Tyler Mitchell - Dancing Shadows

Label: Mahakala Records, 2022

Personnel - Marshall Allen: alto saxophone, EVI; Chris Hemmingway: tenor saxophone; Nicoletta Manzini: alto saxophone; Tyler Mitchell: bass; Wayne Smith: drums; Elson Nascimento: percussion.

Veteran bassist Tyler Mitchell was a member of the Sun Ra Arkestra in the 1980s, participating in two of their albums, After Hours and Reflections in Blue, both from 1986. He also played with saxophonist George Coleman, singer Shirley Horn, and drummer Art Taylor. Not as active as a leader, Mitchell released Live At Smalls under his own name in 2012, an auspicious debut album in which he was in command of a pliant New York quintet. Now he presents Dancing Shadows, a 12-track effort featuring a multi-generational sextet which, in addition to a couple of originals, tackles five pieces by Sun Ra and one by Thelonious Monk. On board with him for this sonic journey is the current leader of the Arkestra, the 97-year-old maestro Marshall Allen. 

The group infests Ra’s “Interstellar Low Ways” with a melody that recalls “Tenderly” and solos from the three reedists - Nicoletta Manzini, who occasionally revisits the melody, Chris Hemmingway, who mixes outside playing with bluesy incursions, and Allen, who concludes ebulliently. Other Ra numbers include “Angels and Demons at Play”, where all things flutter around a 14-note, 10-beat-cycle bass figure; the uptempo free romp “Dancing Shadows”, which swings at the bottom and twists at the surface with multiple horn deliveries; and “Care Free”, whose three time feel welcomes Allen at the front. There's also this beautiful “Enlightenment”, offering an enjoyable melodic narrative over a confident rhythmic strut, whereas “A Call For All Demons” concludes the program with exoticism.

Monk’s intricate groover “Skippy” finds a spot for the bassist/bandleader, who penned the brushes-driven ballad “Nico” for Manzini and the percussively inspired “Marshall the Deputy” with Allen in mind. The group fearlessly embraces abstraction in Manzini’s “Spaced Out”, which flows in Ra’s cosmic fashion with conspicuous EVI adornments. Pure tradition interlaces with explorative space jazz and modern adjustments in an album that brings nostalgia and new discoveries to the table.

Favorite Tracks:
06 - Dancing Shadows ► 08 - Marshall the Deputy ► 11 - Enlightenment

Kit Downes - Vermillion

Label: ECM Records, 2022

Personnel - Kit Downes: piano; Petter Eldh: double bass; James Maddren: drums.

The British pianist and composer Kit Downes returns to the trio format and delivers a set of low-key musings in the company of musical cohorts Petter Eldh and James Maddren, bassist and drummer respectively. These musicians have played together several times in different contexts, but only once in trio, under the name of Enemy (Edition Records, 2018). In a similar way of the album I just pointed out, the new Vermillion, comprises originals by Downes and Eldh (five by each) but with the particularity of culminating with an abstract rendition of Jimi Hendrix’s “Castles Made of Sand”, where the band rocks to some degree over the circular harmonic movement that marks its final portion.

The opening piece, “Minus Monks” is elegantly stated by a trio in profound consonance with the sounds they envisioned for this work. Akin to the latter, the two following numbers, “Sister, Sister” and “Seceda”, were penned by Downes. The former, underpinned by restless brushwork, pulls out a contemporary folk feel from the melody that shapes it, whereas the latter is a beautiful impressionistic waltz that, even swinging gently with a Bill Evans type of lyricism atop, might have sprung from the imagination of Debussy.

Elhd’s compositions possess the same essential nature than those by Downes, but bring a bit more rhythmic bait to them. They both find elemental means to construct narratives that are at once rooted in tradition and forward-looking. Examples are “Plus Puls”, which, guided by confident bass lines, has Downes working closer to his backers before finishing it solo; “Sandlands”, which, effortlessly shifting meters, conjures up some Chick Corea’s lively vibes; and “Waders”, which is firmly backed in rhythmic detail.

Although lacking punchy moments, the music is technically well executed and searches in its own way, tending to shed further sparkle with repeated listens. A very homogeneous body of work.

Favorite Tracks:
02 - Sister, Sister ► 03 - Seceda ► 06 - Sandlands

Ethan Iverson - Every Note is True

Label: Blue Note Records, 2022

Personnel - Ethan Iverson: piano; Larry Grenadier: bass; Jack DeJohnette: drums.

On his Blue Note debut recording, the pianist/composer Ethan Iverson hooks up with bassist Larry Grenadier and drummer Jack DeJohnette, forming a pliant yet cohesive trio that navigates genres and ambiances with a penchant for tradition. Still, they have the ability to give them enough fresh context to blossom and surprise. Iverson and the legendary drummer recorded together for the very first time, in opposition to Grenadier, who played on Costumes Are Mandatory, a quartet album from 2013 that also featured the late saxophonist Lee Konitz and the drummer Jorgy Rossy.

Every Note is True opens with the title track, making the song format very present through the 44-voice virtual choir that sings lyrics penned by the pianist's wife, Sarah Demings. The trio proceeds with “The Eternal Verities” in which classical influences are particularly pronounced. This piece, inspired by Iverson’s mother-in-law, also has a popified impressionism contributing to it.

Flawlessly articulated, “She Won’t Forget Me” also embraces the pop music cannon, taking us to the musical universe of The Bad Plus, a groundbreaking trio of which Iverson was a member from 2000 to 2017. We can hear the pianist play precise bass notes with the left hand and, with his right, extract clear melodies from the higher registers of the keyboard. During the gently propulsive waltz “For Ellen Raskin”, he pays tribute to the American children’s writer and illustrator in the title. This song sails smoothly, concluding with bowed bass and melodic piano playing. “Goodness Knows” brings a happy lyricism to the setting while infusing a litany of rhythmic figures and a swinging bopish intonation that inspires Grenadier to a groove-laden statement. The piece ends with a conclusively unfurling piano solo. 

A sense of rapture builds from track to track, and both “Merely Improbable” and “Praise the Travel” convey so much enjoyment. Whereas the former evokes Duke Ellington by encapsulating motivic articulations on the piano, crisply accentuated drumming, and bass lines that elegantly swing along, the latter is a blues infusion with tinges of gospel, spiritual jazz, and classical aromas. The album includes another fine blues, “At the Bells and Motley”, but my favorite piece is DeJohnette’s “Blue”, a gorgeous, emotionally effective rendition of the drummer's 1978 composition, here narrated with true melody set against cascading notes and imminent chordal foreplay.

Tastefully and masterfully executed, Every Note is True is a complete experience; a product of a mature artistic vision over an extended segment of the jazz spectrum.

Favorite Tracks:
05 - Blue ► 06 - Goodness Knows ► 08 - Merely Improbable

Avishai Cohen - Naked Truth

Label: ECM Records, 2022

Personnel - Avishai Cohen: trumpet; Yonathan Avishai: piano; Barak Mori: bass; Ziv Ravitz: drums.

Picking out the quartet format, the Israeli trumpeter Avishai Cohen puts out Naked Truth, a much quieter follow up to the electronic-tinged Big Vicious, released on the ECM Records in 2020. Here, and just like happened on his masterpiece Cross My Palm With Silver (ECM, 2017), he teams up with pianist Yonathan Avishai and bassist Barak Mori. The exception is Ziv Ravitz, who holds the drum chair once occupied by Nasheet Waits. These are musicians with whom he has struck an excellent rapport through several years of collaboration.

The nine chapters of this suite put on display the sleek style of a trumpeter whose imperturbable sense of phrasing wraps around the listener since “Part I”, where he seeks a beautiful communion with Mori, until the last track, “Departure”, whose poem by Israeli writer Zelda Schneurson Mishkovsky (read by Cohen) is set against a combination of majestic piano chords, bass lyricism, and sculptural brushwork.

Flowing in nine, “Part II” initially bears the motif that started all the compositional process for this album, and there are bright trumpet melodies shining over arpeggiated piano sequences. In turn, affecting harmony leads to the sheer magnificence of classical realms on “Part III”, whereas on “Part IV”, the emotion hangs in the spaces left unfilled. Subtlety and introspective musing transpire in Ravitz’ drumming.

If “Part V” takes the form of a pastoral reflection, then “Part VII” emerges through a fine blend of spiritual modal-sounding jazz and pop melody reminiscent of The Beatles. Don’t expect a groove-laden recording; this is rather a program that focuses on spontaneous lyrical playing and understated rhythmic settings. The music of Cohen and his peers is inviting, and you won’t regret being transported to a musical world all their own.

Favorite Tracks:
02 - Part II ► 03 - Part III ► 04 - Part IV

Kahil El'Zabar Quartet - A Time For Healing

Label: Spiritmuse Records, 2022

Personnel - Kahil El’Zabar: drums, cajon, kalimba, voice; Isaiah Collier: saxophones, reeds, percussion; Corey Wilkes: trumpet, spirit bowls, percussion; Justin Dillard: keyboards, percussion. 

Active since the 1980s, the Chicago-born percussionist and composer Kahil El’Zabar spent many years honing his sound alongside seminal vanguardists like David Murray, Lester Bowie, Billy Bang and Hamiet Bluiett. Vouching to pass positive energies to a wounded world, A Time For Healing finds him in the command of a renewed quartet of Chicagoans that includes the up-and-coming reedman Isaiah Collier, trumpeter Corey Wilkes, and keyboardist Justin Dillard. By comparison with What It Is! (Delmark, 2013) - his previous quartet outing - only the latter musician remained in his post.

The nine tracks on this recording bring that spiritual side into which El’Zabar likes to immerse himself, but the vast majority of the pieces are excessively long, following a circularity that, after a while, becomes a bit prosaic regardless of the solos at the top. The driving rhythmic tapestry within the soulful title track is brought by kalimba and percussion, with Collier extracting sinuous Eastern lines from his saxophone before embarking on soothing unisons with Wilkes.

Defined as an invocation of inner strength to escape global consumption, “Drum Talk (Run’n in the Streets)” displays layers of drums in support of El’Zabar’s encouraging words - “if we use our heads we won’t die in the land of the dead. We’re coming out of the dark side”. Strong African roots are spotted on “Urban Shaman”, which builds its way with a series of juxtaposed ostinatos that are later joined by horn chants and supplications.

“Time Is” and “Eddie Harris” have funk cementing their foundations. The latter, which celebrates the soul-jazz icon in the title, replicates his vibrant energy with a throttling groove and a saxophone solo that is not shy from exploring outside the boundaries.

The breezily groovy “The Coming of Spring” relies on a confident walking bass to make the soloists comfortable, while Coltrane’s “Resolution” is a highlight due to the energy produced by the foursome. The album finishes with another cover - a relaxed, low-key reading of Gershwin’s “Summertime”. Without brilliancy, these healing vibes sound as familiar as they are artful.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - A Time For Healing ► 05 - The Coming of Spring ► 06 - Resolution

Azar Lawrence - New Sky

Label: Trazar Records, 2022

Personnel - Azar Lawrence: tenor and soprano saxophone; Lynne Fiddmont: vocals; Calesha “Bre-Z” Murray: vocals; Oren Waters; vocals; John Beasley: keyboards; Nduduzo Makhathini: keyboards; James Saez: guitar; Greg Poree: guitar; Gregory “G-Moe” Moore: guitar; Destiny Muhammad: harp; Sekou Bunch: bass; Tony Austin: drums; Munyungo Jackson: percussion.

The veteran saxophonist Azar Lawrence, whose musical credits include Miles Davis, McCoy Tyner, Marvin Gaye, Woody Shaw and The Earth, Wind & Fire, delves into a variety of material as he channels optimistic vibes into our troubled pandemic times. A deep connoisseur of tradition, Lawrence leads a combo of versatile players who provide him with excellent jazz, R&B and Brazilian-tinged backgrounds.

“All in Love” opens the way with warm colors and a properly defined structure that condensates portions of funk, reggae, post-bop, and a mix of Afro and Middle Eastern feels. Following the sagacious tenor statement, there’s an eruptive rock-inclined guitar solo that brings an extra flavor to the mixture.

Steeped in Brazilian funk, “New Sky” conjures up the energizing spiritual vibes of Kamasi Washington, presenting clever modulations while being brilliantly sung by Lynne Fiddmont. The spirit rejoices with hope, not only here but also on the Coltrane-influenced modal pieces “Birds Are Singing” and “Revelations”. Both are passionately carried out with elliptical soprano flights, but while the former is a newly composed waltz, the latter - thriving with Destiny Muhammad’s refreshing harp plucks, Nduduzo Makhathini’s poised piano playing, and Tony Austin’s syncopated cymbal crashes - is taken from the bandleader’s 2009 album Speak the World.

A different kind of emotion lies at the core of pieces such as “Ain’t No Doubt About It”, a R&B effort with inflectional hip-hop vocals by Bre-Z and expeditious tenor phrasing; “Just Because of You”, a classic soul jazz breeze that will make the fans of George Benson and The Earth,Wind & Fire equally happy; “I Really Love You”, in which a gospel melodic thread is appended to the crossover jazz; and the 1975-penned “From The Point of Love”, whose samba flavor is unequivocal. There’s also “Peace and Harmony”, which, featuring a resonant electric bass solo by Sekou Bunch, mixes Latin, R&B and post-bop essences.

The exciting thing about this album is how effortlessly Lawrence adapts to different styles with the same grandiose positivism. New Sky showcases the leader’s eclectic writing and provides a smooth, pleasant listening that comes right on time to appease minds and spirits.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - All in Love ► 03 - New Sky ► 07 - Birds Are Singing

Ingebrigt Haker Flaten - (Exit) Knarr

Label: Odin Records, 2022

Personnel - Ingebrigt Haker Flaten: acoustic and electric bass; Mette Rasmussen: alto saxophone; Atle Nymo: tenor saxophone, Bb clarinet, bass clarinet; Eivind Lønning: trumpet; Oddrun Lilja Jonsdottir: vocals, electric guitar; Oscar Grönberg: piano, keyboards; Veslemøy Narvesen: drums, percussion; Olaf Olsen: drums, percussion.

Originally from Norway and living in the US, Ingebrigt Haker Flaten developed a solid reputation as a bass player while working in the free jazz universe alongside artists such as drummer Paal Nilssen-Love and saxophonists Mats Gustafsson, Joe McPhee and Dave Rempis. His most recent outing as a leader, (Exit) Knarr, is a favorite of mine. Not being as free as most of the projects he’s been involved in lately, it’s still tremendously explorative and rewardingly palpable. Spearheading a stellar aggregation of Scandinavian musicians, Flaten demonstrates his compositional abilities throughout six fully realized offerings of breathtaking quality. Each piece, dedicated to a different city, describes the trajectory of the musician with a very particular feel.

“Miles Avenue (for Austin)” is a slow-burning celebration introduced by clapping, percussion and keys. The layers pile up with long horn wails and electric guitar, but the stirring comes from a vibrant 29-beat-cycle groove conjointly pronounced by double bass and bass clarinet. This invigorating dance prompts horn unisons, yet the spotlight falls into trumpeter Eivind Lønning, whose animosity precedes the final theme.

Rowdy pieces like “A La Lala Love You (for Chicago)” and “Chaos Pad (for Mexico City)” denote a punky, nervy attitude that favors explosive improvisation. The former is a mighty groovy avant blast that features soloists Atle Nymo on tenor and Oscar Grönberg on keyboards. In turn, the latter composition is an out-of-the-box ranchera set up with a straightforward triple meter and featuring a blustering solo by altoist Mette Rasmussen. She builds it with timbral fervor, incorporating splatters of upper register tickles.  

Far more composed in nature and folksy in tone are “Brinken (for Trondheim)” and “Hakkaran (for Oppdal)”. The former displays Nymo’s clarinet soaring and crashing with a John Surman-like spiritual-mindedness, whereas the latter, immersed in fusion brilliancy, finds a moment for the alluring dusky sounds of the bandleader. It’s impossible not to notice the presence of guitarist/vocalist Oddrun Lilja Jonsdottir on both pieces.

The album comes to completion with “Museumplein (for Amsterdam)”, a melancholy indie rock hymn with nice melody, droning backup, and mutable foundation. It becomes denser and busier with the rhythmic vortex delivered by drummers Veslemøy Narvesen and Olaf Olsen, while the horns blow together in thrilling fashion. This is a breathtaking album to be cherished and revisited.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - Miles Avenue (for Austin) ► 05 - Chaos Pad (for Mexico City) ► 06 - Museumplein (for Amsterdam)

Linda Fredriksson - Juniper

Label:  Wee Jazz Records, 2021

Personnel - Linda Fredriksson: alto saxophone, baritone saxophone, bass clarinet, guitar, piano, voice, synth; Tuomo Prättälä: Rhodes, synth, piano; Minna Koivisto: synth; Mikael Saastamoinen: double bass, effects; Olavi Louhivuori: drums + guests Matti Bye: piano (#3); Joonas Saikkonen: granulator (#4).

What a wonderful debut album, this Juniper by the Finnish saxophonist Linda Fredriksson. Best known as a member of the groups Mopo, Superposition and The Northern Governors, she wrings out every last bit of emotion out of her horn but also plays other instruments and uses her voice with clarity and purpose. I’m guessing she will be putting out even stronger recordings under her own name in the future.

The opener, “Neon Light (And the Sky Was Trans)”, gets off to a transcendental beginning with a facile melody set against the soft keyboard tapestry, and later complemented with tasteful effects and effective drum play. The final section, infused with both high-pitched clamors and snippets of raucous timbre, is heavenly and exploratory.

Fredriksson’s compositional process primarily includes guitar, keys and vocals before being taken to the band. Hence, it’s not surprising to hear a singer/songwriting blend of folk and pop music on titles like “Pinetree Song” and “Lempilauluni”. The former displays a strange, hypnotic guitar substratum that alternates with a well woven net of tangible bass notes and the fluid, if smothered, drumming by Olavi Louhivuori. The latter piece, delivered in five, embraces the song format even stronger. Fredriksson hums and stretches on the baritone, and the group also finds a spot for bassist Mikael Saastamoinen’s self deliberations.

These tastefully designed sounds easily bring emotion with them, but “Nana-Tapelle”, a mournful pedal-point-affected ballad dedicated to Fredriksson’s late grandmother, is a special moment. The bandleader naturally tends to be the focal point, but she trusts Matti Bye’s mellifluous piano to conclude this piece, one that vibrates with breaking points and surprising sonic vistas. 

In a different mood and fueled by the rumbling low notes of the baritone, the title track shapes up as a ritualistic dance that suggests the energetic rhythms of David Byrne and brings the epic tones of Carl Orff’s “Carmina Burana” into the stacking layers of reeds and synth. There’s a lot to admire here.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - Neon Light ► 02 - Juniper ► 03 - Nana-Tapelle

Immanuel Wilkins - The 7th Hand

Label: Blue Note Records, 2022

Personnel - Immanuel Wilkins: alto saxophone; Micah Thomas; piano; Daryl Johns: bass; Kweku Sumbry: drums + Elena Pinderhughes: flute (#5, 6)

The impressive saxophonist/composer Immanuel Wilkins has given proof of immense talent. On The 7th Hand, the follow up to his admired debut Omega, he takes a bright quartet - with Micah Thomas on piano, Daryl Johns on bass and Kweku Sumbry on drums - under his leadership, presenting seven cuts that unfold with masterful strokes.

“Emanation” starts off this journey with a perfect blend of relaxation and tension, melody and harmony, all tied up in a rhythmic mesh that disorients and captivates. Wilkins’ phenomenal soloing capabilities stand out with infinite inside/outside trajectories and a fervent expression imbued with speed and articulation. He's followed by Thomas, whose sometimes earnest, sometimes soaring pianism goes from modal to dreamy to effusively cascading and contorted. 

Working like a suite, the album takes us immediately to “Don’t Break”, which celebrates his friendship with Sumbry; the irrepressible percussion of the Farafina Kan Percussion Ensemble propels it with gusto. From here, we are taken to the waltzing ballad “Fugitive Ritual, Selah”, a slightly gospelized hymn to Black spaces, introduced by an unpretentious bass statement and vamped with a recurrent riff at the center. Sumbry drives it delicately with brushes before installing a relaxed beat progressively stirred by syncopation.

“Shadow” and “Witness” are somewhat circular in their approach, probing more curvilinear than angular shapes. The former, also displaying a specific riff at its heart, is the closest to minimalism we can get here, while the latter has an excellent spot for guest flutist Elena Pinderhughes. It lands on a resolved, if revelatory, final section. Pinderhughes is also featured on “Lighthouse”, where her cerebral melodic conduction diverges from Wilkins’ tightly coiled improvisation. The bandleader strolls exuberantly in a passage of rare swinging ecstasy, and the piece ends up on a cyclic path with beautiful melody and intriguing drumming.

Played live and free, the concluding seventh movement, “Lift”, offers us 26+ epic minutes of prayerful avant-garde jazz in the line of Coltrane/McCoy, becoming a kind of 21st-century A Love Supreme. There’s polyrhythmic intention in the way Wilkins blows atop of Thomas’ harmonic jabs; meanwhile, insistent bass intervals and drum chops with cymbal color flow underneath. The next section is slightly ominous, presenting the dark-toned alto as a droning element together with chiaroscuro piano attacks. After a brief passage marked by tensile bass work, whirling piano, and rapid-fire snare drum, Wilkins reaches high up into his upper register and reinforces his clamor with fiery detail.

The 7th Hand strikes with the force of a comet and wows, whether through abrasive sections built with consummate torrents of sound or conciliatory moments of simplicity and restraint.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - Emanation ► 06 - Lighthouse ► 07 - Lift

Emile Parisien - Louise

Label: ACT, 2022

Personnel - Emile Parisien: soprano saxophone; Theo Crocker: trumpet; Roberto Negro: piano; Manu Codjia: guitar; Joe Martin: bass; Nasheet Waits: drums.

Emile Parisien is an intensely focused soprano saxophonist whose warm contemporary playing denotes a myriad influences. With a rich background that hails from classical, jazz and progressive traditions, Parisien assembles a triumphant sextet for his new outing, Louise. The album pairs him with the American trumpeter Theo Crocker for a strong frontline that is served by the harmonic backing of the pianist Roberto Negro and the guitarist Manu Codjia, two of his most trusted collaborators. The ensemble is completed with the bassist Joe Martin and the drummer Nasheet Waits, an American rhythm team with a lot of mileage in the New York scene.

Parisien penned most of the nine tunes that compose the album, and the recording opens with one of them, “Louise”, whose arresting sound unspools as it progresses. An initial misty dawning, established with a bass pedal at the base, soon evolves to driving pizzicato, unison melodies, and solos by Crocker and Codjia, who, respectively and by turns, enjoy the chordal coloring of guitar and piano in the background.

Whether the bandleader delves into modernized bop lines encouraged by avant-garde touches on the swinging “Jojo”, folds Italian yearning melodies and world rhythms on Negro’s “Il Giorno Della Civetta”, or embraces rhythmic voraciousness on Codjia’s “Jungle Jig”, the results are balanced and technically impressive. 

With “Memento”, he crafts a fantastic three-part suite that flows with silky tones, authoritative march-like snare waves, a modern classical piano effort followed by electronics and majestic rhythms, and a groove-laden carpet that, covering the floor of “Part III”, supports thoughtful trumpet, bold piano, and acrobatic soprano playing.

Swinging, contracting and expanding, the group reaches quality peaks on Joe Zawinul’s “Madagascar”, a fusion piece that originally appeared on the Weather Report’s 1980 album Night Passage. The horn players take separated routes before linking lines on the theme statement; they rely on the rhythm section to provide an extremely captivating pulse. The record comes to an end with Crocker’s ballad “Prayer 4 Peace”, which loops up declamatory tenderness. This powerful album finds Parisien on the cusp of his brilliance.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - Louise ► 02 - Madagascar ► 05 - Memento: Part III

Tim Berne / Gregg Belisle-Chi - Mars

Label: Intakt Records, 2022

Personnel - Tim Berne: alto saxophone; Gregg Belisle-Chi; acoustic guitar.

An exciting sound and impressive improvisatory qualities are offered on Mars, the first duo album by Tim Berne, a jaw-drop alto player and composer, and Gregg Belisle-Chi, an up-and-coming guitarist who, playing acoustic, is reinventing the jazz as we know it. The latter, a confessed admirer of Berne, released a solo album last year - Koi (Relative Pitch Records, 2021) - in which he interpreted pieces by the saxophonist. Here, they present a sophisticated menu with 12 Berne originals, and the result is less abstract than the above mentioned recording as it is easier for the listener to place the two instruments in context and grasp a more defined sense of direction.

“Rose Bowl Charade” opens the album in an alternative folk-jazz atmosphere, having the guitar slathered in acoustic magnificence and the alto toggling between tart and sweet tones. It sounds as much immersive as it is explorative, boasting a number of sustained pedals with pulsating notes floating around their centers.

Tossing off fragments of melody that replicate, match and integrate beautifully, “Purdy” (originally appeared on Berne/Mitchell’s Spiders album) is a highlight that shows a radiant lyrical vein. In turn, “Gastrophobia” remains in perpetual tension, while the duo’s capacity to articulate and create moods through mystery and timbre are in evidence on several titles - “Palm Sweat” is characterized by a fantastic conjoint work; “Frosty” denotes blues connotations (brought further to the fore on “Middle Seat Blues”) in addition to some rock chops and bop innuendos in an ode to tradition; “Not What You Think They Are” goes beyond with extra timbral allure, including droning multiphonics and guitar harmonics; and the short-lived “Giant Squids” is stripped down to its melodic essence.

Belisle-Chi sticks to his acoustic principles in the intro to “Big Belly”, where delightful dissonance and outstanding balance lead to the piece’s central figure. The cerebral “Dark Shadows” sets woozy, searching melodies against the churning flow that serves as a base. The temporary sparse accompaniment (just bass notes) does wonders and Berne rambles free in the middle register, grabbing that dazzling, sometimes inscrutable kind of beat in his phrasing that leaves no one indifferent.

Working with interesting frameworks, Berne and Belisle-Chi show a genuine, instinctual rapport in an album where their fearless inventive spirit and capacity of adaptation are fully on display.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - Rose Bawl Charade ► 02 - Purdy ► 09 - Dark Shadows 

The OGJB Quartet - Ode to O

Label: TUM Records, 2022

Personnel - Oliver Lake; alto saxophone; Graham Haynes: cornet, electronics; Joe Fonda: acoustic bass; Barry Altschul: drums.

The OGJB Quartet is a product of experienced players who champion artistic freedom with creativity. All four members - saxophonist Oliver Lake, cornetist Graham Haynes, bassist Joe Fonda and drummer Barry Altschul - contribute compositions to Ode to O, the second outing of the ensemble. In line with Bamako (TUM, 2019), its predecessor, this album also includes two collective improvisations; one of them (“OGJB #4”) is expertly infused with Haynes’ electronics.

Penned by Altschul as a tribute to Ornette Coleman, the title track revels in blistering unison lines before Lake and Haynes enhance the angularity of their styles on top of fragmented swinging pulses with the right amount of groove. Then it’s Fonda who speaks vibrantly before the theme is reinstated. With that said, the bassist delivers his best statement on Altschul’s “Da Bang”, which was composed in the late ‘00s for the violinist Billy Bang. At the outset, the drummer explores and articulates the sounds of his drum kit with tasteful combinations, and then he and Fonda lay down an indefatigable locomotion that, bearing manic energy, wrings out every drop of excitement.

Lake calls the world’s attention to “Justice”, where the composure of the horn players contrasts with the ferocious drive of the rhythm section. That’s only until agitated concurrent statements occur between the raspy, growly saxophone and the piercing cornet.

Fonda’s “Me Without Bela” has some connotations with Bela Bartok’s classical erudition, shaping up lamenting lines, bowed bass and surprising percussive elements in an initial phase, before installing an invigorating groove that refuses to leave.

The two compositions by Haynes have distinct feels: “The Other Side” adds some corrosive tones to the graciousness of the theme via a middle passage soaked in electronic effects; “Apaixonado”, which is the Portuguese word for ‘in love’, develops with a steady melancholy pulse, integrating arco and pizzicato hefts, combinations of toms and cymbals, and free melodic zig-zags. 
Suffused with both intriguing and exciting moments, Ode to O is prime avant-garde jazz.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - Ode to O ► 02 - Justice ► 04 - Da Bang

Alexander Hawkins Mirror Canon - Break a Vase

Label: Intakt Records, 2022

Personnel - Alexander Hawkins: grand and upright pianos, sampler; Shabaka Hutchings: tenor and soprano saxophones, flute; Otto Fischer: electric guitar; Neil Charles: acoustic and electric bass; Stephen Davis: drums; Richard Olatunde Baker: percussion.

The British pianist, composer and bandleader Alexander Hawkins, who stinted with the iconic multi-reedist Anthony Braxton in 2020, released one of the most exciting albums of last year - Togetherness Music (For Sixteen Musicians) - establishing himself as a fascinating composer. On his new outing, Break a Vase, he enlists another set of capable musicians who form the highly contrapuntal Mirror Canon ensemble. 

His 10 original pieces on the album take different group configurations, starting and ending as solo piano efforts. While the opener, “The Perfect Sound Would Like to be Unique”, is immersed in a granular pensive aura; the closer, “Even the Birds Stop Listening”, includes samples and gamelan-like sounds that come from the prepared piano.

The first great moment of the album is “Stamped Down, or Shovelled”, a tribute to the saxophonist Henry Threadgill, which attaches a modern vibe to the groove and squeezes a fluid melody into the catchy theme. There are concurrent statements from Shabaka Hutchings on tenor and Otto Fischer on electric guitar. The latter, toggling between melodic creativity and free comping, keeps his thing going on during Hawkins’ eloquent piano solo, and the piece finishes with a 30-second percussion statement by Richard Olatunde Baker, who, together with drummer Stephen Davis, shares responsibility for the 6/8 feel of the coda.

“Generous Souls” is another highlight professed with as much motivation as confidence. The angular phrasing in the theme and the elasticity of the piano bring to mind some Tim Berne’s music, and Hutchings fills it with crying multiphonics and dark lines, whereas a relentless piano ostinato in five backs Fischer’s guitar solo. Equally arranged in quintuple meter is “Chaplin in Slow Motion”, where the pianist wrangles comfortably through registers over the languishing yet magnetic groove laid down by the bassist Neil Charles.

Both “Sun Rigged Billions” and “Domingada Open Air” validate an impressionistic abstraction that is elevated by the prepared piano. The former, titled after a quote by Emily Dickinson, explores curious rhythmic possibilities with the flute at the fore; the latter, alluding to the Italian philosopher Antonio Gramsci, flies on the wings of a soprano sax before finalizing with strong parallel lyricism.

The ambiance gets more jubilant on “Stride Rhyme Gospel”, a swaggering piece that grows rambunctious as it advances, just to end up in a smooth world-music-influenced kind of dance. 

Artistically edgy, Hawkins likes to push his limits, populating his recordings with invariably exciting ideas. This album has excellent moments of interplay and improvisation.

Favorite Tracks: 
02 - Stamped Down, or Shoveled ► 04 - Generous Souls ► 08 - Domingada Open Air

Andrew Cyrille / William Parker / Enrico Rava - 2 Blues for Cecil

Label: TUM Records, 2022

Personnel - Enrico Rava: flugelhorn; William Parker: double bass; Andrew Cyrille: drums.

I’m a long-time admirer and follower of the music put out by the Italian trumpeter Enrico Rava (here on flugelhorn only), the bassist William Parker, and the drummer Andrew Cyrille, as leaders. These brilliant musicians, who often write with improvisation in mind, are constantly open to ideas, remaining alert and responsive to every sound that surrounds them. 

Although appearing together for the first time as a trio on 2 Blues For Cecil , they were all part of the groundbreaking Cecil Taylor Unit in the past, but at different times. Cyrille and Parker played in the cited group for 11 years each, 64-75 and 80-91, respectively; Rava appeared twice alongside the free jazz piano genius in 1984 and 1988. This dedication to the memory of the pianist comprises four collective improvisations, one jazz standard, one original by Parker and two apiece from Rava and Cyrille.  

“Improvisation No.2” is way more reflective and sparse than “Improvisation No.1”, which opens the record with singing bass lines and likable figures, ever-sparking drumming filled with multi-timbral discernment, and crystal-clear horn playing that manages to be agile and searing. Also collective improvisations, “Blues For Cecil No. 1” and “Blues For Cecil No. 2” have different feelings. The former starts off slowly and then swings conveniently with Parker mutating rhythmic flows with vision; the latter is a more conventional 12-bar blues limned with expressive melody and groove.

Rava populates his hasty, if carefully calibrated, 1991-penned “Ballerina” with restless trumpet, but it’s his other composition, “Overboard”, that enthralled me the most. This Ornette Coleman-inspired piece was revisited many times before, but is built afresh here with beautiful trumpet lines and an enveloping rhythmic web consisting of sure-footed bass walks and intense tom-tom focus.

Whereas Cyrille’s “Enrava Melody” was written for the trumpeter, who, blowing with ascendant verve, combines sophistication and stamina, Parker’s open piece “Machu Picchu”, grounded on a three-time-feel bass ostinato, is a static yet dazzling showcase for Rava’s melodic impressions. The trio concludes with a brushed, harmonically broken reading of Rodgers/Hart’s “My Funny Valentine”. 

Favorite Tracks:
01 - Improvisation No. 1 ► 08 - Overboard ► 09 - Machu Picchu

John Hébert - Songs of Love

Label: Sunnyside Records, 2022

Personnel - Tim Berne: alto saxophone; Taylor Ho Bynum: cornet; Fred Hersch: piano; John Hébert: double bass; Ches Smith: drums

John Hébert is an articulate, broadminded artist who has been contributing to the jazz panorama with his excellent bass skills. A reliable member of the Fred Hersch Trio, Hébert left his mark on modernistic projects led by the guitarist Mary Halvorson, saxophonists Michael Attias and Steve Lehman, and trumpeter Johnathan Finlayson. Not to mention that he was a sturdy rhythmic pillar on the last Blue Note effort of the late pianist Andrew Hill. Songs of Love, his fourth outing as a leader, is a dedication to the amazing bass player Charles Mingus, and features an all-star quintet composed of altoist Tim Berne, cornetist Taylor Ho Bynum, pianist Fred Hersch, drummer Ches Smith and the bassist himself.

Expertly layered, Hébert’s “Constrictor” gets on the road with expressionistic muted cornet, and then adds quiet piano. Measured bass notes and shiny cymbal blend magically before a fine groove lopes along with an easygoing three time feel. Adhering to the ear, this blues-based, free-flowing narrative catalyzes Berne and Bynum to cooperate. They chip in with conjoint work before the saxophonist jumps out for a gripping solo. Hersch comes next in line - enjoyably sober and full of radiance - in anticipation of a final section infused with parallel lines. 

The bandleader also penned the next piece, “The Blank-Faced Man”. Introduced by an itchy drum solo, the piece’s sense of hastiness is further imposed by the bass groove. At this point, the two horn players are free to ramble, but the atmosphere takes a turn into a more meditative, subtly emotional chamber duo passage with prominent arco bass and alto. The classical lyricism leads to other instrumental combinations, and contrary to the expected, the group never returns to that dynamic groove of the middle section.

Two Mingus compositions - from the 1974 album Changes One - were tackled here. “Duke Ellington’s Song of Love” is a highlight that kicks off with Hebert’s bass eloquence, mostly delivered sans accompaniment, and only occasionally supported by minimal percussion. It then enters into ballad mode, when its wondrous charm shines with the same timeless appeal of Strayhorn’s “Lush Life” and Ellington’s “Sophisticated Lady”. The classy mainstream jazz returns with “Remember Rockefeller at Attica”, whose exuberant melody and chord changes make us revive the best of Mingus’ later period, but with fresher sounds. We’re presented with intriguing horn calls at first, followed by a percussion essay. There’s plenty of space for the soloists, but it’s Bynum who stands out by painting outside the lines with oblique strokes and quirky runs.

Hebert’s “Frivolicity” concludes the album, boasting an inventive solo piano intro, meandering unison lines, a bass groove loosely based on Mingus’ “Sue’s Changes”, and imaginative horn statements.

Conveyed with both authority and refinement, this is a record well worth snapping up.

Favorite Tracks: 
01 - Constrictor ► 03 - Duke Ellington’s Song of Love ► 06 - Frivolicity

Tony Malaby's Sabino - The Cave of Winds

Label: Pyroclastic Records, 2022

Personnel - Tony Malaby: tenor and soprano saxophone; Ben Monder: guitar; Michael Formanek: double bass; Tom Rainey: drums.

Inspired by the turnpike sessions he did in New Jersey with musician friends, the American saxophonist and composer Tony Malaby reassembles the estimable, powerhouse quartet Sabino, which marked an early phase in his career. The bassist Michael Formanek and the drummer Tom Rainey are kept in their original positions, while the guitarist Ben Monder replaces Marc Ducret. 

The highly creative spirit of these musicians transpires on “Corinthian Leather”, a loose reading of Dizzy Gillespie’s “Woody'n You”, where a riff serves as a point of departure for an exciting journey of exploration and interplay. At the outset, Malaby and Formanek play very close to each other, having Monder on the loose. The resourceful guitarist makes an interesting bridge between the frontline and the rhythm section, whether opting for single-note texture or harmony work to better consolidate the substructure. It might feel unorthodox sometimes, but you can definitely feel the swinging pulse flowing at the bottom. The concluding theme statement shows guitar and tenor following identical melodic paths.

The enigmatic “Recrudescence” is a collective improvisation that revels in seemingly static waves of kaleidoscopic guitar harmony, timbral tenor fascination, independent bass slides, and understated cymbal sparks. This calm scenario suddenly picks up steam via the beefy intonation of the saxophone, the eerie guitar sounds shadowing the texture, and a skittering bass-drum activity that densifies and propels. The piece ends with the earthy, wooden phrasing of Formanek.

The brooding, guitar-centric “Scratch the Horse” finds a middle ground between black metal and modern creative jazz. Malaby’s throaty and monolithic vociferation on tenor paints the space in expressive midrange without ever losing any melodic notion or the tasteful sense of phrasing that characterizes his playing. He’s no less extraordinary on “Insect Ward”, where he takes the soprano to unstoppable acrobatics. Surrounding and underpinning his actions are Formanek’s arco incisions and Rainey’s thoroughly selective percussion.

The 18-minute title track. “The Cave of Winds”, starts off like a happy chant outlined by folk soprano melodies. Along its meandering course, the piece acquires an expressionistic quality whose energy is later abated with temperate dark moments. If the ensemble moves in a relatively obscure setting here, then wait for the closer, “Just Me, Just Me”, a contrafact of the late-twenties classic “Just You, Just Me” that brings a glimmer of hope in both the unisons and polyphonies created by Malaby and Monder. They are imperative in their movements and majestic in their sounds, forming a rainbow of vast angularities.

There’s nothing dated in Malaby’s The Cave of Winds. It’s all fresh, bold and adventurous... decidedly not for conservative jazz listeners. 

Favorite Tracks: 
01 - Corinthian Leather ► 02 - Recrudescence ► 07 - Just Me, Just Me

Fred Hersh - Breath By Breath

Label: Palmetto Records, 2022

Personnel - Fred Hersch: piano; Drew Gress: bass; Jochen Rueckert: drums; Rogerio Boccato: percussion (#6) + Crosby Street String Quartet - Joyce Hammann: violin; Laura Seaton: violin; Lois Martin: viola; Jody Redhage: cello. 

Acknowledging string quartet as a natural configuration for him, the pianist/composer Fred Hersch puts out Breath By Breath, a well-rounded set of sensitive music that seamlessly integrates his jazz trio - featuring his long-time collaborator Drew Gress on bass and the recent associate Jochen Rueckert on drums - and the harmonious strings of the Crosby Street String Quartet. 

The eight-part Sati Suite, inspired by his meditation practices, starts with “Begin Again”, which flows relentlessly with dramatic and poignant tones during the reflective theme; then radiates optimism during a piano solo that shows the quality of his language. The signature meter shifts to 5/4, proposing a delicate Latin touch before a brief passage infused by strings. This metric rhythm is also found in the suite's concluding part, “Worldly Winds”, a pulsating treat that, living from vivid impulses and counterpoint, reveals a strong classical lineage.

Predominantly introspective, the songs often combine silken tones with sparkling chops, and both “Awaken Heart” and “Breath by Breath” are two notable examples of these quiet inflections. The former, solemnly cinematic in the [pizzicato/bowed] strings introduction, definitely awakes for passionate and emotional piano playing; the latter, recalling a chorale, thrives with a thoughtful bass solo, pondered brushwork, and inspired string fills adorning the piano statement. The richness of the arrangements is also visible in the waltzing “Rising, Falling”, which works closer to the Bill Evans template. A bit less obvious is “Monkey Mind”, whose interactive delineation is committed to explore beyond what is expected.

On the singular “Mara” - titled after the god who tempted Buddha with wine, women and wealth - the ensemble jells into a gently percussive flow in six that evokes Eastern atmospheres. The Brazilian percussionist Rogerio Boccato guests on this immutable foundation over which Hersch churns out subtle melodic shadings before concluding with entrancing chordal movements. Not affiliated with the suite, “Pastorale” is Hersch’s homage to the German classical composer Robert Schumann, warmly put together with a bolero-ish throttle.  

Serving as a catalyst to creativity, this intimate musical experience shows the prolific pianist working in an infrequent context with the same personal voice.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - Begin Again ► 06 - Mara ► 08 - Worldly Winds

Matthieu Mazué - Cortex

Label: Unit Records, 2021

Personnel - Matthieu Mazué: piano; Xaver Rüegg: double bass; Michael Cina: drums.

After playing a few gigs in France, Switzerland and Germany in 2020, the French pianist and composer Matthieu Mazué opted to release a 9-track album - titled Cortex - in the company of his two competent Swiss backers, Xaver Rüegg and Michael Cina on bass and drums, respectively.

The trio opens with the title track, implementing the theme statement with intervallic awe and triggering an arresting motion imbued with accentuation that travels your body with energy. An idea in the form of pedal point interrupts the flux and welcomes clearer bass expressions. And then the piece regains its throbbing heart with rich piano playing, whose attributes include shades of Andrew Hill and Horace Tapscott.

On “Cyborg”, the trio shows its fondness for rhythmic complexity, alluding to the crescent role of machines in our society. The piece starts with a tangling web weaved between bass and drums, and upon which free single-note piano lines are laid down. As the time advances, Mazué instills harmonic solidification, denoting an industrious vibe that often brings Kris Davis’ ostentation pianism to mind.

“Black Cloud” is a haunting ballad sustained by whispering brushes and sparse piano. The wide space created here has a noir-ish Paul Bley/Paul Motian elocution, something we hear once again on “Extended Sharpness”, which, giving a strong impression of intangibility at first, gains palpable traction with time. There’s an alternate take of this piece that brings a pop/rock pulse into play.

Both energetically dispensed, “Forming C” and “Data Are About to Collapse” are in connection with boisterous sounds. The former, propelled by a fine bass groove and nuanced pedals, is reinforced in the lower register by the pianist, who, at some point, causes a polyrhythmic, avant-edged, train-like motion to occur. The latter piece, probably partly inspired by spasmodic electronica and machine language, comes shrouded in an opaque sonic veil before settling in a lurching swing that is held down with vigor until the final theme.

Mazué manages to create a narrative direction while alternating between brisk dynamics and pure reflections. Several interesting moments are drawn from this trio effort.

B+

Favorite Tracks: 
01 - Cortex ► 02 - Cyborg ► 04- Forming C

Orrin Evans - The Magic of Now

Label:  Smoke Sessions Records, 2021

Personnel - Orrin Evans: piano; Immanuel Wilkins: alto saxophone; Vicente Archer: double bass; Bill Stewart: drums.

On his sixth outing for the Smoke Sessions label, the American pianist Orrin Evans, who has recently ended a three-year stint with The Bad Plus, spearheads a pliable quartet that includes the excellent 23-year-old saxophonist Immanuel Wilkins, the alert bassist Vicente Archer and the sensitive drummer Bill Stewart.

The program consists mostly of originals, with Evans and Wilkins contributing three compositions each, while Stewart allows his discreet “Mynah”, which originally appeared on his 1997 Blue Note album Telepathy, to be paired with Mulgrew Miller’s dynamic “The Eleventh Hour” for the record’s inaugural number. Its gripping post-bop eloquence stimulates the ear, and the ensemble welcomes Wilkins’ imaginative phrasing, twice. He seems to appreciate the sparse piano accompaniment while discoursing over drums. A swinging motion imposes, after which the saxophonist takes a firm stand on rhythmic figures that first repeat and then reshape according to his own whim. Next in line is Evans, whose inventive statement is professed on top of a bass pedal and scintillating cymbal work.

Two of the three tunes penned by the pianist had been previously recorded, appearing here with fresh outfits. Punctuated with an optimistic gospel tinge, “Libra” was tackled in the past by two groups Evans was involved with - Seed in 2001 and Luvpark in 2005. “MAT-Matt” is a straight-ahead effort from 2000, meticulously designed with well-measured breaks in the flux for accentuation. His other piece, “Dave”, is a delicate ballad propelled by Stewart’s formidable brushwork. It lives from the immense beauty of the melody.

Wilkins unrecorded pieces are strong and intense, with “Momma Loves” and “Levels” as highlights. The former flows with a searching quality that draws from jazz tradition, swinging over the course of a sophisticated chord progression that supports the altoist’s extensive vocabulary; the latter tune explores a captivating neo-bop where the saxophonist and the pianist are close communicators. Later on, we have drums and piano engaging in a playful rhythmic activity. On the other hand, “The Poor Fisherman” is a ballad limned with diaphanous textures and classical movements.

The Magic of Now stresses the cohesion of this brand new quartet. All four players have strong personalities on their instruments and that aspect transpires here with encouraging results.

B+

Favorite Tracks:
01 - Mynah/The Eleventh Hour ► 02 - Libra ► 06 - Momma Loves

John McLaughlin - Liberation Time

Label:  Abstract Logix, 2021

Personnel - John McLaughlin: guitar, synth, piano; Gary Husband: keyboards, drums; Julian Siegel: tenor saxophone; Oz Ezzeldin: piano; Roger Rossignol: piano; Sam Burgess: bass; Jerome Regard: bass; Etienne MBappe: bass;  Ranjit Barot: drums, voice; Jean-Michel Aublette: drums; Vinnie Colaiuta: drums; Nicolas Viccaro: drums.

79-year-old guitarist John McLaughlin, a jazz fusion pioneer and breathtaking improviser, puts out Liberation Time, an album whose majority of tunes were composed during the Covid-19 pandemic. This fun-filled multitrack recording features him in various group formats - from solo piano (two short tracks) to trio and quartet (two tracks each) and quintet (one track) - proving his artistry undiminished. 

“As The Spirit Sings” is a great piece of fusion and a fantastic opener. Brimming with intense energy and ideas, this thrilling number shows McLaughlin at his best, whether announcing the theme or soloing magnetically on top of a colored rhythmic tapestry offered by keyboardist Gary Husband, bassist Sam Burgess and drummer Vinnie Colaiuta. The keyboardist switches to drums, his other instrument, on the title track, the piece that concludes the album on an optimistic note.

“Singing our Secrets” initially suggests a ballad as it is softly caressed by synth guitar and brushed with sensitivity by the drummer Jean-Michel Aublette. The trio, rounded out by the pianist Roger Rossignol, transitions from this gentle disposition to a more energetic blues-rock environment, which serves as a showcase for the bandleader’s blistering licks.

Delivered in five and denoting a positive spirit, “Lockdown Blues” is among my favorite tracks. The foundation is assured by Cameroonian bass player Etienne Mbappe, who astounds in his intervallic expertise and slapping funk technique, and the Indian drummer Ranjit Barot, who also sings in the Carnatic Indian style (konnakol). The quartet is completed with Husband on keyboards.

“Mila Repa” and “Shade of Blue” are two solo piano efforts whose quieter tones break the energetic fusion flow. The former, composed 20 years ago, was first recorded for the album Que Alegria, while the latter is a new creation that reflects our times. 

The guitarist lends solid heat to the proceedings on “Right Here, Right Now, Right On”, a passionate post-bop embrace in which he splits soloing duties with the Egyptian-born pianist Oz Ezzeldin and the British tenor saxophonist Julian Siegel. Chorus after chorus, the bassist Jerome Regard and the drummer Nicolas Viccaro provide stable ground, fully supporting the soloists’ journeys.

The music on Liberation Time constantly lures you in, and it’s great to see that McLaughlin didn’t lose a bit of excitement in his playing.

B+

Favorite Tracks:
01 - As The Spirit Sings ► 03 - Lockdown Blues ► 05 - Right Here, Right Now, Right On