Gregg August - Dialogues on Race

October 6, 2020

Label: Iacuessa Records, 2020

Personnel includes - JD Allen: tenor sax; John Ellis: soprano sax; Bruce Williams: alto sax; Ken Thomson: bass clarinet; John Bailey: trumpet, flugelhorn; Rafi Malkiel: trombone, euphonium; Marcus Rojas: tuba; Luis Perdomo: piano; Gregg August: bass, composition; Donald Edwards: drums; Mauricio Herrera: congas, shekere, castanets; Frank Lacy: vocals; Shelley Washington: vocals; Forest VanDyke: vocals; Wayne Smith: narrator, and more.

Raising awareness of the racial problem in America, bassist/composer Gregg August, a fundamental pillar in the acclaimed trio led by saxophonist JD Allen and also a respected member of Arturo O’Farrill's Afro-Latin Jazz Orchestra, releases his fourth album as a leader. Featuring a 12-piece big band, Dialogues on Race Volume One is a mature two-disc jazz opus composed and premiered in 2009, that only now is released on record. Motivated by Black Lives Matter and other civil rights movements, it's a reflection that urges us to combat racism and all the injustices derived from it.

The bassist, being white, was not discouraged by black fellow musicians and friends to present a sonic meditation largely centered on Emmett Till’s cruel assassination by lynching in 1955. The titles “Your Only Child” - inspired by Marilyn Nelson’s poem and presented in three distinct parts, the second of which shaping up as a lonely arco bass dirge - and “Mother Mamie’s Reflections” - where Emmett’s mother’s poignant words resonate atop of the brooding low sounds emitted by bowed bass, tuba and bass clarinet - are powerful musical statements imbued with troubled historical context.

Based on Cornelius Eady’s poem, “Sherbet” proves to be a fabulous starting point. After a forlorn intro with arco bass and saxophone, August and drummer Donald Edwards lay down an infectiously groovy rhythm, later punctuated by the restless activity of Ken Thomson's bass clarinet. Besides helping to provide a lush backing, pianist Luis Perdomo improvises with passion after the bandleader’s discourse prompted with a loose feel. With percussionist Mauricio Herrera very active on shekere, the piece ultimately incorporates an exuberant collective passage with the horn section at the fore.

Narrated by activist and war vet Wayne Smith, “Letter to America” reflects tight unisons and a powerful orchestration in the theme, pushing the bass clarinet and the trombone to the center of the discussion. Trombonist Rafi Malkiel swaps the haunting cries heard on the latter piece with mellower phrases on “Sky”, an exercise in atmosphere mostly commanded by the sensitive melodic drive of saxophonist JD Allen.

“I Rise” initially glistens with the crossing lines thrown in by the horn players, suddenly erupting into a crescendo that leads to a cacophonous uproar immersed in blustering bravado. You’ll find clever and distinctive palette shifts here, with the band fixating on a slow groove in nine prior to dive into another jagged pool of horn clamors, and completing with an uplifting swinging motion to better serve the soloists. It’s like an infectious synthesis of everything from odd-metered post-bop to rebellious avant-garde protests to soulful and swinging environments. Conversely, “Sweet Words on Race” flows with a glamorous Afro-Cuban touch.

Equally dynamic, “The Bird Leaps” encompasses head-to-head dialogues, smooth tempo shifts and compellingly articulated statements from saxophonists John Ellis, Bruce Williams and JD Allen on soprano, alto and tenor, respectively.

August matured into a talented leader and composer; this is a quite colorful work with a lot to absorb and reflect upon.

Favorite Tracks:
01 (disc1) - Sherbet ► 04 (disc1) - I Rise ► 05 (disc2) - The Bird Leaps

Cat Toren's Human Kind - Scintillating Beauty

October 5, 2020

Label: Panoramic Recordings, 2020

Personnel - Xavier Del Castillo: sSaxophone; Yoshie Fruchter: oud; Cat Toren: piano, chimes, tuning forks, singing bowls, rattles, bells; Jake Leckie: bass; Matt Honor: drums + guest Stephanie Rooker (#1): chimes, tuning forks, singing bowls

The follow-up to Human Kind, the debut work from the Vancouver-born, Brooklyn-based pianist/composer Cat Toren, is called Scintillating Beauty. The album comprises just four tracks, which are enough to get people involved in its sound healing techniques and positive activism. The simpatico group merges the modal jazz from he 60’s with a charming touch of world music that mostly comes from the oud playing of Yoshie Fruchter, a musician proficient in many genres, including klezmer and heavy metal.

Toren’s gleaming compositions are instilled with a deep lyrical instinct, transpiring in wavelets and relying on clever instrumental passages mounted into clear structural settings. The 16-minute “Radiance in Veils” gently rises and shines in a peaceful state of innocence - the gentle percussive chimes and rattles are reinforced by guest artist Stephanie Rooker - and progresses through the subsequent stages of human life. The pianist’s inspiration here did not just come from her first born daughter but also from two phrases by Martin Luther King. Saxophonist Xavier Del Castillo and Toren testify soulfully over the modal carpet weaved by the rhythm section, the former with a clear and assertive style, and the latter with a tranquil dreamlike quality. You’ll find reflexive moments and sudden controlled eruptions filled with busy saxophone runs before a chromatically rich oud solo. Finishing the song, the propulsive drumming of Matt Honor gets some flavorful Middle-Eastern spices tossed in.

“Garment of Destiny” carries a lyrical poignancy, initiated with a heart-rending piano intro and continued with Jake Leckie’s bass pedal sustaining the ruminative oud crocheting. A slow-burning divagation is installed before a flurry of saxophone assertions surfaces above the colorful harmonic progression.

Whereas “Ignis Fatuus” swings unabashedly, incurring in a post-bop terrain that recalls pianist George Russell, “Rising Phoenix” diffuses spellbinding fascination. The soft radiance that emanates from the opening section - atmospherically driven by organ - intensifies with the beefy tone of Del Castillo’s prayerful saxophone. The group then dips in a sort of pop-folk, lightly gospelized by polished and direct chordal movements.

Although less adventurous when compared with Myra Melford, the eclecticism of Cat Toren has a lot to offer. The healing powers of her music are very much creditable.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - Radiance in Veils ► 04 - Rising Phoenix

Angelica Sanchez & Marilyn Crispell - How to Turn the Moon

October 1, 2020

Label: Pyroclastic Records, 2020

Personnel - Angelica Sanchez: piano; Marilyn Crispell: piano.

Angelica Sanchez and Marilyn Crispell, two powerful pianists and disciples of the spontaneous jazz, join forces for the first time on record. How To Turn the Moon features 10 tracks - seven short-form compositions by Sanchez, who penned them to be expanded in conjunction with Crispell, her former mentor, and three impromptu moments filled with synergistic stimulation and deep musical understanding.

The opener, “Lobe of the Fly”, accommodates both parallel and contrapuntal segments, evolving into a four-hand improvisational romp filled with chromatic developments and swift configurations that interlace splendidly. The piece was named for the intricate drawings of an optic lobe of a fly by Spanish neuroscientist Santiago Ramón y Cajal. Neuroscience was also at the base of “Calyces of Held”, whose profound introductory reflection by Sanchez falls into a nuanced arpeggiated ostinato that serves as a foil to Crispell’s harmonic dissonances and unbounded melody. An understated tension is engraved on the prevailing calmness, and a different rhythmic figure populates the final section, dissolving gradually as it is reshaped to merge with the its counterpart.

The lugubrious, well-aligned riff professed at the end of “Ceiba Portal” lingers in the mind. This piece consents convergence, but also shows off the staggering polyrhythmic adventurism of the pianists, whose circularity and interaction almost suggest a telepathic sort of connection. This is also confirmed with a trio of free improvisations - “Space Junk”, “Windfall Light” and “Rain in Web”, with the latter being the most luxuriant of them all in terms of action-reaction dynamics.

Ingenious piano layers combine on the concluding “Fires in Space” for a terrifically rhythmic effect. Under Crispell’s firmly locked balletic pulse, Sanchez’s phrasing comes in the form of strong melodic ideas and animated swoops with fair doses of abstraction.

Standing tonally apart from the rest, “Ancient Dream” provides far-ranging and detailed resonances that come from the inside of the pianos. Extended techniques with percussive purposes, silences and investigative prepared pianos create an idiosyncratic atmosphere that veers into a well-tempered classical intonation by the end.

Employing their unerring directness and showing an effortless proficiency to create in the moment, Sanchez and Crispell draw forth a range of intriguing sounds that populate this teamwork environment.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - Lobe of the Fly ► 05 - Ceiba Portal ► 09 - Rain in Web

Charles Tolliver - Connect

September 30, 2020

Label: Gearbox Records, 2020

Personnel - Charles Tolliver: trumpet; Jesse Davis: alto saxophone; Binker Golding: tenor saxophone; Keith Brown: piano; Buster Williams: double bass; Lenny White: drums.

Trumpeter/composer Charles Tolliver, an important and esteemed jazz figure from the 1960’s, continues to stylistically straddling the line between post-bop and avant-garde jazz. Returning to the small ensemble format after years dedicated to big bands, he now releases his first album in 13 years. Here Tolliver presents us with four originals, old and new, which are impeccably tackled with the help of valuable sidemen. He pairs down with alto saxist Jesse Davis in the frontline and appoints Keith Brown, Buster Williams and Lenny White to the piano, bass and drum chair, respectively. Young British tenor player Binker Golding joins them on two tracks.

“Blue Soul” brings us that special vibe of the glorious 1960’s post-bop, sporting booming, primal drums, piano pedals, and horns-driven ecstasy taken to epic crescendos. Straightforward, pristine and unprocessed, this piece features unison melodies in the theme statement and disparate soloing approaches from Davis and Tolliver.

“Emperor March”, a number that gave its title to a big band album recorded live at the Blue Note in 2008, is suffused with harmonic splendor, veering effortlessly and systematically from a modal march to a Latin dance. There’s plenty of time allocated for individual statements from the frontline players and the pianist.

“Copasetic” carries the elation of the hard-bop in its dynamically accentuated melodic lines. Still, there’s a strong modal flavor accompanying the harmonic progression, with veterans Williams and White establishing a top-notch rhythmic tandem as part of their supportive foundation for rambling solos.

The bassist denotes wonderful storytelling capacities as he introduces alone the uptempo “Suspicion”, a piece also featured on Tolliver's 2007 big band record, With Love. Spreading sheer joy while demonstrating athleticism, the group members show an innate, nearly telepathic way of communication. With plenty to discover, let yourself be sucked into a creative vortex that showcases a tantalizing bass figure occasionally matched by a low-register piano riff, an infectious Afro-Cuban rhythm, sinuous unisons, and scorching solos from both saxophonists.

Tolliver knows he doesn’t need ultra-modern aesthetics to make his music sound beautifully. With tremendous breadth and maturity, this is an album where we can reconnect with his music and rediscover his singular points of view.

Favorite Tracks:
02 - Emperor March ► 04 - Suspicion

Michael Dalgas Trio - Death of a Tree

September 29, 2020

Label: Gateway Music, 2020

Personnel - Michael Dalgas: drums; Lars Fiil: piano, Wurlitzer; Jasper Jagd: double bass.

The trio of Danish drummer/composer Michael Dalgas - with Lars Fiil on piano and Jasper Jagd on bass - releases its debut album, Death of a Tree, which comprises ten original compositions. The lingering and spacious qualities of late drummer Paul Motian's music are an inspiration here and there’s even a tribute piece to him called “Motian”, which captures the airiness and intrinsic uncertainty for what his compositions are known. Harmonic suspensions, some ambiguity within the contemplative melodic lines, and a confident, slowly cooked drum solo are some of the ingredients in this recipe.

The great majority of the tunes share a longing quality that tonally marries the lyrical to the wintry. Cuts like “The Hunguenot’s Song” and “Momento Mori” get some inducement from Dalgas’ scintillating brushwork. The melodic wistfulness of the former starts off with the piano/bass unisons that reside in the theme, while in the latter, you’ll find a reflective tranquility designed with a Michel Legrand-balladic weight in 5/4 tempo.

One of the loveliest ballads in this catalog is “Tranquillo”, an unpretentious ride that veers into straight waltz before a nice piano solo is put on display. Additionally, there’s “D.C.”, a languishingly brushed piece with a pop-jazz immediacy that would be equally suitable for Tom Waits or Frank Sinatra to sing.

The trio mounts “Postludium” with a direct approach, conferring it an immutable flow that comes from a conspicuous cross-stick beat, sparse bass imprints, and chords saturated with sustain that almost seem to bend. In turn, “Flux” flows like a bolero, emphasizing Fiil’s Wurlitzer within a romantic atmosphere.

All three musicians attempt to go beyond the brumal moods on “Rain Song”, whose pop/rock circularity recalls The Doors, and especially on “Journey”, the album's closing and longest track, which is moderately stirred by a bass groove and a Latin pulse.

Evoking panoptic views, the threesome delicately explore its boundaries. Even though it feels somewhat conservative in specific sections, this work has its moments.

Favorite Tracks:
04 - Motian ► 05 - D.C. ► 09 - Tranquillo

Michelle Lordi - Break Up With the Sound

September 28, 2020

Label: Cabinet of Wonder, 2019

Personnel - Michelle Lordi: vocals; Donny McCaslin: tenor sax; Tim Motzer: guitar, electronics; Matthew Parrish: acoustic bass; Rudy Royston: drums.

Imbued with jazz and country-rock ambiances, Break Up With the Sound, the fourth feature-length album by singer/composer Michelle Lordi, steps up her previous recordings by expanding stylistic horizons and employing a much more exciting band. Just to get this straight, revered tenor saxophonist Donny McCaslin and guitarist Tim Motzer show off their improvisational artistry, while the rhythmic foundation is provided by bassist Matthew Parrish, who also produced and arranged, and the super-reliable drummer Rudy Royston.

The group gets the show on the road with “Poor Bird”, the most engaging of Lordi originals, which was written as a response to Hank Williams’ “I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry” (also included in the program). Swift bass influxes are gently escorted by the subtle effect-drenched guitar washes that run in the background, leading to a groove in a gripping additive 6+5 tempo. Lordi’s voice echoes personality and McCaslin drops down exciting solos in between the sung choruses. He grooves with abandon, assembling phrases with notes that slick and jump easily and logically. His mighty improvisational powers, tinctured with an advanced side slipping technique, are also on display on “Double-Crossed”, a Lordi/Motzer-penned pop song with a memorable, singable chorus; on the balladic standard “Lover Man”, here accelerated in pace and propelled by a dogged groove; and on “Red House Blues”, which, not being as strong as the aforementioned pieces, is laid down with harmonic restraint and floating guitar soundscapes.

One of the strongest aspects in Lordi’s vocalization lies in her ability to eschew unnecessary stretches and frivolous fireworks. The narratives are straightforward and brought with the required amount of rawness. Her self-penned “Before”, a beautiful folk rock excursion, is a good example of what I've just said. This tune is elevated by Motzer, effective in delivering emotional cries after opening with an able fingerpicking on the acoustic guitar. Again, his bluesy guitar chops can be traced, right there in the middle of the sweet country-pop melancholy of “Wayward Wind”.

If the two ballads about loneliness - The Rolling Stones’ “No Expectations” and the above-mentioned “I’m So Lonesome” - don’t really triumph, then Cole Porter’s waltzing theme for the 1956 romantic musical comedy High Society - “True Love” - satisfies by flowing breezily.

Revealing competence and boldness as a composer, Lordi should predominantly focus on original material from now on.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - Poor Bird ► 03 - Double-Crossed ► 07 - Lover Man

Nubya Garcia - Source

September 24, 2020

Label: Concord Jazz, 2020

Personnel - Nubya Garcia: tenor saxophone; Joe Armon-Jones: piano, Wurlitzer; Daniel Casimir: double bass; Sam Jones: drums + Ms Maurice: trumpet; Akenya: vocals; Cassie Kinoshi: vocals; Richie Seivwright: vocals + La Perna [Giovanna Mogollon: tambor alegre, vocals; Karen Forero: tambora, vocals; Diana Sanmiguel: guacharaca, maracas, vocals].

Following a pair of successful EPs, London-born saxophonist Nubya Garcia finally presents her full-length debut, Source. This collection of nine strongly flavored originals focuses on individual and collective power, being delivered in the company of her working quartet plus guests on selected tracks. Garcia, whose penchant for mixing spiritual jazz with soul music and smooth funk is remarkably effortless, opens the album with “Pace”, where cadenced bass pedals further expose the inherent spirituality and sturdy modal flair from the 1970’s. Preceding the deliberately tangled excursion of pianist Joe Armon-Jones, Garcia's reverb-drenched solo reaches higher peaks of eloquence here than on “The Message Continues”, a fluid maturation into neo-soul, rhythmically anchored by Daniel Casimir’s propulsive funky bass and Sam Jones’ colorful drumming.

Garcia’s eclecticism is patented on several numbers: “Source”, a Wurlitzer-soaked piece which was previously included on her When We Are EP and now arrives with explicit reggae and dub ambiances; “Stand With Each Other”, a riff-driven number rooted in the African tradition and featuring vocalists Cassie Kinoshi, Richie Seiwright, and Ms Maurice, who doubles on trumpet; “La Cumbia Me Está Llamando”, which takes us to Latin American territories with the help of La Perna, a female Colombian trio of percussionists/vocalists; and “Before Us: In Demerara & Caura”, in which an enchanting Afro-Cuban pianism entwines with a conscious post-bop lucidity. Besides the snappy unisons populating its head, the latter piece features Garcia in a warm, motivic and astoundingly pronounced improvisation.

Contrasting with the organic, dub-tinged expressions of “Inner Game”, “Together is a Beautiful Place” provides tender moments loaded with a soul-infused vibe that recalls Kamasi Washington.

Garcia doesn’t hide her admiration for Coltrane, Rollins and Shorter. However, she uses those influences and many more to create non-conflicting layers of sound that are entirely her own. This is where jazz tradition works with modern and eclectic sounds to explore new trends and currents.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - Pace ► 02 - The Message Continues ► 08 - Before Us: In Demerara & Caura

Ralph Peterson & The Messenger Legacy - Onward & Upward

September 23, 2020

Label: Onyx Productions, 2020

Personnel - Ralph Peterson: drums; Bill Pierce: tenor sax; Jean Touissant: tenor sax; Craig Handy: alto sax; Philip Harper: trumpet; Brian Lynch: trumpet; Steve Davis: trombone; Robin Eubanks: trombone; Joanne Brackeen: piano; Zaccai Curtis: piano; Anthony Wonsey: piano, Fender Rhodes; Kevin Eubanks: guitar; Essiet Essiet: bass; Lonnie Plaxico: bass; Melisaa Slocum: bass; Peter Washington: bass; Reinaldo DeJesus: percussion.

Charismatic drummer Ralph Peterson, an inveterate swinger with a knack for propulsive straight-ahead jazz and more, makes a strong case with his 25th album as a leader, Onward & Upward. With it, he continues to pay homage to the perennial art of late drummer Art Blakey and his quintessential group Jazz Messengers. Featuring a cast of 14 former Jazz Messengers plus three Legacy Messengers, the album consists of 11 tracks, most of them performed in the sextet format, with themes flooded with evocative and blistering unisons.

Peterson’s “Forth and Back” takes us into an immersive post-bop ride with clear melodic curvatures and a majestic rhythm that swings and grooves. The improvisational section is filled with sleek eight-bar exchanges between tenor saxist Jean Toussaint, altoist Craig Handy, who etches part of his discourse with Monk’s insignia, and trumpeter Phillip Harper. All of them benefit from the exquisite accompaniment offered by pianist Joanne Brackeen, who shares the responsibility of the rhythm section here with Peterson and bassist Peter Washington.

The two following pieces were also penned by the drummer. The seductive “Sonora” hits its stride with a colorful Latin feel, while the uptempo “Onward and Upward” is a rhythmic tour de force that swings violently. Solos from trombonist Steve Davis and Harper unfold intuitively over a bouncing pulse, and then it’s Peterson, who, even channelling an enormous appreciation for Blakey’s tradition, infuses his own stuff into his statement. The smoldering accompaniment, with tenacious contributions from bassist Essiet Essiet and pianist Zaccai Curtis, denotes a timeless quality.

Toussaint composed “Waltz for Etienne and Ebony” for his nephew and his wife. Bubbling in waves of blissful ambiance, the piece flows with a laid-back pulse, a sort of call-and-response between the tenorist and the remaining horn players, and Anthony Wonsey’s romantic flourishes on the Fender Rhodes, which gives it a warm textural feel.

Curtis’ “Un Poco Haina” combines post-bop and Latin jazz, resulting in another polyrhythmic pool of power and joy. The exuberant rhythmic euphoria of Latin American is even sturdier on “El Grito”, where the spirited Latin vibe - already a staple of its composer, the trumpeter Bryan Lynch - is buoyed by conguero Renaldo DeJesus’ percussive zest. Lynch, Curtis and trombonist Robin Eubanks are the featured soloists here.

The only piece on the album that has been previously recorded by Blakey is “Sudan Blue”, whose driving, in-the-pocket hard-bop fluidity is very much enjoyed by tenor saxophonist Bill Pierce, who wrote it, and guitarist Kevin Eubanks, with whom he joins forces in the frontline.

This feel-good album honors and respects Blakey’s idiomatic expressions but doesn’t dwell on it. There’s a lot of freshness coming from this new material.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - Forth and Back ► 03 - Onward and Upward ► 06 - Un Poco Haina

Adam Kolker - Lost

September 22, 2020

Label: Sunnyside Records, 2020

Personnel - Adam Kolker: tenor and soprano saxophones; Bruce Barth: piano; Ugonna Okegwo: bass; Billy Hart: drums.

For more than three decades, saxophonist/composer and esteemed educator Adam Kolker has been developing his sound and language, whether by leading his groups or contributing to projects of Ray Barretto, Gunther Schuller and George Schuller, among others.

His fourth outing on the Sunnyside imprint, Lost, features him in a quartet with pianist Bruce Barth, bassist Ugonna Okegwo and drummer Billy Hart. The extremely tasteful selection of tunes for this album includes a pair of Kolker original compositions, fresh interpretations of gems by Wayne Shorter and Gil Evans, and familiar jazz standards.

Shorter has been always a big influence and his musical aesthetics are carved out on “Hidden Treasures”, where it’s almost impossible not to notice the sophisticated brushing technique that Hart puts on display. Once again, the drummer’s artistry with brushes becomes remarkably pronounced on another Kolker tune, the semi-swinging “Flips”, whose head incorporates fragmented phrases with occasional staccatos and post-bop-derived accentuations. Boasting a strong sense of free-flowing here, the quartet really shows hard work behind their moves, in the same way that substantiates the deep and longstanding musical bond forged by its members.

Preceding the latter piece in the track listing, Gil Evans/Miles Davis’ “The Time of the Barracudas” opens the record by spreading a wondrous, honest post-bop empathy. Besides the deftly modulated group dynamics, this 6/4 piece emphasizes the sizzling and precise articulations from Kolker, who uses the right metrics to impress on the tenor, and Barth, whose modal harmonies and melodic coherence flourish with instinctive spontaneity.

Outlined with a rare sensibility by the rhythm section, “Lost” is the first of two beautifully rendered Shorter compositions to appear on the album. The other one is “Dance Cadaverous”, originally a mid-tempo waltz, here loosen up by a languishing pulse. Both the balladic inclinations and deliberate ambiguity are accentuated by Kolker’s soprano sax.

Masterfully arranged by the bandleader, “Darn That Dream” is launched with an airy, rubato introduction before stressing Kolker’s ability to navigate upper registers with finesse. His tenor gets adequate support from the rhythm team, which keeps the flame burning until a fade-out brings the piece to a closure.

Lost radiates that sort of peaceful energy that will make everyone fall for its charms.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - The Time of the Barracudas ► 02 - Flips ► 04 - Lost

Matt Moran Trio - Return Trip

September 21, 2020

Label: Diskonife Records, 2020

Personnel - Matt Moran: vibraphone; Gary Versace: Hammond B3; Tom Rainey: drums.

Since the mid 90s, the musical talents of vibraphonist/composer Matt Moran have been strengthening and enriching important recordings from creative jazz musicians. Drummer John Hollenbeck (The Claudia Quintet and Large Ensemble), trumpeter Nate Wooley, vocalist Theo Bleckmann, and cellist Daniel Levin are among them. Not as active as a leader as he is as a sideman, Moran releases his sophomore trio outing, Return Trip, with two of his musical heroes: keyboardist Gary Versace (here on Hammond B3 only) and drummer Tom Rainey. Throughout the seven original compositions presented here, he and his cohorts create atypical trajectories elegantly harmonized with an acute musical instinct. Avoiding complex and extended written parts, the focus is mainly directed toward improvisation.

“Ripples” exposes a great deal of catchy melody that breathes above the compellingly designed layers of groovy organ and understated percussion. The genuine musical chemistry shared by Moran and Versace is on display here, and gets even bigger proportions on “Chord Conversation”, which is poured forth with a thoughtful understanding of dynamics, including discontinuities, advances, counterpoint, suspensions and resolutions. The formidable rhythmic sensibility of Rainey is constant, yet the drummer certainly takes more liberties on “Spring”, especially during the polyrhythmic vamp that kicks things off. Then comes a pedal-like passage with a subtle touch of rock. The early static nature of this piece turns into a meditation on polytonality, and consecutive bright chords are sequenced to attain a straight-eight feel. Towards the end, Moran casts the listener under a spell with a sinuously articulated statement that is revelatory of his superb four-mallet technique.

Despite contemplative in a certain way, “Sometimes it’s OK” sounds very experimental. The autonomous musical streams produced by all three instruments shape in a series of tonal palettes that ultimately meld into one another. The initial proceedings, getting closer to ambient electronica, later takes the form of a high-vibing free improvisation.

With serene harmonic patterns flowing as light as feathers, “Peace and Integration” hides a double meaning in the title. It pays tribute to pianist Horace Silver by borrowing the chord progression from his enchanting ballad “Peace” and engraving a new impressionistic melody on it; and it’s also a call for hope regarding the integration of peace and justice in the lives of African-Americans.

With Return Trip, Moran delivers a more mature statement as a composer. His singular trio of vibes, organ and drums rejects cliché and banality all the way through.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - Ripples ► 02 - Spring ► 03 - Chord Conversation

Maria Schneider Orchestra - Data Lords

September 17, 2020

Label: Artist Share, 2020

Personnel - Maria Schneider: composition, conduction; Donny McCaslin: tenor saxophone; Steve Wilson: alto saxophone; Dave Pietro: alto saxophone; Rich Perry: tenor saxophone; Scott Robinson: baritone saxophone; Tony Kadleck: trumpet; Greg Gisbert: trumpet; Nadje Noordhuis: trumpet; Mike Rodriguez: trumpet; Keith O'Quinn: trombone; Ryan Keberle: trombone; Marshall Gilkes: trombone; George Flynn: trombone; Gary Versace: accordion; Ben Monder: guitar; Frank Kimbrough: piano; Jay Anderson: bass; Johnathan Blake: drums.

Big band maven Maria Schneider displays all her compositional and arranging qualities on her new outing, Data Lords, a fan-funded double-disc recording that successfully illustrates two dissimilar worlds: the digital and the real. The message is clear and everything coheres with not just compositional rigor but also opportunities for celebrated soloists to shine. The music, masterfully played by some of the foremost musicians on the scene, is orchestrated with a nice edge that is still very accessible to every jazz follower.

Embracing a universe of indefatigable possibilities, the five tracks on the disc one employ obscurity and uncertainty to sonically depict the Digital World. Meditating on the technological devices that constantly fill the gaps left by our daily activities, “A World Lost” relies on magnetic, if vaguely somber, piano chords that helps building a quietly menacing atmosphere. If master guitarist Ben Monder increases the mysterious tones in an unhurried manner, tenor saxophonist Rich Perry shows off beautiful intonations, extracting a bit more light from his narration.

“Don’t Be Evil” aims Google and their services, which include manipulation, control and selling of data, among other illegal things. It starts by walking stealthily like a Bill Frisell march circa Rambler. Monder injects his adventurous rock fantasy over a gloomy sonic template, being followed by trombonist Ryan Keberle, who imaginatively throws in rhythmic figures with authority, and pianist Frank Kimbrough, whose moderate reflections still channel a little strangeness.

While “Sputnik” takes the form of a solemn ceremony that serves as a showcase for Scott Robinson’s baritone influxes, “CQ CQ Is Anybody There?” provides one of the most spine-chilling experiences on the record. There’s definitely something spectral about this piece, whose eerie y stillness and spellbinding moods favor impeccable statements by tenor titan Donny McCaslin and trumpeter Greg Gisbert. The latter's sound, electronically modified, is simply gorgeous. An overpowering metal-inspired guitar comping is challenged here by horn-driven counter-actions.

“Data Lords”, in an attempt to draw attention to Artificial Intelligence and the dark places it can lead us into, closes out disc one with sweeping orchestral intensity and woozy counterpoint.

As expected, disc two is much more amiable in tone, but no less interesting to follow. Of its six pieces, two were inspired by Ted Kooner’s poems (“Braided Together” and “The Sun Awaited For Me”), and one by a Buddhist temple in Japan and its surrounding gardens (“Sanzenin”). On its part, “Look Up” was consciously penned with Marshall Gilkes’ trombone in mind. Nonetheless, my first choice is “Bluebird”, where Steve Wilson’s alto saxophone cuts across a funk-infused rhythmic grid with expressionistic vibrancy.

Schneider invites us to traverse fantastic orchestral paths elaborated with the same determination, passion and effectiveness demonstrated in previous works. The darker hues are a novelty, but they balance the whole, perfectly conveying the message intended. Welcome to an unmissable, dual sonic trip.

Favorite Tracks:
01 (Disc1) - A World Lost ► 03 (Disc1) - CQ CQ Is Anybody There? ► 05 (Disc2) - Bluebird

Sylvie Courvoisier Trio - Free Hoops

September 16, 2020

Label: Intakt Records, 2020

Personnel - Sylvie Courvoisier: piano; Drew Gress: bass; Kenny Wollesen: drums.

Explorative pianist/composer Sylvie Courvoisier has been a model of excellence in the avant-garde jazz panorama since the mid 1990’s. Her affinity for complex rhythmic interlocking and innovative ideas are patented on Free Hoops, a new trio effort with bassist Drew Gress and drummer Kenny Wollesen. On the same vein of the brilliant D’Agala (Intakt, 2018), the tunes on Free Hoops arrive in the form of dedications to family, longtime friends and musical influences.

The title cut, composed for her husband - the violinist Mark Feldman - makes for an irresistible starting point. The off-kilter harmonic splendor is embedded in the right places while the intricate phrasing is occasionally embellished with motivic chromatic shifts. Despite atypical, the rhythmic drive provided by bass and drums sound incredibly natural as a consequence of Gress’ deft combination of slides and plucks, and Wollesen’s apt responsiveness and remarkable musicianship.

“Lulu Dance” is set in motion by an accessible, if somewhat trippy progression that gains heft as soon as jolts of energetic drum sounds start to stir its constant rhythmic flux. A contemplative middle section, also more overt and ambiguous, explores tonal colors within a spontaneous sound design. This is before fast percussive piano incursions on the lower register signals the trio to reinstate the earliest dance from which everything flowed out.

The threesome goes full force into another kind of dance on “Just Twisted”, which was penned for the groundbreaking saxophonist/composer John Zorn. Initially oscillating between vehement and graceful, the ambiance incorporates gently sweeping piano riffery, stunning percussive textures carried out with Wollesonic techniques, and bass pedal points. But then, they push the pedal to the metal, provoking agitation through vortical piano spirals that overflies a dazzling swing-like rhythm in nine.

In direct contrast to this mood, “Galore” nurtures composed yet still suspenseful moments with proficient alternation of arco and pizzicato bass techniques. This intriguing mood serves as a launching pad for an engagingly torpid rhythm predominantly built with snare drum and hi-hat. Dedicated to Wollesen, this piece, at particular times, puts on show the bassist and the pianist strutting around the pulse in tandem.

Courvoisier contemplated more family in her dedications, and if “As We Are”, approached from a Monk-inspired angle through a central riff that often repeats, was written for her mother; “Nicotine Sarcoline” gifts her brother Stephane as she puts a bounce in the impetuosity and pointedness of her glorious avant-gardism.

Liberating and extending the possibilities of form and improvisation, Courvoisier shows off an acute, borderless inside/outside sensibility that creates a spellbinding effect. Her labyrinthine, sensuous and powerful lines sound like no one else.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - Free Hoops ► 03 - Just Twisted ► 08 - Nicotine Sarcoline

Orlando Le Fleming - Romantic Funk: The Unfamiliar

September 15, 2020

Label: Whirlwind Recordings, 2020

Personnel - Philip Dizack: trumpet: Will Vinson: alto saxophone; Sean Wayland: keys; Orlando Le Fleming: acoustic and electric bass; Kush Abadey: drums; Nate Wood: drums.

New York-based British bassist/composer Orlando Le Fleming pushes the envelope on the second installment of his Romantic Funk project, The Unfamiliar, a deep incursion into jazz-funk, which marks his debut on the Whirwind Recordings. The funk and jazz lexicons intertwine and consolidate with wisdom in this exciting tribute to the fusion of the 1980s. The album was recorded in studio after all its original compositions have been developed in the course of an extended residency at the emblematic 55 Bar in New York. Le Fleming, whose writing and playing are as much astute as they are focused, performs in the company of close cohorts - trumpeter Philip Dizack, alto saxophonist Will Vinson, keyboardist Sean Wayland, and drummers Kush Abadey and Nate Wood.

The album's opener, “I’ll Tell You What it is Later”, is a buoyant fusion inspired by Miles Davis and carries a deep-funky, Herbie Hancock-like groove enhanced by sprightly popping bass lines and sustained synth atmospheres. The horn players cooperate in relaxed unisons, intensifying the polyrhythmic feel before unleashing enthralling improvisations. Whereas Dizack’s post-bop routes conjure Miles in a beautiful way, Vinson’s searing lyrical statement sweeps effortlessly over the rich rhythmic tapestry. This track segues into “Waynes”, a soul-funk-jazz hybridity with more settlements than collisions. The tune, inspired by saxophonist Wayne Shorter and guitarist Wayne Krantz, thrives with slippery, conversational tradeoffs between trumpet and saxophone, and then welcomes Wayland’s slightly dissonant synth infiltrations and bold clusters for a more adventurous effect.

There are other kinetic funk numbers delineated with vivid grooves at their cores and pure melodic grit atop: “FOMO Blues” and “Mischievous” are notable examples. Having the versatile Nate Wood at the center here, the former piece pulsates with passion and energy, and everything floats over a rhythm section that deserves applause. The latter number is no less mesmerizing, oozing reed-killing incursions and managing to interlock slick tempo variations. Although these are tightly-packed pieces, they’re never too strained or dense or impenetrable.

Yet, the bassist also incorporates laid-back pieces in the program. They are not only imbued with collective performing intuition and startling intimacy, but also open spaces that the musicians can fill. An example is “The Myth of Progress”, an impeccably structured vamp-like piece in nine with expressive unisons working as bridges for lyrical solos, including bass. Then there’s “Struggle Session”, which comes at you as a rubato poem majestically propelled by Abadey’s inventive drumming.

With the group members on the same wavelength, the music works as it should.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - I’ll Tell You What it is Later ► 03 - The Myth of Progress ► 05 - FOMO Blues

Luca Zennaro - When Nobody is Listening

September 14, 2020

Label: Caligola, 2020

Personnel: Luca Zennaro: guitar; Nicola Caminiti: alto saxophone; Jacopo Fagioli: trumpet; Michelangelo Scandroglio: bass; Mattia Galeotti: drums.

For his young age, Italian guitarist Luca Zennaro exhibits a strong musical personality. Unlike his full-length debut, Javaskara, which was configured for the quartet format, When Nobody is Listening has a core of five musicians plus guests conspiring to create a relaxed session of cohesively structured originals that explores Zennaro's lyrical qualities. Alto saxophonist Nicola Caminiti is the only one transitioning from the previous recording, while the remaining positions are filled by trumpeter Jacopo Fagioli, bassist Michelangelo Scandroglio, and drummer Mattia Galeotti. Guest pianists Alessandro Lanzoni and Nico Tangherlini appear on selected tracks.

The title track kicks off the session with an introductory procedure that aims to draw some mystery. The horn section emerges, giving it a quick punch, but that flux of energy gradually dissolves into cerebral improvisations by the bandleader, who cooks it with precision, and Lanzoni, who eventually expands the contemplative tones with compact harmonic filling and cascading melodic streams. Both pianist and guitarist stand out again on “How Time Flies”, a pop/rock-influenced piece with a three time feel, where they focus on trade offs with different durations. The intensity rises by the end with supplementary exchanges between Caminiti and Fagioli.

Following a similar line of thought, yet freer in posture, the piano-less “Camporovere” carries notable folk rock influences on its sunny chordal movements. Scandroglio becomes melodically active during the introductory section, while the horn players permeate the theme statement with some counterpoint and unisons. The waltz time also reigns here.

Both identically short in duration, “Heritage” and “If I Could, Why Not?” denote contrasting natures. The former is a solo guitar effort with multiple color gradients, whereas the latter favors a muscled freestyle playing that stirs the calm waters of cuts like “Giochi di Luca” and “Recitativo”. In the latter, Tangherlini’s pianism emerge with surrealism like raindrops falling delicately from the sky. The dreamy tones are corroborated by Zennaro at first, but his guitar sparks more and more with energy as the group gets closer to the end.

“Simala” is another piece that embraces soft textures at an early phase. The waters are considerably agitated by Galleoti’s strong percussive presence, as well as individual statements and the dynamic comping that underpins them.

Not particularly affluent in twists, When Nobody is Listening compensates with consistent musical moments where the chemistry between the musicians involved reveals to be decisive.

Favorite Tracks:
03 - Camporovere ► 06 - How Time Flies ► 09 - Recitativo

Eric Revis - Slipknots Through a Looking Glass

September 11, 2020

Label: Pyroclastic Records, 2020

Personnel - Eric Revis: bass; Bill McHenry: tenor saxophone; Darius Jones: alto saxophone; Kris Davis: piano; Chad Taylor: drums, mbira; Justin Faulkner: drums (tracks #1,3).

Sturdy bassist Eric Revis has been leaning his musical views on a structurally defined avant-garde jazz where texture, groove and improvisation are effectively combined. The eighth album from the L.A. native, Slipknots Through a Looking Glass, finds him playing alongside explorative saxophonists Bill McHenry and Darius Jones, who contribute one composition each, pianist Kris Davis, and drummer Chad Taylor. Justin Faulkner takes the drum chair on two tracks.
Apart from the two ‘external’ pieces, the album presents the fruits of Revis’ compositional insight and taste for experimentation in a collection of eight fresh originals plus one trio improvisation.

The latter, called “SpÆ”, sounds different from the rest, being a volatile, monochromatic trio deconstruction spontaneously designed with bass, mbira and prepared piano. The strategic ambiguity identified here is common to all three short haunting abstractions that constitute the title track, which arrives with bass overdubs.

Navigating uncharted waters with fiercely exquisite textures and progressive aesthetics, the group approaches “Earl & the Three-Fifths Compromise” with a bittersweet tang and a fetching lyricism worthy of a Spike Lee film. Here the two reedsmen develop a synergistic association within an immersive atmosphere composed of a 15/8 bass groove, sluggish melodies and a deliberate rhythm that crawls along. On this track, it’s Faulkner who keeps the drum kit under control.

McHenry and Jones, two distinctive masters in the art of intonation, are given the opportunity to show off their improvisational skills on “Shutter” and “Vimen”, penned by Taylor and Revis, respectively. The former piece merges punk-rock energy and avant-jazz slipperiness in a thrilling polyrhythmic way, having a manic bass groove coiling nicely around the throbbing drum work. The latter benefits from Davis’ puzzling patterns and percussive key-jolts, which populates the primary tangle provided by bass and drums. It’s curious to see how McHenry emphasizes storytelling with a burning intensity, while Jones tears it up by extracting a lot of commotion from his beseeching cries.

Whereas “Probyte” is a slow-burning, melody-centric piece with great individual and collective saxophone efforts, “Baby Renfro”, the opener, suggests ecstatic funk and jazzy hip-hop, displaying sharply fragmented unisons, groovy piano riffs, and agile rhythmic transitions.

Tastefully brushed by Taylor, “When I Become Nothing” is a McHenry-penned ballad of great emotional force that deserves a mention.

Estranging the familiar and seeking a creative path outside his orbit, Revis has always been inquisitive, always opening in the way he composes. If you like your jazz imaginative and unconventional, you should grab this disc immediately.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - Baby Renfro ► 03 - Earl & the Three-Fifths Compromise ► 10 - Vimen

Matt Wilson Quartet - Hug!

September 10, 2020

Label: Palmetto Records, 2020

Personnel - Jeff Lederer: tenor, alto and soprano saxophones, clarinet, piccolo, voice; Kirk Knuffke: cornet, soprano cornet, voice; Chris Lightcap: acoustic and electric basses, 8 string space bass, voice; Matt Wilson: drums, xylophone, voice.

American drummer/composer Matt Wilson reconvenes his monumental quartet - pairing up with bassist Chris Lightcap in the rhythm section and having reedsman Jeff Lederer and cornetist Kirk Knuffke sharing the frontline - to perform an 11-track session crammed with improvisational virtuosity and quicksilver interplay. The drummer’s phenomenal work, known for its elasticity and versatility, can encompass everything from New Orleans marches to muscular swinging numbers to uncompromising avant-garde tradition. Consisting of originals and covers alike, Hug! is no exception to the rule, having been programmed with a wide aesthetic variety.

The bluesy hard-bop of tenor master Gene Ammons’ “The One Before This” is infused with a striking energy and delivered with fascinating ideas on the account of the awesome soloing offered by all members of the quartet. The pictorial vividness found in here is also taken to Dewey Redman’s “Joie de Vivre”, originally a balladic post-bop number that, in the present case, is pumped up with a robuster sound and a faster tempo.

“Jabulani” and “In the Moment”, penned by pianist Abdullah Ibrahim and bassist Charlie Haden, respectively, are propelled by a hard-grooving overdrive that swings galore. While the former plays like a march during the theme statement, surfacing with a South African feel and staccato-imbued melody, the latter runs at full throttle, showing off sax and cornet thoroughly engaged in legato concordances.

Wilson, who demonstrates his genius throughout, splices his own “Space Force March” - a parody where we hear the voice of the current American president uttering a bunch of nonsense - with Sun Ra’s “Interplanetary Music”. The last segment is certainly a good time for Lederer and Knuffke interact with charisma. Their styles combine in perfection, and while the saxophonist usually unleashes full-throated blows that carry bravura intervallic leaps, the cornetist maintains a neat and bracing post-bop flair in his vocabulary. The latter's playing really makes an impression on Wilson’s sweet and soulful ballad “Every Day With You”.

Other Wilson compositions that stand out for their candor and originality are “Sunny & Share”, a tribute to the duo Sonny and Cher wrapped up in an unapologetic avant-garde outfit with a bass solo at the outset; “Hug!”, an effulgent pop song with strings arranged and played by Nashville-based bluegrass artist Matt Combs; and “Hambe Kahle (Goodbye)”, a tune with connotations to South Africa.

More than anything, this album expresses the immense joy these four musicians feel when they play together. They have fun while exploring the visceral pleasures of swing and marching songs, or by simply exchanging muscular melodies with ecstasy.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - The One Before This ► 04 - Every Day With You ► 07 - Sunny & Share

John Hollenbeck - Songs You Like a Lot

September 9, 2020

Label: Flexatonic Records, 2020

Personnel - John Hollenbeck: composer, arranger, conductor; Kate McGarry: vocals; Theo Bleckmann: vocals; Gary Versace: piano, organ + Frankfurt Radio Big Band.

With Songs You Like a Lot, drummer/composer/arranger John Hollenbeck concludes the trilogy started in 2013 with Songs I Like a Lot and continued with Songs We Like a Lot. This album, featuring the synergetic pair of vocalists Kate McGerry/Theo Bleckmann on top of keyboardist Gary Versace (who returns after Uri Caine has taken the piano chair on the second installment) and the Frankfurt Radio Big Band, is the first to be released on Hollenbeck’s own label Flexatonic Records.

Similarly as in previous sessions, popular songs were culled from different genres (this time chosen online by a group of fans/listeners), being reshaped and stretched into musical states that still respect the integrity of the original versions. Even pushing the program a bit more into the pop canon, the eclectic drummer opens the album with the methodical gospel chant of the traditional “Down In the River To Pray”. This well-intentioned song makes a good catch with the understated “Kindness”, the sole Hollenbeck original, which sounds like a Bjork oddity subtly adorned with affable woodwind lines and beautified with melancholic improvisations from bassist Hans Glawischnig and guitarist Martin Scales.

If James Taylor’s folk rock hit “Fire and Rain” earns a bit of the Joni Mitchell’s mood in the voice of McGarry, then “Pure Imagination”, penned by Anthony Newley and Leslie Bricusse for the soundtrack of Mel Stuart’s classic film Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, is slowly cooked with a theatrical reverie that gains further expression with Bleckmann’s vocal intonation. We have to wait four minutes for an odd-metered bass groove and steady rhythmic propulsion to take effect, but it all melts down again into contemplation until reaching the final climax.

Joni Mitchell’s artistry is indeed well represented in the rendition of “Blue”, where clarinet and synth dialogue in close proximity before muted trumpet and flute join from afar. Step by step, the instrumentation is expanded, but the amiable tones are kept, corroborated by Bleckmann’s quieting pronunciations.

Although I was not particularly impressed with the song selection, there are two pieces in the lineup that made me experience an immediate connection. The first of them was Bee Gees’ “How Deep Is Your Love”, here transformed by excellent rhythmic mutations and offering spectacle in the arrangement. It kicks off with a magnetic drum beat over which piano, flute and bass clarinet probe odd intervals. It also adds organ for textural consistency and color, and a tenor saxophone solo that stands out during the most orchestrally populated phase of the song. The other one was a memorable, risk-taking version of Peter Gabriel’s “Don’t Give Up”, here launched by a lone trumpet and redirected into a funkified jazz full of groove and harmonic force. Alternating dynamics, the band embarks on stop-and-go fluxes, and the circular passage toward the finale seems to ask for a rap attack. Although it didn’t happen, Hollenbeck prepared an electronic-like infusion with resonating pounding drums and free improvs in the mix.

Favorite Tracks:
02 - Blue ► 03 - How Deep is Your Love ► 05 - Don’t Give Up

Bill Frisell - Valentine

September 3, 2020

Label: Blue Note Records, 2020

Personnel - Bill Frisell: electric and acoustic guitars; Thomas Morgan: acoustic bass; Rudy Royston: drums.

The unmatchable guitarist Bill Frisell caresses our ears with another set of good-natured, ultra-refined songs delivered in trio. For this disc, he summoned longtime associates, bassist Thomas Morgan and drummer Rudy Royston, to perform 13 serene compositions, eight of which he penned.

Mixing pastoral and lounge atmospheres, the album starts with a revisitation of “Baba Drame”, a beautiful, warm piece by Malian guitarist Boubacar Traoré, which Frisell first recorded in 2013 for his album The Intercontinentals. The present rendition follows an uncluttered arrangement containing enough latitude to let the music breathe and a renewed sense of groove. From here, the trio makes a seamless transition to the spaciously textured “Hour Glass”.

Veering the tone, the title cut is a relentlessly delightful blues with a strong Monk-ian riff at the center, which often repeats during Morgan and Royston’s personal statements. The guitarist, a natural storyteller, shows how to deliver a masterful improvisation with absolutely no fuss and no place for fireworks.

Both “Levees” and “Wagon Wheels” bring that Western mood under their wings, conjuring vast American landscapes through country jazz sonorities and bluesy tones. The former is an original that Frisell wrote for the documentary The Great Flood, whereas the latter, a song from the early 1930s, comes from the pen of Billy Hill and Peter DeRose.

The ballad “Winter Always Turns to Spring” is harmonically interesting and driven by emotion, an attribute that also applies to Billy Strayhorn’s popular “A Flower is a Lonesome Thing”.

My favorite track is Burt Bacharach’s “What the World Needs Now is Love”, which emanates rays of light over our heads. Fully expressed from the heart, and with Morgan and Royston enlacing their sounds tightly, the tune finds Frisell propagating a fluid and logic narration with a slight R&B feel.

The trio pulls down the curtain after navigating a pair of tranquil compositions, both immersed in soothing tones and emotional vulnerability. They are “Where Do We Go?”, retrieved from the 2001 album Blues Dream and conducted by the bucolic tranquility of Frisell’s acoustic guitar, and “We Shall Overcome”, a traditional gospel piece that became an anthem for the civil rights movement.

Frisell’s discography reflects a distinguished four-decade career, and Valentine is another strong entry.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - Baba Drame ► 03 - Valentine ► 11 - What the World Need Now is Love

Immanuel Wilkins - Omega

September 2, 2020

Label: Blue Note Records, 2020

Personnel - Immanuel Wilkins: alto saxophone; Micah Thomas: piano; Daryl Johns: bass; Kweku Sumbry: drums.

Immanuel Wilkins was born to be a jazz star. The 23-year-old alto saxophonist/composer does not just deliver powerful personal music with the force of Coltrane and the progressive perception of Ornette, he also focuses on a fundamental message in his attempt to channel the Black experience in America through his sound. Omega, his majestic debut album, was produced by pianist Jason Moran and features a promising young rhythm team consisting of Micah Thomas on piano, Daryl Johns on bass, and Kweku Sumbry on drums.

The opening title, “Warriors”, is weaved with polyrhythmic complexity, denoting a swinging undertow that drags us in. Thomas’ amply rhythmic pianism cuts across the piece, whether in the form of individual statement or as a support for Wilkins’ vertiginous expansions. The saxophonist composed this one in honor of friendship, family and community.

A totally different ambiance is offered in related cuts such as “Ferguson - An American Tradition” and “Mary Turner - An American Tradition”, both quivering anxiety and despair pertaining to the tragic events addressed. The former, crafted with a forward thrust and pinpoint detail, reconstructs in reverse the 2014 shooting of 18-year-old Michael Brown by a white cop in Ferguson. Wilkins speaks volumes as he infuses the scenario with long, penetrating cries drowned in emotion. The latter piece, alluding to the 1918 lynchings in Georgia, emerges amorphously and minimally, and then presents a section where the saxophonist spills heart and grief over percussion. The addition of piano sets a widespread turmoil that busts into the avant-garde jazz department.

This freer posture also comes into view on “Guarded Heart”, the fourth and last part of a suite written in 2013, and where the fervency and tartness of Wilkins’ horn suits well the elasticity of his compositional style. The other parts of this sequence are “The Key”, which provides a softly textured opening; “Saudade”, an infectious, pulsating expedition that counterbalances tender and busy passages; and the eloquently expressed “Eulogy”, which keeps a pounding rhythm running in the background.

Written for James Weldon Johnson and kicking off with Johns’ bass at the center, “The Dreamer” is the ballad of the record. However, it’s the ardent spiritual force conveyed by “Omega”, the act of candor that closes out the album, that awes the most. Sumbry’s drum work is amazing and Thomas’ multifaceted harmonization spills, at once, rigor and freedom. The pianist embarks on a free conversation with Wilkins, and both musicians demonstrate their distinct subtleties and common passions.

Breaking traditional harmonic and rhythmic patterns, Wilkins is a giant newcomer whose poise and musical maturity are beyond his years.

Favorite Tracks:
02 - Ferguson - An American Tradition ► 09 - Guarded Heart, Pt. 4 ► 10 - Omega

Andrew D'Angelo & DNA Orchestra

September 1, 2020

Label: Self released, 2020

Personnel - Andrew D’Angelo: alto saxophone, bass clarinet, voice; Bill McHenry: tenor saxophone; Jeremy Udden: alto saxophone; Josh Sinton: baritone saxophone; Ryan Snow: trombone; Bryan Drye: trombone; Josh Roseman: trombone; Kirk Knuffke: cornet; John Carlson: trumpet; Jacob Wick: trumpet; Sasha Brown: guitar; Trevor Dunn: bass; Dan Weiss: drums + Nicole Federici: viola; Eric Biondo: beat box.

Alto saxophonist and bass clarinetist Andrew D’Angelo, reckoned as a force of nature for several reasons, finally releases this colorful, much-anticipated album mounted with his colossal 15-piece DNA Orchestra. All nine tunes in this program were previously recorded in different formats, but here they get new outfits and a special energy. His battle for life - he was diagnosed with a malignant brain tumor in 2008 - was won with the help of music, a crucial agent in his healing process. In addition to DNA project, D’angelo leads his own trio (feat. Trevor Dunn and Jim Black) and co-leads the quartet Human Feel (with Black, Chris Speed and Kurt Rosenwinkel).

The madly swinging “Free Willy”, the grand opening track dedicated to the drummer Matt Wilson and firstly heard on his album Humidity (Palmetto, 2003), is among the remodeled pieces. The orchestral arrangement is designed with splendorous ins and outs, and the featured soloists are Knuffke, who chips in with his habitual killing playing as soon as the music starts; trombonist Bryan Drye, who enjoys the rasping comping of guitarist Sasha Brown while improvising; and altoist Jeremy Udden, who expands his post-bop vocabulary with some warped sounds.

Both carrying curious titles and overcoming the 12 minutes, “Egna Ot Waog” and “Meg Nem Sa” are two of my favorite pieces. The former, written for bassist Ben Street, has a cautious start with buzzing horns, but quickly expands horizons with the precious assistance of Dunn’s cool, driving bass lines. Even if Brown causes some stir with his offbeat guitarism, the most incredible solo here belongs to tenorist Bill McHenry, whose neatly wrought blows end up in a rough-edged friction. “Meg Nem Sa”, in opposition, successfully blends prog-rock and avant-garde jazz and a lot more things, relying on constant rhythmic shifts that call for Weiss’ responsive and dynamic drumming. D’Angelo, who flies with a rocket-power propulsion, expanded this piece (which lasts less than three minutes on Tyft’s 2006 version) after the two brain surgeries he was subjected to. It was transformed in an intense musical journey.

McHenry composed “Norman” for D’Angelo (it’s his middle name) when he was sick in hospital. It’s a touching gospelized peace in the tradition of the late tenor player David S.Ware, here taken to heaven by the giddy, oblique trajectories of the bandleader.

Other highlights are “Big Butt”, a fun tour with fierce counterpoint and a hip-hop vibe (reinforced by beatbox artist Eric Biondo); and the infuriated “Marching Fvckers”, where baritonist Josh Sinton shines through.

Motivational, emotive and revolutionary, this work is replete with perpendiculars, tangents and intersections, embodying the force of character of a staggering, eclectic player/arranger who displays here a comprehensive range of his musical qualities.

** Read Andrew D’Angelo interview for JazzTrail **

Favorite Tracks:
02 - Egna Et Waog ► 08 - Norman ► 09 - Meg Nem Sa