Caleb Wheeler Curtis - Heat Map

Label: Imani Records, 2022

Personnel - Caleb Wheeler Curtis: alto and soprano saxophone; Orrin Evans: piano; Eric Revis: bass; Gerald Cleaver: drums.

Excellent compositions and a captivating sound distinguish the new outing from Caleb Wheeler Curtis, an accomplished saxophonist who, with a fine-edged sense of openness, is keen on extraordinary melodies, lean progressions, and ear-catching textures. Heat Map comprises ten originals that started to take shape in 2021, during a four-week MacDowell residency. Curtis wrote them with a monumental lineup in mind: pianist Orrin Evans (a regular collaborator since 2016), bassist Eric Revis (a fellow colleague in Evans’ Captain Black Big Band), and drummer Gerald Cleaver (the saxophonist's new co-conspirator). Each of them is a terrific bandleader and improviser with a huge capacity for catching the moment.

The title cut opens with a poignant introductory piano playing that suggests introspective balladry. However, we are taken somewhere else, abstractly exciting, as a bass pedal and a more restless drumming loom from the ground. Yet, the melody endures. Evans is exquisitely lyrical in his statement, while Curtis infuses tension and firms up the atmosphere with a defiant language that accommodates John Coltrane, Julius Hemphill and Ornette Coleman mannerisms in it.

If the fragile “Trees For the Forest” and the breathable “Limestone” take a plunge inward, then “Surrounding” gives an air of casualty and insouciance, even when expressing its well-worked Ornettian theme. As an option, the staccato-infused “Splinters” conjures an imperative mood of freedom. The improvised discourses by Curtis - who throws in fragmented lines à la Steve Lehman - and Evans contain enough spicy elements to hold our attention throughout.

“Spheres” demonstrates coordination, accentuation, focus, and elasticity in its thematic section, where long notes are set against a nuanced piano ostinato. Support is given via the unbreakable uniformity that stems from the Revis/Cleaver cooperative game. The rhythm team pushes us into another giddy spin with “C(o)urses”, an angular frenzy with delirious figures and circular runs that capture the group’s adventurous spirit. In this case, Curtis’ semi-cacophonous blows ebb over the rhythmic texture, triggering excellent responses from Evans. The pianist is absolutely fantastic on “Trembling”, standing out through a mix of textural gradients, enigmatic chords, and persisting figures. This polyrhythmic effort enables great dramatic passages where the sense of space and motion is extended.

Brimming with mesmeric ideas, these compositions gain insight into multiple depths of field and modern color palettes.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - Heat Map ► 05 - Splinters ► 07 - Trembling

Gordon Grdina / Mark Helias / Matthew Shipp - Pathways

Label: Attaboygirl Records, 2022

Personnel - Gordon Grdina: guitar, oud; Mark Helias: bass; Matthew Shipp: piano.

New York-based Canadian guitarist and oud player Gordon Grdina is seen here with bracing partners and stalwarts of the downtown jazz scene, Mark Helias on bass and Matthew Shipp on piano. Pathways, their sophomore album (succeeding to the 2019 Skin and Bones), consists of a fully improvised set of pieces with risk-taking propensity. The result is challenging for the ears but never uncomfortable.

The opener, “Palimpsest” provides a poetic, if duskier, musical experience. Dark and wistful tones take over, with Grdina and Shipp perfectly integrated in a plaintive melancholy, while Helias roams freely, variating intensity and speed. The free diction of “Deep Dive” seems to have kinetic forces pushing it forward, and glimpses of a hidden blues emerge by the end.

With a fabulous interplay and a dazzling assortment of ostinatos, “Trimeter” is a dance from afar with plenty of harmonic coloration and exhilarating crossing rhythms getting underway. The numbers where the oud is present, namely the expressionistic “Synapses” and the concluding piece, “Sanctum”, also cultivate an unconventional language with the help of an exquisite instrumentation. The former cut feels positively revolutionary in its stirring motion, whereas the latter, non-obvious in the moves and alluring in texture, has Grdina looking for those microtones to bend and warp, leaving you with and exquisite feel and atmosphere. These are musicians who are not afraid to travel outside the conventional jazz universes.

Complex phrasal architectures come into view on the deliberately suspenseful title track, which creates enough tension and bendability en route. In the back, Helias is strong as a rock, rolling to the sides with propulsive drive and returning to the point of origin with determination; Shipp asks questions in a particular register and responds to himself in another; Grdina makes the perfect foil for those two, countering with lines that later converge with the pianist’s. Their rhythmic prowess is even more striking on “Flutter”, an abstract mesh with interesting percussive fluxes and appeasing moments alike.

Grdina’s output has been more and more prolific but consistently interesting. This recording cannot be classified as just another.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - Palimpsest ► 04 - Trimeter ► 08 - Synapses

Tyshawn Sorey Trio - Mesmerism

Label: Yeros 7 Music Records, 2022

Personnel - Aaron Diehl: piano; Matt Brewer: acoustic bass; Tyshawn Sorey: drums.

Multi-awarded drummer and composer Tyshawn Sorey has several elements in his musical personality that work in his favor. Firstly, he always knows where he wants to go regardless of the context he’s playing; secondly, he’s willing to take risks when making music. With Mesmerism, he pays tribute to some of his influences and dabbles in a couple of inventive reworkings of classics from the Great American Songbook.

The superb playing of the new trio members - Matt Brewer and Aaron Diehl on bass and piano, respectively - substantiates the drummer’s clear success in this effort, which transitions from avant-garde ventures based on complex notated music to a more relaxed setting without losing any creativity. 

The chosen repertoire is tackled with a supreme elegance, lovely detail, as well as disarming originality. It’s a colossally tuneful program that kicks off with Horace Silver’s “Enchantment”, in which the trio shares a natural simpatico. The enveloping sound of Diehl is so enriching, interlacing exquisite clusters of chords with single-note melodies. His pulsing chromaticism gains further expression against Brewer’s bass pedal, which eventually expands. The tempered yet crisp drumming and cymbal luster of Sorey work as a fulcrum between the two other men. Together, they create a lush atmosphere of excitement and reverie.

Over the course of the album, the trio celebrates two other pianists: Muhal Richard Abrams would certainly be proud of this version of “Two Over One”, which was originally presented in his 1976 duo album Sighsong, with bassist Malachi Favors. It’s a catchy waltz overflowing with ideas in an organic balance between the earthly and the spiritual. One can hear something of Bill Evans in it, as cascading waves and occasional piano tremolos find an excellent supportive net on bass and drums. The other is Duke Ellington, whose in-the-pocket “REM Blues” closes the album on a high note.

Sorey plunges into abstraction and stillness with a take on drummer Paul Motian’s “From Time to Time”, whereas the jazz standards “Detour Ahead” and “Autumn Leaves” are crafted with irresistible lyricism and no shortage of surprises. The former is 14+ minutes long and includes a thoughtful bass solo over smooth brushwork in addition to an extended piano statement that gets bluesier and mellower with the time; the latter, extraordinarily transfigured but still recognizable, announces the trio’s faultless command of tempo and texture while exuding a comfortable warmth throughout.

With no need for flash or gratuitous gestures, this is music made with a striking degree of intelligence. Tradition gives a newfound perspective to Sorey’s artistic genius.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - Enchantment ► 03 - Autumn Leaves ► 05 - Two Over One

Steve Cardenas / Ben Allison / Ted Nash - Healing Power: the Music of Carla Bley

Label: Sunnyside Records, 2022

Personnel - Steve Cardenas: guitar; Ben Allison: double bass; Ted Nash: tenor and soprano saxophone, clarinet.

The charming drum-less trio of guitarist Steve Cardenas, bassist Ben Allison, and multi-reedist Ted Nash makes a come back with renditions of tunes by the iconic pianist and composer Carla Bley. The nine-track Healing Power is their third installment, following-up to Quiet Revolution (2016) and Somewhere Else: West Side Story Songs (2019), the first of which, featured compositions by groundbreaking jazz guitarist Jim Hall and clarinetist Jimmy Giuffre, an influential duo that inspires their playing.

“Ida Lupino” opens the program with a sensitive touch, having a cadenced bass consistency undergirding Cardenas and Nash’s soloing efforts. Allison also brings his thoughts to the table, just as well as in “Olhos de Gato”, which, given the wonderful treatment, unfolds with poignancy, enchantment, and mystery.

Nash is heard on clarinet in the latter piece, but it's his tenor that comes to sight during the serpentine “Donkey”, which, revealing thematic clarity, has Cardenas catching the tail of the saxophonist's statement and progressing with aplomb. The final interplay is very natural here and includes taut exchanges.

“And Now the Queen” is a rubato ballad with a contemplative narration, but the impeccable interpretation of “Lawns”, one of Bley’s most endearing tunes, is what got our attention as a result of its jaw-dropping beauty. Both “Ictus” and “King Korn” rely on precise coordination of movements, action-reaction dynamics, and high-class polyphony in the latter track. 

“Ad Infinitum” takes the form of a buoyant 3/4 dance, morphing from an Eastern-tinged sumptuosity to a medium swing. It’s filled with blue notes, expedited soprano rides, and bass lines fully immersed in its underlying activity. The album closes eminently bluesy with the title track, a light emitter with skeletal melody, uncluttered surfaces, and purity of sound.

Employing a fascinating assortment of elegant textures and tones, Nash, Cardenas and Allison contribute on equal terms to an album that expresses their respect and love for Bley’s musical artistry.

Favorite Tracks:
02 - Donkey ► 05 - Lawns ► 09 - Healing Power 

Heroes Are Gang Leaders - LeAutoRoiOgraphy

Label: 577 Records, 2022

Personnel - Thomas Sayers Ellis: bandleader poet; James Brandon Lewis: tenor saxophone; Devin Brahja Waldman: alto saxophone, synthesizer; Heru Shabaka-ra: trumpet; Bonita Lee Penn: poet; Randall Horton: poet; Nettie Chickering: voice; Jenna Camille: piano, vocals; Melanie Dyer: viola, vocals; Brandon Moses: guitar; Luke Stewart: bass; Warren "Trae" Crudup III: drums.

The newest outing from Heroes Are Gang Leaders consists of previously released material recorded live in Paris. Under the baton of poet Thomas Sayers Ellis, the group delivers five tracks inspired by New Jersey poet-activist Amiri Baraka, whose powerful words toward the Black liberation and racial justice made a difference. All pieces were culled from the 2019 album The Amiri Baraka Sessions, with the exception of bassist Luke Stewart’s “Mista Sippy”, which was first presented on record in 2020, on the album Artificial Happiness Button. This number, initially stripped down to a piano-vocals duo, follows a slow triple tempo while embracing a cool-jazz mood that serves spoken word reason. However, at more than 16 minutes long, it feels stretched beyond what it should be.

The opening piece, “Amina”, was penned by the tenor sensation James Brandon Lewis who took Amiri’s wife as an inspiration. Here, it takes the form of a three-part suite that offers a more enveloping sound than the scattered short stories presented in the studio work. The first section, “The Dutchman’s Three Buttoned Suit” makes for a slow, prayerful entrance with sax and viola, followed by thin layers of keyboard and guitar. This is succeeded by “Poetry iz Labor”, whose ghostly drone functions as a loop. A nicely marked hip-hop feel comes with the piano harmony while the horn players articulate beautifully atop. The sequence ends with a rowdy, free interplay that swells to a catharsis in the the third part, “Forensic Report”.

Another highlight, “LeAutoRoiOgraphy”, pairs up soulfully quiet piano playing and sensitive vocals at the outset. The pianist, Jenna Camille, then charges with a striding cadence in 3/4. She’s joined by the spoken-word poets and singers, the rhythm section, and ultimately the horn players, whose lines skew across in celebratory activity. By the end, the meter changes once again to simple quadruple in a vamp infused with pumped-up energy. The album ends with “Sad Dictator”, motivated by Baraka’s poem Valéry as Dictator. There’s grit in the saxophone and an unfettered eclecticism that unites soul jazz and hip-hop with a sense of whimsy.

Bobbing and weaving through the arrangements, this roster of fascinating musicians continues to run their stylized gamut, from observantly reflective to passionately incendiary. This is a very listenable but not essential recording.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - Amina ► 03 - LeAutoRoiOgraphy

Marta Warelis - A Grain of Earth

Label: Relative Pitch Records, 2022

Personnel - Marta Warelis: piano.

Polish pianist Marta Warelis has been based in the Netherlands since 2010, having collaborated with intrepid avant-jazzers such as saxophonists John Dikeman, Ada Rave and Michael Moore, bassist Ingebrigt Haker Flaten, violinist Carlos Zingaro, and more recently with trumpeter Dave Douglas, in his 15th-century-art-inspired album Secular Psalms.

A Grain of Earth is her first solo essay in which she addresses creation and destruction with both intrigue and an appetite for communicating with the listener almost in a visual way. Gliding through measures and frequencies, “Echoes” sort of takes us to the origin of things, starting a journey that culminates with a thrown of ashes to the sea. The impressionistic opener is underpinned with percussive and pitched beats created by prepared piano, and streamlined with both tranquil and supple melodies in the upper register.

The following piece, “(into) Body in Pieces” plays like an offbeat collage of sounds ranging from incisively piercing to percussively scratchy to spine-chilling sweepy. The same type of experimentation can be heard on “Miniature Creatures”, where the conversational prose expands, and also on “Invisible Threads”, whose corrosive droning legato results from bowing the strings of the piano. 

A more familiar avant-jazz narrative is offered with “Trip on the the Light Toe”, which brings a variety of tone qualities during the exquisite melodic entanglements that often crash into a low-pitched explosion. Without signaling any particular change of direction, “In Waves” emerges as another crucial point in the sonic developments. It gains the form of an incredibly hypnotic dance at once exotic and familiar. The beautiful title track, “a Grain of Earth”, is gracefully honed piano escapism performed on a very profound level. Melody becomes meaningful and thoughts are intimately expressed.

With notable technique and inventiveness, Warelis finds her place in the modern improvised sphere. The qualities in her playing suggest a career filled with many inspiring and experimental musical moments to be shared with the world.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - Echoes ► 05 - In Waves ► 06 - a Grain of Earth

Brian Landrus - Red List

Label: Palmetto Records, 2022

Personnel - Brian Landrus: baritone saxophone, bass clarinet, flutes; Ryan Keberle: trombone; Nir Felder: electric guitar; Geoffrey Keezer: Rhodes, organ, piano, synth; Lonnie Plaxico: electric and acoustic bass; Rudy Royston: drums; John Hadfield: percussion. Guests - Jaleel Shaw: alto saxophone (#5,14); Ron Blake: tenor saxophone (#2,9,10); Steve Roach: trumpet, flugelhorn (#1,4,7,12,15); Corey King: vocals (#1,6,11). 

Boasting an authoritative language, baritonist Brian Landrus wades in his typical aesthetic variety with some big hooks and a non-aggressive posture despite the massive tone of his instrument. His new recording, Red List, finds him well supported by highly committed bandmates and special guests who embrace the amiable nature of the compositions with devotion. The main topic of this body work is Earth’s endangered species and climate crisis.

“Canopy of Trees” plunges into the pop/rock canon with the presences of Nir Felder’s rock-steeped guitar crunch, Lonnie Plaxico’s electric bass reassurance, Geoffrey Keezer’s scattered keyboard waves, and Rudy Royston’s fidgety drumming. The baritone solo, clear at all times and never chewy, is dovetailed by an unison-delivered theme that includes trombonist Ryan Keberle and trumpeter Steve Roach. The type of energy created here opposes to the brighter and glossier feel of “The Distant Deeps”, a waltz with vocals by Corey King and solos from trombone and flute. It also deflects from a pair of reggae/dub incursions, namely “Save the Elephants” (the title refers to an organization with which Landrus is working) and “Leatherbacks”. 

The Steely Dan-like title cut is a sleek, streamlined fusion affair built on elements of rock, jazz, R&B, and funk. Landrus, who hits the bottom notes with unshakable confidence, is followed by the tenorist Ron Blake, who is even more impressive on “Bwindi Forest”, a modal jazz enterprise with beautiful piano playing as well as bass clarinet and saxophone bravura cutting through from both sides. This number takes us directly to “Congo Basin”, which, pivoting to a triple time feel, features a fine guitar stretch over the funk fringe that runs underneath.

Saxophonist Jaleel Shaw wields his alto with personality on “Tigris”, a more popish jazz push with a neat painterly touch that soon breaks and expands into a wider type of fusion. In turn, “Nocturnal Flight” offers clear and velvety balladry texturized by Felder’s adroit guitarism, and with Landrus on flute and baritone.

Delivered in a pretty straightforward way, these set of tunes systematically strip away any possible sonic discomfort or violent collisions. They are uncomplex in tempo and immediately accessible. Landrus sticks up to this posture while finding his own groove and fluency.

Favorite Tracks:
02 - The Red List ► 04 - Nocturnal Flight ► 05 - Tigris

Nils Eikmeier - Stories

Label: Mons Records, 2022

Personnel - Nils Eikmeier: guitar; Yaroslav Likhachev: tenor saxophone; Julian Walleck: bass; Thomas Wörle: drums.

Cologne-based guitarist Nils Eikmeier makes his debut as a leader with Stories, a quartet album steeped in the jazz tradition and with fair touches of modernity. This body of work consists of seven originals delineated with a variety of inspirations and moods in mind. With him are saxophonist Yaroslav Likhachev, bassist Julian Walleck and drummer Thomas Wörle, musicians whose synergy makes the music thrive.

“Auckland” is a post-bop 4/4 workout based on a simple form that places Eikmeier right in the center. His honeymoon in New Zealand served as an inspiration, and his reverb-drenched guitar solo, sounding explicit and alluring, conveys joyful moments. He is followed by Likhachev, whose darting lines arrive with full-bodied tonal flavors and logical articulation. This opener is the strongest piece on the album, and is only rivaled by “A.I.”, a minor blues in 5/4 whose early guitar-bass-drums moments include searing licks and expressive lyricism all around. Then, is the saxophonist who steps forward to smear the sonic tapestry with melodies that are as much eloquent as they are colorful.

Also immersed in a spellbinding contemplation of tinges, the popish “Autumn Song” finds the group in a quiet, breezy communion while modulating conveniently within its structural outlining. With a whole lotta energy and yet with a conventional posture, “Borders” and “Spectrum” share an identical spirit, festooned with verve and swinging drive. In contrast, the laid-back title track, “Stories”, could be described as another leisurely stroll, but carries no less feeling than the other numbers. The guitarist fills the air here with a sense of movement and freedom. 

Stylistically, the album doesn’t break new ground. However, the rapport and the energy of the unit makes it worth a visit.

Favorite Tracks: 
01 - Auckland ► 06- A.I. ► 07 - Autumn Song

Will Bernard - Pond Life

Label: Dreck to Disk Records, 2022

Personnel - Will Bernard: guitar; Tim Berne: alto saxophone; John Medeski: keys; Chris Lightcap: bass; Ches Smith: drums.

Despite some great releases, guitarist/composer Will Bernard remains largely overlooked outside the New York scene. This new record, in particular, shows his varied but consistent modernistic creations, and features the best lineup so far - drummer Ches Smith and keyboardist John Medeski have been regular collaborators, while bassist Chris Lightcap and saxophonist Tim Berne team up with the guitarist for the first time on record, fully supporting his inspired ideas and glorious skronky tone.

“Poor Man’s Speedball” is an odd-metered, fusion-oriented number whose avant-garde jazz and indie rock-styled demeanors conflate in a stratospheric texture paved with keyboard cushions. The rock influence is constantly present, being particularly noticeable on “Still Drinkin’?”, a progressive effort in which powered chords whip up Berne for an invigorating solo; and “That Day”, a full-tilt anthem turned polyrhythmic symphony thanks to Lightcap’s propulsive thrust and Smith's unpredictable drive.

“Type A” takes a path of ambiguity, hopping with lightness during the flawless chorus demarcated by hi-hat and opportune cymbal placement. A middle passage undergoes a change of air; a quietly breathing ambience with piano in the background and bass at the fore. In turn, “Four is More” is made of lovely riffing, triggering an ingenious hall of metric mirrors supported by an inventive harmonic work with alluring electronics. Bernard and Medeski are on the same mindset here.

“Pond Life” embraces relaxation before a bass figure imposes its mighty presence with a six-beat duration. On the other hand, “Surds” brings a strong Americana flavor to the table with odd meter, rhythmic accents, and bluesy tones contributing to pump the energy. In the same vein, but featuring Bernard on the acoustic guitar, “Lake of Greater Remnants” has playful blues-inflected lines blending right into the affectionately brushed yet lilting asymmetric tapestry. 

The stellar quintet covers a lot of ground stylistically. Their languages brimming with rare facility and abandon. I was taken by the quality of the sound, the progressive tendencies, and the acuteness of the arrangements.

Favorite Tracks:
04 - Still Drinkin’? ► 06 - Four is More ► 10 - Lake of Greater Remnants

Masayo Koketsu - Fukiya

Label: Relative Pitch Records, 2022

Personnel - Masayo Koketsu: alto saxophone.

The Japanese saxophonist Masayo Koketsu shows stimulating storytelling capabilities through a single 46-minute piece that signals her solo debut record. Steeped in the free jazz tradition of Japan, this effort summons her bravery, denoting remarkable levels of agility and a wide range palette of tonalities. Fukiya is the Japanese blowgun, which seems to have inspired Koketsu to throw sonic darts here with a focused precision. 

Not having who pave her way gives her complete freedom, and this improvised journey begins with extended multiphonics delivered with occasional tremolo. They are regularly interrupted by silences that help set an atmosphere of unexpectedness, awe, and search at every turn. Bubbling here, and charging there, the lines are delivered with more or less friction, simmering without boiling. However, you should be prepared for abrupt piercing screeches interlaced with sweeter articulations, in a constant ebb and flow that, varying in intensity and emotion, feels like a tidal wave of thought and conversation with her psyche.

There are sections where the melody takes a more regular shape. Yet those passages are constantly stricken by throaty cries, controlled shrieks, and brisk contortions. Multi-directional flows convey anger and repose without damaging any narrative coherence, and halfway she becomes prayerful, later throwing in hiccuped popping sounds and one-stroke sketchy lines that, in my head, serve to paint an imaginary sky of red and blue. The final part brings a little bit of the Coltrane spiritual fervor mixed with some gut-wrenching pleas and circular patterns.

As with any solo effort, especially when harmony is not involved, you have to be open-minded and in the spirit to follow the recital. This is not for casual listening, and demands attention from the listener. Free jazz saxophone enthusiasts will be the targeted consumers of a recording where Koketsu’s burning fire claims for international recognition.

Charles Lloyd - Trios: Chapel

Label: Blue Note Records, 2022

Personnel - Charles Lloyd: tenor saxophone, alto flute; Bill Frisell: guitar: Thomas Morgan: acoustic bass.

The unequal Charles Lloyd, a premier saxophonist with a six-decade career at the highest level, puts out the first of three trio recordings featuring different lineups. Trios: Chapel features five previously recorded tunes - three originals and two covers - marvelously reworked here by a refreshing trio completed with guitarist Bill Frisell (a member of Lloyd’s eclectic quintet The Marvels) and bassist Thomas Morgan, who has been a regular collaborator of the guitarist both in duo and trio settings. The tremendous rapport between these three instrumentalists couldn’t be more transparent and the music is the natural product of their musical talents.

Billy Strayhorn’s “Blood Count” opens the set with Lloyd speaking an alluring language whose empathy extends to Frisell’s serene comp and focused touch. Guitar layers merge with Morgan’s activity on the bass, which, going beyond the mere definition of the chords, provides a tasteful anchor for the saxophone. This piece was originally recorded by Lloyd on the double-CD album Lift Every Voice (ECM, 2002), just like his own “Beyond Darkness”, a flute-driven excursion that soars here with chordal mystery and a curious cross-cultural tinge.

Exuding goodwill and enchantment, “Song My Lady Sings” was retrieved from his 1965 quartet album Of Course, Of Course (Columbia). Working closely, the guitarist and the bassist start the proceedings with a warm, glowing radiance that later welcomes the mighty presence of the bandleader. His sweetest side is on display throughout this waltzing stride, but goes even deeper in the magnetic exploration of Bola de Nieve’s Cuban ballad “Ay Amor”, a tune that was also included in his latest album with The Marvels, Tone Poem (Blue Note, 2021). The simple delineation of the theme is remarkable, with Lloyd making everything more luminous with nimble arpeggios. The rock-solid Morgan lets it flow from the bottom while Frisell excels in his melodic poignancy.

The trio concludes the album with the beautiful “Dorotea’s Studio”, which refers to the working space of Lloyd’s wife/agent/producer Dorothy Darr. The folk expressiveness will treat you with a complete relaxation. I’m very much looking forward to the couple of volumes that will follow - the second featuring pianist Gerald Clayton and guitarist Anthony Wilson, and the third with percussionist Zakir Hussain and guitarist Julian Lage.

Favorite Tracks:
03 - Ay Amor ► 04 - Beyond Darkness ►05 - Dorotea’s Studio

Matt Aronoff - Morning Song

Label: Adhyâropa Records, 2022

Personnel - Jason Rigby: tenor saxophone; Yago Vazquez: Fender Rhodes; Matt Aronoff: bass; Henry Cole: drums.

Matt Aronoff is a qualified bassist who recently fell under notice while underpinning the orchestrations of saxophonist Remy Le Boeuf in his Assembly of Shadows ensemble, as well as playing with guitarist Gregg Belisle-Chi on his excellent Mass-inspired album, Book of Hours. 

With Morning Song, he debuts as a leader, presenting a set of live recorded pieces written for his father - who was diagnosed with cancer - and commanding an international quartet of special musicians that includes American tenor player Jason Rigby (Mark Guiliana Jazz Quartet, Alan Ferber BigBand), Spanish keyboardist Yago Vazquez, and Puerto Rican drummer Henry Cole (Miguel Zenón, Fabian Almazan Trio).

The title track seems to have been designed to convey optimism with a mix of laid-back and energetic currents. It feels at once placid and restless. Vazquez wants more than just going with the tidal flow, and his brisk collateral moves persuade Rigby to exchange a few zestful phrases. Aronoff also provides a cerebral discourse with sparse Rhodes accompaniment, before courting a gentler muse and nodding to Debussy (in its initial phase) with the 3/4 ballad “El de Lun”. These two first numbers don’t really surprise in their plenitude, but still quash the earliest ennui with a few good details before completion.

An intelligible three-minute bass interlude announces “Hodgman”, a tribute to author/humorist John Hodgman, which unfolds quietly with a glamorous aesthetic inspired by the minimal traits of Steve Reich’s Four Organs. The driving odd-metered groove that sustains the high-flying soloing experiences from Rigby, a trenchant narrator, and Vazquez, who articulates rhythmic figures and phrases with appreciable quality, make this cut a far more involving effort.

The two tracks that follow, “June 25th” and “Blue Quokka”, are equally exciting, allowing the album to grow in a crescendo of emotion. Whereas the former embodies a fusion-like complexity with odd-meter, sturdy textures, and exquisite melodies, the latter, starting off with a post-bop-meets-avant-garde maneuver created by Rigby and Cole, wraps up the whole recording with a blues progression and hard-swinging flow.

Favorite Tracks:
04 - Hodgman ► 05 - June 25th ► 06 - Blue Quokka

Matthew Shipp Trio - World Construct

Label: ESP-Disk, 2022

Personnel - Matthew Shipp: piano; Michael Bisio: bass; Newman Taylor Baker: drums.

The fabulous trio of pianist Matthew Shipp, a creative force with incessant grand concepts in mind, returns with World Construct, a collection of 11 tracks whose diverse moods and sounds take you on a well-sequenced musical journey. To say that Shipp has been busy is an understatement since his collaborations are numerous. However, he has built a very particular and special sound world with bassist Michael Bisio and drummer Newman Taylor Baker that we rarely see in other groups.

The album's opener, “Tangible”, is true to its title and focused on a graspable groove with a colorful piano display that would serve a hip-hop tune. Shipp patiently builds “Sustained Construct” as a solo piano segment that  guides us into “Spine”, a controlled abstraction that feels more mournful than cheerful. The occasional pounding pedals and supple bass figures are replaced by distorted shapes on “Jazz Posture”, a lively and searing explosion of rhythmic fluxes. Baker concludes this energetic tidal rubato with a dynamic drum dissertation.

Another piece that finds the trio in an agitated state of despair is “Abandoned”. It’s confrontational, oblique in movement, opaque in spirit, always powerful. It doesn’t have the beauty of “Stop the World”, a pensive modal piano-bass duet that, from the first minute, turns the spotlight to Bisio. 

The listening grows into a crescendo, and the last tracks develop with skill and passion. “A Mysterious State” alternates the time feel between quadruple and triple, strutting all along with snare drum rolls, arcane harmonies, and serpentine melodies. The genius harmonic chops of the pianist move forward and reach the final part of “Sly Glance”, whose supreme jazz vibe makes it the coolest track of the album. 

The three musicians use their masterful understanding of sound and timbre to combine several ideas spontaneously and form complex passages right through “World Construct”, the closing piece, which, at more than 10 minutes, is the longest ride of the set. The Matthew Shipp Trio remains in top form, and World Construct is highly recommended.

Favorite Tracks:
09 - Stop the World ► 10 - Sly Glance ► 11 - World Construct

Jones Jones - Just Justice

Label: Esp-Disk, 2022

Personnel - Larry Ochs: tenor and sopranino saxophone; Mark Dresser: acoustic bass; Vladimir Tarasov: drums, percussion.

The cooperative avant-garde jazz trio Jones Jones provides non-linear narratives rooted in collective improvisation that, pushing boundaries, compels us to search. At the vertex, veteran saxophonist Larry Ochs (from Rova Saxophone Quartet) makes a perfect foil for the two musicians at the base, bassist Mark Dresser, a stalwart of the improvised music scene, and the not so recognized Russian-born Lithuanian drummer Vladimir Tarasov.

Their newest album, Just Justice, comprises nine tracks recorded in the studio before Covid struck in 2020. The recording is launched with “Articulating Jones”, an abstract proposition that revels in dark-hued tenor lines, a mix of harmonizing bowed bass and fierce pizzicato, and navigable rhythmic fragmentation. The piece that follows, “Bali Hai Jones”, has nothing to do with the tune composed by Rodgers and Hammerstein for the 1949 musical South Pacific. It feels more like world music from an unknown distant place where dancing is a rule. Rhythms and conversations are dynamically updated along the way, and a similar vibe is felt on “RBG Jones”, which, referring to former Supreme Court justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg in the title, unspools into dexterous bursts of saxophone before ending pacifically. 

“Jones Free Jones” takes in the three-way intersection of sounds to build a certain climax halfway. There’s beauty in the intervallic dissonance created by Dresser, whether he uses the arco or his fingers. “Call of the Jones”, where Ochs really cuts loose over anxious drum fluxes, is much more interesting to me than “Jones in the Sonar System”, where an irregular percussive mesh gives the thumbs up to fluttering sopranino moves. Ochs’ mournful cries and sighs are even more expressive in the humorously titled “The Further Adventures of Ms. Microtonal Jones”. 

Creativity sometimes gets stuck in repetitive patterns and few changes in direction. Yet, the closing improv, “And His Sisters Called Him Jones”, expresses a more outlined sense of storytelling complemented by an intriguing droning footing. This explorative trio finds their path in ambiguity, rarely tapping into emotional territory. Even without exceeding expectations, their signature aesthetic should be enough to please enthusiasts of free interplay.

Favorite Tracks:
03 - Call of the Jones ► 06 - Jones Free Jones  ► 08 - And His Sisters Called Him Jones

David Murray Brave New World Trio - Seriana Promethea

Label: Intakt Records, 2022

Personnel - David Murray: tenor saxophone, bass clarinet; Brad Jones: bass; Hamid Drake: drums.

David Murray is a fiery legendary saxophonist who worked with countless bands of varying sizes. Here, he’s seen at the front of the Brave New World Trio, whose elan takes the form of a powerhouse concoction of familiar and fresh sounds. Flanked by bassist Brad Jones and drummer Hamid Drake, Murray wrote seven of the eight pieces on the record. The exception is a renegade interpretation of Sly & The Family Stone’s R&B hit “If You Want Me to Stay”, which will certainly make your body move back and forth. All tracks were recorded in Europe, immediately after the Covid lockdown.

The opener, “Seriana Promethea”, gave the album its title and unfolds with lively bass clarinet phrases that pop over a riveting funky groove. Bassist and drummer are glued here with an in-the-pocket instinct, but on the next number, “Necktar”, they sit in a joyful and robust rock-like progression with occasional bass pedals. Tenor-madness improvisatory tact joins the party, and hard-swinging fragments help to invigorate the dynamics. Besides the volcanic lead playing by Murray (he goes Eastern places with sequences of half-tone-infused runs), we have Drake and Jones proffering statements with brilliant discretion and no loss of balance.

After the pair of opening tunes knock the breath out of the listener, the rest of the record just keeps punching. Examples are the upbeat “Switchin’ in the Kitchen”, which serves well the contrasting ferocity and side-stepping phraseology of the bandleader with its Latin charm; “Anita et Annita”, a sultry rumba guided by the tightness of the rhythm team with occasional swinging articulation; and the closer, “Am Gone Get Some”, a solid burner full of wit and outside venture.

“Metouka Sheli (Ballad for Adrienne)” casts a spell with the microtonal magnetism of a weeping bowed bass and the moderate vibratos of the saxophone, whereas “Rainbows for Julia”, dedicated to Murray’s daughter-in-law, is a popish song with eloquent jazz improvisation. It feels a little extended, though. 

If you like your avant-garde jazz accessible, with lots of great melody and groove, this is a great addition. There are many things to like here.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - Seriana Promethea ► 02 - Necktar ► 05 - Switchin’ in the Kitchen

Ingrid Laubrock / Andy Milne - Fragile

Label: Intakt Records, 2022

Personnel - Ingrid Laubrock: tenor and soprano saxophones; Andy Milne: piano.

Saxophonist and composer Ingrid Laubrock teams up with pianist Andy Milne as part of her sax/piano duo works for Intakt Records. Fragile, the third installment in the series, follows Kasumi (2019) with Aki Takase, and Blood Moon (2020) with Kris Davis, and features ten Laubrock compositions that blend written and improvised sections with perceptiveness.

“Equanimity” is made of pure accessibility, achieving a curious degree of collaborative empathy between the two musicians. Milne creates some mystery through reflection, with the light brushstrokes of the saxophone giving a final composition to that background. The dialogue is intensified before ending in the same self-possessed vein as it started.

Three pieces suggest the world music fusions of Art Ensemble of Chicago, branding a sort of mysticism that seems to celebrate nature in all its splendor. Two of them, “Fragment” and “Splinter”, are versions of the same piece that,  taking the form of an indigenous ritual, feature soprano streams and prepared piano with African-tinged overtones. The other is “Shard“, which includes a smattering of air sounds and piercing long notes. Milne, a former member of Steve Coleman’s Five Elements and Ralph Alessi’s This Against That, credits fellow pianist Benoit Delbecq for the inspiration in the production of these singular effects. 

If this selection of three feels more celebratory than off-kilter, then “Unapologetically Yours” strips away nuance and shading in lieu of a hearty expressionism. It morphs from fidgety to balmy, without achieving the delicate reverie of the previous track, “Ants in my Brain”. Conversely, “Illusion of Character” brings Laubrock’s melodic sinuosity to the fore, reaping the benefits of Milne’s vertiginous whirls, which, in a few cases, end in a crashing root note.

Milne provides sensational comp for Laubrock’s compositional sophistication. Their successful interactions inform us of their refined musical sensibilities.

Favorite Tracks:
02 - Fragment ► 07 - Unapologetically Yours ► 08 - Illusion of Character

Eucalyptus - Moves

Label: Telephone Explosion Records, 2022

Personnel - Brodie West: alto saxophone, clarinet; Nicole Rampersaud: trumpet; Kurt Newman: guitar; Ryan Driver: clavinet; Michael Smith: bass; Blake Howard: percussion; Nick Fraser: drums; Evan Cartwright: drums.

The Toronto-based octet Eucalyptus is spearheaded by the underappreciated saxophonist and composer Brodie West. Granted with an early mentorship by the late avant-garde pianist Misha Mengelberg, West also played with the latter’s longtime musical partner, the Dutch drummer Han Bennink. His latest release, Moves, is Eucalyptus’ sixth full-length album, which shows his fondness for cannily structured cuts with loopy foundations sustaining clever layers atop them.

“Infinity Bananas” offers a hypnotic pulsing-pedal bass drive, clacking percussive constancy, saxophone uneasiness with quick motifs, and terse staccato trumpet phrases with occasionally long airy sounds. Then, “Cuckoo Birds” revolves around a motivic idea that throbs and shifts chromatically. At the bottom, a psychedelic droning experience goes on through the conspicuous cool-sounding clavinet. Different from those two numbers, “Dust in the Wind” brings more harmony and melody to the fore, immersing us in an asymmetrically ambient jazz cloud that is very atmospheric.

The band doesn’t lodge inside the perimeters defined by the jazz idioms, and “It’s in a Move” moves breezily and exotically with a bolero feel. There’s a playful ring-toned synth accompanying the process and solos by West - who flies higher on the marching, psychedelic avant-garde swagger “Snapdragon Hop” - and guitarist Kurt Newman, who articulates phrases with shimmering color in his first appearance on record with this combo. The more sensitive side of the group comes into view in the closer, “Lookie”, a circular ballad with emotional warmth that never really reaches a climax.

“Rose Manor” pivots the beat to downtempo, prompting us to better experience the deep nine-beat cycle bass figure laid down by Michael Smith, as well as the particularly lovely airy sounds and soaring lines of trumpeter Nicole Rampersaud. With aesthetically clean arrangements, Eucalyptus creates a sonority that feels more mood than substance. But bear in mind: this recording is nonetheless pleasant enough in its own way.

Favorite Tracks:
03 - Dust in the Wind ► 04 - It’s in a Move ► 06 - Snapdragon Hop

Billy Mohler - Anatomy

Label: Contagious Music, 2022

Personnel - Chris Speed: tenor saxophone; Shane Endsley: trumpet; Billy Mohler: bass; Nate Wood: drums.

Bassist Billy Mohler boasts a deep, rich sound that perfectly suits the styles he explores. His pieces are rock-oriented, shaped with alluring grooves and provided with ample room for jazz-inspired improvisation. The gripping, luxurious quartet he brings with him - saxophonist Chris Speed, trumpeter Shane Endsley, and drummer Nate Wood - denote an excellent musicianship, sharing the same taste for a hybrid combination that feels flexible and free.

Anatomy begins with “Abstract 1”, the first of three unaccompanied bass-centered vignettes, which foreshadows what emerges over the course of the album. This is followed by “Fight Song”, a hooky and immediate cut about the different kinds of conflict that surround us. Musically, you won't find conflict at all but rather a striking consistency between the stupendously grooving bass, the energetic rock drumming, and horn lines that navigate the robust rhythm with avant-jazz energy.

“Nightfall” glows and dances with passionate admiration for the city of New York, having Mohler delineating the passages he wrote with a strong sense of harmony. Meanwhile, the men in the frontline establish a nice and warm communication. Endsley shows how extrovert he is in his soloing duties. One can detect a pretty similar routine on “Perseverance”, whose unchanging rhythm envelops us like a dense fog. Yet, Speed follows Endsley here, in an improvisation full of timbral sophistication. They both dance around each other while connecting through engaging counter melodies.

The groove-laden “Equals” begins with sax and trumpet in tandem, and bass and drums in the pocket. After the head, it morphs into a Morphine-sounding mix of punk sweetness and energy that makes us move our feet. Mohler wrote “Speed Kills” for the saxophonist in this album, who responds with a hook-nosed statement that brims with inside/outside prowess. 

Mohler brings the record to a conclusion with “Moonglow”, which echoes a late-night lounge feel with a steady pulsation and calm composure. Just like all the other cuts on this album, this is an original by the bassist, despite sharing the same title as the 32-bar jazz standard made popular by Benny Goodman, Duke Ellington and Art Tatum.

Anatomy consists of an utterly satisfying set of tunes that, being straightforward in the flow and impeccable in the sound, stands tall in its own.

Favorite Tracks:
02 - Fight Song ► 03 - Nightfall ► 04 - Equals

Day & Taxi - Run, the Darkness Will Come!

Label: Percaso Production, 2022

Personnel - Christoph Gallio: alto, soprano and C-melody saxophones; Silvan Jeger: acoustic and electric bass, voice, shruti box; Gerry Hemingway: drums, percussion.

Zurich-born saxophonist Christoph Gallio reunited his Day & Taxi trio for another set of avant-garde jazz numbers that perfectly balance composition and improvisation. Interspersed with brief declamations of poetry, these pieces pay tribute to several personalities from different artistic fields as it happened with the previous outings. 

The highly malleable rhythm section of Swiss bassist Silvan Jeger and American drummer Gerry Hemingway provide the form and the structure, being pretty much in evidence on the opening piece, “Run, the Darkness Will Come!”. The drummer brushes skins and cymbals with clarity and refinement, while the bassist locks in a struttin’ bass groove that persists. On top of that, Gallio blows with soulful openness. His cries, clashes, and conflicts may cause unsettlement but don't make the atmosphere sinister as the title suggests. 

The following track, “Casual Song”, couldn't get a better title, as a consequence of a loosely developed bass intro and soprano excursions with no concern for where the music goes. If this one is dedicated to American producer, label owner, and percussionist Kip Hanrahan, then “Godard’s Memory” salutes the French cineaste in the title with an expressive painting made of side-stepping sax forays filled with timbral certainty (the energy is comparable to David Murray’s), elastic and dancing basslines, and percolating percussion that pumps up the freedom of things.

Both “R.F.”, which celebrates French artist Robert Filliou, and “Corinne”, a nod to German painter/drawer Corinne Gudemann, are accented with a Steve Lacy-kind of expressionism. “Ego Killer”, on the contrary, feels relentlessly spirited in its combination of post-rock and avant-jazz, serving as a vehicle for Jeger’s bowing and plucking techniques.

“Too Much Nothing” is sandwiched between the agreeable voice of the late downtown poet Steve Dalachinsky, a very missed figure on the New York's free jazz scene. This cut is laced with an Eastern tinge that arises from the shruti box’s drone and the percolating groove alike. “Abra Palavra”, for the Austrian artist Dominik Steiger, is propelled in a forward-marching style, while riffing its way into an ecstatic avant-garde swirl.

Gallio has a massive presence and the heart of a storyteller. His music brings an adventurism that is never aimless, and the improvised moments are invariably captivating.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - Run, the Darkness Will Come! ► 05 - Ego Killer ► 08 - Too Much Nothing

Alvaro Torres - Heart is the Most Important Ingredient

Label: Sunnyside Records, 2022

Personnel - Alvaro Torres: piano; Joel Illerhag: bass; Kresten Osgood: drums.

I must say I expected much more from this improvising trio led by the Spanish pianist and composer Álvaro Torres, who works with a serious pair of Scandinavian foundation builders, the Swedish bassist Joel Illerhag (inventor of the Swedish bass-harp) and the Danish drummer Kresten Osgood (Sam Rivers, John Tchicai, Michael Blake). Despite some interesting moments and the potential revealed, the ten expeditions presented here don’t take us to a place of distinction.

It all starts with a tribute to Osgood titled “Krescendo”, where the trio dabbles in nuanced conversational dynamics, foreshadowing the path they intend to take. Here, the calm remarks delivered by the pianist and the understated guidance of the bassist are opposed to the conspicuous hi-hat scintillation of the drummer. “Most” and “Taken” reflect almost a silent energy in a sort of exercise in stillness. The former develops in restraint; the latter features predominant arco bass movements punctuated by pizzicato rootness.

“Departure” reveals some ruminative uncertainty, gaining tract as it advances, whether through push-pull rhythms or melodic figures. This one shows efficiency in the proceedings, but not as much as tunes like “The Good Life”, whose melodic fragmentation and rhythmic steadfastness recall Geri Allen, and “Dreams in Music”, a profound and enigmatic solo piano reverie that feels straighter than strange. And then, there’s “Ingredient”, which has Carla Bley’s imprints scurrying and scrambling. On occasion, fluidity imposes; other times it feels choppy and concentrated.

I tried to feel the ‘heart’ but was mostly unable to relate to Torres new trio at an emotional level.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - Krescendo ►03 - The Good Life ► 10 - Dreams in Music