heize. By the end, one can enjoy eight-bar tradeoffs between the drummer and the soloists.

The commutative phrases between sax and trumpet on “Seoulful” complement the main theme. They feel like symmetric ideas rebounding in tandem. After a swinging original titled “Goofy”, a path travelled by the bandleader so many times before, the CD ends with the tranquil repose of the Korean folk song “Han O Bak Nyun”.

Bristling with jazz brio and Korean traditions, Project-K seamlessly connects two different worlds into a coherent whole. This is a wide, pivotal step in Snidero’s efforts to give his career a new direction.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - Han ► 02 - DMZ ► 06 - Seoulful

Jen Curtis / Tyshawn Sorey - Invisible Ritual

January 22, 2020

Label: Tundra / New Focus Recordings, 2020

Personnel: Jen Curtis: violin; Tyshawn Sorey: piano, percussion.

Here’s what I call a perfect musical match. Invisible Ritual brings together violinist/composer Jen Curtis, a member of the International Contemporary Ensemble, whose technique is awe-inspiring, with multi-instrumentalist/composer Tyshawn Sorey, heralded as one of the leading jazz innovators of our times.

Funneling their advanced musical practices into eight spontaneously composed movements, these open-minded artists subvert standards and provide new genre-defying perspectives by employing a sublime symposium of timbres and sound combinations in their music.

“I” exudes a tremendous avant-folk spell. Curtis strums, bows and plucks with edginess and power while Sorey responds with precision and brio. His unpredictable accompaniment, filled with true grit, allows him to whether make the drums pounding irregularly, rocking with some more form, or simply react with instinctive yet logical ideas.

The motivic-filled “II” alternates forward-moving thrust with calmer Eastern-flavored inspirations; it ends with peaceful flute-like tones and understated percussion. In turn, “IV” stresses strong rhythmic accentuations and turns loose motifs that can be simultaneously lustrous and rasping in tone. A powerful combination of mosaics drawn from classical, avant-garde jazz, rock and folk is on display, while synchronization, integration and reaction play key roles. In this particular movement, we have Sorey’s powerful drumming exploding with a superior sense of groove, occasionally adorned with inventive stunts for a grandiose effect. This piece marks a peak in the duo’s effortless communication.

Sorey is also extremely talented on the piano, and several pieces demonstrate his deep understanding of harmony, usually designed with quirky combinations of chord extensions. Take the examples of “III”, patiently sculpted with dreamy harmonic ambiguity and ghostly fiddling technique in the form of insistent hurried plucks and long multiphonic bows; “V”, whose balletic movements bring both circular and free-flowing activity to the table; and “VI”, a contemplative, lyrical offering where the piano breathes and the violin soothes. The record ends with a violin composite of veiled glissandos, bending plucks, and shrilling bowed notes in consonance with a panoply of percussive sounds, from gongs to chimes to vibes.

Probing with finesse and depth, the duo shows off an invulnerable musical affinity that makes me want to hear more. Invisible Ritual offers beautiful, incantatory moments and a great deal of outstanding playing.

Favorite Tracks:
I ► III ► IV

Rob Brown Quartet - From Here to Hear

January 20, 2020

Label: RogueArt, 2019

Personnel - Rob Brown: alto sax; Steve Swell: trombone; Chris Lightcap: bass; Chad Taylor: drums.

Since the 80’s, alto saxophonist Rob Brown has been a significant presence in the New York’s avant-garde and free jazz scenes. He made a name for himself as a regular member of William Parker’s In Order to Survive and Quartet, as well as collaborations with virtuosic pianist Matthew Shipp. As a leader, he usually opts for the quartet format, and it’s precisely in the latter context that we can hear him blowing the six self-penned tunes that comprises the new album, From Here to Hear, his third outing on the French RogueArt imprint.

The peculiar tones produced on his alto sax convey a false sense of disjunction, while trombonist Steve Swell, always dynamic and supportive, appears in the frontline as the perfect ally. Both benefit from the spectacular rhythm team of bassist Chris Lightcap and drummer Chad Taylor, which provides them the sturdy infrastructures on top of which they create freely and passionately.

The saxophonist guarantees a varied approach from one selection to another, and “Anticipation” kicks off the album with a theme statement delivered in unison, dark bass delineations, stark percussive clarity, and the expansive vocabulary of the horn players. There’s enough surface friction to escape any type of sterility, and “Irascible Angel” displays that fact in its introduction, where written and improvised lines mingle with fine timbral quality prior to a corpulent swinging groove is definitely planted. This expedite motion triggers a bouncing solo from Lightcap and a stirring section where sax and trombone trade licks.

Whereas “Hard Call” boasts another pulse that uncannily swings with an eccentric, pungent touch, another kind of groove, more insouciant and in the verge of a trance, is offered on “Lingering”, a passionate dance in seven, which, despite of its nuclear smoothness, is heavily stimulated by Brown’s growling cries. In contrast, Swell brings more melody into his statement here, just to splatter rapid-lines again on “Strolling and Stumbling”, a piece also marked by the rumbling and thwacking of bass and drums.

In defiance of the discipline proposed by the main themes and structure, the pieces embrace an improvisational spontaneity and freshness throughout. Even operating in particularly calculated environments, as it happens in the grayish closing piece “Cautiously Hopeful”, the group delivers.

Rob Brown remains an artist to watch and this album stresses that his mature music is more exciting than ever.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - Anticipation ► 02 - Irascible Angel ► 04 - Lingering

Flash Reviews - Branford Marsalis Quartet / Terri Lyne Carrington / Hiromi

January 16, 2020

BRANFORD MARSALIS QUARTET - THE SECRET BETWEEN THE SHADOW AND THE SOUL (OKeh Records, 2019)

Personnel - Branford Marsalis: saxophone; Joey Calderazzo: piano; Eric Revis: double bass; Justin Faulkner: drums.

Saxophonist Branford Marsalis is back with The Secret Between The Shadow And The Soul, another quartet effort with regular collaborators. Cultivating their post-bop artistry with passion, the group starts big, energizing aplomb through the mercurial intensity of “Dance Of The Evil Toys”, an Eric Revis-penned burner where the bandleader navigates the chords with breakneck phrases filled with off-kilter intervals and fierce hooks. The bassist contributes another piece, “Nilaste”, more prone to ambiguity and open form, while pianist Joey Calderazzo wrote “Cianna”, a bolero infusion with resplendent melody, and a gently brushed ballad called “Conversation Among The Ruins”. Also with balladic tones, there’s Marsalis’ “Life Filtering From The Water Flowers”, a piece dedicated to his late mother, but the peak moments arrive with outstanding covers of hip tunes from the 70’s: Andrew Hill’s “Snake Hip Waltz”, which spotlights Calderazzo in a swinging solo that pulls Charlie Parker in, and Keith Jarrett’s “The Windup”, professed with stirring solos at a burning tempo. [A]

TERRI LYNE CARRINGTON & SOCIAL SCIENCE - WAITING GAME (Motéma, 2019)

Personnel includes - Terri Lyne Carrington: drums; Debo Ray: vocals; Rapsody: vocals; Kassa Overall: turntables, vocals; Kokayi: vocals; Meshell Ndegeocello: vocals; Nicholas Payton: trumpet; Morgan Guerin: bass, saxophone; Aaron Parks: piano, keyboards; Matthew Stevens: guitar; Derrick Hodge: bass; Esperanza Spalding: bass; and more.

Grammy-winning drummer and bandleader, Terri Lyne Carrington, has in the double-album Waiting Game a fresh new chapter in her endeavor to fight the injustices of the world. She leads an ensemble of protest called Social Science, whose music harnesses elements of jazz, hip-hop, R&B, funk, rock, and contemporary classical. The groove-laden disc one is crammed with pertinent spoken word and vocal moments, and features a number of guests. Two of the highlights, “Trapped In the American Dream” and “The Anthem” were co-penned by pianist Aaron Parks, who joined forces with MC Kassa Overall on the former tune and the rapper Rapsody on the latter. Guitarist Matthew Stevens showcases his smoky guitar chops throughout, while singer Debo Ray gives an R&B touch to Joni Mitchell’s “Love” and the balladic title track. You can also hear Nicholas Payton’s trumpet dialoguing and soaring over the African-tinged pulse of “Pray the Gay Away”. Disc two is a completely different story, where the bandleader dives into an exploratory four-movement suite titled “Dreams and Desperate Measures” with chamber-esque avant-garde moves and fascinating funk-rock momentum. Bassist Esperanza Spalding and string orchestrator Edmar Colon are the suite’s guests, contributing to a record that blends musical styles and social message into an exciting package. [B+]

HIROMI - SPECTRUM (Telarc Records, 2019)

Personnel - Hiromi Uehara: piano.

Undoubtedly talented, the Japanese pianist Hiromi Uehara expertly blends classical and jazz elements into her fascinating solo playing, a practice that frees her up to fly whimsically on Spectrum, her 11th studio album. All the virtuosic glow comes from a sort of dancing duel between her left and right hand, which serves to create oneiric moments (“Whiteout”) as well as forceful rhythmic thrusts (like on the blues-meets-rock’n’roll “Yellow Wurlitzer Blues”, and “Mr. C.C”, a retro ride into Charlie Chaplin’s universe). In addition to seven original compositions (highlights are “Kaleidoscope”, where vivacious rhythmic fluxes help defining dazzling variations, and the title track, with all its busy roundabouts), she reimagines a classic from The Beatles (“Blackbird”) and delivers a 22-minute Gershwin medley (“Rhapsody in Various Shades of Blue”) containing a large number of other identifiable musical suggestions. Brimming with free-roaming imagination, Spectrum is a vehicle for Hiromi’s numerable ideas and hybridism. [A-]

Nick Dunston - Atlantic Extraction

January 15, 2020

Label: Out of Your Head Records, 2019

Personnel - Nick Dunston: double bass, vocals; Louna Dekker-Vargas: flutes, piccolo; Ledah Finck: violin, viola; Tal Yahalom: guitar; Stephen Boegehold: drum set.

Brooklyn-based bassist/composer Nick Dunston’s debut album, Atlantic Extraction, translates into a capable, lopsided modern chamber-esque work designed with both conformity and obliquity, symmetry and shapelessness. Although unconventional, the instrumentation is utterly appealing thanks to the energy channeled by the kindred spirits on the album: flutist Louna Dekker-Vargas, violinist Ledah Finck, guitarist Tal Yahalom, and drummer Stephen Boegehold.

“Tattle Snake” initiates its seven-and-a-half-minute ride with a brushed drum solo introduction before unison lines show up to define the main statement. A middle passage glues deep cuts of bowed bass and violin interjections, and the strong bass-drums coalition prepares the terrain for intrepid guitar inflections. The quintet often brings elements of surprise into the game, and if “Dunsterlude” dives into melancholy, then “Delirious Delicacies” highlights energizing atonal violin streaks on top a fast-paced tapestry that gradually decelerates. A magnetic groove is then firmly placed and Yahalom’s guitar dances to this sort of samba with virtuosic vividness.

While Appalachian folk melodies clash into modern rhythms on “S.S. Nemesis”, “Vicuña” has a whispering modern classical abstraction bookending a middle section marked by a sturdy groove and adventurous guitar explorations.

Spread amidst this variety of longer, well-written tunes there are short erudite collages and string solos, whose tonal constancy is greater than the one presented on the mutable “Globular Weaving” and “Contraband Peanut Butter”. The former presents dissonant guitar strokes as a perfect foil for the dulcet flute, and combines lucid percussion and sweeping string work into an imminent cacophony; the latter, occasionally shaken by a mild contrapuntal activity, promotes an inexorable combination of avant-garde jazz, calm chamber reflections, and looping odd-metered rocking groove.

The offbeat “A Rolling Wave of Nothing” features Dunston on vocals, whereas “Zoochosis”, a piece that seems to draw from Henry Threadgill's sonic universe, grabs us by the collar and pulls us in.

This quintet has been around for a while and this recording shows off the fruits of their strong rapport and fierce commitment. Dunston’s music immerses the listeners in a world of ambiguity, scoring big with the aggregation of both written and spontaneous ideas. Atlantic Extraction is a wonderful debut from a qualified young bass player from whom we expect even more in the future.

Favorite Tracks:
02 - Tattle Snake 04 - Delirious Delicacies 16 - Contraband Peanut Butter

Tomeka Reid Quartet - Old New

January 14, 2020

Label: Cuneiform Records, 2019

Personnel - Tomeka Reid: cello; Mary Halvorson: guitar; Jason Roebke: double bass; Tomas Fujiwara: drums.

American cellist Tomeka Reid, a recent member of the renovated Art Ensemble of Chicago, has emerged as one of the most original voices in the avant-garde scene with memorable collaborations in projects by saxophonist Roscoe Mitchell, cornetist Taylor Ho Bynum, flutist Nicole Mitchell, and drummer Mike Reed. But don't think she earned credit exclusively from her work as a sidewoman since, as a leader, she outputted two wonderful quartet albums. Four years after her eponymous quartet release on the Thirsty Ear label, she appears on the Cuneiform Records with Old New, a record informed by musical eclecticism and featuring her longtime associates Mary Halvorson on guitar, Jason Roebke on bass, and Tomas Fujiwara on drums.

The title track starts off the session, loping with an infectious rhythmic verve created by Fujiwara and Roebke. The bassist's bouncing lines sometimes rest on surgical pedals, and the unorthodox melodies offered by the ladies make the fire burn. Their taut maneuvers can easily convert delicately punctuated expressions into wildly kinetic commotions.

Equally erupting with energy, “Niki’s Bop”, written for the inspiring Nicole Mitchell, denotes intelligible bop-oriented lines over the marching snare drum that paves the way. Dazzling melodic ideas flutter from the guitar and cello, repeating, echoing, and interacting with purpose until being renewed by new motifs. This is strangely liberating.

Enlivened by an adventurous groove, “Wabash Blues” explores unison lines before we hear Reid’s ingeniously warped entanglements. Yet, our attention becomes more and more fixated on Halvorson, who gets the things grooving with a smart comping and then takes off on an out-of-this-world atonal improvisation. Quirkier and more abstract is the percussive cello-drums introduction of “Aug. 6”, which evolves into an exulted sort of Afro dance peppered with elements of avant-garde, funk, and rock. It ends beautifully.

Tradition is scattered throughout and that’s pretty evident on tunes such as “Sadie”, an old-time swinger that Reid penned for her maternal grandmother, and “RN”, where enveloping sounds overcome the challenge of giving a new perspective to pop music, a genre she admires.

Crafted with an attractive electro-acoustic sound, Old New blends past and future with an open spirit, balancing softer approaches with cathartic spontaneity. It’s instantly likable.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - Old New ► 03 - Niki’s Bop ► 04 - Aug. 6

John Zorn - The Hierophant

January 13, 2020

Label: Tzadik, 2019

Personnel - Brian Marsella: piano; Trevor Dunn: bass; Kenny Wollesen: drums.

The Hierophant is a collection of John Zorn compositions performed by a tight classic piano trio composed of Brian Marsella on piano, Trevor Dunn on bass and Kenny Wollesen on drums. Active for 40 years, the prolific Zorn has earned his stripes as one of the most creative composers of our times and this album, inspired by the mystic world of tarot, gives us another reason to be head over heels for his music.

The title cut sets everything in motion as a fervent, kinetic, turbulently swinging post-bop effort where impetuous piano notes race across the harmony. Its progressive vision is shared by the longest track, “The Hanged Man”, one of my favorite compositions. Here, the artistry of the trio is demonstrated with intense moments loaded with serial spinning movements, challenging rhythms, and pronounced accentuations. Also noticeable is a passage where Wollesen’s burgeoning mallet percussion comes to the fore, pinned by regular hi-hat intermittence.

Contrasting with the described atmosphere, there’s the surreptitious avidity of “The Devil”, a sheer avant-garde experience with weirdly scratching bass noises, patterned piano convolutions, and expandable drumming. “The Death” also falls into this darker category, presenting spine-chilling prepared piano strokes and oppressive arco bass, whereas “The Hermit”, a showcase for Marsella’s solo piano, has its improvised sense of mystery regularly disrupted by heavy, low-pitched chordal routines.

A mindset of reverie is not only achieved by the illusory kind of waltz delivered on “The High Priestess”, which combines beaming pianism, assured bass lines, and scintillating brushed drums, but also by the classical arpeggiated nuances of “The Magician”.

After the relentless, hard-swinging “The Tower”, where the rhythm bounces and melodic ideas collide, the trio rounds out the proceedings with “The Lovers”, a breezy, passionate, and rapturous treat with the capacity to urge us into a daydream state of mind.

The Hierophant perfectly integrates scored parts with intense moments of improvisation, and its expansive directions are no less than breathtaking. The variety of the picturesque moods results in an exciting and adventurous listening experience.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - The Hierophant ► 02 - The High Priestess ► 06 - The Hanged Man

Gordon Grdina's Nomad Trio

January 9, 2020

Label: Skirl Records, 2020

Personnel - Gordon Grdina: guitar, oud; Matt Mitchell: piano; Jim Black: drums.

Very active as a leader in recent times, Canadian guitarist/oud player Gordon Grdina hones his ingenious musicianship by playing with two other masters of texture and improvisation, keyboardist Matt Mitchell and drummer Jim Black. The trio’s first record comes out on the genre-defying Brooklyn-based label Skirl Records.

The trio’s love of freedom is showcased from the start, with the album’s opener, “Wildlife”, searching invariably in its attempt to sonically portray animals in their natural habitat. Expect discordant dialogues, intriguing rhythmic fluxes with spasmodic accents, and well-designed multi-shaped figures that juxtapose to create electronic-like textures that quickly shift and merge with free improvisation and hard rock punch. A softer ambiance hinged on arpeggiated piano and low-profile drum work is reserved for the final section.

Just like the haunting “Benbow”, whose writing was inspired by an exceptional stay in a historic Northern California hotel, “The Nomad” brings out the rawness of Grdina’s acoustic guitar right off the bat. After that solo moment, it lands on a forward-pushing motion that makes your body want to move. Mitchell’s nimble explorations on the lower register find Black’s drumming at its most vivid. I’m talking about a cathartic rocking blast that will get you breathless.

A flow of cross-linked ideas runs from “Ride Home”. Mitchell assures the walking bass trajectory, with Black fluctuating the tempo according to his own whims. He becomes hyperactive in the final part with a succession of kick drum explosions that wouldn’t sound displaced in a metal music number. Grdina’s intensity is preponderant in the concluding crescendo.

“Thanksgiving” starts off with beautifully intoned percussive patterns that eventually stabilize into a well-rounded groove. Mitchell’s demanding left-hand circularity doesn’t dissuade him from joining the guitarist in punchy unisons or stretching out in the upper registers. Sometimes sounding like a delicate Eastern dance, sometimes like a twanging polyrhythmic rock disarray, this is another slap-on-your-face piece. All that high-voltage energy is turned into a devotional meditation on the closing “Lady Choral”. This is the only opportunity for us to indulge in the virtuosic oud playing of the bandleader, whose migratory digresses are stunning.

After listening to all six explorative manifestations that compose Nomad Trio's first outing, we just want to go all over again and deepen our discoveries. Adventurous new material is always welcome.

Favorite Tracks:
02 - The Nomad ► 05 - Thanksgiving ► 06 - Lady Choral

Tim Stine Quartet - Knots

January 8, 2020

Label: Clean Feed, 2019

Personnel - Tim Stine: guitar; Nick Mazzarella: alto saxophone; Matt Ulery: bass; Quin Kirchner: drums.

Guitarist Tim Stine, who hails from Chicago, has a passion for intricate textures and manifests a unique expressiveness that feels exquisitely natural. Upon the release of a couple of recordings in trio, he now puts together an acoustic quartet with new cohorts Nick Mazzarella on alto saxophone, Matt Ulery on bass, and Quin Kirchner on drums.

Exclusively containing originals, Knots marks his debut on the avant-jazz-focused label Clean Feed and kicks in with an extravagant 3/4 piece titled “SH8”. The adhered lines oozed from the acoustic guitar and saxophone take wing, thriving with a contemporary folk tinge and angular jazz quality. They benefit from the astute rhythmic interplay established by Ullery and Kirchner.

Taking into account the integration of space through shifting passages, “Fred Waltzing” follows a quasi-automated routine that distills into sluggish unisons. Kirchner’s brushing is imbued of a fervent passion, while the bandleader combines rhythmic audacity and harmonic dissonance in his playing.

The melodic conductivity of “Knots” gets knotted by stubborn notes that repeat, dragging the rhythm section out of its locomotion. Mazzarella, eloquent and spellbinding while discoursing, produces empathic waves all the way through. If the saxophonist expresses thoughts with freedom and pulse on this one, then on the Violent Femmes-like folk-rock “Trempealeau”, it’s Ulery who has the word. Along with the drummer, he sets sparser, more serene tones on “Quietus” and “Ride Wild Rides”, which don’t really classify as ballads.

After a chattering percussive demonstration on “Gearth”, the album comes to an end with “Kjallstert”, where the incipient understated guitar comping contrasts with the tension of Mazzarella’s solo. This tune serves as a point of collision between indie rock and avant-jazz.

Despite the offbeat sonic frames, Knot follows a methodology that never makes for a disjointed listening. Boasting its own kind of groove, this is an engaging record that will draw you into the group’s atypical sonic world.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - SH8 ► 02 - Knots ► 08 - Kjallstert

Matana Roberts - Coin Coin Chapter Four: Memphis

January 7, 2020

Label: Constellation Records, 2019

Personnel - Matana Roberts: alto saxophone, clarinet, spoken word, vocals; Hannah Marcus: guitars, fiddle, accordion; Sam Shalabi: electric guitar, oud; Nicolas Caloia: bass; Ryan Sawyer: drumset, vibraphone, jaw harp, bells + guests - Steve Swell: trombone; Ryan White: vibraphone.

The originality of saxophonist/composer Matana Roberts is on display in the fourth chapter of her work-in-progress Coin Coin project, a musical exploration of history, memory and ancestry. Memphis is a fierce manifesto delivered with true vision and spiritual force; a voyage through time into the mystical American roots, where invocations of African spirituals, the blues, gospel hymns, and folk music, are essential elements of contemporary experimentations grounded in the avant-garde and free jazz genres.

After the solo effort that was chapter three, this new installment features a distinguished cast of musicians that project a lot of direct passion and energy into our hearts, including new polyvalent collaborators Hanna Marcus (guitars, fiddle and accordion) and Ryan Sawyer (drums, vibraphone, jaw harp, bells). Explorative guitarist/oud player Sam Shalabi and double bassist Nicolas Caloia, both hailing from Montreal, round out a powerful core quintet that is sporadically augmented with special guests.

The opening number, “Jewels of the Sky: Inscription”, sets the tone with deep, meditative chants and illuminated sax prayers stepping on a tortuous road opened by distorted guitars. A frantic snare drum makes “As Far As Eyes Can See” bubble for a bit while surrounded by guttural horn pleads and exclamations. Ephemeral, this section quickly dissolves into another mantric pulse led by the jaw harp. Matana’s spoken word is so powerful here, metaphorically related to segregation.

“Trail of the Smiling Sphinx” includes snippets of old folk tunes, namely, “Paddy On the Turnpike” and “Cold Frosty Morning”. The pace changes via effortless transitions and the textural aesthetics includes the pungent brassy romps of guest trombonist Steve Swell in addition to a thrumming guitar and riffing sax. That’s before Marcus’ fiddle suggests an animated, quasi-cacophonous dance. By the end, Matana’s words return in the company of those recurring droning sounds.

Initially disjointed by consecutive melodic fragments, “Piddling” finds a secure path to thrive in the synchronous movements that arrive next, while “Wild Fire Bare” burns in intensity with free sax romps, eccentric electric guitar chops, and natural folk melodies forming arcs of timbres that vibrate in mesmeric motion. Nothing dampens its punch.

A state-of-the-art identity is passed to the melodies of popular American songs. Hence, an untangled arrangement of W.C. Handy’s “St. Louis Blues” is offered on “Fit To Be Tied”, yet its premise sounds like a slow mournful fanfare. “Her Mighty Waters Run”, a beautiful reading of “Roll the Old Chariot Along” features an impeccable vocal arrangement carried with the help of singers Thierry Amar, Nadia Moss, and Jessica Moss. In the same way, the relentless “How Bright They Shine” includes an arrangement of Pee Wee King’s “Tennessee Waltz”. Apart from all this, the encouraging punk rock vocal intonations of “Raise Yourself Up” are exalted by folksy motivic lines and pushed forth by Sawyer’s engrossingly marching drum work.

Thoroughly narrated, revolutionary and liberating, this album speaks for itself, showcasing Matana at her highest level of creativity. In short: an essential listening.

Favorite Tracks:
02 - As Far As Eyes Can See ► 06 - Wild Fire Bare ► 11 - Raise Yourself Up

Christy Doran's Sound Fountain - For The Kick Of It

January 6, 2020

Label: Between The Lines, 2019

Personnel - Christy Doran: guitar; Franco Fontanarrosa: electric bass; Lukas Mantel: drums.

70-year-old Irish-born guitarist Christy Doran is known for his longtime association with powered rock music (he founded OM in the 70’s) but also a noteworthy presence in the avant-garde scene, especially due to a favorable trio collaboration with trombonist Ray Anderson and drummer Han Bennink.

The third recording by the eclectic Sound Fountain trio, which features electric bassist Franco Fontanarrosa and drummer Lukas Mantel, opens with a punk rock attitude and reaggae-ish riffery. “Every Dog Has It’s Day” is the first of two unrecorded pieces on the album, navigating moods that range from boisterous, with danceable ostinatos and rhythmic punch, to quiet suspensions, in which jazzier modes are dominated by colorful chord extensions, occasional bass fibrillation, and unimposing crisp drumming. Fontanarrosa stretches out under the three-time rhythmic spell generated by the drummer and endorsed by the guitarist.

The other previously unrecorded composition is “Thanks to Otmar”, which evokes an imaginary crossing between Dire Straits and The Police, being, in truth, a static parade motivated by brushes and cyclic bass figures. Doran infuses his playing with effects and bright harmonics, which are also noticeable on the time-shifting fusion “Andromeda”. In that particular context, they coexist with lubricated bass slides in a first phase, before the trio embraces an uncompromising funk rock, reserving some eastern-inflected rhythmic surprises for the last section.

Just like the previous tune, “Bad News Babe” was taken from the album 144 Strings For a Broken Chord (Between The Lines, 2018), which Doran composed for 20 guitars, four electric basses and drums. This number closes the program by intermingling the flaming bluesy riffs of Jimi Hendrix, always a major inspiration for Doran, with the unpolished funk metal once exposed by Red Hot Chili Peppers in the 80’s.

Fontanarrosa and Mantel contribute one composition each, “Abstraccion Felina” and “The Spanish Moment”, respectively. Both tunes were included in the group’s second album Undercurrent (Intuition, 2017), but if the former mixes the prog-rock of Tool with atmospheric electronic vibes, the latter procures abstraction, falling into moderately dreamy tones.

On the title track, “For The Kick Of It”, these artisans of rhythm return to the dance-like pulses and populate them with hooks and jabs. They concentrate energies in punk rock and jazz funk, having lots of fun playing it.

Favoriter Tracks:
03 - Andromeda ► 07 - For The Kick Of It ► 09 - Bad News Babe

Flash Reviews - The Attic / Evan Parker / Darren Barrett

January 3, 2020

THE ATTIC - SUMMER BUMMER (NoBusiness Records, 2019)

Personnel - Rodrigo Amado: tenor sax; Gonçalo Almeida: double bass; Onno Govaert: drums.

The Attic is a European free jazz trio composed of Portuguese saxist Rodrigo Amado, Portuguese bassist Gonçalo Almeida, and Dutch drummer Onno Govaert, who now sits on the chair that once belonged to Marco Franco. Summer Bummer is the trio’s sophomore effort and includes three extemporaneous pieces that spawn a rash of peculiar swinging streams, which may easily escalate into intricate rhythmic entanglements and spiraling rapid-fire phrases with timbral diversity and corrosive ebullience. Invocations of Coltrane, Ornette, Braxton, and Ayler are disseminated throughout. Cautious introductory assemblages expand into denser textural layering, defining the communication as a three-way dialogue before rambling journeys, often set to urgent pacing, become fleshed out by Amado’s muscular horn. Full of passion and exerting a hypnotic spell on the listener, The Attic proved capable of giving giant steps. [A-]

EVAN PARKER - CREPUSCULE IN NICKELSDORF (Intakt Records, 2019)

Personnel - Evan Parker: soprano sax; Matthew Wright: turntable, live sampling; Adam Linson: double bass, electronics; John Coxon: turntable, electronics; Ashley Wales: electronics.

The obsessive circularity of Evan Parker’s soprano is a mutual characteristic of the seven chapters that compose Crepuscule in Nickelsdorf, a live album whose experimental music inhabits an undefined space immersed in light refraction. For this work, the saxophonist teams up with turntablist Matthew Wright and three other electronic manipulators and members of the latter’s group Trance Map+. The result felt a bit short of what I expected. Despite the challenging concept to create permanent abstraction through digitally manipulated sounds that include buzzing activity (variable in pitch and volume) reminiscent of insects, programmed phenomena, and persistent birdlike chirping overlaps, the experience was a bit tiresome. The patterned code-like tones still create some frisson, but they often downshift into autopilot mode. Nonetheless, everything in this aural microcosms sounded relentlessly and unconditionally here and now. [C+]

DARREN BARRETT - MR. STEINER (dB Studios, 2019)

Personnel - Darren Barrett: EVI, trumpet; Santiago Bosch: keyboards; Chad Selph: organ; Daniel Ashkenazy: bass; Gonn Shani: bass; Mathéo Techer: drums; Roni Kaspi: drums; Jeffrey Lockhart: guitar; Roy Ben Bashat: guitar; François Chanvallon: guitar; Judy Barrett: percussion + guests Kenny Garrett: soprano saxophone; Noah Preminger: tenor saxophone; Kurt Rosenwinkel: guitar.

Totally focused on the EVI (Electronic Valve Instrument), Canadian trumpeter Darren Barrett has his second consecutive misfire with Mr. Steiner, a stylized album that, homaging the creator of the cited polyphonic instrument, Nyle Steiner, never hits high peaks. Blending electronic and jazz elements, the album has the short EVI-centered title track as one of its best moments (it also features trumpet interventions and a compendious guitar solo by guest Kurt Rosenwinkel). Another illustrious guest, Kenny Garrett, contributes a soulful soprano peregrination to upgrade the R&B-infused “dB plus KG”, while tenorist Noah Preminger makes use of his developed language, shaking up the insipid melodic narratives of “Botnik”, a stereotyped fusion effort. On “Only You Know”, it’s Venezuelan keyboardist Santiago Bosch who deserves attention as he keeps displaying mind-boggling machine-like sounds. Although respecting Barrett’s musical prism and knowing what he’s capable of (The Opener was one of my favorite albums from 2017), I could never get a real kick out of this new record, which only sporadically draws interest through individual statements. [C]

Flash Reviews - Jazzmeia Horn / Brian Lynch Big Band / Tom Pierson Orchestra

December 29, 2019

JAZZMEIA HORN - LOVE & LIBERATION (Concord Jazz, 2019)

Personnel - Jazzmeia Horn: vocals; Victor Gould: piano; Ben Williams: bass; Jamison Ross: drums, vocals; Stacy Dillard: tenor saxophone; Josh Evans: trumpet; Sullivan Fortner: piano.

Heavily steeped in straight-ahead jazz, Love & Liberation doesn’t defraud the expectations created with the 2017 debut release A Social Call. Jazzmeia Horn might not sound completely new, but it’s hard to resist to her vocal charms and swinging approach. The opener, “Free Your Mind”, is a blast, but if you think this is an energetic one, then wait for “Searchin”, an uptempo vocal endurance expressed with incredible articulation. Counting on great soloing contributions by trumpeter Josh Evans and saxophonist Stacy Dillard, Jazzmeia conjures up the spirits of Ella Fitzgerald and Duke Ellington (“Out The Window”; “Still Tryin’”), Horace Silver (“When I Say”), and Nina Simone (“No More”), and finishes up with a vocal/bass duet rendition of “I Thought About You”. Brand new standards going your way! [A-]

BRIAN LYNCH BIG BAND - THE OMNI AMERICAN BOOK CLUB (Holistic MusicWorks, 2019)

Personnel - Brian Lynch, Michael Dudley, Jean Caze, Jason Charos, Alec Aldred: trumpet; Tom Kelley, David Leon, Gary Keller, Chris Thompson-Taylor, Mike Brignola: reeds/woodwinds; Dante Luciani, Carter Key, Steven Robinson, John Kricker: trombones; Alex Brown: piano; Lowell Ringel: bass; Boris Kozlov: electric bass; Kyle Swan: drums; Murph Aucamp: percussion; Little Johnny Rivero: percussion + Guests: Dafnis Prieto: drums; Orlando “Maraca” Valle: flute; Donald Harrison: alto sax; Regina Carter: violin; David Liebman: soprano sax; Jim Snidero: alto sax.

American trumpeter/composer/bandleader Brian Lynch, a Grammy award winning artist, has brought a new burning charisma to the Latin jazz genre, raising consciousness through a colorful consolidation of diverse musical cultures. His double-disc big band album, The Omni-American Book Club, was inspired by literature and features noteworthy guests such as drummer Dafnis Prieto, flutist Orlando ‘Maraca’ Valle, violinist Regina Carter, and saxophonists David Liebman, Jim Snidero, and Donald Harrison. The latter completely kills on the smoothly funkified, R&B-flavored “The Struggle Is In Your Name”, where he exchanges heated phrases with the bandleader. Regularly disrupting the swinging rides with Afro-Caribbean passages, Lynch still has time to pay tributes to late saxophonist Blue Mitchell and trumpeter Woody Shaw. One of my favorite pieces is “Africa My Land”, an heroic adventure in six, where the baritone saxophone grooves beyond the lush horn-driven sections. [B+]

TOM PIERSON ORCHESTRA - LAST WORKS (Self Produced, 2019)

Personnel - Blue Lou Marini, Mark Vinci, Shu Enomoto, Neil Johnson, Michael Lutzeier: sax/woodwinds; Dominic Derasse, Mike Ponella, Tim Leopold, Lew Soloff: trumpet; Ben Herrington, Robinson Khoury, Dan Levine, Jeff Nelson: trombone; Tom Pierson: piano; Kanoa Mendenhall: electric bass; Pheeroan AkLaff: drums.

Composer/conductor Tom Pierson, a former protege of Gil Evans, shows all his musical qualities on Last Works, a beautifully arranged double-album, which represents 40 years of jazz composition for large ensemble. Expect majestic crescendos within epic noir ambiences (“Abandoned”), glib incursions on orchestral crossover with samba and funk on the first plan (“Chandra Lower’s Samba”; “Winter’s End”), melancholic reflexions boosted by explosive improvisations (“By The Marty’s Decree”), perplexing environments with inventive avant-garde forays (“Two Becoming 3”), dynamic jazz fantasies with contrapuntal wizardry (“Elipsis”), and fragmented bass grooves turned into continuously running fluxes (“45/8”) as Pheeroan AkLaff’s drumming is showcased. Previously unfamiliar with the work of this master orchestrator, I have to say I got particularly impressed with the emotional intensity revealed on some of the pieces. This is Pierson’s search for beauty. [A-]

Chris Speed Trio - Respect For Your Toughness

December 19, 2019

Label: Intakt Records, 2019

Personnel - Chris Speed: tenor sax; Chris Tordini: bass; Dave King: drums.

Respect For Your Toughness, the third outing for the trio of saxophonist Chris Speed, possesses a distinctive blend of energy and perspicuity, being a winning collection of nine well-written and deftly played originals (all by Speed) plus a low-key rendition of Kay Swift’s standard “Can This Be Love?”. It’s precisely this latter piece, delicately shrouded in Speed’s relaxed tone, that opens up the album. A sense of flimsiness is brought by sequences of notes peacefully aligned with enough air circulating between them to let us have a virtual perception of space. Also sharing this frame of mind, “Faint Tune” languishes in a graceful fragility with the coruscant brushwork of The Bad Plus’ drummer Dave King keeping the torch permanently lit.

The drummer is meticulously creative on “Attention Flaws”, reinventing himself with a magnetic rhythm that goes well with the percussive, stout bass attacks of Chris Tordini. Limned with a soulful touch, the melody of this specific tune is such a beauty to hear.

Instigated by the priceless legacy of Coltrane and Ornette, “Helicopter Lineman” swings as much as it rocks, while “Casa Adela” pivots on folksy melodies and animated rim activity, devising an Afro-Caribbean rhythm that enhances our mental capacity to picture warm landscapes. Here, Tordini delivers a concise bass solo that is veiled by its own robustness.

Garnished with brave, risky grooves and a strong command of dynamics, we have the prayerful title track and the staggering “Strobe Dots”. The former, played at 5/4 tempo, has both the groove and the saxophone invocations casting a hypnotic spell; while the latter is assembled with meter-shifting passages, deliberately rocking in a way that you can dance to it. Even when side slipping, Speed is never aggressive; just quite enough astringent to make his silvery arcs sound gorgeously abstract.

Speed, Tordini and King are formidable together. Their excellent, disciplined teamwork spawned another record with consistent high quality.

Favorite Tracks:
02 - Attention Flaws ► 05 - Respect For Your Toughness ► 07 - Strobe Dots

Ellery Eskelin / Christian Weber / Michael Griener - The Pearls

December 18, 2019

Label: Intakt Records, 2019

Personnel - Ellery Eskelin: tenor saxophone; Christian Weber: bass; Michael Griener: drums.

The music on the album The Pearls is occasionally soft and sparse, but the sound emanated by saxophonist Ellery Eskelin, bassist Christian Weber, and drummer Michael Griener can also be magnetically sturdier. It all depends on the context they are playing in, and, in this particular case, if they are creating in the spur of the moment or rendering old-time jazz pieces with a modern flair. In the former case, the music is presented without a specified form or time, while in the latter, there’s a primordial swinging vibrancy and structure associated with the ragtime of Scott Joplin (“Magnetic Rag”), Jelly Roll Morton (“The Pearls”), Count Basie (“Jive at Five”), and Russell Robinson (“Eccentric Rag”), all of them discharging a radiant bliss while having the trio devotedly concentrated on the ‘in the pocket’ factor.

These highly syncopated mainstream manifestations are intercalated with the remaining tunes, which, being spontaneously created, sound more attractive to me due to the unexpectedness in direction, wider latitude, and variation in mood. However, the overall balance and disparate dynamics created by the two stylistic approaches can easily earn adepts from both sides of the spectrum - the free/avant-garde and the early jazz/mainstream.

Highlights in the unrehearsed department include the sublimely crafted “La Fée Verte” and the cutting-edge “Black Drop”, which closes out the album. The former initiates with Weber’s tonally-rich arco techniques (including percussive), which is later joined by Eskelin’s inquisitive and polyphonic phrases, prior to evolve into a bass groove that, shortly afterward, dissolves into freer activity with Griener’s scintillating percussive work assuming a more preponderant role. In turn, the closing piece is born from chimes, successive terse pizzicato bass notes, and functional brushwork, gaining gradual nourishment through a loose-limbed pedal-like groove and Eskelin’s melodic paradoxes. There’s also “Rue Jardiniére”, where the interactive communication between bass and drums is outstanding.

Following the same philosophy and aesthetic of its predecessor, Sensations of Tone, this new record finds the trio exploring common ground with the same commitment and virtuosity that have been defining their musical personalities for years.

Favorite Tracks:
03 - La Fée Verte ► 04 - The Pearls ► 09 - Black Drop

Lorenzo Feliciati / Michele Rabbia - Antikythera

December 17, 2019

Label: RareNoise, 2019

Personnel - Lorenzo Feliciati: electric fretted and fretless bass, keyboards, samples and soundesign, electric guitar; Michele Rabbia: drums, electronics + guests - Cuong Vu: trumpet; Andy Sheppard: sax; Rita Marcotulli: piano; Alessandro Gwis: piano; Roy Powell: Hammond organ, Moog, keyboards.

Italian bassist Lorenzo Feliciati teams up with fellow countryman drummer Michele Rabbia on Antikythera, his seventh release on progressive music label RareNoise. The title refers to an ancient Greek mechanism that was used to predict astronomical positions and eclipses. Hence, the music is firmly grounded in lingering automations, many times shaped as soundscapes, with technology and improvisation as inextricable allies. A few tunes feature renowned guest artists clamping their improvisatory ideas into the substrata sculpted by the pair of sound architects. This procedure was of extreme importance, not only to give melodic focus to the setting, but also for timbral diversification.

Things get off to a start with the cinematic theme “Irregular Orbit”, which, full of atmosphere, blooms with ambient droning, electronic trappings, and sparkling cymbal chatters that gain further preponderance as electric bass patterns gradually develop. This piece brings pianist Alessandro Gwis to the forefront, whose intimate maneuvers also show up on the ear-pleasing “Perigee”, in which a percolating guitar soothes the soul.

Rita Marcotulli is another pianist featured on the album, giving her notable contribution on three tunes, two of which melodically fortified by British saxophonist Andy Sheppard. His bright-toned soprano comes to the fore on the hip-hopish “223 Teeth”, straddling on top of a simple bass pedal in seven yet finding room for cascading piano replications and vocal samples, while his breathy tenor playing can be heard for a short time on the smooth “Parapegma”. The textural silkiness of this somewhat sensual piece denotes indisputable tango influences.

Other pieces like “Prochronistic” and “Sidereal”, both featuring the emphatic trumpeter Cuong Vu as a source of light, promote an accessible experimentalism. Cautiously adventurous and noir, the former remains in a perpetual rhythmic state of pendulousness for nearly four minutes before emphasizing the trumpet within a less dense electronic context; the latter, lightly funkified by the bass and beat-oriented, throws the spotlight on Marcotulli’s piano - in its pure and prepared forms - before segueing into a section filled with synth and electric guitar sounds.

Antikythera feels sketchy and sometimes choppily edited, but still provides immersive soundscapes with the right amount of abstraction to please fans of a warped, moderately dark jazz with an inclination for dub and experimental ambient.

Favorite Tracks:
01- Irregular Orbit ► 04 - Prochronistic ► 05 - Sidereal

Dave Douglas - Engage

December 16, 2019

Label: Greenleaf Music, 2019

Personnel - Dave Douglas: trumpet; Anna Webber: tenor saxophone, flutes; Jeff Parker: guitar; Tomeka Reid: cello; Nick Dunston: bass; Kate Gentile: drums.

On Engage, the long-established trumpeter, composer, and bandleader Dave Douglas boasts tight-knit arrangements of 12 self-penned compositions shaped with the help of his cross-generational musical cohorts: Anna Webber on flutes and tenor sax, Tortoise’s Jeff Parker on guitar, Tomeka Reid on cello, Nick Dunston on bass, and Kate Gentile on drums. This first Engage act - defined as Optimism. Action. Community - envisions to make the necessary changes to preserve the environment, equality, sciences, and humanities. Hence, metabolizing any possible frustration into hope, Douglas developed all pieces from major triads as a reminder to himself to stay positive.

The album opens and closes in a graceful 4/4 pop/rock-ish song format with “Showing Up” and “Heart Science”, respectively. Displaying catchy melody, the former tune has Parker leading off with the first improvisation, followed by a collective effort.

Electrifying noise and guitar distortion mix with the skittish push-pull energy on “Faith Alliance”, a compact rock exercise propelled by choppy and aggressive drumming. The radical transition to the subsequent piece, the gospelized “Free Libraries”, creates a positive effect as the group eases the tension with casual smoothness. This tune is professed in seven.

On five selected tracks, trumpeters Dave Adewumi and Riley Mulherkar join the core group as special guests, playing side by side on two of them, namely, “Where Do We Go From Here”, whose nimble jazz moves comply with the transfixing groove in six, and “Living Earth”, where they embrace the general swinging elation, contributing melodic density to the theme statement. Reid's pertinent cello reactions to the soloists’ ideas are noticeable on this latter piece.

A trumpet duel between Douglas and Adewuni may also be enjoyed on “One Sun, a Million Rays”, which evolves into an avant-garde marching funk after initial bass pedal suspensions, flickering guitar lamination, and high-pitched flute whistling.

Packing a slow-building charge, “In It Together” injects some ambiguity with the bass flute and a mesh of percussion opening the way for cello rambles and a short scenic muted trumpet solo. The mood here has nothing to do with pieces such as “How Are The Children?”, a soaring anthem featuring a jabbing tenor solo, and “Everywhere But Here”, which gracefully unfurls with an additive 8+6 meter signature.

With a newfound sense of aesthetic as part of his compositional focus, Douglas invites all listeners to “engage”. Let’s do it folks!

Favorite Tracks:
01 - Showing Up ► 05 - Where Do We Go From Here ► 08 - Faith Alliance

Abdullah Ibrahim - The Balance

December 12, 2019

Label: Gearbox Records, 2019

Personnel - Abdullah Ibrahim: piano; Lance Bryant: tenor saxophone; Cleave Guyton Jr.: alto saxophone, flute, piccolo; Marshall McDonald: baritone saxophone; Andrae Murchison: trombone; Adam Glasser: harmonica; Noah Jackson: double bass, cello; Alec Dankworth: double bass; Will Terrill: drums.

After a four-year hiatus, the legendary South African pianist Abdullah Ibrahim returns with a wonderful album, continuing a trailblazing work of pure instinct and eclectic refinement started in 1960. For this new work, aptly titled The Balance, the 84 year-old artist balances solo and collective efforts, high energy and melancholia, elation and forlornness, celebration and restraint, as well as spontaneous rides and thoroughly written parts. So, balance is the key, and the music, an incredible blend of township folk and sophisticated jazz, provides that compelling emotional depth that we found in previous masterpieces such as Water From an Ancient Well (1985) and Ekaya (1983).

Ibrahim performs nine of his originals - six with the group Ekaya (none of the musicians from the aforementioned record are present here) and three solo presentations - along with a lilting rendition of Monk’s “Skippy”. The latter piece, featuring all the woodwind players, develops according an arrangement that deserves thunderous applause.

The same happens with the old hit “Nisa”, a bursting-with-flavor orchestral sumptuousness that projects the earthy, singular tones of Marshall McDonald’s bari sax before the rest of the soloists step in. Ibrahim is simply phenomenal in his note choices, creating intervals and motifs that attest the quality of his playing. This is also evident on the solo pieces, with “Tonegawa”, in all its impressive spiritual splendor, attaining an emotional peak through beautiful phrasing, underlying low pedal notes, and incidental dissonant chords.

Moods keep shifting throughout, and if “Dreamtime” had opened up the session with poignant pianism, leisurely beat, and a melodious flute that conveys serenity, “Jabula” emphasizes African folk elements in the form of gleeful melodies and celebratory rhythmic accents. The propelling brushwork offered by drummer Will Terrill plays a crucial role in this process.

This subtle play of light and shade becomes noticeable again, especially when putting side by side “Song For Sathima” and “Tuang Guru”. The latter avant-garde-ish piece is layered with a strong forward thrust via bass and hi-hat kinetic moves. It features the contrasting tones of a shrilling piccolo and a deep baritone, and is complemented with the slithering brassy lines of trombonist Andrae Murchison and the resolute advances of tenorist Lance Bryant.

There’s an unfluctuating state of grace that lingers long after the harmonica-tinged title track brings the album to a conclusion. Ibrahim continues true to himself and the magic of his individual expression is well alive. The Balance is one of his best records in many years.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - Dreamtime ► 02 - Nisa ► 04 - Tuang Guru

Michael Formanek Very Practical Trio - Even Better

December 11, 2019

Label: Intakt Records, 2019

Personnel: Michael Formanek: bass; Tim Berne: alto saxophone; Mary Halvorson: guitar.

The excellent bassist/composer Michael Formanek, whose musicality and metrical competence pair skillfully, puts together an exciting new trio with alto saxophonist Tim Berne and guitarist Mary Halvorson. The Very Practical Trio’s first album, Even Better, features 10 tunes devised with aligned symmetries and diffuse obliqueness, causing a vortex of emotional impulses on the listener.

On top of the song lineup, “Suckerpunch” shines with dazzling energy and a sweeping tone quality. It kicks off with bass and guitar agreeing on a phrase that will serve as a groove along the road. Halvorson leaves the groove-making task to Formanek and joins Berne in shaping the curves and angles of the melody. Each musician then departs from this settled practice to interpose their own musical elements, integrating them into an organic, polyrhythmic whole. If the album opens with mightiness, then it closes with the tempered magic of Scott LaFaro’s ballad “Jade Vision”, whose limpid melody, ethereal rhythm, and delicious harmonic progression lift you up to an unclouded sky.

In its pungent interplay, the trio often combines agility, resilience, and serenity. “Like Statues”, for example, fall into solemnity, even with Formanek hastening his pizzicato a little bit. The pace is negotiated when Berne starts improvising on top of Halvorson’s decaying harmonizations, which, moments later, morph into a sui generis avant folk jazz statement. Conversely, “Still Here” embraces a cacophonous state that quickly evolves from controlled to rambunctious. A methodical rocking bass pedal mitigates the tension and the atmosphere is polished. Yet, Berne’s pointy bursts, immune to any pace constraint, reveal as much body as elasticity.

In a similar way, the erudite rubato lament, “Shattered”, exquisitely introduced by scintillating guitar and stimulated by Berne’s Coltrane mannerisms in a later phase, contrasts with the itchy outcomes of “Bomb The Cactus”, whose animated wall of sound is built by Halvorson’s indie rock strumming, and “But Will It Float”, a contrapuntal avant-garde crusade motivated by a courageous guitar ostinato and a structured bass groove.

Another paragon of the trio’s polyvalence is “The Shifter”, whose title is sufficiently elucidative for us to anticipate clever twists in shape and rhythm. In addition to an incessant tension and release, the tune also thrives with auspicious parallel movements and intense improvisatory moments from guitar and sax.

Always knowing where they are and what they want, the Very Practical Trio escapes common places with mastery.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - Suckerpunch ► 05 - Shattered ► 10 - Jade Visions

Colin Hinton - Simulacra

December 10, 2019

Label: Panoramic Recordings, 2019

Personnel - Anna Webber: tenor saxophone, flutes; Yuma Uesaka: tenor saxophone, clarinets; Edward Gavitt: electric and acoustic guitars; Shawn Lovato: bass; Colin Hinton: drums, percussion, glockenspiel, gongs.

Brooklyn-based drummer and composer Colin Hinton blossoms as a serious modernist and avant-gardist with this sophomore full length album as a leader, Simulacra, a collection of six unpredictable cuts composed with specific musicians in mind. Although inspired by the talents of Anthony Braxton, Muhal Richard Abrams, Messiaen, and Scriabin, and with the compositional influence of former mentors (Ingrid Laubrock, Tyshawn Sorey, Eric Wubbels) pulsating through the record, Hinton reveals a distinctive, forward-thinking sound of his own, delivering pieces that burst with invention. That could be done thanks to the great quintet he put together: woodwind players Anna Webber and Yuma Uesaka share duties in the frontline, Edward Gavitt brings solid textural development and harmonic spice to the setting, and bassist Shawn Lovato joins the drummer, composing a rhythm section made of both malleable and sturdy properties.

Both “What Was” and the opening track, “Obversify”, clock in at around 18 minutes, providing intricate, never gratuitous sonic voyages that deftly combine written composition and free improvisation. In the case of the latter, a vague atmosphere is launched through sometimes durable, sometimes ephemeral cymbal splashes, sudden tom reverberation, a dancing flute over glockenspiel radiance, guitar fingerpicking and harmonics, and both pizzicato and arco bass paradoxes. A clarinet on the loose hangs around guitar chords that keep shifting at regular intervals. Short time later, it’s the tenor sax that infuses tension, pointing out to more obscure landscapes. After the engrossing clashes between tenors, Gavitt strikes with distorted phrases and noise rock blows, working on top of the fractal mechanics of a prog-rock-like groove. In turn, “What Was” kicks off with a lively pulsation and bold contrasting sounds. Beautifully synchronized movements morph into odd-metered cadences, exposing instrumental aggregations and diffusions, unisons and counterpoint, all within attractive atmospheres that toggle between refined and acerbic. For the ending, a sort of mechanical march is set up with multiple ostinatos in the vicinity.

Influenced by Scriabin’s 20th century classical discoveries and introduced by bass flute and contralto clarinet, “Synesthopy” pushes Gavitt to the foreground. He is a true catalyst for Hinton’s project (also produced the album), contributing exquisite clusters for the moody jazz variances. Following Webber’s swift flute rides and a middle collective passage, he uncorks a solo replete with rhythmic ideas and chromatic virtue.

If the restive Feldman-esque “Breath” feels quite mysterious throughout, opening with a strange panorama of guitar intervals and quirky chords delivered with quarter tone tuning, “Slab Warmth” concludes the record with an active head oozing pointed avant-garde accents. Lovato engages on Hinton’s chattering rhythms, waiting to be joined by Webber’s roughed-toned tenor and Gavitt’s fast-moving chords. Uesaka also participates with measured, deliberate placement of fierce exclamations on tenor, and the two saxophones end up crossing paths, exchanging growls and clamors that feel as sharp as razor blades.

Hinton reaches higher levels with this work, positioning himself as an able and assured composer within the left side of the contemporary jazz scene.