Klaus Kugel - Creation

February 2, 2021

Label: 577 Records, 2020

Personnel - Sabir Mateen: tenor saxophone, voice; Christopher Dell: vibes; Christian Ramond: double bass; Klaus Kugel: drums.

This free jazz session, recorded live at A-train in Berlin in 2012, brings together Philadelphia-born, New York-based saxophonist Sabir Mateen and a German rhythm section composed of vibraphonist Christopher Dell, bassist Christian Ramond and drummer Klaus Kugel. Creation comprises three parts, the last of which is a bonus track only available in the digital format.

“Creation (Part One)” enters upon a straightforward storytelling with nimble tenor phrases, digressive vibraphone movements and loose groundwork from bass and drums. The often jittery drumming goes against the soft vibes but shares the same state of mind of Mateen, who improvises with anxious fervor, expressing lucid motifs that exclaim, ask and sometimes answer. For this, the saxophonist employs a timbral alchemy that applies to the whole range of his instrument.

Clocking in at 31 minutes, the second movement starts with a steady flux of vibes, bass and drums, but its textural surface is not always maintained even. On top of this, Mateen unleashes raucous staccatos and multiphonics, fluttering whistling blows and winding phrases occasionally enhancing ascendant and descendant movements through a pinned note as a reference. These oblique trajectories are quite thrilling. At times the group goes for cathartic left turns and sharp angles as they muscle up the procedures, on other occasions they swing in an open manner, virtually soliciting the scat-singing abilities of the American frontman. The piece doesn’t come to an end without Kugel’s rollicking drum solo.

The third part is perhaps the one shrouded in louder and more intense sonic waves, generating a similar sense of engagement and freedom.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - Creation (Part One)

Peter Kronreif Wayfarers - Aeronautics

February 1, 2021

Label: Fresh Sound New Talent, 2021

Personnel - Lucas Pino: tenor saxophone; Andrew Gould: alto saxophone; Addison Frei: piano; Martin Nevin: double bass; Peter Kronreif: drums. Guests - Matthias ‘Pedals’ Loescher: guitar (#3); Alex Wintz: guitar (#7).

The tangible rhythmic work of Austrian-born, Brooklyn-based drummer/composer Peter Kronreif has been enriching projects by the German pianist Florian Hoefner and the American saxophonist Remy LeBoeuf. Aeronautics marks his return as a leader, comprising nine original compositions where we find him at the helm of his renewed group The Wayfarers. The ensemble features musicians with whom he has developed a special kinship throughout the years, including saxophonists Lucas Pino and Andrew Gould (the only member that transitioned from the 2010 debut Gloaming), pianist Addison Frei and bassist Martin Nevin.

The opening piece, “Obviously Obvious” is pleasantly laid down with warm melody, an inquisitive tempo and adroit soloing that derives from the productive vocabularies of Pino, whose tenor navigates tight curves and acute angles, and Nevin, whose beautiful touch puts up a light and thoughtful statement.

The initial idea for the title track, “Aeronautics”, was developed in various airports, and the group only takes off the ground after bass and drums entwine in a sturdy foundation. On top of it, it’s Frei’s glowing pianism that stands out. The combination of rock music and contemporary jazz sets a rich background for Pino, who makes some spine-chilling notes soar high before reuniting in unison with his fellow reedman for a subsequent polyrhythmic section.

The band concentrates efforts in certain details that tie everything together, and that comes to our view on pieces like “The Undefeated”, an energetic look at Hemingway’s short story of the same name, here told with firm melodic imprints; “Verdura”, a breathable sonic bubble featuring electric piano and giving off a tranquil aura dedicated to everything green on our planet; and “Trees”, which, following the latter piece in the message, thrives with exuberant exchanges between the saxophonists.

Guest guitarists Matthias Loescher and Alex Wintz are featured on one track each. The former provides textural pigmentation to “Obeisance”, a swinging post-bop number whose extraordinary grace and plush lyricism are inspired by Kronreif’s major influences, John Coltrane and Brian Blade. In turn, Wintz boasts his immense sound and resilient drive on “Nodoc”, shaping up a rhythmic figure in five that helps better define the backbone.

Leading and composing with charisma, Kronreif should keep on doing his own thing.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - Obviously Obvious ► 02 - Aeronautics ► 07 - Nodoc

Marc Copland - John

January 28, 2021

Label: Illusions Mirage, 2020

Personnel - Marc Copland: piano.

In addition to an exceptional career as a leader, American jazz pianist Marc Copland has partnered with saxophonist Dave Liebman, bassist Gary Peacock, and guitarist John Abercrombie for many years. His latest solo album, John, is a tribute to the latter musician and friend with whom he worked closely since the 1990’s.

Gathering nine Abercrombie’s early and late compositions, Copland get the session started by burrowing into the deep beauty of “Timeless”. He adds a rich melodic intro before entering that circular, heartfelt progression that keeps us soaring among spacious clouds. It’s an immediate gratification we get on this fantastic piece.

“Isla”, which first appeared on the 1982 duo recording Five Years Later with Ralph Towner, ensures another introspective and haunting experience, creating gentle and tightly focused soundscapes in a slow-burning routine. Embracing a similar mood, we have “Sad Song”, which heightens the melancholy, and “Remember Hymn”, a rubato amazement devised with chordal brilliance and impeccable note choices.

While “Sunday School” oozes nostalgia from all pores with sheer sentiment, the not so known but no less brilliant “Flip Side” brings the post-bop creativity of both composer and interpreter to the fore. Copland’s nimble fingering fuels the subtleness of the song with suspended contrapuntal motion.

Taking into account the color, shade and tone of its narrative, “Vertigo” is perhaps the piece that, waltzing and rambling with effortless abandon, better goes with the formerly described piece.

Copland has the ability of never overstuffing the music too much. He sticks to smooth textures that, never disrupted, lulls the listener with plenty of emotion. This is a great record for listening late at night in a relaxing environment.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - Timeless ► 02 - Isla ► 03 - Flip Side

Shai Maestro - Human

January 27, 2021

Label: ECM Records, 2021

Personnel - Shai Maestro: piano; Jorge Roeder: bass; Ofri Nehemya: drums; Philip Dizack: trumpet.

The Israeli-born, Brooklyn-based pianist Shai Maestro appears on the ECM label for the second time as a leader with Human, an album featuring the same rhythmic foundation of his previous work - bassist Jorge Roeder and drummer Ofri Nehemya - plus the excellent trumpeter Philip Dizack, who brings further melodic possibilities to the table. With huge ears, the members of this quartet achieve top-notch levels of musicianship in the course of a cohesive narrative that consists of 10 Maestro originals and one jazz standard.

“Time” gets the show on the road like a liberation hymn with plenty of sophistication. Yet, it’s the mid-tempo waltz “Mystery and Illusions” that instantly grabs my attention with its amiable musical temperament and organic constitution. The dynamics are intensified, and the emotions flow naturally with the stirring piano and the lofty trumpet conjugating their sounds with tasteful poise.

Maestro is a fluent, well-rounded pianist with a soulful approach to musicality, and that transpires on the title cut, “Human”, a short but memorable number where he delves deep in harmonic resplendence. His signature lyricism is also patented on “GG”, a 3/4 composition containing melodically challenging routes to be delivered in unison with Dizack.

If “Hank and Charlie”, a tribute to the duo formed by pianist Hank Jones and bassist Charlie Haden, probes gentle balladry with an attractive, polished aesthetic, then a reading of Duke Ellington’s “In a Sentimental Mood” gets a modern hip-hop-ish vibe. This version was partly influenced by multi-generational artists, the contemporary vibraphonist Joel Ross and the jazz giant who most popularized it, John Coltrane.

In “Prayer”, the fidgety drum work of Nehemya creates a fervent contrast with the calm acoustic surroundings. Having jazz, folk and ambient sounds coalescing together, as well as a mix of tradition and originality at its essence, Human is a record to revisit.

Favorite Tracks:
02 - Mystery and Illusions ► 03 - Human ► 10 - In a Sentimental Mood

Joe Lovano's Trio Tapestry - Garden of Expression

January 26, 2021

Label: ECM Records, 2021

Personnel - Joe Lovano: tenor and soprano saxophones, tarogato; Marilyn Crispell: piano; Carmen Castaldi: drums.

In the second installment of the Trio Tapestry, Garden of Expression, the leading saxophonist Joe Lovano wields his horn with tact, engraving profound melodies on the understructures created by his sterling associates, the pianist Marilyn Crispell and the drummer Carmen Castaldi. The album comprises eight Lovano compositions, most of them written on the road, which whir with splendorous lyricism and spirituality.

Dipped in reflection, “Chapel Song” joins these shimmering tenor melodies with the dreamy quality of Crispell’s piano work and the selective drum chops of Castaldi. This number was the product of Lovano’s listening to an organ playing in a Viennese church. A quiet illumination comes from the trio’s musical affinity and that warm feel is seamlessly passed to “Night Creatures”, a meditative exercise in which Lovano’s expressive playing becomes affectingly emotional. He’s well supported by cymbal legato and other percussive subtleties as well as deep silences. This serene, free-flowing nature often recalls the work of drummer Paul Motian.

If “The Sacred Way” comes up with a new way of playing modal jazz, more delicate and laid-back than ever, then the title track, “Garden of Expression”, draws harmonic mystery from every passage. Melodically poignant at first, this piece evolves into brisk weavings of melodic saxophone that immediately made me think of Charles Lloyd. The focused piano of Crispell is overshadowed by Castaldi’s effusive drumming here, while Lovano plays gongs in the last section. The trio’s deep musicality is on full display.

Under the drummer's steady tapestry, “Dream On That” kicks in with a lovely piano declaration to which the saxophone responds assertively. The convergence of the two instruments ultimately occurs, and a finely articulated theme, mixing blithe post-bop and Monk angularity, is delivered with unbending belief.

The album closes with “Zen Like”, a soaring piece where the trio combines gongs and cymbals, plucked piano strings and low pedals, and adds horn laments for the resulting chemistry.

The open music of Trio Tapestry casts a mesmerizing spell, shining with colors that, being less flashy than most of the modern genres, are everlasting and opalescent.

Favorite Tracks:
02 - Night Creatures ► 04 - Garden of Expression ► 07 - Dream On That

Vaux Taux - Watch You Walk

January 25, 2021

Label: Self-released

Personnel - Benjamin Karp: guitar; Chris Coyle: bass; Matt Scarano: drums.

Bassist Chris Coyle leads the Philadelphia-based trio Vaux Taux, for which he is the main composer and arranger. The other members of this jazz-meets-indie-rock clan - guitarist Benjamin Karp and drummer Matt Scarano - joined him throughout the fluid proceedings that make their debut record, Watch You Walk, something not to be overlooked.

The strong musicianship shared by the threesome comes with a crossover appeal, and that’s immediately noticeable on the opener, “Tender”, an odd-metered ride boasting arresting rhythms and harmonic comfort. The fantastic energy and drive, which is positively affected by a slower passage, feels appropriate to the experimental trait of the guitarist, whose language melds the blaze of indie rock and the attractive colors of jazz.

The title track takes the pop/rock and jazz influences into breezy territories, but ends up in muscular circularity. Working in tandem with the guitar for a slightly psychedelic effect during the theme, the bass then finds some residual funk in a path that also crosses a dreamy section right before reaching the finale. Also with a sticky funky feel, the rhythmically worked out “21 Skidoo” has an infectious danceability linked to the visceral immediacy of the fusion genre. Besides the Alan Holdsworth-like vibe, there’s this fine melodic fingerpicking embellishing its middle passage.

Combining craft and spontaneity, the dulcet guitar intro of “Skymall” arrives with a good amount of restraint. It’s easy to identify gorgeous melodies, organized interplay, a melody-driven bass solo and some unexpected organ effects spotted by the end.

“You’ve Been Here Before” overtly draws from the alternative rock and indie pop canons, being shortened by a steep fade out. In contrast, “Vaux Taux” gets closer to folk rock in an early instance, later becoming a showcase for Karp’s hybrid language poured out over the steady rhythmic underpinning provided by Coyle and Sarcano.

With each member selflessly dedicated to creating organic music, this is the favorable outcome of their efforts as a group.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - Tender ► 04 - 21 Skidoo ► 05 - Skymall

Chrome Hill - This is Chrome Hill

January 21, 2021

Label: Clean Feed, 2020

Personnel - Asbjorn Lerheim: baritone and electric guitars; Atle Nymo: tenor saxophone, bass clarinet; Roger Arntzen: double bass; Torstein Lofthus: drums.

Norwegian quartet Chrome Hill have released six albums since its formation in 2001, with the latest being This Is Chrome Hill, a stable body of work inspired by several contrasting elements provided by the Norwegian island of Sula as well as Japan, where the group has been touring regularly. These jazz noir practitioners with openness to Americana, noise rock and other stylistic elements are Asbjorn Lerheim (the group’s sole composer) on baritone and electric guitars, Atle Nymo on tenor saxophone, Roger Arntzen on double bass and Torstein Lofthus on drums.

“Clockwork”, a mournful dirge with mysterious dark tones, exemplifies the group’s powerfully relatable music and teamwork. A pounding bass pattern joins the rattling snare drum, winding saxophone blows, electronics, and distorted guitar with clever outside inflections during the impromptu segments. On occasion, Pink Floyd’s soft psychedelia crosses my mind.

Both “10-4”, in which we find the group playing at its airiest, and the enigmatic “Limbo” give the impression that Jan Garbarek’s post-bop progressions are working together with the hooky alternative-rock obscurity of Mogwai and the film scores of Ennio Morricone. The latter piece, displaying a regular rhythmic flux in 5/4 for most of its duration, occasionally shifts into 4/4 sections. Designed with the first tempo as a reference, Nymo’s tenor solo goes from nonchalant to vibrant, benefitting from the harmonies and details of a guitar comping selective on how it sounds.

If “Ascend” is an uplifting cocktail of post-punk, indie rock and krautrock with enough margin to create melodically atop, then “Particle” is a thought-out conjunction of noise rock and free improv, whose simmering intensity is deeply grounded on jittery drumming, guitar dissonance and edgy sax lines in turmoil.

In turn, “Within” embraces an indie-pop veneer while displaying a yearning melody, while “Interlude” falls into pensive indie-folk balladry. Lerheim’s guitar filigree are central and distinct on those atmospheric worlds, resembling velvet in the latter, and employing overdrive, reverb and delay effects on the former.

“Light” closes out the journey by infusing a little more optimism in the proceedings. It feels like having a rural folk song going electric with the crying guitar.

The diverse range of moods and arrangements given by Chrome Hill has my approval.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - Clockwork ► 02 - Limbo ► 06 - Particle

Conference Call - Prism

January 20, 2021

Label: Not Two Records, 2020

Personnel - Gebhard Ullmann: tenor saxophone, bass clarinet; Michael Jefry Stevens: piano; Joe Fonda: acoustic bass; Dieter Ulrich: drums.

Working together for 20 years, Conference Call is one of those quartets where you can’t go wrong when searching for music. Championing a formidable avant-garde jazz, the group of pianist Michael Jefry Stevens, saxophonist Gebhard Ullmann and bassist Joe Fonda, welcomes a new partner for this record, with the Swiss drummer Dieter Ulrich sitting in the chair that once belonged to Matt Wilson, Han Bennink, George Schuller and Gerry Hemingway. With the exception of Ulrich, all the musicians contribute compositions to Prism, the ensemble’s 10th release, in which they fruitfully flaunt explorative methodologies.

The album opens and closes with Ullmann’s compositions taken from his 2019 album mikroPULS (Intuition, 2019). Although divergent in nature, both have the saxophonist showing off his oblique storytelling with a tart tone. The opener “F.J.D.” is a dedication to Eddie Harris’ smashing hit “Freedom Jazz Dance” that navigates odd tempos. The genius pairing of Ullmann and Stevens is on display in the first minutes, prior to an off-kilter dance already with bass and drums involved, where the saxophonist steps the borders of tonality. Benefitting from a good support by Fonda, Ulrich lays down a synergistic rhythm with moderate whirlwind procedures and syncopation, infusing timely cymbal crashes whenever the flux is broken. The closer, “Zeit Lupe”, is an unconventional ballad dedicated to the amazing saxophonist Charles Lloyd. Also penned by Ullmann, who wields the bass clarinet here, “Variations on a Master Plan (Pt.2)” comes with enigmatic inscriptions on it, even if it's more pensive and frayed on the edges.

The bass clarinet also plays a role in Fonda’s “The Bee”, a number built with a stationary quality but denoting an excitable temperament. Yet, it was the other composition by the bassist, “Listen to Dr. Cornel West”, a dedication to the provocative democrat mentioned in the title, that trapped me completely in its mercurial sequences. This piece had been recorded twice in 2015 and 2019 by the Nu Band and OGJB quartet, respectively. Here, it kicks off with bass and drums at the center, creating an impressionistic underpinning on top of which angular saxophone interjections and fierce piano chords take place. On its following passage, the group nails the balance between the dreamy and the cacophonous and past towards the middle of the tune, Fonda’s brisk legato leads to a magnetic Latin-flavored groove. After that, it's time for conspicuous call-and-response episodes between sax and piano.

Introduced by Stevens’ sensitive pianism, “Prism” is a lush, gently brushed waltzing ballad, while “Sal’s Song”, a wondrous blues that he also composed, boasts rubato freedom and a thrusting pulse underlining nice lilting moments.

Carefully dosing abstraction and clarity in their virtuosic playing, Conference Call can easily play in a quiet, intimate way or stretch a tune into a maximum range of tension.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - F.J.D. ► 03 - Listen to Dr. Cornel West ► 05 - Sal’s Song

Ethan Iverson - Bud Powell in the 21st Century

January 19, 2021

Label: Sunnyside Records, 2021

Personnel - Ethan Iverson: piano; Ingrid Jensen: trumpet; Dayna Stephens: tenor saxophone; Ben Street: bass; Lewis Nash: drums + Umbria Jazz Orchestra

The imaginative pianist/composer/arranger Ethan Iverson celebrates the music of Bud Powell, a leading figure in the development of bebop and one of the greatest jazz pianists of all times, through a big band work recorded live at the 26th edition of Umbria Jazz Winter in 2018. In addition to the Umbria Jazz Orchestra, the suite features a core quintet of renowned first-call jazz musicians - trumpeter Ingrid Jensen, saxophonist Dayna Stephens, bassist Ben Street, drummer Lewis Nash and Iverson himself - in an attempt to evoke the only session recorded by Powell to include horns (1949).

In terms of arrangements, the inspiration came from Stravinsky, Carla Bley, Count Basie and Dizzy Gillespie, in a program of 16 tracks - eight by Iverson, seven by Powell and Thelonious Monk’s “52nd Street”.

The lyrical melodic intricacies and flying chordal scents of a number of Powell’s hits are executed with incredible power - “Celia” is given a lush arrangement with luminous hard-bop flair and where sax and trumpet float over the automatic rhythmic interlock of Street and Nash; the 1949 composition “Tempus Fugit” is delivered with orchestral punch, announced by the brilliancy of Nash’s drumming and featuring searing solos from Iverson and Jensen; “Bouncing With Bud” leisurely swings after an authoritative sax/trumpet statement in unison; and the defiant swagger of “Wail” finds purpose in a faster tempo and brisker workout.

Iverson’s “Bud Powell in the 21st Century” is split into two parts, the first of which is a chorale expressed with reasonable linearity, and the second, a swinging stream that includes not only Powell’s nimble piano improvisation over “Cherokee” but also an explicit tenor avowal of passionate post-bop delivered by Stephens, with layered contrapuntal horn fills as stereo reinforcements. Another composition by the bandleader, “Nobile Paradiso”, also employs Powell’s thoughts on “All The Things You Are”, presenting no clutter of any kind as it straddles between relaxation and buoyancy. There are also five Iverson-penned ‘simple spells’ intercalated throughout, and the last of them serves to give notice of “I’ll Keep Loving You”, where Giovanni Hoffer’s French horn comes to the fore.

The rhythmic eccentricity of the Latin-soaked “Un Poco Loco”, one of Powell’s most cherished pieces, brings a sensational closure to a record that, sealed with Iverson’s unique creativity, opens up a glorious new phase in his career.

Favorite Tracks:
02 - Bud Powell in the 21st Century, Part 2: Continuity ► 03 - Celia ► 16 - Un Poco Loco

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.