Santi Debriano - Flash of the Spirit

January 18, 2021

Label: Truth Revolution Records, 2021

Personnel - Justin Robinson: alto saxophone; Andrea Brachfeld: flute; Bill O’Connor: piano; Santi Debriano: bass, guitar; Tommy Campbell: drums.

Panamian-born bassist/composer Santi Debriano, who was raised in Brooklyn since the age four, has forged a stable path in the left side of jazz through remarkable collaborations, both on record and on stage, with luminaries like Sam Rivers, Archie Shepp, Oliver Lake and David Murray. Although capable of spawning powerful grooves and holding complex rhythms, Debriano fails to impress with this new outing, Flash of the Spirit.

His quintet comes forward with the uptempo “Awesome Blues”, prescribing a straightforward swinging motion in seven with an indelible Latin feel attached. Alto saxophonist Justin Robinson and flutist Andrea Brachfeld get together in bright unisons, with all the members of the group - including pianist Bill O’Connor, drummer Tommy Campbell and Debriano himself - enjoying minutes to stretch out.

“Funky New Dorp” is Debriano homage to Staten Island’s community in its effort to deal with the damages inflicted by the Hurricane Sandy in 2012. Here, Robinson’s horn is a consistent source of speed and articulation.

“Natural Causes” and “Toujours Petits” are rhythmically boosted by the Brazilian percussionist Valtinho Anastacio. The former piece presents melodic parallelism between bass and flute and discreet shifts in rhythm, while the latter, written for Debriano’s three children, allows some harmonic comparison to Ivan Lins and Milton Nascimento while promoting a strong folk charisma in the melody and a sweltering Brazilian rhythm enhanced with the presence of mandolin and tambourine.

The lineup is adaptable, and if “For Heaven’s Sake” is a bass monologue that lasts for 2:42 minutes, “Beneath the Surface” is a melancholy piano/bass duet composed by O’Connell, and where Debriano bows with gloomy despondency.

Rounding out the record are three covers competently delivered but lacking soulful twists. Ornette Coleman’s “Humpty Dumpty” is the strongest, exploring outside playing. The others are Kenny Dorham’s earnest ballad “La Mesha”, in which Debriano overdubs an electric guitar solo, and a tepid piano-less rendition of Kenny Barron’s “Voyage”.

Unfortunately, Flash of the Spirit doesn’t distinguish itself from other new releases in the genre.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - Awesome Blues ► 05 - Toujours Petits ► 06 - Humpty Dumpty

Cortex - Legal Tender

January 14, 2021

Label: Clean Feed, 2020

Personnel - Thomas Johansson: trumpet, percussion; Kristoffer Berre Alberts: saxophones, percussion; Ola Høyer: double bass, percussion; Gard Nilssen: drums, percussion.

Cortex, the Norwegian jazz quartet that has been performing athletic avant-garde jazz since 2007, rely on a well-integrated group sound and a chord-less aesthetic that is both resilient and sparkly. Legal Tender, their fourth release on the Clean Feed Records, comprises seven tracks marked by short and simple themes, productive interplay and exciting improvisation. Six of them were penned by trumpeter Thomas Johansson and one by bassist Ola Høyer. The group also features tenor saxophonist Kristoffer Berre Alberts and the illustrious drummer Gard Nilssen, who makes here his last contribution to this quartet in order to focus more on family as well as on his own projects.

“Anthem For the Uneasy” opens the record with epic grandeur, combining bowed bass legato, dexterous mallet activity and poignant melody. The eloquent, supplicant tones are preserved during the time that Alberts blows a strongly-built tenor improv.

If the groovy avant-garde work in “Standby” emerges with a three time feel, a dash of folk incantation and a fluid swinging vibe, then “GTM” is a playful 4/4 collective exertion with room for the soloists’ creativity. Nilssen stands out in a rhythmic dissertation with occasional beat-driven coolness, opportune fragmentations and lots of color.

Høyer’s “10-4” boasts a two-minute intro of trumpet, peculiarly handled by Johansson with extended techniques. After the sumptuous unisons of the theme statement, the tune segues into a more conversational strategy put in practice by the trumpeter and the saxophonist with occasional wily juxtapositions.

The last couple of pieces on the album introduce the blues as a final fling before the conclusion. Totally relaxed in posture, “Blue Bromka” is pushed forward by sluggish ascendant bass movements and expertly polished brushwork, while “Loose Blues” is divided into two parts, which are separated by more than a minute of silence. Following Nilssen’s introductory mallet drum work and subsequent collective pastoralism, comes a galvanizing and propulsive Afro groove in six over which a fertile trumpet diction unfolds.

Although not consistently meeting the joy and energy of Cortex's predecessor album, Avant-Garde Party Music (Clean Feed, 2017), Legal Tender won’t have any trouble to connect with seekers of creative music.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - Anthem For the Uneasy ► 03 - GTM ► 07 - Loose Blues

Tani Tabbal Trio - Now Then

January 13, 2021

Label: Tao Forms, 2020

Personnel - Adam Siegel: alto saxophone; Michael Bisio: acoustic bass; Tani Tabbal: drums.

Throughout a remarkable career that came to prominence in the early 1980’s, Chicago-born drummer Tani Tabbal made a name for himself by performing/recording with fantastic and adventurous bandleaders such as Roscoe Mitchell, Sun Ra, Geri Allen, David Murray and Evan Parker. For this chord-less trio recording with the stalwart bassist Michael Bisio and the younger yet similarly risk-taking altoist Adam Siegel, he provides 10 pieces, six of which he penned and four by Bisio.

The record opens with one of the bassist’s pieces, “Arrested Confusion”, which, boasting a challenging additive meter signature [8+6] at the backbone, allows the saxophonist to explore in oblique ways.

Tabbal penned the next two discrepant compositions. “Just Woke Up” denotes a more reflective nature through a loose underpinning and open dynamics; the space doesn’t compromise the committed interplay and Siegel’s can be, by turns, assertively explanative and disconsolately plaintive. In turn, “Khusenaton” feels like a groove-centered 15/8 boogaloo that keeps revolving on the axis established by a robust bass figure and colorful drumming.

The title track, “Now Then”, accommodates the frenetic drive and improvisational impetus commonly seen in the free jazz genre. While Siegel becomes garrulous in his adventurous and largely timbral cacophony, Bisio and Tabbal intertwine their sounds in turbulent combustion.

Bisio’s “Sun History Ra Mystery” exudes a noteworthy spiritual vibe with Tabbal infusing a fine mix of cymbal colors in a first instance, before departing to mallet splendor. The name Sun Ra in the title is not by chance. The bassist also brought the freebop-ish “Oh See OC Revisited” to the program, a piece that had been previously recorded in a 2016 duo recording with cornetist Kirk Knuffke. For this version, the trio plunges into a happy, uncompromising swing that extends to Tabbal’s “Inky Bud”, a full-throttled ride where the drummer showcases his percussive skills. On this particular track, we experience a taste of timelessness with hints of Monk and Braxton.

With an elastic approach to pulse, Tabbal commands this trio with extreme confidence.

Favorite Tracks:
03 - Khusenaton ► 04 - Sun History Ra Mystery ► 10 - Inky Bud

Flash Reviews - Dino Saluzzi / Mark Small Trio / Alex Moxon Quartet

January 12, 2021

DINO SALUZZI - ALBORES (ECM Records, 2020)

Personnel - Dino Saluzzi: bandoneon.

The first time I heard Argentinean bandoneon player Dino Saluzzi was on Volver, a 1986 quintet record co-led with Italian trumpeter Enrico Rava. Recalling that moment, I was well impressed by the warm, wistful and nostalgic sounds explored. Albores, his first solo effort in 32 years, is predominantly taken by these strong emotional shades while traversing various themes with a delicate combination of quietness and expressiveness.

The mournful “Adios Maestro Kancheli”, a homage to the Georgian composer Giya Kancheli, who died in 2019 at the age of 84, makes a good company to “Ausencias”, where it's easy to discern the harmonic and melodic richness of the instrument, and also to the inner soliloquy “Intimo”. Boasting an evocatively firm yet soft-at-the-edges intonation, Saluzzi has in “Segun Me Cuenta La Vida / Milonga” - a tango with equal portions of sadness and romanticism - and “Ficcion”, his most glowing pieces. Both were inspired by the work of Argentinean writer Jorge Luis Borges. There’s also “Don Caye”, a tender dedication to his father. Even in small doses, this music requires patience if you’re not in the right mood. [B-]

MARK SMALL - ONE DAY (Self released, 2020)

Personnel - Mark Small: tenor saxophone; Matt Brewer: double bass; Damion Reid: drums.

For his debut album as a leader, saxophonist Mark Small has gathered a trio that provides him an incredibly rhythmic support. One Day features eight original compositions written in the course of his busy musical life, probably when he was not touring with the singer Michael Bublé, occasionally performing with the Vanguard Jazz Orchestra or recording with Darcy James Argue’s Secret Society.

Small is heard unaccompanied in the intro of “Sonny”, a straight-ahead blues dedicated to one of his major influences, Sonny Rollins. The piece becomes inherently conversational from the moment that bassist Matt Brewer and drummer Damion Reid start weaving a rock-solid net in the back.

Relaxedly brushed, “Tumbleweed” gets an extra layer with dubbed saxophone, whereas the ECM-inspired “The Charmer” reaches a strongly motivic disposition by displaying sax lines against a funkified rhythm.

Although the dynamic “Gee Zee” is authoritatively coordinated with bop articulation, the two last pieces on the album instantly had my fondness. The odd-metered “Conflict of Interest” flows like a burbling stream, while “Up”, an exciting sax/drums duet, concludes with loads of energy to burn. [B]

ALEX MOXON QUARTET (Self released, 2020)

Personnel - Alex Moxon - guitar; Steve Boudreau: piano; John Geggie: bass; Michel Delage: drums.

Guitarist Alex Moxon, a native of Ottawa, Canada, makes his debut as a leader in the company of fellow Ottawa players - pianist Steve Boudreau, bassist John Geggie, and drummer Michel Delage. Comprising seven originals and two covers, the album steps into several stylistic domains. If Woody Shaw’s strikingly vibrant “In a Capricorn Way” opens the album with a triple meter flow and a soul-inflected vibe that, calling Grant Green to mind, celebrates the birth of Moxon's son, then the solo version of Soundgarden’s poignant “Black Hole Sun” is layered with less enigmatic tones than the original, despite of an exciting final segment presented with impressive chordal work and harmonics. “Kaleidoscope” results from a seamless integration of smooth funk and post-bop; “Mining For Gold” is another solo effort that, by its design, takes us closer to the electro-pop universe; and pieces such as “Wood Chop” and “Scientology” revisit the hard-bop universe, shaping up in their own way. The record comes to a close with “Romantique”, a balladic serenade in five. Above all, Moxon demonstrates soulfulness while expressing his musical ideas. [B]

Game of Drones - What Computers Cannot Do

January 11, 2021

Label: Fro Musikkforlag, 2020

Personnel - Jakob Eri Myhre: trumpet, effects pedal, cracklebox, Casio keyboard, tuning forks; Aksel Jensen: bass, effects pedal; Henning Carlsen: samples, electronics, SPD-SX percussion sampling pad

Focusing on experimental narratives that transpire considerable abstraction and multi-sensorial awareness, Game of Drones - the Norwegian trio of trumpeter Jakob Eri Myhre, bassist Aksel Jensen and sampling artist Henning Carlsen - often pokes the listeners’ imagination through an offbeat sound design. What Computers Cannot Do is their debut full-length album.

Experimental electronic music comes along with an eruptive, erratic beat on “Speed” to convey a sinister sense of foreboding that looms large. Imagine having the dark dancing grip of Cabaret Voltaire and the underground art rock of Robert Fripp inhabiting the same space.

Also shinning darkly among other pieces, “Selenography” leans deeper into ambient, contrasting with the clear, still waters of “Sleep”, which blends tonal smears for a congruent result. The zap and sizzling electronic sounds by Carlsen are transferred into “Lucid”, which provides a more discernible harmonic progression via Jensen’s bass conduction, whether pedaling or pushing forward. Moreover, Myhre’s shimmering trumpet often searches for transparency on the higher registers.

“Bang” features an intelligible synth language with no subterfuges, ending up in a sort of mechanical fantasia that arises from the conjunction of a propelling rhythm and a bass figure. There’s a shift in mood that implies a shift in rhythm, and the beat becomes fragmented, leaving us stalled in atmospheric inquisitiveness. By the end, the trio reinstates the earliest rhythmic form with wailing trumpet phrases atop.

In a similar danceable fashion, “Alarm” goes from a more vivid streak of funk and progressive electronica into a wistful sound world of dark dronescapes, chiming spareness and spectral, cosmic-like effects.

Not for all ears, this record is recommended for those expecting jazz to go beyond standard paths.

Favorite Tracks:
02 - Bang ► 04 - Lucid ► 06 - Alarm

David Gilmore - From Here to Here

January 7, 2021

Label: Criss Cross, 2020

Personnel - David Gilmore: guitars; Luis Perdomo: piano; Brad Jones: bass; E.J. Strickland: drums.

The vibrancy of American guitarist David Gilmore made him a first-call sideman in projects of Steve Coleman, Wayne Shorter, Don Byron and Christian McBride, among others. From Here To Here is his sixth album as a leader and his second consecutive release on the Dutch Criss Cross Jazz label. In opposition to the previous outing (Transitions, 2017), this horn-less quartet record features more originals than covers, being a double tribute to Gilmore’s father and to Criss Cross founder, Gerry Teekins Jr., who passed away last year.

“Focus Pocus” opens the curtain with rhythmic insight, oscillating between pedal-point passages and hard-swinging motions, but it’s “Metaverse” that immediately came to my attention as a jazz/funk/rock overlap infused with synth guitar sounds, crafty unisons, a mix of rhythmic independence and confluence, as well as expedite soloing with exchanges between Gilmore and the highly expressive pianist Luis Perdomo.

With the bassist Brad Jones and the drummer E.J. Strickland behind the powerful rhythmic pulse, “Free Radicals” is an exciting ride with furious narrative logic and progressive vision. The group flawlessly mingles a gorgeous Latin vibe, post-bop grit and some rock muscularity that proceeds from the bandleader’s gliding runs. Jones and Strickland also contribute valuable improvisations in a piece that was written a few years ago but was never recorded until now.

The variety of mood and gradience in color can be spotted throughout. Consider the cases of “Child of Time”, an acoustic guitar-driven post-bop piece with an inclination to jazz fusion; “The Long Game”, which clearly brings tradition attached to its bopish melodies and solid bass groove; “Libation”, whose triple meter and sonic shape bring Wayne Shorter to mind; and “When and Then”, a jazz-funk gift with farsighted parallel phrases, a bluesy tinge and hints of R&B tossed in the mix.

A pair of non-originals, the freewheeling “Cyclic Episode” and the 12-bar blues “Interplay”, sprang from the pens of woodwind master Sam Rivers and revered pianist Bill Evans, respectively. Although rendered with depth, none of them matches the original material.

Favorite Tracks:
03 - Metaverse ► 05 - When and Then ► 09 - Free Radicals

Steve Swell - The Center Will Hold

January 6, 2021

Label: Not Two Records, 2020

Personnel - Steve Swell: trombone; Jason Kao Hwang: violin ,viola, electronics; Robert Boston: piano, organ; Ariel Bart: harmonica; Fred Lonberg-Holm: cello; Andrew Cyrille: drums.

Steve Swell is an adventurous, in-demand jazz trombonist that has been a stalwart of New York’s downtown free jazz scene for more than four decades. For this fresh album, he convened skilled workfellows who understand his creative trade inside out. This cross-generational sextet has the particularity of featuring the highly esteemed veteran drummer Andrew Cyrille and a newly discovered young harmonica player, the Israeli Ariel Bart, who demonstrates to have an instinctive musicality. Rounding out the group are Swell’s regular collaborators, violinist Jason Kao Hwang, keyboardist Robert Boston and cellist Fred Lonberg-Holm.

“Celestial Navigation” opens the record as an energetic romp filled with piercing sounds and whimsical drumming. The imaginative routes and mysterious encounters suggested in the music come with a psychedelic touch spread by strings, chromatic harmonica and organ. For the period that Swell pours out an unorthodox statement, there’s a density of buzzing sounds filling the background.

Having its epic theme replicated between sections, “The Center Will Hold” carries a whirling pianism and loose pulsation in its finely wrought procedures. A warped trombone solo and respective piano comping form an exquisite combination of dissonance and countermelody, and then it’s Cyrille who, after joining Boston’s anarchic playing, responds with a discreet, rich and polished drum talk.

The tonally rich “Mikrokosmos II” makes reference to klezmer music in a mercurial transition that leads to wah-wah violin infusions. Hwang also employs this effect on the fantastic “Robo Call”, an explorative tune couched with a sturdy trombone riff and violin countermelody, an inviting groove in six, and a great harmonica solo that picks up exactly where the trombone left off. One can sense an abundance of life here, and that feel had already been conveyed on the piece that preceded it, “Laugh So You Don’t Cry”. Here, the rhythm team pilots the ship by adhering to a fast swinging acceleration, while the effusive clamoring is accented by Boston’s Cecil Taylor-esque abstractions and Bart’s serpentine itineraries.

These musicians work really well together, giving Swell’s compositions the stunning aesthetics they deserve. With no lessening of enthusiasm, The Center Will Hold is a dazzler of a record.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - Celestial Navigation ► 02- The Center Will Hold ► 05 - Robo Call

Russ Lossing - Metamorphism

January 5, 2021

Label: Sunnyside Records, 2021

Personnel - Russ Lossing: piano; Loren Stillman: alto and soprano saxophones; John Hébert: bass; Michael Sarin: drums.

The authoritative lyricism of pianist/composer Russ Lossing is recognizable on this new quartet effort in which he pairs down with bassist John Hébert and drummer Michael Sarin to form a highly sensitive rhythm section. The underrated saxophonist Loren Stillman completes the group, offering his idiosyncratic melodicism, resignation and full allegiance to Lossing’s compositional intentions and immersive moods.

The complex attributes of the opener, “Three Treasures”, allow us to find hidden emotional depth amid the dancing Eastern-tinged melody and sultry harmonic sequences. The four musicians promptly show to be in full control of their instruments, managing to excavate groove from the off-kilter ambiance. Sarin’s rhythmic drive and Hebert’s droning tenacity are notably effective in the back, while, for the most part, Lossing becomes the melodic force at the fore. The latter’s comping also reveals responsive interaction when Stillman steps forward.

“Sojourn” is an old sleek piece whose polyrhythmic motif and odd tempo make it soar as if it had no ground. The group rides it with grace, especially Stillman, who infuses his playing with a Konitz-type of vibe.

Lossing dedicates two pieces on the album to a pair of mentors and influences. If the achingly beautiful title track, “Metamorphism”, was written for drummer Paul Motian, seeking deep emotions and emanating tranquility while evoking the latter’s atmospheric jazz, “Blind Horizon” is an evocative portraiture of the genius pianist Andrew Hill delivered with incantatory melancholy. The harmonic colors pulled out by the solo piano intro are exquisite, and the tune unfolds gracefully and gradually with a circling piano figure, sizzling brushwork, agreeing bass lines and heart-rending soprano articulations. It then segues into a piano improvisation that cleverly integrates a mix of explicitness and haziness.

Developed from an improvised idea originally recorded with a MIDI keyboard, “June Jig” completely transfigures this atmosphere by imposing a more expansive, funky procedure promoted by Hébert and Sarin. The bandleader only comes in at a later time, interacting with Stillman over a swinging rhythm section.

Relying on the tenderness and charm with which is performed, “Mai” features a bass discourse sandwiched between saxophone and piano statements, while “Pileatus”, agreeing on a fleet, playful and iterative idea, directs the spotlight to the drummer.

Lossing continues to compose with as much astuteness as intricacy, and these eight tunes keep reflecting his singular voice.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - Three Treasures ► 03 - Metamorphism ► 04 - Mai

Raphael Pannier Quartet - Faune

January 4, 2021

Label: French Paradox, 2020

Personnel - Miguel Zenón: alto saxophone; Aaron Goldberg: piano; François Moutin: double bass; Raphael Pannier: drums + guests Jacob Bergson: keys, electronics; Giorgi Mikadze: piano.

With Faune, the New York-based French drummer/composer Raphael Pannier provides an arresting work of elaboration in which he includes serious-minded originals and renditions of known classical and jazz pieces made contemporary. His debut as a leader couldn’t have been so effective if he hadn't put together a tight-knit quartet fronted by his mentor and musical director, the Puerto Rican saxophonist Miguel Zenón. The group is rhythmically bolstered by pianist Aaron Goldberg and bassist François Moutin.

The lead-off track, Ornette Coleman’s “Lonely Woman”, is taken to new heights. Leisurely flowing and surrounded by space, this inventive interpretation finds the drummer throwing in some curve balls with textural ingeniousness and colorful technique (sometimes hand drumming too). The silkiness is slightly roughened for Zenón’s invigorating discourse, and then it’s Moutin’s stunning bass monologue that resumes the breathiness. The bassist talks empathically again on “Midtown Blues”, a Manhattan-inspired trio piece that thrives with piano elasticity and vividly swinging brushwork. It ends up with tradeoffs between the drummer and his bandmates.

The jazz covers are completed with Wayne Shorter’s “E.S.P.”, a staple of the Miles Davis Quintet, here redefined with a keen aesthetic sensitivity via an incredible control of tempo and steep variations. Feeling simultaneously focused and carefree, especially while swinging, this tune is bookended by a galloping intro and a crescendo-motivated outro, both atmospherically enriched by the producer/keyboardist Jacob Bergson.

The latter’s low-key yet distinguished touch also enriches “Forlane”, a memorable, often splendorous rendition of the third movement of Maurice Ravel’s 1917 solo piano suite Le Tombeau de Couperin. With Georgian pianist Giorgi Mikadze on board, the classical inspiration is brought up to date by the fascinating textural work of the musicians, each of them putting their personal stamp on it. Yet, the classical choices are not limited to the aforementioned piece, with the group tackling Messiaen’s “Le Baiser de L’enfant Jésus” with a polished sheen and a stripped-down accompaniment.

In certain instances, rich layers of complexity come naturally into Pannier’s writing and playing and that’s evident on the consistently spellbinding “Lullaby”, in which an insistent sluggish riff is affixed to an additive (4+5) tempo. Enthusiastic action-reaction is detected between sax and piano, and the piece increases robustness as it moves forward. He also composed “Monkey Puzzle Tree”, whose kinetic post-bop energy leads to a final drum solo.

I'm left to conclude that the quartet’s perception of Pannier’s music is thoroughly accurate. The drummer's gifted compositions are worthy of admiration while the non-original material sounds fresh without being sinister.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - Lonely Woman ► 03 - Lullaby ► 08 - Forlane

Archie Shepp / Raw Poetic / Damu The Fudgemunk - Ocean Bridges

December 30, 2020

Label: Redefinition Records, 2020

Personnel - Archie Shepp: tenor and soprano saxophones, Wurlitzer, []; Raw Poetic: vocals/lyrics; Damu the Fudgemunk: drums, vibraphone, turntable, background vocals; Pat Fritz: guitar; Aaron Gause: Wurlitzer, synthesizer; Luke Stewart: acoustic and electric bass; Jamal Moore: tenor saxophone, percussion; Bashi Rose: drums, percussion.

This improvised jazz-rap project where words and music effectively mesh, consists of an unexpected yet successful collaboration co-led by the iconic free/avant-garde jazz saxophonist Archie Shepp, the latter’s nephew MC Raw Poetic (Jason Moore), who conceived the idea, and multi-instrumentalist and hip-hop producer Earl ‘Damu the Fudgemunk’ Davis. The result is uniformly excellent, a fruitful mix of instrumental smoothness, bouncy beats, raw and angular improvisation, and tense recitals by the lyricist Raw Poetic.

“Learning to Breathe” passes exactly the idea suggested in the title with the help of Fudgemunk’s turntable scratching. Lush jazzy Wurlitzer chords and Luke Stewart’s immersive bass lines support the rap and clever sampling, as well as Shepp's tenor, which fits beautifully.

“Tulips” is another notable highlight that blooms with Shepp’s soprano flies, a showcase of his fiery musicality and expressive notion of groove. With an awesome vibe and deep words, this piece is a sort of A Tribe Called Quest experimenting with free horns atop. The winding soprano blows are extended to “Aperture”, whose firm narrative benefits from a proportionate musical consolidation between guitar and keys. Yet, the tune’s starting point is no less brilliant, with unaccompanied vibraphone leading to a funky drum n’ bass conception that vouches for soulful resonance.

The tunes drop in with resolve, and the lifted funk provided by “Sugar Coat It” still oozes something atmospheric under looping patterns reinforced by guitar bends and ostinatos. Feels good to see the kinetic rap traversing these sharp jazz-hop mosaics with nerve.

Snippets of soul jazz and smooth funk are detected on “12 Hour Parking”, where the synthesizer shading exudes dramatic sensitivity and the fingerpicked jazz guitar of Pat Fritz plants motivic ideas.

Regarding the seven parts of “Professor Shepp’s Agenda”, I was particularly pleased with the part six, layered with evocatively swinging jazz charisma, and part seven, characterized by a strong motif at the base and rhythmic variation associated to a loose-limbed drumming.

Ocean Bridges is a solid work from top to bottom; an intoxicating marriage between jazz and hip-hop that certainly made this challenging 2020 a bit better for the ones who gave it a try.

Favorite Tracks:
02 - Learning to Breathe ► 04 - Tulips ► 10 - Sugar Coat It

The Warriors of the Wonderful Sound - SoundPath

December 29, 2020

Label: Clean Feed, 2020

Personnel - Marty Ehrlich: conduction, alto sax; Bobby Zankel: alto sax; Julian Pressley: alto sax; Robert DeBellis: tenor and soprano saxes; Hafez Modirzadeh: tenor sax; Mark Allen: baritone sax; Dave Ballou: trumpet; Dwayne Eubanks: trumpet; Graham Haynes: cornet; Josh Evans: trumpet; Steve Swell: trombone; Michael Dessen: trombone: Alfred Patterson: trombone; Jose Davila: bass trombone; Tom Lawton piano; Michael Formanek: bass; Chad Taylor: drums.

SoundPath is a long-form composition by the late groundbreaking pianist Muhal Richard Abrams, the resulted from a commission by Philadelphia-based saxophonist Bobby Zankel for his ensemble Warriors of the Wonderful Sound.

The piece, which was performed live twice in 2012 and 2018, roams from section to section, tempered by the broad experience of conductor and alto saxophonist Marty Ehrlich, a former collaborator of Abrams. He, better than anyone, understands the author’s vision and where this music stands.

The absorbing musical act is structured with ebbing and flowing tides, displaying a luxurious orchestral density right at the starting point but soon finding a lower gravitational force in the phenomenal piano work offered by Tom Lawton.

Despite the constancy of tension and angularity, there are amiable swinging sections filled with improvisational splendor. It’s exactly under this ‘mood’ that Zankel on alto, trumpeter Duane Eubanks and trombonist Steve Swell make their voices heard. Then, a variety of horns in gentle communion contrast with angular piano convolutions before Ehrlich jumps in to distribute hook-shaped phrases over the agile torsions of Michael Formanek’s authoritative bass.

The horn section splits up, creating intense droning background and intersecting melodies in anticipation to the bassist’s solo, which later morphs into continual swing gestures corroborated by drummer Chad Taylor. The latter's sleek brushwork polishes the finishing touches. The one taking advantage of this solid anchor is trumpeter Josh Evans, who shows fierceness in his post-bop elation.

The poetic quality in Abrams’ music is not removed with the enthusiasm, inventiveness and sometimes playfulness of the soloists. From here and until the end, we still have two more sections featuring a deep-seated statement from Jose Davila on bass trombone with nimble cross-stick moves in the back, Julian Pressley’s uninterrupted cries on alto with horn fills aggrandizing the supplication, and Taylor’s fine percussive chops, which conclude the spontaneous initiatives.

Frequently touching the sublime, SoundPath provides the freedom and joy usually ingrained in the avant-garde jazz of the true masters.

The End - Allt Ar Intet

December 28, 2020

Label: RareNoise, 2020

Personnel - Sofia Jernberg: voice; Mats Gustafsson: baritone saxophone, flute, live electronics; Kjetil Møster: tenor sax, clarinet, electronics; Anders Hana: baritone guitar, langeleik; Børge Fjordheim: drums.

The powerhouse Scandinavian ensemble The End magically orchestrates the six compositions that compose its sophomore full-length album, Allt Ar Intet (the Swedish for All is Nothingness), which comes in the footsteps of its predecessor, Svårmod Och Vemod Är Värdesinnen (RareNoise, 2018).

It's impossible to resist the diversified dynamics and ever-inventive texture as we find the group playing with light and darkness to make their sounds resonate. The intrepidly explorative saxophonists Mats Gustafsson and Kjetil Møster, vocalist Sofia Jernberg, baritone guitarist Anders Hana and drummer Borje Frodheim, who sits in for Deerhoof's Gregory Saunier, stake their ground as agitators while bringing their musical personalities into a mighty whole.

Dedicated to the Swedish pianist Per Henrik Wallin, an important figure in Gustafsson's musical formation, “Dark Wish” arrives as a sonic paraphernalia where post-jazz and noise-rock progress together without clashing. A brawny circular progression borrowed from the dark metal imperium supports the concurrent saxophones, one immersed in an ostinato and the other focused on a fiery improvisation. And then comes the amazing Jernberg who, exploring range and timbre like no other singer, battles the piercing forays of the tenor sax.

Møster’s “Intention and Release” is another colossal sculpture, a challenging epic piece that is also darkly poetic and strikingly emotional. With the baritone saxophone conducive to effusive propel, the piece offers substance alongside a hint of flamboyance, culminating with a gutsy pulse and slap tonguing saxophone.

Hana’s compositions, “Allt Ar Intet” and “Kraka Rorde Sig Aldrig Mer”, have distinct configurations. After an ethereal start, the former becomes raw and danceable, incorporating elements of new wave and post-punk in order to bolster an already empathic rock-edged groove. Conversely, the latter spirals into a frenzied metal-punk-free-jazz hymn ramped up by Jernberg’s wild screams over blazing guitar, and an unflagging baritone solo. The sort of esoteric quality found here makes absolute sense, since this piece was inspired by the literary work of British poet Ted Hughes.

Bookending the program are fresh imaginings of Karen Dalton’s “It Hurts me Too”, here featuring the droning vibes of Hana’s Norwegian zither and the plaintive Billie Holiday-esque cries of Jernberg, and Dewey Redman’s “Imani”, a piece from 1973.

Sometimes cryptic, demented on occasion, always bold and fascinating… The End keeps listeners on their toes.

Favorite Tracks:
02 - Dark Wish ► 03 - Intention and Release ► 05 - Kraka Rorde Sig Aldrig Mer

Keith Jarrett - Budapest Concert

December 23, 2020

Label: ECM

Personnel - Keith Jarrett: piano

After the sad news reporting that prolific pianist Keith Jarrett might not ever play again in public after two strokes suffered in 2018, we try to find solace in his discography. The double solo album Budapest Concert, his latest ECM release, was captured live at The Bela Bartok National Concert Hall in Budapest, Hungary, an inspiring country for him for several reasons. First of all, because of his appreciation for Bartok’s impressive music, and second because his maternal grandmother hailed from there. Following up last year’s Munich 2016, this is the second live-recording culled from his memorable 2016 tour.

Over the course of the album’s 14 tracks, we are sucked into his personal musical realm of free improvisation with classical and folk influences. At the end, he even grants us a couple of standards that are usually part of his concert repertoire - a slow-paced rubato interpretation of “It’s a Lonesome Old Town”, which also appeared on the previous recording, and a touching reading of “Answer Me My Love”, an originally German song that was recorded by Nat King Cole, Joni Mitchell and Gene Ammons.

His nimble finger movements whether interlock into pulsating cadences or separate melodic and harmonic threads, making them operate as logic juxtapositions. He does this through intense abstract commotions (Part I, Part IX), comfortable meditations with an occasional dreamy quality (Part II, Part XI), ever-moving routes (Part III), and engrossing rhythms underpinning lush textures (Part IV). “Part X” is a mix of the last two, contrasting with the endearing romantic touch of “Part V”, the unleashing tinge of bop on “Part VI”, the pop/folk coloring of “Part VII” or the inviting blues of “Part XII”.

No one expected this to be at the level of works like The Koln Concert or Solo Concerts: Bremen and Lausanne. And it’s not. Still, it’s Jarrett speaking his sophisticated language, totally immersed in his incontestable style.

Favorite Tracks:
04 - Part IV ► 07 - Part VII ► 10 - Part X

Trio Grande - Trio Grande

December 22, 2020

Label: Whirlwind Recordings, 2020

Personnel - Will Vinson: tenor and soprano saxophones; Gilad Hekselman: guitar; Antonio Sanchez: drums.

Virtuosic things are expected to be found when we hear Trio Grande, a collaborative bass-less trio of high-caliber bandleaders with different backgrounds and influences. In fact, the New York-based group co-led by British saxophonist Will Vinson, Israeli guitarist Gilad Hekselman and powerhouse Mexican drummer Antonio Sanchez, doesn’t disappoint, setting out an aesthetic stall that suits their rare flexibility and vision.

Their eponymous album kicks in with Sanchez’s “Northbound”, a marvel of a piece that slickly walks groovy avenues while blending jazz and rock physiognomies into a distinct contemporary character. Expect enthralling sax/guitar parallelism, an adventurous soprano solo and roiling drum work in due time.

The drummer also brings “Firenze”, a composition that was previously recorded with the sax player Joe Lovano and bassist John Patitucci, and in this version, ends up in a trance-like circumnavigation that invites us to dance; and “Gocta”, a rhythmic spectacle in seven that manages to knit sluggish and energetic threads together. The immensity of ‘lost’ chords infuses a spatial volubility that contrasts with the quicksilver forcefulness of the pulse and texture. Here, the group seems to explore possibilities within the rock, post-bop, dance music, and avant-garde spheres.

Hekselman’s punctilious “Elli Yeled Tov” champions Israeli folklore, yet, in a way, it brings Lionel Loueke-vibes to mind as it flourishes with a celebratory rhythm, clapping, and expressive staccato melody.

Vinson contributes two pieces to the program. Whereas “Oberkampf” soars with melancholic crispness and evocative riffs, “Upside”, retrieved from his 2016 album Perfectly Out Of Place, is gracefully grounded, shaping up as an odd-metered blues.

Both the guitarist and the drummer are responsible for the rocky backbones of each tune, and on the vibrating “Scoville”, a tribute to master guitarist John Scofield, they really funk things up, capturing the latter’s jazz-funk vibe by bombarding fuzzy sounds and preserving elasticity in the dynamics. The shifts in ambiance operated by Sanchez feel great here, and his drum fills are momentous. He and his associates have fun during the conclusive vamp, assuredly built to keep things rockin’.

The eight pieces on this record are representative of these musicians’ artistic credibility.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - Northbound ► 05 - Scoville ► 06 - Gocta

Susan Alcorn Quintet - Pedernal

December 21, 2020

Label: Relative Pitch, 2020

Personnel - Susan Alcorn: pedal steer guitar; Mary Halvorson: guitar; Michael Feldman: violin; Michael Formanek: acoustic bass; Ryan Sawyer: drums.

Cleveland-born, Baltimore-based pedal steel guitar player/composer Susan Alcorn always finds a taut balance between articulate melody and ambiguous, atmospheric ambiances. She’s usually seen playing in duo and trio formats but for her most recent outing, Pedernal, she assembled a quintet with three old collaborators - guitarist Mary Halvorson, bassist Michael Formanek and drummer Ryan Sawyer - and a new backer of her musical cause - violinist Michael Feldman. The album embraces diverse languages, moods and styles, yet, the five Alcorn compositions perfectly cohere as a whole.

The title track initiates the journey by centering guitar and bass in a spiritual communion. The group embraces folk, chamber music and country-jazz with a deep melodic sense in this charming sonic portrait of Cerro Pedernal, a narrow mesa located in northern New Mexico.

Inspired by the Anasazi dwellings in southeastern Utah’s Hovenweep National Monument, “Circular Ruins” enhances a contrasting, restless cymbal activity within the reflective mood delineated by concurrent guitars and violin countermelodies. Halvorson’s exquisite tones are wonderful during the explorative states of suspension created by Alcorn’s colorful chordal work and the lugubrious bowing of the bass and violin.

“R.U.R.”, whose title refers to Karel Capek’s 1920 science fiction play of the same name, reveals a playful nature while expressing bop-flavored lines over an elastic swinging motion. The intimate dialogues between the musicians are not averse to occasional contrapuntal agitation. And these types of episodic reaction driven by furor can be spotted again on “Night in Gdansk”, a 13-minute piece that, in spite of the balletic movements wrapped in dreamy and enigmatic tones, feels sometimes wayward without ever becoming disheveled in its pose. The first part of this composition, which Alcorn had written to be played solo, was adapted to the quintet format, and the group delivers.

The album concludes with the folk musings of “Northeast Rising Sun”, whose euphonic theme is challenged by the soloists' subsequent outside moves. This piece calls forth the Qawwali music.

Alcorn’s long-awaited debut as a leader is a promising sign regarding the work that will come in the future.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - Pedernal ► 03 - R.U.R. ► 05 - Northeast Rising Sun

Tigran Hamasyan - The Call Within

December 17, 2020

Label: Nonesuch, 2020

Personnel - Tigran Hamasyan: piano, keyboards; Evan Marien: bass; Arthur Hnatek: drums. Guest artists: Tosin Abasi: guitar; Areni Agbabian: vocals; Artyom Manukyan: cello.

After two consecutive solo albums, namely An Ancient Observer (2017) and For Gyumri (2018), Armenian pianist/composer Tigran Hamasyan returns to the trio format on The Call Within, his sixth album for Nonesuch and the most fascinating thus far. Pairing up with American electric bassist Evan Marien and Swiss drummer Arthur Hnatek, Hamasyan delves deeper into dreamlike inner states, nudging the band into uncharted realms while drawing inspiration from astrology, maps from ancient eras, geometry, divine mysteries, ancient Armenian design and folklore, and many more.

The album provides several highlights encrusted with technical acuity, and “Levitation 21” couldn’t have opened the album in a better way. Incantatory chants are set against a relaxed piano-driven background; yet, on top of that, the energetic rhythmic thrust of Marien and Hnatek creates a polyrhythmic feel that completely dazzles. It’s a beautiful piece indeed, with effortless transitions in which the ethereal moods of folk and classical contrast with the powerful dynamism of progressive jazz and rock.

The eclecticism of these pieces is tremendous, and “Vortex”, a dancing astral exaltation that starts chunky at first and then becomes fluid as water, can be described as a rich stew of avant-jazz boldness, prog-metal trappings and electronica-inflected riffs.

The visionary blast of expressionism of “Our Film” contains passages propelled by squirreling beat and some others that verge on the contemplative. Featuring a pair of guests - Areni Agbabian on vocals and Artyom Manukyan on cello - this rhythmically astute piece is arranged with loops and tenacious piano moves that lean on the heavy rock stripe.

Chordal dexterity and synth beams populate “Ara Resurrected”, where Hamasyan adheres to the textural detail created by bass and drums, packing a punch with machinelike precision while exploring variable intensities. There's a sharp focus on the pianist’s melodic and rhythmic works, proving why he is considered an innovator by many. The tempestuous drumming of Hnatek comes to prominence here, as well as on “Space of Your Existence”, where he delays tempo a bit to further hype a puzzling groove.

Featuring guitarist Tosin Abasi from progressive metal band Animals as Leaders, “37 Newlyweds” goes back to the candor of traditional folk chants with a world fusion posture, whereas the closer, “New Maps”, shoves us into a scintillating, Vijay Iyer-esque web of nu jazz where no one should be indifferent.

These expertly structured frameworks are designed with imagination and a perfect sense of direction. I hope they provide the same exhilarating listening experience for you as they provided for me.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - Levitation 21 ► 02 - Our Film ► 10 - New Maps

Artemis - Artemis

December 16, 2020

Label: Blue Note Records, 2020

Personnel - Melissa Aldana: tenor sax; Ingrid Jensen: trumpet; Anat Cohen: clarinet, bass clarinet; Cecile McLorin Salvant: vocals; Renee Rosnes: piano; Noriko Ueda: bass; Alison Miller: drums.

Artemis is an all-female supergroup whose seven members already possess deep credentials in the modern jazz world. They are not only intrepid improvisers and colorists but also true team players. Hence, Artemis’ eponymous debut album is highly demonstrative of those feats. Under the musical direction of Canadian pianist Renee Rosnes, this international ensemble proudly features New York-based jazz figures from different parts of the world, namely Israeli clarinetist Anat Cohen, Chilean saxophonist Melissa Aldana, Canadian trumpeter Ingrid Jensen, American vocalist Cecile McLorin Salvant, Japanese bassist Noriko Ueda and American drummer Alison Miller.

Artemis is the Greek goddess of the hunt and the wilderness. The opener, precisely titled “Goddess of the Hunt”, was penned by Miller, who forges an attractive rhythm with Ueda here. The tune features four distinctive soloists - Aldana, exemplary in her acrobatic movements, is effective across the whole range of the saxophone but really stuns whenever she hits the low notes; Rosnes develops fleet phrases with horn fills in the back; Jensen’s unique locution is filled with meaningful piercing notes; and Cohen brings her dulcet sound and agile imagination to the fore.

The interesting arrangement inflicted by Jensen to The Beatles’ “The Fool on the Hill” transformed the amiable pop of the British group into polished post-bop. Amidst the collective effort, it’s hard not to notice the conjoint work of the contrabass and the bass clarinet toward low-end stabilization. This tune is not as fidgety as “Big Top”, an animated swing romp with a few rhythmic variations and a deeper connection with tradition. Rosnes, who wrote it, feels at home here as she sweeps the piano keys with bravura.

Versatility is all over the album, and if the romanticism of Cohen’s “Nocturno”, inspired by Chopin’s classical warmth and wondrously propelled by Miller’s mallet and brush work, flows in a relaxed manner, Ueda’s “Step Forward” waltzes buoyantly with a confident stride. In addition to those, Lee Morgan’s 1963 gem “The Sidewinder” unfurls with a firm sense of control in a graceful, cool-jazz interpretation set at a slower tempo. Jensen, Cohen and Aldana alternate bars, sussing out the sounds and languages that better suit this conversation.

The mesmerizing voice of Salvant brightens up a pair of pieces - a deeply-felt reading of Stevie Wonder’s “If It’s Magic”, an authentic ray of light, and “Cry, Buttercup, Cry”, a composition by Rocco Accetta that was brought to life by the jazz singer Maxine Sullivan in 1948.

These remarkable jazzwomen make a point about creativity.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - Goddess of the Hunt ► 03 - The Fool on the Hill ► 05 - If It’s Magic

Rob Mazurek's Exploding Star Orchestra - Dimensional Stardust

December 15, 2020

Label: Nonesuch, 2020

Personnel - Rob Mazurek: piccolo trumpet, electronic renderings, modular synth; Damon Locks: voice, electronics; Nicole Mitchell: flutes; Macie Stewart: violin; Tomeka Reid: cello; Joel Ross: vibraphone; Jeff Parker: guitar; Jaimie Branch: trumpet; Angelica Sanchez: acoustic and electric pianos; Ingebrigt Håker Flaten: bass; Chad Taylor: drums, percussion; Mikel Patrick Avery: drums, percussion; John Herndon: drum machines.

Trumpeter/composer Rob Mazurek from Chicago wrote and arranged the 10 pieces on his rewarding new album, Dimensional Stardust, to be tackled by the remodeled Exploding Star Orchestra, whose incredibly talented members include vibraphonist Joel Ross, guitarist Jeff Parker, cellist Tomeka Reid, and flutist Nicole Mitchell, just to name a few. In preference to individuality, the work relies on a collective effort that spins a bit of Sun Ra heliocentrism, jazz-hop, modern composition via Morton Feldman influence, and sometimes traces of acid jazz, in a cross-genre approach that defies categorization.

“Sun Core Tet (Parable 99)” is served with a Sun Ra-style dressing and comes garnished with conspicuous accentuations in the melody, classical chamber overtones and motivating percussive grooves, virtue of Norwegian bassist Ingebrigt Håker Flaten and drummer Chad Taylor. Mosaics of flute overfly the balmy harmonies weaved by vibraphone and synth, aptly plucked strings coexist with muted trumpet... all lend a hand to the almost surrealistic interplay that also defines the irresistible “A Wrinkle in Time Sets Concentric Circles Reeling”.

The ghost of Sun Ra also appears on “Parable 3000”, a slightly epic journey into diversity delivered with an ancient feel, imperial shouts and a confident posture. “Galaxy 1000”, in turn, incorporates exuberant chants and makes us tap our feet to an elementary rhythm later adorned with bright hi-hat.

Unequivocally one of the best numbers on the album, “The Careening Prism Within” lends itself to hip-hop with the jazz as a close companion, in the line of Guru and Gang Starr, but upraised at some point by Parker’s dirty, dial-toned guitar sounds and ostinatos.

The penchant for sophisticated eclectic moods continues with the blissed-out “Parable of Inclusion” and the elliptical title cut, “Dimensional Stardust”. While the former shapes up as a percolating dance with circular trajectories, Eastern-tinged undercurrents and the melodic intertwining of Mazurek and Jaimie Brunch's trumpets, the latter piece is configured with moderate tension and a perfectly outlined melodic idea that repeats throughout. Before completion, Taylor’s busy snare drum gains even more significance, following a break in the rhythmic flow.

Damon Locks’ spoken word is particularly attractive on “Autumn Pleiades”, the composition that wraps up the album. Here, the regular boom-bap beat and the surrounding density marked by string instruments suggesting a mix of classical and Eastern languages serve as a launching pad for a crescendo that runs toward a suspended denouement.

Commanding the Exploding Star Orchestra with self-assurance, Mazurek casts a spell with a quietly triumphing recording that leaves its mark. This sui generis body of work deserves praise.

Favorite Tracks:
02 - A Wrinkle in Time Sets Concentric Circles Reeling ► 04 -The Careening Prism Within ► 09 - Parable 3000

Joel Ross - Who Are You?

December 14, 2020

Label: Blue Note Records, 2020

Personnel - Joel Ross: vibraphone; Immanuel Wilkins: alto saxophone; Jeremy Corren: piano; Kanoa Mendenhall: bass; Jeremy Dutton: drums + guest Brandee Younger: harp.

Only with two albums released as a leader, Joel Ross is already considered one of our era’s most brilliant and lavishly gifted vibraphonists. Following up Kingmaker - his encouraging debut on Blue Note - Who Are You? is a collection of 15 new made-to-measure instrumentals whose result is utterly rewarding. Ross, who moved to New York from Chicago, welcomes bassist Kanoa Mendenhall into the group, expanding the original quartet featuring saxophonist Immanuel Wilkins, pianist Jeremy Corren and drummer Jeremy Dutton. Proficient jazz harpist Brandee Younger is also featured on five tracks, including Coltrane’s “After the Rain”, where the sweetness of her sweeps and plucks contribute to achieve spiritual heights.

The record kicks off with “Dream”, a Dutton-penned piece that brings a certain magic spell and dramatic quality. This is followed by Mendenhall’s solo-bass “Calling”, which serves to bridge the path that takes us from the opening piece to the waltzing “Home”, a Ross composition cooled-out by an unspeakable comfort and endearment.

In addition to showcasing Dutton’s rumply drumming, “More?” generates extra excitement by featuring alternate solo segments entrusted to saxophone, piano and vibes. The mind-boggling outside inflections in Wilkins’ warm-blooded playing stand out not only here, but also on a ripe reading of Ambrose Akinmusire’s “Vartha”, in which throbbing bass notes join skittering percussive actions designed with beat-driven detail. Ross churns out a statement full of color, and Dutton concludes the piece with an expedite final stretch. Both contribute heavily to the indomitable energy and all-enveloping sound in the music.

Put forward with stimuli, “Marsheland” exalts sax-vibes unisons and thrives with the surging energy derived from exchanges between Ross and Wilkins.

In contrast with this number, some others denote a super relaxed posture with a melodic grandeur that steeps the listener into the composition with a great deal of warmth. Illustrations of what I’ve just said are “Gato’s Gift”, a dedication to the late Argentinian saxist Gato Barbieri that benefits from Younger’s pristine harp sounds, the ballad-inclined “When My Head is Cold” and “Harmonee”, and “3-1-2”, a homage to Chicago, which concludes the program with melancholy riffery and a modal jazz tradition sometimes redolent of Bobby Hutcherson.

Ross is a storyteller with an ample melodic and harmonic sense. He brings such a broad scope to the jazz vibraphone universe that his music is capable of influencing hearts and minds.

Favorite Tracks:
04 - More? ► 06 - Vartha ► 15 - 3.1.2

Aaron Burnett & The Big Machine - Jupiter Conjunct

December 10, 2020

Label: Fresh Sound Records, 2020

Personnel - Aaron Burnett: tenor saxophone; Adam O’Farrill: trumpet; Joel Ross: vibraphone; Nick Jozwiak: bass; Kush Abadey: drums + Esperanza Spalding: vocals (#3,9).

Up-and-coming saxophonist Aaron Burnett progressed from an in-demand sideman (Esperanza Spalding, Kurt Rosenwinkel, Vijay Iyer) to a respected composer and bandleader. His risk-taking approach to music translates into another interesting album with The Big Machine, an eclectic project formed in 2018 to give him a voice on topics such as corporation corruption and technology addiction. The follow-up to his debut album, Anomaly (Fresh Sound, 2018), is Jupiter Conjunct, which features nine original compositions inspired by the largest planet in the solar system. Backed by a cast of brilliant musicians, Burnett doesn't waste the chance to push the envelope, not only by blending jazz, hip-hop and electronica into gorgeous groove-laden offshoots but also making use of an expansive vocabulary that results in plenty of side-stepping improvisation.

“Color Durations” makes for a haunting opening with trumpeter Adam O’Farrill projecting piercing notes against a mysterious setting. The trumpeter and Burnett complement each other on “The Veil”, a sensational expedition whose rhythmic inventiveness relies on the strongly accented beat of drummer Kush Abadey, the decaying low notes of bassist Nick Jozwiak, and the impeccable integration of vibraphone and Fender Rhodes, responsibility of the young prodigious Joel Ross and gifted keyboardist Carlos Homs, respectively. The latter two musicians are the soloists here in addition to Burnett.

One of the highlights of the album is “Ganymede”, an immediately grabbing, if slightly cryptic jazz/hip-hop overlap with a smart neo-soul touch. It features Esperanza Spalding on vocals, who rides a psychedelic improvisational segment with powerful elasticity while enjoying terse horn ostinatos running in the background. Burnett is equally imaginative in his statement.

The dark-hued “Callisto” is dedicated to Wayne Shorter and evolves with a ponderous, measured beat and an underlying poignancy in tone that recalls Ambrose Akinmusire’s laments. This particular tune contrasts with the piece that follows, “IO”, an uplifting, busy depiction of the most volcanically active moon of Jupiter.

This body of work is built on invulnerable eclectic foundations, and “Ace of Swords” and “Ether” are chosen as phenomenal examples. The former, resolute in the groove and expedite while shifting meters, enjoys a very cool, ambient-soul vibe; while the latter, an EDM-inspired episode sustained by the drum-and-bass propulsion at its base, is reinforced with blistering sax-trumpet interactions and an emotionally intense vibraphone solo.

If anyone had doubts about Burnett’s extraordinary capabilities as a reedman and composer, this album should be sufficiently elucidative.