Jazzmeia Horn and her Noble Force - Dear Love

October 19, 2021

Label: Empress Legacy Records, 2021

Personnel includes - Jazzmeia Horn: vocals; Bruce Williamson: alto sax; Freddie Hendrix: trumpet; Sullivan Fortner: organ; Keith Brown: piano; Eric Wheeler: bass; Anwar Marshall: drums.

Possessing extraordinary vocal gifts, the self-assured jazz vocalist Jazzmeia Horn was one of those rare artists who immediately ascended to stardom with a debut album. If Social Call (Prestige, 2017) brought her the deserved attention through renditions of known straigh-ahead jazz tunes, her second outing, Love and Liberation (Concord Jazz, 2019), was even better, consolidating her vocal abilities with more originals than covers. Now, the much-anticipated Dear Love holds special significance for Ms. Horn, who releases it on her own label. She put it together with the Noble Force, a 15-piece ensemble featuring expert soloists such as alto saxophonist Bruce Williamson and trumpeter Freddie Hendrix in the frontline, and an adequate rhythm section composed of pianist Keith Brown, bassist Eric Wheeler and drummer Anwar Marshall.

The album straddles between pure jazz tradition and more progressive exercises in the line of Sun Ra. In the first category we have pieces like “He Could Be Perfect”, which had me flashing back to Carmen McRae and Dee Dee Bridgewater; “He’s My Guy”, which channels Sarah Vaughan with further range; and “Lover Come Back To Me”, a showcase for her razor-sharped scat singing. The forward-thinking stuff can be exemplified with numbers such as “I Feel You Near”, propelled by a caravan-like Afro rhythm and colored with Jason Marshall’s baritone lines; “Nia”, an emotionally resonant modal jazz incursion with superb vocal work and a great saxophone solo by Williamson; and “Strive (To Be)”, perhaps Horn’s most triumphant original, measured with preliminary rattling percussion, epic grandeur in the horn arrangement, modal intonation and enough experimental fair to please avant-gardists.

“Where We Are” brings a smell of R&B balladry, and there’s even a curious take on The Beatles’ “Money Can’t Buy Me, Love”, but it’s “Let Us (Take Our Time)”, leaning on the ballad side with strategic pauses and featuring a muted trumpet solo by Hendrix, that will probably get more attention. The album closes out in the spirit of Aretha Franklin with “Where is Freedom”, where gospel and blues take part in the fun.

With an unapologetic personal touch, Jazzmeia knows how to freshen the old straight-ahead ways and dares to explore new possibilities. On top of that, she adds conscious social message, sometimes in the form of spoken word. Dear Love is her best album so far.

Favorite Tracks:
09 - Nia ► 11 - Strive (To Be) ► 14 - Where is Freedom

Thomas Heberer - The Day That Is

October 18, 2021

Label: Sunnyside Records, 2021

Personnel - Thomas Heberer: trumpet; Ingrid Laubrock: tenor and soprano saxophone; John Hébert: acoustic bass; Michael Sarin: drums.

The German-born, New York-based trumpeter Thomas Heberer was active during the Covid lockdown, composing some new tunes that go pretty well with some previously developed material. The resulting work comes together in The Day That Is, a 10-track album of originals featuring collaborators he considered to be ideal for his musical purposes. He called forth the improvising talents of fellow countrywoman and lauded saxophonist Ingrid Laubrock, who joins him in the frontline, as well as the rhythmic facility of bassist John Hébert, with whom he plays in the Angelica Sanchez Nonet, and Michael Sarin, a fellow teacher at Maine Jazz Camp, whose work (especially with Thomas Chapin in the 90s) left a mark on him.

Marching and rocking by turns, and sometimes simultaneously, the title cut opens the album with angular traits in the theme, after which we're presented with wide-ranging conversational trumpet and incredibly danceable fleet soprano movements.

The topics and motivations are diversified. “Erg Chebbi” was inspired by a camel ride in Morocco and infuses a sultry warmth in that picture. In turn, “Seconds First” was influenced by the compositional ingenuity of veneered pianist Andrew Hill, examining a combination of hushed reverie and controlled disharmony. And the well-oiled “One For Roy”, which features extended techniques and quirky noises by the horn players, was composed for The Nu Band and dedicated to its late member, the trumpeter Roy Campbell, whom Heberer replaced in 2014.

“Caro Pook” offers a plain yet tightly channeled rock pulse delivered by Sarin, who also articulates energetically at an early stage on “Mapping the Distance”. Here the group plays with the meter, and the soloing exuberance of Laubrock on soprano is highlighted, suddenly bringing Steve Lacy to mind.

The sweet-tempered “The Sleeping Bag Unfolds” evolves with nice melody and solos, with Heberer and Laubrock employing their specific timbres and idioms to stimulate the senses.

This album doesn’t disappoint.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - The Day That Is ► 03 - Seconds First ► 10 - Mapping the Distance

Enrico Rava - Edizione Speciale

October 14, 2021

Label: ECM Records, 2021

Personnel - Enrico Rava: trumpet, flugelhorn; Francesco Bearzatti: tenor saxophone; Giovanni Guidi: piano; Francesco Diodati: guitar; Gabriele Evangelista: double bass; Enrico Morello: drums.

Enrico Rava ranks high among the contemporary trumpeters/composers of the past five decades. He has been lauded for an incredible facility to incorporate jazz tradition and avant-garde liberties in his very personal music. This new ECM outing, recorded live two years ago at the Jazz Middelheim in Antwerp with an Italian sextet of talented musicians, shows his outstanding versatility through music that forges ahead with personality and style.

Rava’s “Infant”, the most fascinating number on Edizione Speciale, develops with a manic glee, starting with rhythmic accentuation in the melody and gorgeously synced movements. The outstanding guitar dissonances heard after the theme statement are infused with bright harmonics and foreboding noise, catching the attention. The mood recalls the spontaneity of one of my favorite albums of all times - The Pilgrim and the Stars (ECM, 1975), which featured Rava alongside American guitarist John Abercrombie and the Nordic rhythm section of Palle Danielsson and Jon Christensen. The squalling guitar playing of Francesco Diodati continues after Giovanni Guidi’s piano whirls, which usually crash in the lower registers with indomitable energy, and the improvisations succeed one after another, with bassist Gabriele Evangelista, saxophonist Francesco Bearzatti, and Rava, who concludes the section with a mix of angularity and feathery etherealness.

A pair of tracks combine two different tunes. One of them takes us from “Once Upon a Summertime”, originally a French ballad composed by Michel Legrand, to the medium-fast tempo that characterizes Rava’s 1996 piece “Theme For Jessica Tatum”, in which the improvisations stretch for a bit too long. The other one starts off with the very Italian melody of “Le Solite Cose”, which leads to “Diva”, a post-bop piece where Rava applies all the color and amplitude at his disposal. He repeats the feat on the popular Cuban song “Quizás, Quizás, Quizás”, during which both the group and the audience seem to have had so much fun.

Rounding out the track list, we have “Wild Dance”, which prematurely fuses melancholy nostalgia and contemplative spirituality before reaching an ambiguous, noisy nebulae in its effect-drenched sonic cosmos; and “The Fearless Five”, another old tune (first recorded in 1978 with trombonist Roswell Rudd in the lineup) that, featuring an animated trumpet/sax duel, brings into the fold elements of disparate forebears such as Andrew Hill, Art Blakey and Dizzy Gillespie.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - Infant ► 04 - The Fearless Five ► 05 - Le Solite Cose / Diva

Rova Saxophone Quartet - The Circumference of Reason

October 13, 2021

Label: Esp Disk’, 2021

Personnel - Larry Ochs: tenor saxophone; Jon Raskin: baritone saxophone; Steve Adams: alto and sopranino saxophone; Bruce Ackley: soprano and tenor saxophone.

The San Francisco-based Rova Saxophone Quartet has been active since 1977, creating timbre-concentrated music that, typically following defined structures, finds ample room for improvisation. The four technically brilliant members of the ensemble - Jon Raskin, Steve Adams, Bruce Ackley and Larry Ochs - are known for their wide range approach, rhythmic inventiveness and intriguing arrangements, which incorporate a variety of tone colors.

On this new album, The Circumference of Reason, they opt for less cathartic grooves and a more self-possessed posture that achieves better outcomes on the opening and closing tracks, curiously both related to the late American free jazz saxophonist Glenn Spearman. The former cut, “The Extrapolation of the Inevitable”, is one of his compositions, presenting synchronized angular melodies and extemporaneous concessions as parts of Ochs’ competent arrangement; the latter number, “The Enumeration”, is Adam’s dedication to Spearman, where a solid horn-consummated background sustains fierce improvisation, and well-aligned collective passages take advantage of winding counterpoint.

The group harnesses its privileged communication, deepening the dialogues spontaneously on the two versions of “NC17”. The Version 1 seeks hybrid states by infusing atmospheric ostinatos, drones and casual blows whose repose is occasionally disturbed by muscular incursions, percussive techniques and multiphonic grumbles. In turn, Version 2 is busier at the outset - including squawking cacophony and a pulsating baritone - before becoming whisperingly lost in thought. The tension returns in bursts for the final section, and the persistent ebb and flow that characterizes their pieces doesn’t apply to the minimalist title track, a limbo of hushed, disperse sounds that left me lightly somnolent.

This mildly enjoyable Rova still provides some moments of fascinating horn interplay.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - The Extrapolation of the Inevitable ► 05 - NC17 Version 2 ► 06 - The Enumeration

Yuma Uesaka / Marilyn Crispell - Streams

October 11, 2021

Label: Not Two Records, 2021

Personnel - Yuma Uesaka: tenor saxophone, clarinets; Marylin Crispell: piano.

Purveyors of an irresistible avant-garde jazz, the up-and-coming Japanese-American saxophonist Yuma Uesaka and the experienced American pianist Marilyn Crispell set off in an explorative duo session that merges their modern free universes. Although belonging to different generations, the musicians display a formidable sense of unity that makes their music a genuine pleasure to listen to.

Connecting contralto clarinet and piano, “Meditation” ushers in low-pitched droning patterns to create an atmosphere of stillness that is not devoid of tension. The deep tones become brighter on “Iterations I”, in which imperfect parallel phrases make this music so human. This number by the saxophonist, intensely fixated on an atonal melodic synchrony that has the earmarks of Anthony Braxton, flows with a fragmented narrative via Crispell’s marvelous configurations of chords and textures. Wielding his tenor with authority, Uesaka throws a consistent flow of ideas on top of that, in advance of a pacific and harmonically logic ending.

“Streams” starts as an idyllic composure, maintaining its sonic cultivation even when the dissonance increases and the terminology gets as much accentuated as passionately intense. The twosome is awesome in balancing delicacy and exuberance, but “Torrent” leans on the latter quality, starting with piano leaps, sharp pulses and steep angularity. In the course of this piece, Uesaka switches from tenor sax to clarinet, showing incisiveness when attacking the former instrument and being a bit more ruminative on the latter.

The funny cadenced movements that wrap up the formerly described piece take us to the closing track, “Ma/Space”, which signals the most outstanding moment on the album. Nearly prayerful, this number aims to another dimension. It’s a nod to Uesaka’s Japanese heritage and the ancient court music of Gagaku, and features a third element as a guest: Chatori Shimizu on shō, a Japanese free reed aerophone.

Don’t sleep on this record because there’s plenty of detail to be admired and enough sagacity and enchantment to make it notable.

Favorite Tracks:
02 - Iterations I ► 03 - Streams ► 06 - Ma/Space

Borderlands Trio - Wandersphere

October 7, 2021

Label: Intakt Records, 2021

Personnel - Stephan Crump: acoustic bass; Kris Davis: piano; Eric McPherson: drums.

The Borderlands Trio is made of three inventive musicians - Stephan Crump on double bass, Kris Davis on piano and Eric McPherson on drums - who explore freely without any genre constraints or forcing moods. Their new outing on Intakt, Wandersphere, is a double disc with four improvised pieces recorded in New York during the 2020 pandemic. The group expands views with purely instinctive spontaneity, assuring that their music flows even more naturally (no editing) than on their debut album Asteroidea (Intakt, 2017).

“Super-Organic” quietly gets shape through clever cymbal layouts, relentless bowed bass and a gorgeously atmospheric pianism that benefits from Davis’ attentive preparation of her instrument. The piece segues into some ostinato-driven passages before entering a magical ballroom where mutable grooves join both the cascading and entangling piano. The trio accomplishes wonders and everything fits in the right place, even when Crump’s fingers glide in exploration of higher registers with Davis assuming the bass lines. The gamelan-like sounds of the prepared piano contribute a strong African feel to the concluding vamp.

Crump says: “the goal of the trio is to offer and receive simultaneous, relinquishing as much ego as possible.” This spirit is felt throughout the album, and the 41-minute “Old-Growth” has a lot to be discovered, evolving from being lyrical to consciously vague and exploratively jazzy to offering hypnotic cadences that could have been inspired by or be transported to electronic music. After insinuating a lopsided swing over which Davis delivers some pure jazz phrases, there’s this intimate arco bass expression, surrounded by exotic sounds, that progresses with spiritual development.

“An Invitation to Disappear” conveys this inescapable sense of being trapped in a bubble of solvent molecules, but soon veers to a kinetic, rock-inspired thrust, probing grooves that are as much complex as they are relatable and assimilable. There is tremendous tension at certain times, which are slightly eased on the buoyant “Possible Futures”, another copious outpouring of ostinatos, grooves and other ideas that fully cohere.

Imaginative and inspiring, the Borderlands Trio extemporizes with grand musical gestures and sweeping elegance.

Favorite Tracks:
01 (Disc 1) - Super-Organism ► 02 (Disc 1) - An Invitation to Disappear

Jeff Lederer's Sunwatcher - Eightfold Path

October 5, 2021

Label: Little (i) Records, 2021

Personnel - Jeff Lederer: tenor saxophone; Jamie Saft: piano, organ; Steve Swallow: electric bass; Matt Wilson: drums.

After a decade, the cutting-edge tenor saxophonist Jeff Lederer reunites his Sunwatcher project with one change in the lineup: the legendary electric bassist Steve Swallow replaces Buster Williams, another legend. The keyboardist Jamie Saft and the drummer Matt Wilson round out the quartet for a stirring record made by inspired musicians. The eight recorded pieces were conceived to reflect the law of Dharma in its fundamental ideas. All of them are first takes from a session that took place during the summer of 2020 in the yard of Saft’s home studio in the Hudson Valley.

The group’s energy is promptly personified on the opening track, “Right Concentration”, where the relaxing sound of gongs prepares us for sudden organ strikes, sparse bass notes and filling drums, which complete the substratum while offering an ample bed to Lederer’s magnetic phrases. Together, they form a fragmented psychedelic scenario.

The main idea bookending “Right Speech” first comes in the form of an irresistible reed/drum tide. The middle section is marked not only by Swallow’s stunning bass lines, which are imbued of warmth and groove, but also by vivid and oblique organ reverberations and dynamic sax trajectories populated with strong rhythmic figures.

“Right Effort” evinces a more reflective, laid-back posture, a fact that doesn’t curb Lederer from articulate a considerable amount of notes with impressive speed, and “Right Resolve” harkens back to the groovy rock of the 70s - the sound of Janis Joplin and Deep Purple suddenly crossed my mind. Additionally, “Right Action” grooves with soulful intensity.

Following “Right Livelihood”, a powerful concoction of soul, jazz and funk, the quartet ends the journey with “Right Mindfulness”, endorsing contemplation through a mantra-like piano premise. Wilson’s beautifully designed cymbal maneuvers add extra special flavor here.

The return of Lederer’s Sunwatcher provides some great musical moments.

Favorite Tracks:
02 - Right Speech ► 04 - Right Action ► 08 - Right Mindfulness

Eivind Aarset - Phantasmagoria

October 4, 2021

Label: Jazzland Recordings, 2021

Personnel - Eivind Aarset: guitar, electronics; Wetle Holte: drums, percussion, metallophone, metronome, drum programming, organ; Erland Dahlen: drums, percussion, vibraphone, drum programming; Audun Erlien: bass, Casio synth + guests Arve Henriksen: trumpet; Jan Bang: sampling; John Derek Bishop: field recordings and sound treatments.

Phantasmagoria or A Different Kind of Journey is a new experimental proposition by Norwegian guitarist Eivind Aarset, whose power of invention takes this record to more accessible yet no less stunning places. Aarset teams up with versatile drummers and percussionists Wetle Holte and Erland Dahlen as well as the bassist Audun Erlien, and counts on guest appearances by the atmospheric trumpeter Arve Henriksen, the sampling wizard Jan Bang and the electronic musician John Derek Bishop.

Aarset’s “Intoxication” makes us plunge into an ambient jazz universe painted with cinematic imagery and fetching timbral qualities. Sustained chord washes, guitar distortion, and impeccable drumming get the company of Erlien’s one-time Casio synth patch.

“Pearl Hunter” and “Soft Grey Ghosts”, two pieces that develop in a streamlined quintuple meter, also came to life by Aarset’s pen. While the former sets aside the sinister indie rock demeanor in detriment of an assumed composure that probes recondite routes at a later phase, the latter seems to have been born from gothic Americana, also suggesting an imaginary crossing between Bjork’s syncopated textures and Nick Cave’s lugubrious tones.

If “Outbound” has a dancing quality to it, thriving with prog-rock attitude, noise pollution and elements of ambient, then its twin, “Inbound”, raises the bar with an off-kilter instrumentation and sound design that show the fertile imagination of the musicians involved.

Over the course of the fairly accessible “Manta Ray”, it’s Henriksen’s trumpet that soars high over a warped texture whose inquisitive, breathing layers probe delicate and comfortable atmospheres. This track contrasts with the next, “Didn’t See This One Coming”, a wired quartet improvisation with shredded guitar, spectral samples engendered by Bang, and a sort of motorik beat.

Loosely based on “Waiting for a Boat” by Bel Canto’s singer Anneli Drecker, “Light on Shanzu River” concludes the album by lulling us into a pleasant dream-state.

This hallucinatory fusion of experimental rock, avant-garde, ambient and noise is a thoroughly engrossing trip to Aarset’s mystified musical cosmos.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - Intoxication ► 05 - Manta Ray ► 08 - Inbound

Gonzalo Rubalcaba / Ron Carter / Jack DeJohnette - Skyline

September 30, 2021

Label: 5Passion Records, 2021

Personnel - Gonzalo Rubalcaba: piano; Ron Carter: bass; Jack DeJohnette: drums.

On his newest trio album, Cuban-born piano maverick Gonzalo Rubalcaba reunites with the mentors of his youth, the bassist Ron Carter and the drummer Jack DeJohnette. The former associated himself to the pianist’s musical cause on the album Diz… (Somethin’ Else, 1994), while the latter appeared on Images (Somethin’ Else, 1991) and The Blessing (Somethin’ Else, 1991).

Skyline, the first installment of an intended trilogy to be delivered in the classic piano trio format, comprises two previously recorded pieces from each musician. The program is rounded out with two Cuban classics - Miguel Metamoros’ “Lagrimas Negras”, a romantic bolero-son which opens the disc displaying slick bass and crescendo piano solos, and Jose Antonio Mendez’s “Novia Mia”, an affecting, slow-moving bass-piano duet shed in exemplary moderation.

The Rubalcaba pieces feel somewhat modest when compared to the other tunes. They are “Promenade”, a dedication to Carter that doesn’t really stick out despite some fine stretches by DeJohnette, and “Siempre Maria”, a bolero with some ultimate groovy patterns, which was first recorded in 1992 for the album Suite 4 y 20 (Blue Note).

Carter gets the loose intro of his 1979-penned “Gipsy” underway, and then installs a walking bass motion occasionally adorned by impeccable glissandos and pedals that provides plenty of space to be filled by Rubalcaba. The pianist’s eloquent melodies never loses articulation and his speed of language is glaring. He complements them here by transient, crashing left-hand chunks.

The album closes with “RonJackRuba”, a spontaneous lilting exercise credited to the threesome, but before that we have DeJohnette’s numbers, “Silver Hollow” and “Ahmad the Terrible”. The former wafts delicately toward a beautiful, hypnotic waltzing cadence where the piano wraps around the bass and drums like a cocoon; the latter piece, which first appeared on the drummer’s Special Edition’s Album Album (ECM,1984), offers a somewhat arcane introduction before the theme kicks in with Brubeckian insinuation and rhythmic punch.

Not the best Rubalcaba we’ve heard, but a good Rubalcaba.

Favorite Tracks:
02 - Gipsy ► 03 - Silver Hollow ► 07 - Ahmad the Terrible

Marcin Wasilewski Trio - En Attendant

September 29, 2021

Label: ECM Records, 2021

Personnel - Marcin Wasilewski: piano; Slawomir Kurkiewicz: bass; Michal Miskiewicz: drums.

This accomplished Polish trio led by Marcin Wasilewski, a sensitive pianist who favors clarity of touch, got known for its improvisational facility and strong sense of resolution. Their new album, En Attendant (the seventh on the ECM Records) comprises a tripartite improvised piece, one original by the pianist, and personal renditions of disparate compositions by Carla Bley, The Doors and J.S. Bach.

Lasting between six and seven minutes, the three parts of “In Motion” are lyrically conceived. The first part is shaped with pulchritudinous melodic and harmonic contours, whereas the second, more percussive and peacefully atmospheric, reveals lovely timbral shades as a result of the communication between the pianist and the two excellent players at the foundation - the bassist Slawomir Kurkiewicz and the drummer Michal Miskiewicz. The Part III, enhancing the charms of the piano and bass deliveries, allows the delicate cymbal washes of the drummer to become salient before the trio sports its more explorative side.

Both Wasilewski’s “Glimmer of Hope” and Carla Bley’s “Vashkar” are revisited here, appearing as heartfelt horn-less manifestations after having been included on last year’s album Arctic Riff with Joe Lovano. If the former is initially guided by the vaunted brushwork of Miskiewicz, the latter piece includes a transparent bass solo and a more eloquent piano statement that never spins out of control.

The versatility of the trio allows them to cull songs from different genres in order to enrich their repertoire. The classical minor-tinged ideals of Bach are heard on “Goldberg Variation no. 25”, a ballad carrying a deep sense of sadness and loss that the trio navigates with a feel of their own. There’s also The Doors’ pop/rock classic “Riders on the Storm”, a serious candidate to the best track on the album, in which an elegant jazzistic approach and warmly burnished groove give it a special note.

En Attendant attests Wasilewski’s ability to make honest, breathy music that is a balm for the ears.

Favorite Tracks:
04 - In Motion (Part II) ► 05 - Glimmer of Hope ► 06 - Riders on the Storm

Sean Conly - The Buzz

September 28, 2021

Label: 577 Records, 2021

Personnel - Leo Genovese: piano; Sean Conly: acoustic bass; Francisco Mela: drums.

Sean Conly, a coveted and probing avant-garde jazz bassist, not only has been an important piece in projects led by saxophonists Darius Jones and Gregory Tardy as well as pianists Mara Rosenbloom and Johannes Wallman, but also has forged his path as a leader, usually in the company of altoist Michael Attias, a frequent collaborator.

The Buzz marks his debut on the Brooklyn label 577 Records, and features two new musical partners who have played/recorded many times together before: the Argentinian pianist Leo Genovese (Esperanza Spalding, Leni Stern) and the Cuban drummer Francisco Mela (McCoy Tyner, Joe Lovano).

The album's first two tracks, “The Jake Leg” and “Good Idea”, share the same thematic concept centered on a strong melodic expression that repeats as the views expand with generous openness. Following an elusive form that consolidates composed ideas and texture-minded improvisation, the trio nearly swings on the former piece, whereas on the latter we hear Conly speaking confidently and engaging with Genovese in synergistic agreement.

There are sliding intervallic bass motions that go well with Mela’s Latin-tinge drumming on “In the Stretch”, where, at a later time, bass and piano assume absolute control of the rhythmic emphasis with congruous low-pitched tones. As is the case here, Mela also brings his percussive work to the fore on “From C to Sea”, a lilting, animated piece with a bass statement upfront.

Conly, Genovese and Mela are here to support each other; and “The Buzz”, which emulates the verve of living in New York City, validates that notion. Nonetheless, it’s Genovese’s bold piano playing that stands out on this one.

“Sweetie Pie” is candidly narrated with a little vulnerability lurking around the edges, but the prize for the most beautiful sound goes to the concluding track, a rendition of Stephen Sondheim’s 1973 ballad “Send in the Clowns”.

The Buzz doesn’t transcend nor disappoints. Its pieces may not immediately catch our senses but repeated listenings allow us to locate more signposts of tension and release, pushing us to better interpret the trio’s highly intuitive form of playing.

Favorite Tracks:
03 - In the Stretch ► 07 - Sweetie Pie ► 10 - Send in the Clowns

Pat Metheny - Side Eye NYC (V1.IV)

September 27, 2021

Label: Modern Recordings, 2021

Personnel - Pat Metheny: guitar, bass guitar; James Francies; piano, synth, organ; Marcus Gilmore: drums.

The compositional rigor and fluid guitarism of Pat Metheny is fully on display on his latest album, Side-Eye NYC (V1.IV), which features him alongside two new mates of a younger generation, the keyboardist James Francies and the drummer Marcus Gilmore. Together, they plunge into the guitarist’s astounding musical universe, tackling three new compositions that seem to have been tailor-made for this ensemble format and dressing old material with elegant, contemporary sonic outfits. The album was recorded live at Sony Hall in New York.

The opening track, “It Starts When We Disappear”, is one of the new pieces and the album’s best. There’s this atmospheric radiation at start - devised with electronic loopers and a continual cymbal pulsation - that leads us to a beautiful guitar melody. Traveling splendorous musical avenues with irresistible drive and perceptive modulation, the trio surprises not only with transient offbeat maneuvers ingeniously pulled out of Francies’ hat - who also delivers a breathtaking solo - but also clever changes of mood from one passage to another. The emotional factor is stressed during Metheny’s improvisation, and there’s a crossover appeal that recalls the fabulous 1994 album We Live Here.

“Lodger” and “Zenith Blue” are the two other novelties. The former probes pop/rock balladry with an invulnerable bluesy touch, integrating pollution-smeared guitar, sustained organ chords and a suitable 4/4 pulse; the latter, instead, is a colorful fusion piece with curious rhythms and a contemplative vision that definitely seeks the beauty of things. And what a catchy synth guitar sound by the bandleader on this one!

Previously recorded pieces include: “Better Days Ahead”, a co-arrangement by Metheny and Francies that almost feels like a cooly paced bossanova number with glossy funk running at the backbone and plenty of jazz-folk melodies at the surface; “Timeline”, a curiously structured tune written for Elvin Jones and recorded with the drummer and the saxophonist Michael Brecker in 1999; and Ornette Coleman’s widely played “Turnaround”, which goes deep into the blues. Rounding out the program are two pieces taken from Metheny's 1976 album Bright Size Life, which get absolutely delightful treatments here. The clearer-in-sound “Bright Size Life” it’s like watercolor brushstrokes that builds into candid passion when Francies lays down a magnetic harmonic sequence to back up the late stage of the guitar solo, whereas “Sirabhorn” brings back that sophisticated folk-jazz deliberation, but featuring Gilmore’s tastefully subdued drumming.

A thrilling collaborative energy inundates this mature, engaging trio album, an impossible-to-ignore addition to the guitarist’s formidable discography.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - It Starts When We Disappear ► 04 - Bright Size Life ► 08 - Zenith Blue

Helen Sung - Quartet +

September 23, 2021

Label: Sunnyside Records, 2021

Personnel - Helen Sung: piano; John Ellis: tenor and soprano saxophone, flute; David Wong: bass; Kendrick Scott: drums + Harlem Quartet - Ilmar Gavilan: violin; Melissa White: violin; Jaime Amador: viola; Felix Umansky: cello.

Although well seated in the jazz tradition, Helen Sung extends that predominant language in this new album by melding it with classical infusions and other elements. Here, she leads a core jazz quartet that includes saxophonist John Ellis, bassist David Wong and drummer Kendrick Scott, but her wild card is played with the beguiling airiness of string arrangements (performed by the Harlem Quartet) while giving life to three new compositions, revitalizing two originals from previous recordings, and celebrating women’s artistry by finding new sonic outfits for pieces by influential female jazz composers.

It’s “Feed the Fire”, a post-bop explosion penned by the late pianist Geri Allen, that opens up the album with the expedite rhythm section in great style. Ellis draws empathy with his tenor skills and there’s a round for the drummer.

Both “Coquette”, inspired by one of the three Romances by German pianist Clara Schumann, and “Elegy for the City”, dedicated to the human losses caused by the pandemic in New York City, were composed by Sung who put a classical spin on them. The former, takes us from a classical ballroom dancing to a Brazilian groove that invites Ellis’ flute to the spotlight; in turn, the latter piece joins the poignancy of Chopin, the delicacy of Bill Evans and the melodic sentiment of Michel Legrand in a nuanced 3/4 effort that becomes Latinized for a moment. Speaking of 3/4, Mary Lou Williams’ aptly orchestrated “Mary’s Waltz” holds the step firmly while the violinist Melissa White shines, followed by improvisations from Wong and Sung.

Swinging propulsions are not rare and can be enjoyed on both Toshiko Akiyoshi’s “Long Yellow Road”, which carries a hooky rhythmic pattern in the lower register and stylish string details, and Marian McPartland’s “Melancholy Mood”, whose title stops making sense for a little while, after halfway.

Whereas “Lament for Kalief Browder” runs in circles with a cello figure and a spiraling soprano dancing atop, “Sungbird”, delivered in five with a drum-less configuration, flaunts an interesting fusion of Shostakovich and tango. These compositions were originally recorded in 2018 (Sung with Words) and 2007 (Sungbird album), respectively.

Carla Bley’s playful “Wrong Key Donkey” - first recorded by Gary Burton Quintet in 1976 - carries hints of funk and pronounced accent, being reinforced with a classical vein that assimilates both Eastern and Western currents. It’s perhaps the album’s most free-ranging piece.

Despite being quite cinematic as the well-integrated strings add emotional underscore, you won’t find eerie atmospheres or darker corners on an album that is liberally enveloped by a positive energy. That’s where the force of Sung’s music comes from.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - Feed the Fire ► 07 - Long Yellow Road ► 08 - Wrong Key Donkey

David Sanford Big Band - A Prayer for Lester Bowie

September 22, 2021

Label: Greenleaf Music, 2021

Personnel - Composition and conduction {David Sanford (#1-4, 6-8), Hugh Ragin (#5)}; Woodwinds {Anna Webber, Geoff Vidal, Marc Phaneuf: tenor sax; Ted Levine, Kelley Hart-Jenkins: alto sax; Brad Hubbard: baritone sax}; Brass {Brad Goode, Tony Kadleck, Tim Leopold, Wayne J. du Maine, Thomas Bergeron: trumpet; Mike Christianson, Jim Messbauer, Ben Herrington, Mike Seltzer, Steven Gehring: trombone; Raymond Stewart: tuba}; Rhythm Section {Dave Fabris: electric guitar; Geoff Burleson: piano; Dave Phillips: electric and acoustic bass; Mark Raynes: drums; Theo Moore: percussion.}

If you like your big band jazz leaning toward the avant-garde, then maybe this new disc from the composer, arranger and bandleader David Sanford will speak to you. At the helm of a super-crisp, dynamic ensemble, Sanford presents six compositions of his own, an ecstatic reading of Dizzy Gillespie’s “Dizzy Atmosphere”, and “A Prayer For Lester Bowie”, the central piece that gave the album its title. The latter was composed, arranged and ‘conducted’ (in the same concept of Butch Morris) by trumpeter Hugh Ragin, a former student of Bowie and an enthusiast of the Art Ensemble of Chicago, who introduces an explorative journey that incorporates random pointillism, full-bodied orchestral scoring, cinematic solemnity and swinging locomotions with euphoric horn expansions.

The album’s opener, “Full Immersion”, is a roving effort made of layers that gradually pile up with logic. First, it’s the congas commanded by Theo Moore that pop up, followed by rattling percussion and Jim Messbauer’s trombone playing; and then we have a funky wah guitar, simmering piano, slapping bass, massive horn unisons, and last but not least, the authoritative solos and exciting interplay by tenor saxophonists Anna Webber and Geoff Vidal. This piece was inspired by a fountain in Rome as well as by the New Orleans funk band Galactic.

“Subtraf” features Dave Fabric's bluesy guitar distortions, and a trombone statement by Mike Christianson; “Woman in Shadows” is an eight-minute ballad inspired by Luke Swank photographs that loosens things up for composure, having altoist Teddy Levine hopping out front for one single speech; “popit” behaves like a thrashing funk-metal song that scalds as it flows with clever counterpoint and rhythmic energy; and “V-Reel”, which gravitates toward funk, has tuba player Raymond Stewart grooving out loud before the improvisations by Levine and Ben Harrington on alto and trombone, respectively.

A sense of freedom erupts from every arrangement, and the diligent musicians are put at the service of a group ideal that relies on motion, texture and free improv to succeed.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - Full Immersion ► 04 - popit ► 05 - Prayer For Lester Bowie

Chet Doxas - You Can't Take It With You

September 21, 2021

Label: Whirlwind Recordings, 2021

Personnel - Chet Doxas: tenor saxophone; Ethan Iverson: piano; Thomas Morgan: bass.

10 enchanting compositions inspired by spiritual connections are what Montreal-born, Brooklyn-based saxophonist and composer Chet Doxas, a Juno-award winner who moves elastically between tradition and innovation, offers us on You Can’t Take It With You. The album, presented in a drummer-less trio format with the assistance of pianist Ethan Iverson and bassist Thomas Morgan, emerged after the pianist Carla Bley had encouraged Doxas to form his own trio when he mentioned how inspiring her work with Steve Swallow and Andy Sheppard had been for him over the years.

The title track opens with a frank bass statement before segueing to a bluesy, swinging motion. Iverson’s piano work is impeccably witty in the numerous evocations of jazz tradition while Doxas’ melodies surface with compulsively lilting ideas.

“Lodestar” is a dedication to saxophonist Lester Young, here praised by his rhythmic expertise via insistent pedals, looped rhythmic figures that change key and stunning prepared piano. Except for the latter aspect, the trio also remains anchored to this aesthetic on “Part of a Memory”.

There are more dedications on the album: “Cheryl and George” pays tribute to Doxas’ parents using the chord changes of “Body and Soul” - you’ll rejoice with the multiphonic intonation of the tenor intro as well as with the enigmatic atmospheres that lead to a collectively improvised passage. “Up There in the Woods” celebrates the iconic guitarist Jim Hall while providing gleeful amusement via bright bopish lines and that slight Latin undercurrent that stresses the color of the main theme. On the meditative “All the Roads”, it’s TV host Fred Rogers’ non-speech at the time of his award reception that encourages the trio to make its point clear with earnest bowed bass, crestfallen piano and a sensitive horn temperament.

I couldn’t fail to mention “Twelve-Foot Blues”, which besides combining the ingratiating familiarity of the blues with the trio’s propensity for exploration, also has Iversen quoting “I Got Rhythm” at the end of his solo.

What I really like here is the group’s capacity to eschew the typical saxophone trio hierarchy. All members are given equal importance by playing the roles of texture builders and inventive improvisers.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - You Can’t Take It with You ► 03 - Cheryl and George ► 09 - All the Roads

Miho Hazama - Imaginary Visions

September 20, 2021

Label: Edition Records, 2021

Personnel - Miho Hazama: composition, conduction + Danish Radio Big Band (soloists) - Karl-Martin Almqvist: tenor saxophone; Hans Ulrik: tenor saxophone; Peter Fuglsang: alto saxophone; Anders Gaardmand: baritone saxophone; Mads la Cour: trumpet, flugelhorn; Mårten Lundgren: trumpet; Petter Hängsel: trombone; Peter Dahlgren: trombone; Nicolai Schultz: flute; Henrik Gunde piano; Per Gade guitar; Kaspar Vadsholt: double bass; Søren Frost: drums.

A phenomenal presence in the orchestral world of modern jazz, Tokyo-born New York-based Miho Hazama composes and arranges with insight and extremely good taste. Her incredible talent, which got her a Grammy nomination with the chamber ensemble m_unit, is again on display throughout this new album recorded with the acclaimed Danish Radio Big Band, and whose program consists of seven tracks that shift from one colorful mode to the next.

Hazama was invited to join the cited European Big Band as a chief conductor, following the steps of trumpeter Thad Jones, trombonist Bob Brookmeyer and pianist Jim McNeely, and she actually takes the ensemble into a new gleam. The sumptuous arrangement and deft execution of the opener “I Said Cool, You Said…What?”, which is directly related to the invitation, immediately confirms that as it shines with a venturous 13/8 meter signature, a melodic swirl that challenges and charms, and central statements by Nicolai Schultz on flute, Henrik Gunde on piano and guitarist Per Gade, who scorches the scenario with fuzz chops.

Serene but with a feel-good posture, “Your Scenery Story” probes different signature meters, presenting individual manifestations from trumpet and saxophone as well as impeccably layered collective passages.

“Mingle-Mangle Goody Bag” swings lavishly with a Mingus-like vibe, becoming affiliated with the melodic contours à-la Henry Mancini displayed on the thoroughly simpatico “Mimi’s March”. In the latter, we have some gravitational trombone waves and meaty lines fleshed out by Anders Gaardmand's baritone sax, but the beginning seems to join the traits of a small rock group with a jazz big band, while grooving aplomb.

The galvanizing “On That Side” opens with a bass solo before establishing an urgent, vigorous forward motion in 7/8 tempo. Adapting to the musical contexts suggested, the band embarks on captivating explorations of sound and texture as well as improvisations that develop with extemporary freedom. The album concludes by balancing lush orchestration with some balladic pop undercurrents on “Green”.

With an extraordinary amount of clarity and virtuosity, this recording provides both punchy and sensitive moments that will make it stand the test of time.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - I Said Cool, You Said…What? ► 05 - Mimi’s March ► 06 - On That Side

Henry Threadgill Zooid - Poof

September 16, 2021

Label: Pi Recordings, 2021

Personnel - Henry Threadgill: alto saxophone, flutes; Liberty Ellman: acoustic guitar; Jose Davila: tuba, trombone; Christopher Hoffman: cello; Elliot Humberto Kavee: drums.

The unparalleled saxophonist Henry Threadgill, a primary figure in the modern creative and avant-garde jazz worlds for years, returns with his Zooid project. As per usual, the musical personalities of the musicians involved in Poof - guitarist Liberty Ellman, tubist/trombonist Jose Davila, cellist Christopher Hoffman and drummer Elliot Humberto Kavee - contribute plenty of exoticism and lyricism to the uniquely developed compositional forms of the bandleader, in a quirky confluence of sounds that create engrossing paths of inquiry.

Take the example of the opener, “Come and Go”, which assumes the shape of an atypical marching procession embracing hopping tuba groove, quizzical cello melody, folksier guitar pointillism, conversational alto sax fluency, and an unobtrusive rhythmic layout on the drum kit. It might seem disjointed at a first glance, but rest assured that all coheres with gorgeous effulgence.

The title track gets the ball rolling with a busy dialogue, which is put on halt, firstly when Ellman plays unaccompanied, and then when Threadgill’s alto takes the lead with irresistible pathos. Hoffmann then follows them, talking brightly.

“Beneath the Bottom” probes interesting tones with the contrast created by trombone, cello, flute and guitar. It remains within a nebulous sonic cloud until the appearance of an elegant groove. Also interesting is “Happenstance”, which counterpoints calmness and tension through cello shrieks and unflappable acoustic guitar. In the course of his magical solo, Ellman demonstrates why his sound and approach are distinctive, and later on, it’s Kavee who reminds us that he has a beat of his own. The final section brings both in-sync and contrapuntal movements.

Pushing the pulse with wry pleasure, the incisive and sophisticated “Now and Then” wraps up the album with genuine group cooperation and an outstanding multiphonic finale.

This is a great return from Threadgill, who showcases the poetic puzzlement of his compositions and that magical style that leaves us marveled.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - Come and Go ► 02 - Poof ► 05 - Now and Then

Tumi Arnason - Hlynun

September 15, 2021

Label: Reykjavík Record Shop, 2021

Personnel - Tumi Árnason: tenor saxophone; Magnús Jóhann Ragnarsson: piano, Rhodes, farfisa; Skúli Sverrisson: electric bass; Magnús Trygvason Eliassen: drums.

The saxophonist Tumi Árnason, a native of Reykjavik, releases a unified, fully realized six-part opus envisioned as a reflection on climate change and its devastating consequences. Hlýnun, which means warming, reveals a compelling narrative where each track pours into the next with rivulets of sound that wash you over as if you were in the middle of a lucid, foreboding dream. The quartet is deeply attuned to this approach, creating an imaginary ecosystem that first comes to life with “I - Lungu”, where Árnason’s saxophone wails are in fine cooperation with the relentless cymbals of Magnús Trygvason Eliassen, the sustained bass expressions of Skuli Sverrisson and the intangible, mergeable keyboard sounds of Magnús Jóhann Ragnarsson. Together, they immerse themselves in a still, if tense, lake of mists. Things are softened up without discarding any experimental parameters, and we have spontaneous bass moves, cymbal screeches and scratches, and high-pitched sax laments cohabiting the final section.

The peculiarly titled “II - ‘Ō‘ō‘ā‘ā” shows the saxophonist assuming the lead via tessellated rhythmic figures and eruptive runs that transpire some Coltrane influence whether by intonation or expression. The avant-garde foray is given extra color with the arresting tonal shifts and curious sounds that stem from Ragnarsson’s keyboardic incursions.

“III - Svart Haf” is initially given some context by Sverrisson, who brings crystal harmonics into his enigmatic playing. His work is later complemented with brushed drums and piano remarks. At the time the bandleader interpolates his lines, we are already involved in this mysterious bubble of sound. The tones are lugubrious, and Eliassen makes a statement on top of this menacing demeanor, followed by the dark, clamant timbres of the tenor. The final section sounds eerily monastic on account of the organ, and things are really pushed to the dark side here.

“IV - Söngur úr svartholinu” evolves in a serene way, patiently morphing dynamics and textures with both surprise and precision. Some classical overtones are detected, also in the loop-like phrases delivered by Árnason, which happen right before an intermission that changes the group’s direction for the initial melodic path but with the piano at the center.

The last combined movements, “V - Um heimsslit; VI - Suð" address the end of the world, first through an airy ballad that momentarily clears the dark clouds out of the sky, and then by delivering an electronic-designed conclusion.

Árnason deserves credit for this project, cementing he’s not only a meritorious composer/saxophonist but also a conscientious citizen whose music mirrors his concern for a topic that needs urgent attention.

Favorite Tracks:
02 - ‘Ō’ō‘ā‘ā ► 03 - Svart Haf ► 04 - Söngur úr svartholinu

Arturo O'Farrill and the Afro Latin Jazz Ensemble - Dreaming in Lions

September 14, 2021

Label: Blue Note Records, 2021

Personnel - Arturo O’Farrill: piano, composition; Adam O'Farrill: trumpet, flugelhorn; Rafi Malkiel: euphonium, trombone; Alejandro Aviles: flute, saxophones; Travis Reuter: guitar; Vince Cherico: African percussion, drums; Carlos "Carly" Maldonado: maracas, marimba; Victor Pablo Garcia Gaetan: conga, cuica, dumbeq; Bam Bam Rodriguez: bass; Zack O'Farrill: drums.

Pianist, composer and bandleader Arturo O’Farrill became widely known for giving the Latin jazz genre a relevant contemporary dimension, often in command of his Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra. For Dreaming in Lions, his latest record and debut on the iconic Blue Note Records, he shortened the big band into a 10-piece ensemble that performs two suites while trading the traditional Latin luster for something more sophisticated and steeped in modernity.

Combining poignancy, irreverent warmth and explosions of spontaneous color, these orchestrations have their inception with “Del Mar”, the first of five movements that compose the Despedida suite, a reflection on farewells. The piece is impeccably layered with polyrhythmic sumptuousness and spiced up by brass and woodwind ostinatos. There's also a magnetic piano solo delivered with inside-outside dexterity and perfectly positioned accents.

If “Beauty Cocoon” and “La Llorona” (not to be mistaken with the folk Mexican song) feel very Cuban at their core, then “Intruso” and “Ensayo Silencio” plunge into different currents of fusion. The former, funkified by an amazing groove, includes horn counterpoint, block chords deftly intertwined with winning piano runs, and a swinging dixie-inflected blues passage over which Alejandro Aviles shines in a flurry of pithy soprano sounds. In opposition, the latter piece falls into something you can dance to, an inspired marriage of funk, jazz, disco and R&B. Here, we can also enjoy ad-lib volleys between the horn players.

All these eclectic elements return in “Struggles and Strugglets”, the sixth movement of the Dreaming in Lions suite, whose inspiration came from Ernest Hemingway’s short novel The Old Man and the Sea. Other highlights are “Scalular”, an eloquent collage of sunny rhythms that buoys up the euphoric three-time-feel dynamics, “How I Love You”, whose gauzy romanticism wafts like a soft breeze, and the effusive “Blood in the Water”, whose dramatic piano foray gives place to a colorful Latin funk where the rock-fueled guitar of Travis Reuter stands out. The session wraps with a solo piano piece performed by O’Farrill’s wife, the classical pianist Alison Deane.

This is a cohesive and coherent record that points to jazz’s ever evolving fusion of rhythms and sounds tied to a rich cultural history.

Favorite Tracks:
02 - Intruso ► 11 - Struggles and Strugglets ► 13 - Blood in the Water

Nate Smith - Kinfolk 2: See the Birds

September 13, 2021

Label: Edition Records, 2021

Personnel - Jaleel Shaw: alto saxophone; Jon Cowherd: keys; Brad Allen Williams: guitar; Fima Ephrom: electric bass; Nate Smith: drums // Guests - Vernon Reid: guitar; Kokayi: vocals; Regina Carter: violin; Brittany Howard: vocals; Joel Ross: vibraphone; Amma Whatt: vocals; Stokley: vocals.

The second installment of the Kinfolk trilogy by Nate Smith - a two-time Grammy nominee who played with Dave Holland, Chris Potter and Pat Metheny - demonstrates his abilities behind the drum kit and his penchant for compositions that are versatile and eclectic. For Kinfolk 2: See the Birds, he hooks up with altoist Jaleel Shaw, keyboardist Jon Cowherd, electric bassist Fima Ephrom and guitarist Brad Allen Williams - and invites a few guest artists to further color the material.

The soaring blitheness of “Attitude” is substantiated by an additive {3+5} metric and resourceful solos from Cowherd and two guests: the vibraphonist Joel Ross and the vocalist Michael Mayo. Both latter musicians are also featured on “See the Birds”, which effectively blends R&B and jazz idioms.

The multifaceted rapper Kokayi, who boasts past collaborations with trumpeter Ambrose Akinmusire and saxophonist Steve Coleman, contributes to two pieces steeped in hip-hop. On “Square Wheel”, which veers to a suave R&B atmosphere on the chorus (with vocals by Mayo) and then to a ripe jazz-funk (over which Shaw flies high), he has the support of Smith’s slick odd-meter beat and Williams’ brash guitar, whereas on “Band Room”, he engages in a freestyle rap with nerve and confidence.

An undeniable highlight is “Rambo: The Vigilante”, which, dabbling in a powerful hard rock, features fiery guest guitar by Living Colour’s Vernon Reid. An expedite beat-making by Smith and another kinetic improvisation by Shaw do the rest.

“Street Lamp” seems like a crossing between the indie-rock of Courtney Bartnett and the smooth post-bop of Marquis Hill; on “Collision”, the violinist Regina Carter is in full command of the melody; and “Fly (for Mike)”, featuring the former frontman of Alabama Shakes, Brittany Howard, flows balladically between a jazz standard and the country soul of Ray Charles.

A wise composer, Smith creates grooves on the kit that attracts and connects. He is found here in top form while enjoying the artistic qualities of his talented associates.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - Attitude ► 03 - Band Room ► 08 - Rambo: The Vigilante