Michael Bisio - MBefore

Label: TAO Forms, 2022

Personnel - Mat Maneri: viola; Karl Berger: vibraphone; Michael Bisio: bass; Whit Dickey: drums.

This musical hook-up between American bassist Michael Bisio and long-time collaborators - violist Mat Maneri, vibraphonist Karl Berger, and drummer Whit Dickey - boasts eight finely arranged tracks that sputter in different directions plus one collective improvisation. The bassist has flashed a developed command of the bass throughout decades playing alongside pianist Matthew Shipp, saxophonist Joe McPhee, and more recently trumpeter/cornetist Kirk Knuffke, among others. 

MBefore starts off with Bisio’s “AC 2.0 (revised)”, an open-ended freeway in which viola and vibraphone hang loose. Are they competing for a specific place or just rambling over the rhythmic net? Arco bass incisions probe high and low pitches within an atmosphere that also include hushed moments. Maneri reiterates a question-and-answer-like phrase at the end.

Some explorations feel monochromatic, denoting some more ambivalence in the direction. Among them are two Bisio numbers: “Intravenous Voice”, which is imbued with a strange lyricism; and “r.henri”, whose wistful, fuzzy tones deviate from the realistic portraiture of painter Robert Henri, to whom the song is dedicated. The peaceful melodicism and minimalistic approach in Berger’s ballad “Still” also fit here, never allowing that sense of uncertainty to fade. 

Bisio’s “Sea V 4 WD” is a showcase for Dickey’s explorative treatment of skins and cymbals on the drum kit, while Berger’s “Crystal Fire” swings unabashedly after a theme statement that copes with sharpness. The vibraphonist navigates the walking bass trajectories with true melodic intention, and then is Bisio who improvises before the return of the main theme. Although displaying an increase of brilliant flashes that prove the quartet as cohesive, the latter piece doesn’t reach the warmth of the ballad standard “I Fall in Love Too Easily”, which works here as a true balm in times of trouble. Maneri’s weeping viola is beautiful, and the comping consists of brushed drums, harmonically defined bass progressions, and sparse vibes. Even if only selected tracks transcend, MBefore not only demonstrates Bisio’s rhythmic skills and love for explorative avant-jazz, but also the rapport he enjoys with these solid peers. 

Favorite Tracks:
01 - AC 2.0 (revised) ► 03 - Crystal Fire ► 04 - I Fall in Love Too Easily

Michael Leonhart Orchestra - The Normyn Suites

Label: Sunnyside Records, 2022

Personnel includes - Michael Leonhart: trumpet, French horn, trombone, accordion, organ, guitar, bass, drums; Donny McCaslin: tenor sax; Joshua Redman: tenor sax; Michael Blake: tenor sax, flute; Chris Potter: bass clarinet; Freddie Hendrix: trumpet; Tony Kadleck: trumpet; Ryan Mason: trombone; Ryan Keberle: bass trombone; Sara Schoenbeck: bassoon; Bill Frisell: guitar; Nels Cline: guitar; Larry Goldings: organ; Elvis Costello: vocals; JSWISS: vocals; Joe Martin: bass; Nicolas Movshon: drums; E.J.Strickland: drums; and more.

Trumpeter, multi-instrumentalist and bandleader Michael Leonhart returns with his fabulous orchestra and guest heavyweights for a third outing on the Sunnyside label, The Normyn Suites. The album was inspired by Leonhart’s 15-year-old dog, a dachshund whose name is in the title. 

The program treads elegiac and celebratory tones alike, starting with the funky nerve of “Shut Him Down”, one of the three cuts co-written with Elvis Costello. This one features the hip hop singer JSWISS and the saxophonist Joshua Redman, who plays his late father Dewey’s restored tenor with a few chromatic shifts and a lovely neo-bop flair filled with clever outside moves. Costello also puts his finger and voice on the hauntingly narrated “Radio is Everything” and enhances the modern transfixion of “Newspaper Pane”. On the former, the spoken word glides over a smooth texture created by guitarists Nels Cline and Bill Frisell. 

The Normyn Suite is divided into two parts of six movements each. Fascinating on multiple levels, The Normyn Suite #1 (Soundtrack to the Five Stages of Grieving) is my favorite, demonstrating a dynamic rhythmic propulsion on “Denial” and a hip hop beat limned with snare and hi-hat agility on “Anger”. This latter piece feels darker and more mysterious in texture. “Catharsis” pairs up the idyllic acoustics of Frisell with the reflective expression of strings swarming together. They are later joined by a lean beat. The ambient-inclined “Nostalgia” is curled in poignancy, featuring the crying trombone of Jim Pugh and the beseeching lines of tenorist Walter Weiskopf. And the chapter concludes with “Acceptance”, a soulful 6/8 effort that trades on a mix of classical and R&B. 

From The Normyn Suite #2 (Love & Loss), I select as highlights “May the Young Grow Old”, an enticing dance in five that turns the spotlight to keyboardist Larry Goldings on Hammond B3; and “Waking From Sedation”, the perfect ambient-mystery atmosphere to fit Frisell's guitar. The two bonus quartet tracks that close out the album are jazz waltzes honoring jazz giants and feature Leonhart (on trumpet) and saxophonist Donny McCaslin as soloists. The feel-good “Kenny Dorham” is limned with an exotic flavor in the pulse, hard-bop color, and a gorgeous organ accompaniment, whereas “Wayne Shorter” conjures up the harmonic richness and searching quality that characterize the music of the saxophonist that celebrates. 

Leonhart not only reveals enormous compositional prowess and mastery of several idioms, but also gives an earnest modern perspective to his orchestra, allowing multiple shades of color to fester in each arrangement.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - Shut Him Down ► 05 - Nostalgia ► 16 - Kenny Dorham (bonus track)

Danilo Pérez - Crisálida

Label: Mack Avenue Records, 2022

Personnel - Danilo Perez: piano; Tareq Rantisi: percussion; Vasilis Kostas: laouto; Layth Sidiq: violin, vocals; Naseem Alatrash: cello; Farayi Malek: vocals. Guests -  Román Diaz: percussion; Faris Ishaq: ney flute; Patricia Zárate: vocals, spoken word; Erini Tornesaki: vocals + Kalesma Children’s Choir of The Ark of the World

The Panamanian-born pianist, composer and activist Danilo Perez has been unique as a bandleader and essential as a sideman, having played with jazz icons such as saxophonist Wayne Shorter and drummers Roy Haynes and Jack DeJohnette. Following Children of the Light (2015) - a trio outing featuring regular associates, bassist John Patitucci and drummer Brian Blade - Perez takes his eclectic approach into a completely new atmosphere on Crisálida, an opus with two suites of four movements each. Here, he takes advantage of a peculiar instrumentation offered by the Global Messengers, an international combo made up of alumni from the Berklee College of Music.  

Defined as a holistic inter-disciplinary project, the album draws our attention to important topics such as immigration, climate change, and environmental justice. La Muralla (Glass Walls) Suite opens with “Rise From Love” whose flute-driven intro leads to a ternary magic carpet with strong Latin and Eastern tinges. The central melody is shared by Iraqi/Jordanian violinist Layth Sidiq and Greek laouto player Vasilis Kostas, being then transferred to the singer Farayi Malek. This song also features the Greece-based Kalesma Children’s Choir of The Ark of the World. The second movement, “Monopatia”, is a broad-minded, delicately woven folk piece that allows the music to breathe and flow naturally. It starts off with bright-toned laouto sounds over dramatic piano chords, segueing into a graceful piano moment that, with the help of layered percussion underneath, sustains the spoken word of Perez’s wife, Patricia Zárate. 

The nature-related “Calling for the Dawn” is launched with an invigorating percussion demonstration, but Perez takes over with clever ostinati sliding on chromaticism, later complementing it with some low register excitement. This first suite concludes with the dynamic and uplifting “Muropatía”, which, inspired by a particular folklore dance from Panama, boasts fluid voice/laouto unisons, an infectious cello groove, propulsive drumming, and rapping in Spanish.

The Frontera (Borders) Suite, which is linked to the theme of immigration, has its second and fourth movements as highlights. “Al-Musifir Blues” exudes an exotic perfume and lamenting tones as it tells the story of a Palestinian man who gets stuck at the airport after trying to enter the US to study. Buoyed by mutable substrates and contrapuntal strokes, the piece ends splendidly after a 14-beat cycle vamp with piano on the front burner. The other piece is the arabesque closer, “Unknown Destination”, which flows with an additive {7+6} bass groove. With arrangements that speak straight to the senses, this is an album that lets Perez strut his cultivated musical abilities.

Favorite Tracks: 
03 - Calling for the Dawn ► 04 - Muropatia ► 06 - Al-Musifir Blues

Michael Formanek Drome Trio - Were We Where We Were

Label: Circular Fire Records, 2022

Personnel - Chet Doxas: reeds; Michael Formanek: bass; Vinnie Sperrazza: drums.

The super creative bassist Michael Formanek has a brand new trio with the saxophonist Chet Doxas and the drummer Vinnie Sperrazza, and their musical personalities gel with excellent results on Were We Where We Were, the group’s auspicious and compellingly assembled debut. The Drome Trio gained consistency with regular sessions in the bassist’s Brooklyn backyard during the 2020 lockdown, after which he started to devise graphic scores to be played forwards and then backwards. This type of approach creates palindromes (extensive to the titles) when transcribed to conventional music notation.

The tripped-out highlight “Tattarrattat” spins out for 26 minutes. It doesn’t cut right through but slowly builds something that sticks with you afterwards. Before anything else, we have soprano lines delineated with curves, bends and zigzagging trajectories. Bass and drums stealthily join, sculpting and painting with no discernible figure in mind (except for a snare ‘tattarrattat’) until Doxas circulates melodic ideas that end up in an eloquent, open-toned solo netted by rock-powered muscularity. Cymbal color becomes a recurrent element during Formanek's affirmative bass statement, which, reversing the process, points out the way to the sole soprano from where all had started. Doxas’ second solo is even more accented with wide intervals and fragmentation recalling Henry Threadgill's type of language.

If this is the most exciting piece on the album in terms of energy, the one that follows, “Never Odd or Even”, is the most beautifully designed. Introduced by Formanek's syncopated pizzicato signature, this number carries an Eastern feel that emphasizes the spiritual rather than the material. Spellbinding tenor chants, deep arco bass, and understated drumming converge into a calibrated Braxton-esque section with a strong underpinning. The recording closes off with the aptly titled “Is It What It Is”, a charismatic moment of hard swinging handoff. This is an engrossing piece of work with an organized structure and inspired rhythmic developments.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - Tattarrattat ► 02 - Never Odd or Even

Marquis Hill - New Gospel Revisited

Label: Edition Records, 2022

Personnel - Marquis Hill: trumpet; Walter Smith III: tenor saxophone; Joel Ross: vibraphone; James Francies: keyboards; Harish Raghavan: bass; Kendrick Scott: drums.

Chicago-born trumpeter and composer Marquis Hill showcases his spectacular new sextet in a particularly special session captured live at Constellation in Chicago. I say special because New Gospel Revisited is a mature reinterpretation of tunes from his self-released debut album from 2011. Interspersed with those cuts are solo discourses, one by each musician.

This sought-after trumpet player has definitely something new to say and after a wonderful “Intro”, he launches into “Law & Order”, here remodeled with an enchanting piano spell, robust bass plucks, and delicious solos from five of the six musicians involved (the drummer Kendrick Scott is the exception), starting with the dynamic range and advanced articulation of the bandleader.

“The Believer” makes for a spellbinding narrative with a gleeful, comforting embrace of cool melody and soulful harmony. Vibist Joel Ross and pianist James Francies first engage in an exciting interlocution, and then it’s the tenor saxophonist Walter Smith III who delights with a thrilling statement. Whereas “New Gospel” blends boundaries with elegance, creating an opportunity for bassist Harish Raghavan to bring his rhythmic discernment to the fore, “Autumn” is a polished melodic standout, malleable, lovable, and molded with both sympathetic groove and spiritual charm. 

Mounted with a deeply personal set of timbres, “A Portrait of Fola” emerges as a grittier, edgier post-bop tour de force. Let yourself be marveled by a jaw-dropping vibraphone solo with highly responsive piano interaction, and razor-sharp saxophone phrases over muscular bass work and effervescent swing style drumming. No less warm, “The Thump” is surprising in the details and catchy in the way it separates sections - a polyrhythmic A against a sunny, breezy B, where the group sounds harmonious.

Extraordinary, fresh energy stems from the material included in this thoroughly enjoyable recording where six performers play at their peaks. With a variety of moods and rhythmic scenarios generating a gamut of emotion, this is an assured pick for 2022.

Favorite Tracks:
02 - Law & Order ► 04 - The Believer ► 08 - Autumn

Robert Glasper - Black Radio III

Label: Loma Vista Recordings, 2022

Personnel includes - Robert Glasper: piano, keyboards; Terrace Martin: saxophone, synth; Keyon Harrold: trumpet; Isaiah Sharkey: guitar; PJ Morton: keyboards, vocals; Jahi Sundance: turntables; Derrick Hodge: bass; Burniss Travis II: bass; Justin Tyson: drums, keyboards; Esperanza Spalding, Lalah Hathaway, H.E.R., Gregory Porter, Ledisi, Ty Dolls $ign: vocals; Q-Tip, Amir Sulaiman, Meshell Ndegeocello: spoken word; and more. 

Grammy-winning keyboardist/composer Robert Glasper has been alluring audiences with his hybrid style, which incorporates jazz, neo-soul, R&B and hip-hop elements. One of his top outings was Black Radio, released 10 years ago on the Blue Note Records, and the timing to celebrate it couldn’t have been better than now, with the third installment of the series. However, despite being thematically strong, this glossily produced music aims for a more commercial path that often doesn’t impress me. 

Although finding limited thrilling moments, I would like to bring to your attention pieces such as the slow-grooving opener, “In Tune”, where the adroit spoken word of Amir Sulaiman is crossed by the sped-up trumpet lines of Keyon Harrold; “Why We Speak”, where jazz-funk vibes embrace the breezy voice of Esperanza Spalding and the unmistakable rapping of Q-Tip (founder of the alternative hip-hop pioneers A Tribe Called Quest); and a catchy neo-soul interpretation of Tears For Fears’ massive pop hit “Everybody Wants to Rule the World”, here deeply sung by Lalah Hathaway.

My second group of choices is “Black Superhero”, a lustrous blend of jazz, soul and hip-hop with a strong anti-racism message as it urges every one to find black inspiration through the steely words of rappers Killer Mike and Big K.R.I.T. and the voice of BJ the Chicago Kid; and “Better Than I Imagined”, a R&B cut that brings H.E.R. and Meshell Ndegeocello’s vocal melodies and spoken word, respectively, to the foreground while having drummer Justin Tyson flexing his muscles with kick-and-snare drum patterns in the back.

Glasper uses this album to uplift heavy hearts but don’t expect anything groundbreaking, especially in its second half. If “It Don’t Matter” sounds unexceptional, even with a competent vocal pairing between singers Gregory Porter and Ledisi, then the throwback dance-pop-soul of “Out of My Hands” or the drained closer “Bright Lights” are dismissible. Black Radio III is an uneven album with just a few inspired tracks.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - In Tune ► 04 - Why We Speak ► 07 - Everybody Wants to Rule the World

Cécile McLorin Salvant - Ghost Song

Label: Nonesuch Records, 2022

Personnel - Cécile McLorin Salvant: vocals, piano; Paul Sikivie: electric and acoustic bass, synth; Sullivan Fortner: piano, Fender Rhodes, vocals; Alexa Tarantino: flute; Aaron Diehl: piano, pipe organ; Marvin Sewell: guitar; James Chirillo; banjo; Daniel Swenberg: lute; Burniss Travis: bass; Kyle Poole: drums; Keita Ogawa: percussion.

The classically trained jazz singer and composer Cécile McLorin Salvant, a three-Grammy winner and McArthur fellow, puts together a top-shelf diamond of a record that comes replete with memorable songs. Seven of her originals and five renditions of tunes (both jazz and non-jazz) are included in a track list whose sequence really works. Revealing a diversity of influences and a fearless risk-taking approach, she excels on this album, counting on the unconditional support of a talented crew of musicians.

Kate Bush’s '80s art-pop hit “Wuthering Heights” leads off the set, being tackled with undeniable virtuosity. Salvant begins this impeccable version with a sean-nós singing (traditional Irish solo style), being magnificently accompanied in the chorus by the bassist Paul Sikivie, who also plays synth. This inspiring opener takes us to another grandiose moment: “Optimistic Voices/No Love Dying”, a conjunction of Stothart/Arlen’s composition for the film The Wizard of Oz and Gregory Porter’s soulful opening track of his 2013 album Liquid Spirit. The treatment given to these pieces is wonderfully innovative, with the former deftly interspersing ragtime banjo and avant-garde slices, whereas the latter, marked by a deliciously slow old-school boom-bap beat, has Alexa Tarantino’s sinuous flute appearing between vocal lines.

Both “Obligation”, an original by the singer, and “The World is Mean”, which was taken from Kurt Weill/Bertolt Brecht’s 1928 musical play The Threepenny Opera, are theatrically jazzy. The latter keeps effortlessly shifting in tempo, texture and mood, ending up oozing a tango feel. Salvant’s “Ghost Song” mixes Americana and R&B elements, sounding like a bluesy work song and featuring the Brooklyn Youth Chorus (in its final section), keyboardist Sullivan Fortner on Rhodes and guitarist Marvin Sewell on the steel-string acoustic guitar. Velvety guitar-piano layers are also discernible on “Thunderclouds”, which, despite the title, is tenderly and optimistically narrated by the bandleader. She also penned the brushed jazz ballad “Moon Song”, whose balmy sweetness contrasts with the pandemic-driven tension of its predecessor, “I Lost My Mind”. Here’s an attempt at getting out of the dark with haunting staccato repetitions of an odd-meter vocal riff supplemented by Aaron Diehl’s prophetic pipe organ.

You get the notion that Salvant can embrace any song she wants with glow and singularity after listening to “Until”, a medium-fast waltz by Sting, which here begins rubato and later recalls Brazilian choro thanks to the work of percussionist Keita Ogawa and banjo player James Chirillo. Without stretching the duration of the songs and putting her lyrical melodies in perpetual motion, Salvant has in Ghost Song a work of ardent ambition and a career highlight.

Favorite Tracks: 
01 - Wuthering Heights ► 02 - Optimistic Voices/No Love Dying ► 05 - Until

Joel Ross - The Parable of the Poet

Label: Blue Note Records, 2022

Personnel - Joel Ross: vibraphone; Immanuel Wilkins: alto saxophone; Maria Grand: tenor saxophone; Marquis Hill: trumpet; Kalia Vandever: trombone; Sean Mason: piano; Rick Rosato: bass; Craig Weinrib: drums. Guest - Gabrielle Garo: flute (#2).

The prodigious vibraphone star Joel Ross gathers a solid and collectively functional ensemble for The Parable of the Poet, his third Blue Note release. A frontline with four horns and a sharply focused rhythm section where piano and vibes coexist harmoniously together, resulted in glittering, polished surfaces that bring together emotion and devotion. 

“Prayer” and “Benediction”, opener and closer, respectively, fall into this spiritual category. The former, aptly introduced by the bandleader, is a gracefully textured ballad with asymmetric meter and soft horn dynamics. A song of inspiration with the same candid, grateful feelings as the latter tune, which, built on major thirds, takes us from Sean Mason’s introductory piano playing to the brushed velvety delineated by drummer Craig Weinrib and the sparse underpins of bassist Rick Rosato. Ross’ articulated malleting stands out amidst simple unison lines.

The powerful, modal “Wail” also has a discernible spiritual quality to it, benefitting from the devotional expressions of altoist Immanuel Wilkins. His fervor remains vividly bright, even during hushed moments of classical contemplation. Trombonist Kalia Vandever makes the bridge between this piece and “The Impetus (To Be and Do Better)”, where a lenient gospel aura surrounds its richly woven balladic circularity.

The poignant “Guilt” places an unhurried bass figure under its feet, featuring Maria Grand on tenor and understated guest flute by Gabrielle Garo. At a given moment near the end, the tempo shifts from triple to quadruple, and the speed gradually increases, allowing the skittery drummer to intensify his procedures. In turn, “Choices” insinuates risk and fear, starting with solo trumpet, moving through a heavy droning bowed bass, and ending up with plaintive horn lines in the foreground and impressionistic vibes in the back. Additionally, the distinctive “Doxology (Hope)” feels like Charlie Parker’s bop inventions had been struck by a bolt of rhythmic modernism, definitely underscoring the group’s polyrhythmic abilities. 

Ross is a serious bandleader, and this album is a combination of his creativity, skill, and generosity, in the sense that he often opts not to step forward and make the music flow collectively.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - Prayer ► 04 - Wail ► 06 - Doxology (Hope)

Brandon Lopez / Ingrid Laubrock / Tom Rainey - No Es La Playa

Label: Intakt Records, 2022

Personnel - Brandon Lopez: double bass; Ingrid Laubrock: tenor and soprano saxophone; Tom Rainey: drums.

Bassist Brandon Lopez joins the long-time duo of saxophonist Ingrid Laubrock and drummer Tom Rainey, forming a constructive trio of free improvisers who create new worlds of expression with rhythmic consolidation and appropriate levels of abstraction. After a mesmerizing first gig at Brooklyn’s Barbès in 2017, the trio vowed to work together and transported all their musical chemistry to this first outing, No Es La Playa, whose story has a flow, and each of the six tracks has a role in its imaginative telling.

The expedition begins with the title track, which, running past the 13-minute mark, is the longest piece of the set. After a cautious start - with accurately limned tenor melodies, precise bass note configurations and entrancing drumming - the rhythm section exquisitely swings while sustaining conversational lines atop. The sounds and cadences here often recall Parker, Braxton and Ornette. An unheralded ritualistic pulse follows, impeccably driven by Rainey’s exuberance, and with Lopez’s propulsive ostinatos sneaking through the mix. Shortly after this implementation, Laubrock switches to soprano, and the ride ends up in moderate cacophony.

“Saturnian Staring” is launched with unequivocal, persistent drum work, swooning sax melodies, and bubbling bass underpinning. Lopez then embarks on unusual intervals and occasional pedal points that, in trance, support staccato horn lines. This livelier mood is challenged by the somber atmospherics of “When the Island is a Shipwreck”, a tribute to American poet Fred Moten. Its moody tension goes from a mutual entwinement between arco bass and saxophone to the abrupt silence of a break that transforms the former panorama into a wildly ebullient scenario. During the first section, Rainey’s unparalleled drum style comes to the fore with opportune snare drum rattles and bright cymbal shatters.

Making for a brilliant album closer, “The Black Bag of Want” also paints with bowed bass and tenor sax brushstrokes at the outset, but is darker in tone. Laubrock’s shouts and multiphonic roars lead to a furious rhythm, and the energy bursts intensely. Her perpendicular phrases and abundant motivic ideas are also in evidence in “Camposanto Chachacha”. As Einstein once said, “creativity is intelligence having fun”; that’s the sentiment we have while listening to this recording.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - No Es La Playa ► 03 - Saturnian Staring ► 06 - The Black Bag of Want

Walter Smith III & Matthew Stevens - In Common III

Label: Whirlwind Recordings, 2022

Personnel - Walter Smith III: tenor saxophone; Matthew Stevens: guitar; Kris Davis: piano; Dave Holland: bass; Terri Lyne Carrington: drums.

The saxophonist Walter Smith III and the guitarist Matthew Stevens drew a flurry of attention with their co-led project In Common, launched in 2017. Enjoying ample possibilities of layering, the duo invites different musicians to join them for each recording, and this freshly cooked third installment arguably boasts the best lineup ever. The piano chair is entrusted to the inventive Kris Davis, who brings a freer side to the music, and the foundation couldn’t be in better hands, with the superb bassist Dave Holland and the dynamic drummer Terry Lyne Carrington sharing rhythmic duties.

It was with this rhythm duo in mind that Stevens composed “Loping”, one of the album’s highlights. Flowing beautifully with a triple time feel and a magnetic groove that draws you in, the piece features Smith’s elastic phrasing on tenor as he displays sequences of notes that jump in and out of the chordal patterns with tremendous flexibility. Stevens' guitar illuminates everything with mighty clarity. 

This ensemble gives the nod to shorter themes and improvisation. This comes into view on “Shine”, where relaxed saxophone lines are affixed to articulated guitar pointillism in gratitude to important jazz musicians that recently passed away (McCoy Tyner, Chick Corea and Jimmy Heath are among them); “Oliver”, which creates some more urgency around a specific riff, displaying a relentless piano ostinato and gorgeous guitar effects; “Prince July”, whose big-sound post-bop grooves high; “Orange Crush”, whose dancing ostinato gives it a lively impression; and “For Some Time”, where an Afro-Brazilian exoticism is achieved through melodious piano mixed with slinky rhythms and jazzy melodies.

The versatility is enormous, and the musicians shift easily from one music idiom to the next. The moods are quite distinct but the ultimate outcome spectacularly coheres, making us want to go back to the beginning and hear everything again. If “Reds”, a bluesy number in a rock outfit, features delightful bass and saxophone solos with an odd-metered vibe that recalls Holland’s 1999 album Extensions, then the playful “Hornets” is a balanced piece of fusion that summons up the rock-ish post-bop joyrides between John Scofield and Joe Lovano. In contrast with these two are the brooding “Shutout” - the darkest piece on the album - and the spacey “Dust”, an avant-garde abstraction brought to a simmer by prepared piano, acoustic guitar, and replicas of delay-effected tenor.

Another remarkable moment arrives with “After”, which, introduced and concluded as a ballad, thrives with a middle section in five that welcomes a sparkling touch of bolero in the rhythm. Here, the co-leaders create a soft-hued polyphony as they communicate. This is a classy and entrancing contemporary work with exceptional combinations of sounds.

Favorite Tracks:
02 - Loping ► 06 - After ► 08 - For Some Time

The Adam Larson Trio - With Love, From Chicago

Label: Outside in Music, 2022

Personnel - Adam Larson : tenor saxophone; Clark Sommers: bass; Dana Hall: drums.

Saxophonist Adam Larson leads a trio that reveals melodic sensibility and exploratory ken. His seventh album as a leader consists of a set of tunes well-worth exploring and dedicated to Chicago, a city with strong affinities to jazz and where he had the opportunity to grow as a musician. Joining forces with bassist Clark Sommers and drummer Dana Hall, this is the first outing of an intended trilogy featuring chordless trios. The threesome played together for the first time in 2014.

The album makes a vibrant start with the catchy African-influenced theme of “Angolan Babysitter”, an intense exhilaration composed by Larson and delivered with melodic purpose and energy. Curiously, the B section was inspired by the 2Pac's “I Ain’t Mad at Cha”, and there’s beautiful drumming here by Hall, who trades a number of bars with his cohorts before going solo. They really put a distinctive spin on this one, before proceeding to the more conformist “The Time You Forgot You Knew”, expressed with directness and controlled dynamics.

Like the previous cut, both “Kansas to Chicago” and “In Waiting” were penned by Sommers. The former, flowing with groove and swinging openness, brings the sly wit of Larson’s post-bop language to the fore, but also stresses the compatibility he has with this rhythm section. The latter tune is more peaceful in tone but no less interesting in terms of solos and spontaneous responses. 

Mixing elements of blues, rock and folk, Larson’s “Root Fruit” is pure sonic joy, making the magnetic acoustics another incentive to recommend the album. Three covers appear on the track list: “Wee See” by Thelonious Monk is an uptempo romp with syncopated motion followed by in the pocket swinging; “Twirl”, composed by saxophonist John Wojciechowski, is a buoyant 3/4 piece that nearly rocks while exhibiting rhythmic figures and abrupt changes of rhythm; and the romantic jazz standard “Portrait of Jennie” is delivered with a refined cool for a change of pace. Deserving wider recognition, Larson will certainly keep pursuing excellence in his following releases.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - Angolan Babysitter ► 03 - Kansas to Chicago ► 08 - Root Fruit

Rodrigo Amado Northern Liberties - We Are Electric

Label: Not Two Records, 2021

Personnel - Rodrigo Amado: tenor saxophone; Thomas Johansson: trumpet; Jon Rune Strøm: double bass; Gard Nilssen: drums.

The saxophonist Rodrigo Amado, the most representative figure of the Portuguese free jazz scene, proceeds with fruitful international collaborations, this time leading a new quartet rounded out by three qualified Norwegian players namely, trumpeter Thomas Johansson (from the adventurous quartet Cortex), bassist Jon Rune Strøm (a regular in the Paal-Nilssen Love Large Unit), and drummer Gard Nilssen (a bandleader of excellence who spearheads the Acoustic Unity trio and the Supersonic Orchestra). Their debut, We Are Electric, consists of four improvised tracks recorded live at ZDB in Lisbon, and finds the foursome exploring creative idioms with a rare cohesion. 

Clocking in at 17+ minutes, “Spark” bears a manic energy right from the start. Vivid contortions created by a saxophone that cuts in with fiery aplomb and a muted trumpet that explores timbre with logic in the phrasing, heat up the densely packed rhythmic mesh. In one minute, the frontline men engage in well-rounded motifs, but in the next they have things thriving with slapping-tongue staccatos on the saxophone and uncompromisingly keyed trumpet. At some point, the group swings, and later we are immersed in a free rock 'n’ roll from outer space. The piece ends with the horn players in absolute control, just like they do on “Response”, a number that has the particularity of being finalized with a long hoarse tenor shriek.

“Ignition” starts unhurriedly, set in motion by bowed bass and sparking brushwork. A simple two-note figure serves as an excuse to start a dialogue between Amado and Johansson, but all this is stretched and expanded into a boiling collective commotion that is interrupted by the subsequent piece, “Activity”. Here, the multiphonics, muted trumpet and palpable melodic lines denote a lyricism that counterbalances the effusiveness that comes next. They even set up a nice swinging motion and inflict a bluesy feel on this one. This is well-developed improvised music made by an intrepid quartet who knocks down all the pins in all contexts.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - Spark ► 02 - Ignition ► 03 - Activity

Tomas Fujiwara's Triple Double - March

Label: Firehouse 12 Records, 2022

Personnel - Tomas Fujiwara: drums; Gerald Cleaver: drums; Mary Halvorson: guitar; Brandon Seabrook: guitar; Taylor Ho Bynum: cornet; Ralph Alessi: trumpet.

Brooklyn-based drummer/composer Tomas Fujiwara leads his working sextet Triple Double with courage for a riper sophomore album titled March. Inspired by dance and protest, this stunning comeback features a wide range of influences spread throughout six Fujiwara postmodern originals and an improvised 17-minute drum duet.

The lead-off track, “Pack Up, Coming For You”, exhibits a defiant indie rock posture on top of a disorienting rhythm laid down by the bandleader. The inflexible cornet of Taylor Ho Bynum carries on with valiant resistance while Mary Halvorson’s guitar reaches epic surface-noise levels. The process repeats in stereo but the protagonists are now the trumpeter Ralph Alessi, guitarist Brandon Seabrook and drummer Gerald Cleaver. The procedure may be equivalent but the sounds are very unique as each musician is singular. Before the end, all six members became involved at the same time, articulating triumphantly without getting on top of each other.

Other titles, like the revolutionary “Wave Shake Angle Bounce” and the polyrhythmic “Docile Fury Ballad” make clear the potential heft of this ensemble by knitting tapestries with vivid colors and rugged textures. The former rocks and marches with swaggering impulsivity after placing a striking melodic phrase at the center; the latter, more heated than temperate, first engages in a passage with muted trumpet, murmuring guitarism altered with spiky crests, and an accented foundation, before welcoming a combative fuzz guitar over the multi-timbral drive provided by the drummers.

“Life Only Gets More” is jazzier in the chordal work, poignantly melodic, and supported by offbeat two-way drumming in a spontaneous approach to the written material. “March of the Storm” slows things down, taking the form of a lamentation. The unit cohesion develops it into a crescendo of sound and texture. Bridging the amenable extremities, there’s an intricate odd-metered passage delivered with unapologetic tones and psychedelic imprints.

The album closes out with “For Alan, Part II”, a beautifully coordinated drum duet in tribute to Fujiwara’s childhood teacher, Alan Dawson. Well stocked with shape-shifting electro-acoustic parades, March is contagious in its unfettered exchanges of artistic expression.

Favorite Tracks:
02 - Life Only Gets More ► 03 - Wave Shake Angle Bounce ► 04 - March of the Storm

Melissa Aldana - 12 Stars

Label: Blue Note Records, 2022

Personnel - Melissa Aldana: tenor saxophone; Lage Lund: guitar; Sullivan Fortner: keyboards; Pablo Menares: bass; Kush Abadey: drums.

Born in Santiago, Chile, and based in Harlem, New York, the saxophonist and composer Melissa Aldana presents her first release on the Blue Note label, leading a quintet of bright musicians. The seven originals that comprise 12 Stars were co-written with the Norwegian guitarist Lage Lund.

Aldana's horn permeates the repertoire with determination, and “Falling” begins this journey with a tight-knit head that finds her delineating a breezy, unfurling melody over the throttling bass of Pablo Menares and the harmonic sophistication negotiated by Lund and the pianist Sullivan Fortner. The bandleader probes stunning intervals in her improvisation, exploring the high and low registers of the tenor with focused direction. Subsequently to a functional comping, Fortner adds up cascading reverie to the setting.

Other standouts of the album include: “Intuition”, a tango-ish exertion with sax-guitar agreement and a forward marching snare that sounds more sultry than threatening; and the rhythmically fascinating “Los Ojos de Chile”, a number inspired by the demonstrations and riots for civil rights that spread over that South American country in 2019, and where the group finds a cool burn through tension and release. After the beautiful theme, we have resourceful piano playing, ascendant guitar motifs that precipitate slices of swinging motion, and a squirrelly then surgical tenor statement that concurrently encourages and weeps.

The poignant, cerebral ballad “Emilia”, which came out of a dream related to motherhood, prompts drummer Kush Abadey to caress the skins and cymbals of the drum kit with soft brushes. As a soloist, it’s Lund who stands out here by taking peculiar paths suffused with color. 

Abadey infers distinct rhythmic feels on “The Bluest Eyes” and “The Fool”. He tosses in a methodical ride cymbal drive for a swinging feel on the former, and paves the latter with gentle Brazilian-flavored rudiments. Both “The Fool” and the closing track, the one that gave the album its name, are a product of the bandleader’s curiosity about tarot, a practice she learned during lockdown. Aldana emerges stronger on 12 Stars, backed by competent partners who respond to her calls with appropriate action.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - Falling ► 02 - Intuition ► 07 - Los Ojos de Chile 

THAR [Taylor Haskins / Andrew Rathbun / Matt Pavolka / Tom Rainey]

Label: Koshkil Records, 2022

Personnel - Taylor Haskins: trumpet; Andrew Rathbun: saxophone; Matt Pavolka: bass; Tom Rainey: drums.

The Canadian saxophonist Andrew Rathbun reunites with his long-time collaborator, the American trumpeter Taylor Haskins, in an interesting session with a simpatico unit that strives to reach new grounds. The recording, which encloses composed tunes and sketchy collective improvisations, opens with Haskins’ “Wake Up Call”, a 2002 cut where a firm, open-ended rhythmic foundation encourages the horn players to deliver angular unisons and expressive concurrent statements. The known indefatigable robustness of bassist Matt Pavolka is eased on pieces such as “Sun Dogs” and “Slow Vignette”. The former is a Haskins-penned waltzing ballad with streamlined conversation between sax and trumpet, whereas the latter, written by Rathbun, flows with rubato delicacy, bringing about melodic lyricism as well as an arresting tenor solo. 

Also from the pen of Rathbun, we have the witty “Go Ahead and Try to Have a Conversation Online” and “Do Not Call List”, where the opulent rock bottom transports one of those melodic stamps that are not easy to sing along. The saxophonist employs exotic scales and infuses bright ideas on the soprano, while the formidable bass delineation goes perfectly well with drummer Tom Rainey’s willful playing. His drum chops shimmer in the background or provide a skeleton of rhythm that hangs everything on. It's all played with wide-open ears. 

“March” stands out, displaying brave snare rattling sounds paving the way, delay-affected trumpet, sparse bass accompaniment, assertive saxophone, and an ultimate polyphonic discourse. Rathbun and Haskins create effortlessly, exhibiting distinct sounds and approaches that, for example, on the short-lived improv “Skwonk” sets frenzied high-pitched soprano lines against flat muted trumpet. Always stretching to do something new, THAR sometimes pushes the music to alluringly uncharacteristic places. 

Favorite Tracks:
05 - Slow Vignette ► 08 - Do Not Call List ► 10 - March

Happy Thief - Hello Cacus!

Label: Ears&eyes Records, 2022

Personnel - Elias Stemeseder: piano; Petter Asbjornsen: bass; Federico Isasti: drums.

Happy Thief is an exploratory triumvirate whose first work, Hello Cacus!, resulted from the strong musical connection established by its two founding members: the Norwegian bassist Petter Asbjornsen and the Argentinian drummer and audiovisual software developer Federico Isasti. Days after meeting at a New York residency, the twosome bumped into the Austrian pianist Elias Stemeseder, best known for his work with drummer the Jim Black and guitarist Nels Cline, and the compositional concept gained a concrete shape.

It’s far from ordinary what these guys do here, and we have that notion right from the start. “For Petter” starts off with spiky rolling drums that, at some point, fixate in a quintuple-meter figure. Cross rhythms and undercurrents are a constant throughout these musings, and the intriguing tones take us to a minute of entropy by the end. The following piece, “No. 3”, conjures a similar mood, yet, adding a tad more bliss to the melodic motifs and exposing those polyrhythmic counteractions created by bass and drums in an accented response to the piano playing.

Nuances in tempo and texture mark “Tren A Formia”, which alternates busy rhythms with quietly sober moments. There are also “Gammal Ice”, where a revamped bass figure works as the spinal axis of an asymmetric 24-beat cycle, and “Federico’s Idea”, which draws our focus from harmony toward rhythmic displacement. There’s a sense of amorphousness within the structure that feels greater in pensive numbers such as “Great Title” and “Lagerbygning”, both marked by the unshowy, rich brushwork of Isasti. 

Happy Thief creates architecturally inquisitive music that shimmers in its own dialect. Considerable doses of ambiguity in the interlocking cadences will make listeners search regularly for a palpable trajectory, and that’s the most rewarding aspect of this recording.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - For Petter ► 02 - No. 3 ► 03 - Tren a Formia

Marta Sanchez - SAAM (Spanish American Art Museum)

Label: Whirlwind Recordings, 2022

Personnel - Roman Filiu: tenor saxophone; Alex LoRe: alto saxophone; Marta Sanchez: piano; Rashaan Carter: bass; Allan Mednard: drums. Guests: Camila Meza: vocals, guitar (#5); Ambrose Akinmusire: trumpet (#5); Charlotte Greve: synths (#5).

The pianist/composer Marta Sanchez was born in Madrid and works in New York, where she has already demonstrated bold compositional skills with contemporary jazz pieces that adhere to form and structure. The quintet has been her preferred format since 2015, but on this new outing, SAAM (Spanish American Art Museum), she recycles the lineup with new musical partners. She maintains the Cuban saxophonist Roman Filiu in the frontline - here surprisingly playing tenor only - and welcomes Alex LoRe, whose blustery alto statements are an excellent match. The group is complemented by a zestful rhythm section in which Sanchez teams up with bassist Rashaan Carter and drummer Allan Mednard. 

As the title implies, this recording mixes elements of her Spanish and American experiences, but its central piece, “Marivi” - a tribute to Sanchez’s mother who passed during lockdown - falls outside the predominant mood as she abdicates from the saxophone players to feature the guest vocalist/guitarist Camila Meza, who sings in Spanish, and the trumpeter Ambrose Akinmusire, who sails serenely with a mix of keening and brightness.

Most of the pieces have relatively short themes, and “The Unconquered Vulnerable Areas” ushers in a stimulating rhythmic drive, having the expeditious LoRe delivering gracious ideas. After that, there's a shared soloing moment in which Sanchez and Filiu articulate a nice musical conversation. Displaying more reflective tones are the following: “Dear Worthiness”, a ballad with a three time feel in direct relation to an onerous sense of insecurity; “The Eternal Stillness”, a pool of gorgeous effulgence; and “The Hard Balance”, a delicate chamber-like number with horn polyphony and polyrhythmic feel that spotlights the group’s atmospheric strengths. The latter two pieces feature bass improvisations.

The always intelligent and sophisticated playing of Sanchez can be savored on the title track, where a relentless piano motif underlays the theme statement before morphing into sparse chordal work. Her dexterity reinforces the background in support of explorative saxophone deliberations. The piece kind of shapes up as a colorful Latin march by the end. Also, the closing short-themed track, “When Dreaming is the Only”, is a showcase for an ever-interesting dialogue between saxophonists eagerly trading off ideas back and forth.
This is a strong album whose music emanates inextricable feelings derived from a particularly intense time in the life of this gifted Spanish pianist.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - The Unconquered Vulnerable Areas ► 03 - SAAM ► 09 - When Dreaming is the Only

David Binney - A Glimpse of the Eternal

Label: Criss Cross Jazz, 2022

Personnel - David Binney: alto saxophone; Craig Taborn: piano; Eivind Opsvik; bass; Dan Weiss: drums.

The David Binney Quartet returns with lots of color on A Glimpse of the Eternal, a 13-track album featuring originals, covers, and three solo interludes (two for piano and one for saxophone). By comparison with the quartet's previous outing - Time Verses (2017) - we have the intrepid pianist Craig Taborn, a long-time collaborator, occupying the piano chair that belonged to Jacob Sacks. The core of the rhythm section remains assigned to bassist Eivind Opsvik and drummer Dan Weiss.

The album’s first three tracks are fluttering, breathy pieces delivered with a great deal of subtlety - “Our Place” is one of Binney’s new compositions, flowing with a straight eight feel and gentle traction; “In a Way”, which was penned by the L.A.-born pianist Michael Cain, keeps the relaxing tones; while “Ambivalence”, one of the two pieces borrowed from the repertoire of composer/arranger Vince Mendoza, is a fine ballad that, mellowing the mood through impeccable brushwork, is elevated by Binney’s high-emotional statement and Taborn’s exquisite accompaniment.

This relative simplicity is converted into functional complexity on the fourth track, “Vibe Changer”, whose defiant rock posture and spasmodic gestures force the soloists to become brisker in nature. The impetus eases again with Jan Garbarek’s “Blue Sky”, a picturesque title built with an optimistic melody and crescent cross-stick syncopation. Yet, it's with the beautiful take on Ralph Towner’s folksy “Nightfall” that the group reaches a peak. A strange combination of tense and easygoing forces arises from the arco pedal and firm drumming, and then Binney and Taborn stun. The former transcends with his sinuous outside-in playing, whereas the latter deconstructs and reinvents via ingenious piano acrobatics.

Equally curious yet distinct, the title track presents an intriguing first part that leads to a slow singable waltz whose texture and tempo shift along the way. The album ends with a totally different vibe as a consequence of a blazing interpretation of “I Had the Craziest Dream”, a jazz standard. Here, the saxophonist blows a mile a minute, but the result is not as great as on other occasions. Overall, this is a strong album that solidifies Binney’s stature as a major player. 

Favorite Tracks:
03 - Ambivalence ► 04 - Vibe Changer ► 07 - Nightfall

Hedvig Mollestad - Tempest Revisited

Label: Rune Grammofon, 2021

Personnel - Hedvig Mollestad: guitar, vocals, upright piano; Karl Hjalmar Nyberg: alto saxophone; Martin Myhre Olsen: soprano, alto and baritone saxophones; Peter Erik Vergeni: tenor saxophone, flute; Marte Eberson: vibraphone, synth; Trond Frønes; bass; Ivar Loe Bjørnstad: drum set, percussion + guest Per Oddvar Johansen: drum set (#1).

Norwegian guitarist and composer Hedvig Mollestad carved out a singular spot for herself in the creative music orb. For her new outing, Tempest Revisited, she sought inspiration from the avant-garde composer Arne Nordheim and his work The Tempest while celebrating the 20th anniversary of the Parken Culture House in her hometown, Aleslund. The disc, even not as ceiling-shaking as other adventures, comprises five mesmerizing excursions where a nearly telepathic understanding is established among the musicians involved.

“Sun On a Dark Sky” opens with a feathery flute, but you can feel the storm approaching from behind. Ritualistic chants increase the sense of feverishness while a guitar ostinato gives the piece a perceptible, clearer shape. The trio of saxophonists first go for lines of tranquility until a fusion-imbued 13-beat cycle makes them insert woozy lines. An asymmetric, odd-metered cycle is also spotted on “High Hair”, a prog-rock-like exertion with reeds and guitar working in tandem and an energy that will win you over.

Mollestad was gifted with a variety of sonic palettes to choose from, and “Winds Approaching” stresses that aspect by expertly blending styles. Following the initial percussion festivities with clapping and horn chants, there’s rock muscularity stemming from the heavy guitar, and then jazzy bass lines welcoming brilliant harmonic colors. The adaptable horn players match up their textural lines, occasionally dovetailing phrases and easing off their impetus according to the mood. Besides sax and guitar, this piece features a zig-zagging synth solo.

“Kittiwakes of Gusts” results in a cool mixture of hard rock and R&B, and the feel is all groovy and burning. The group embarks on seamless modulation, interchangeable saxophone impressions that later become tangled, and searing overdrive-infused guitar. In turn, “418 (Stairs in Storms)” combines ambient awe and gutsy riffery to create contrasting tones of sheer beauty. Delivered with iron-fisted discipline and controlled power, this edgy yet accessible Tempest Revisited resounds in the listener’s head with a sense of bewilderment and exuberance.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - Sun On a Dark Sky ► 02 - Winds Approaching ►04 - 418 (Stairs in Storms)

The Nu Band - In Memory of Mark Whitecage

Label: Not Two Records, 2022

Personnel - Mark Whitecage: alto saxophone, clarinet, flute; Thomas Heberer: quarter-tone trumpet; Joe Fonda: double bass, flute; Lou Grassi: drums, percussion.

The Nu Band, an explorative quartet within the avant-garde jazz movement for more than two decades, released a live album that serves as a tribute to its singular saxophonist, Mark Whitecage, who passed away in March last year. This live recording, captured in 2018 at The BopShop in Rochester, New York, features compositions by all four members of the ensemble. 

The session opens with two different Whitecage numbers, the flute-infused “Prayer for the Water Protectors” and the animated “Five O’clock Follies”, a spectacular freebop blowout whose frantic short theme immediately takes us to a bass solo solely supported by hi-hat drops. Unison sax-trumpet motifs disintegrate and reshape into autonomous improvisatory rants. The indefatigable swinging drive created by the rhythm section stimulates the horn players who display their attractive language with unlimited confidence. The drummer Lou Grassi also gets a solo taste, vibrantly measuring and articulating before the theme returns to its bones.

“One For Roy” is Thomas Heberer’s tribute to the late trumpeter Roy Campbell, a former member of this quartet whom he replaced in 2014. The group reveals maturity in the interplay as they go from a rubato abstraction disrupted by bursts of tension to a swaggering motion. The second piece brought by the trumpeter, “The Closer You Are, the Further it Gets” is a highlight. Clocking in at 14 minutes, this piece begins with a fantastic solo bass statement in which Joe Fonda shows off his pure intuition, incredible rhythmic control, and great ears for sound. He even rocks at some point, before a 15-note figure takes over. Afterwards, Heberer works on the lower registers before expanding his sound, and Whitecage steps up the game by employing trilling circularity and growling sounds. The group finishes it off in rollicking mode.

After admitting a free, shapeless exploration with clarinet, flute, trumpet and percussion, Fonda’s “Christophe and Ornette” establishes a groove in six over which the horns spill wonderful angularity. The album draws to a close with Grassi’s “Dark Dawn in Aurora”, a mournful piece marked by a patterned marching strut and revealing folk-blues connotations, which had been previously recorded in 2015 to be included on the Nu Band’s album The Cosmological Constant.

The under-recognized Whitecage will be missed; his fans have here another document that brings his soloing capacities to the fore as well as The Nu Band’s sense of shared space and cohesive interplay.

Favorite Tracks:
02 - Five O’clock Follies ► 04 - The Closer You Are, the Further it Gets ► 07 - Dark Dawn in Aurora