Jeremy Cunningham / Dustin Laurenzi / Paul Bryan - A Better Ghost

Label: Northern Spy Records, 2022

Personnel - Jeremy Cunningham: drums, percussion; Dustin Laurenzi: tenor saxophone, OP-1, electronics; Paul Bryan: bass, synth + Guests - Jay Bellerose: percussion; Katie Ernst: vocals; Josh Johnson: alto saxophone; Will Miller: trumpet.

Displaying maturity, this trio collaboration between drummer Jeremy Cunningham, saxophonist Dustin Laurenzi (both from Chicago) and L.A.-based bassist/producer Paul Bryan is a success. These technically enlightened musicians navigate new sonic waves that are fascinating, sometimes ethereal, and consistently magical. The nine enticing Cunningham-Laurenzi compositions on A Better Ghost were developed at a distance. While touring with the alternative folktronica/pop/rock group Bon Iver, the saxophonist came up with several ideas on the OP-1 and sent them to the drummer, who gave them melodic elasticity and rhythmic grace through his modern musical sensibilities. Then, Bryan, sliding across keys with futuristic vision and figuring disciplined bass lines, granted the final touch to a body of work that is pleasurable in all its unfolding detail.

“Everything” is an easy listening experience masterfully weaved with a relentless one-note drone in the background and untethered by Laurenzi’s inside/outside tour de force on tenor. “Worlds Turn” admits multi-instrumentalist Josh Johnson on alto saxophone, with Cunningham’s energized clarity in the beat allowing for latent syncopation. The synth vibes sound like playful toy music by the end, creating a particular atmosphere that is redeployed to the groovy title track.

If “Comfort Station” is a cyclic effort impacted by an uncanny bass figure, then the deceptively slow-burning “Ray Tracing” surprises in its last section with a transfixing rhythmic fabric and a saxophone sound that enthralls. Further deeply involving is “New Dust”, whose introductory reverb-drenched sax monologue in good time enjoys the company of bass and drums for a feel-good, moderately exotic dance. An asymmetric 14-beat cycle is contemplated before the trio aligns it to a more commensurable measure of 16 beats, just to conclude it after a little while with the bassist at the fore. “The Way We Remember” brings the album to a conclusion, guesting singer Katie Ernst, who co-wrote the lyrics. This one is a dedication to Cunningham’s late father, shaping up as an elegiac cinematic anthem where one readily perceives the power of the drums.

Demonstrating tastefulness and high quality in the chops, these modern jazz practitioners find a harmonious balance between composition and freedom. They definitely make me want to hear more of what they do.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - Everything ► 02 - Worlds Turn ► 05 - New Dust

Nate Wooley - Ancient Songs of Burlap Heroes

Label: Pyroclastic Records, 2022

Personnel - Nate Wooley: trumpet, amplifier; Mary Halvorson: guitar; Susan Alcorn: pedal steel guitar; Mat Maneri: viola (#2); Trevor Dunn: electric bass (#4); Ryan Sawyer: drums.

Impregnated with chilly dystopian-like vibes, the sophomore release of trumpeter Nate Wooley’s Columbia Icefield is a suite whose three main parts and four interludes derive from heroic inspirations. A film by Frank Heath accompanies Ancient Songs of Burlap Heroes, which creates a cinematic universe of its own through otherworldly sonic sensations and field recordings. The ensemble remains with no alterations, transversing modern jazz forms and experimental foundations specified in Wooley's composition.

“I Am the Sea that Sings of Dust” stealthily steps in, attempting to mediate the struggle between the natural world and the human expression. Sparse guitar chords, background electronic noise, and effusive drumming by Ryan Sawyer draw a distinction to an early phase that plunges further into a downcast chamber atmosphere accentuated by plaintive trumpet lines and the pastoral glissandi winks that pour from Mat Maneri’s viola. This disenchanted impression is transferred to the interlude that follows: a suspended mode with moderately warped guitar sounds and trumpet tranquility.

Clocking in at nearly 15 minutes, “A Catastrophic Legend” was penned for the late cornetist Ron Miles. The constant vigilant state of the piece hypnotizes more than shakes in the initial phase, when Wooley and Halvorson engage in unpredictable parallel moves over a quiet substratum reinforced by guest bassist Trevor Dunn. The texture then varies in intensity, falling in with rock-infused distortion and asymmetric progression. After a trumpet solo, there’s a convoluted passage with electronics and rollicking drums.

“Returning to Drawn Myself, Finally” is based on a Swedish dalakoral (religious song). The trumpet lamentation leads to a modernist abstraction delineated by Halvorson, an electric guitar innovator whose loose-fitting phraseology can be heard concurrently with Alcorn’s pedal steel electrification. Serenading activity replete with ostinatos takes us to a closure.

Emphasizing more the collective than the individual, Wooley explores creative approaches to music making by combining strange and foreboding elements. This is a curiously atmospheric if not essential album.

Favorite Tracks:
02 - I Am the Sea that Sings of Dust ► 04 - A Catastrophic Legend ► 06 - Returning to Drawn Myself, Finally

Marc Mommaas - The Impressionist

Label: Sunnyside Records, 2022

Personnel - Marc Mommaas: tenor and soprano saxophones; Gary Versace: piano; Nate Radley: guitar; Jay Anderson: acoustic bass.

Dutch saxophonist Marc Mommaas, who has been based in New York since 1997, records regularly for the Sunnyside label with small drum-less ensembles. For his latest album, The Impressionist, he drew inspiration from the music of 20th-century French composer Gabriel Fauré (an icon of impressionism in music) as well as the New York pandemic times. Enlisting the talents of keyboardist Gary Versace, guitarist Nate Radley and bassist Jay Anderson, Mommaas outlined the eight tracks on the album with a quiet, floaty quality that comes to terms with his own feelings during difficult times. Although more conceptual than some of his previous works, I experienced dilemmas while trying to relate with complexions that, favoring more order than chaos, needed some more stimulation.

The highlights of the album, “Nostalgia” and “Float Away”, are stamped with emotionally induced saxophone solos. Launching the album, the former piece develops soulfully and plaintively with Mommaas and Anderson in melodic consonance, while Radley and Versace successfully avoid messing up the space when it comes to comping. There’a also silvery elucidation from Anderson here in a statement filled with lyricism. The latter piece, instead, besides the nice unison melody designed by soprano sax and piano, lives from fluid improvisations.

The title track pretty much flows in the same vein of the opening tune, featuring the flickering, tremolo-steeped synth-like guitar of Radley throughout. The theme is not as impressive though as the comparable piece I just specified. “C’est La Vie”, a tune about contemplation and acceptance, arrives with understated and emotive detail in the call-and-response between guitar and piano, shifting to triple meter in its denouement. Dedicated to the one who inspired him for this work, Mommaas made “Fauré” unequivocally classical, enhancing the gallantry in the harmony for a chamber music mood.

The last two tracks attempt something different. “Free Above All” explores more freely, employing distorted guitar swells and featuring the saxophonist in a soprano monologue turned interlocution with the arrival of the pianist. “Moving On” brings the album to a close with the optimism of a soothing pop song.

The placid temper of the majority of the songs results in a mix of dreamy and pale atmospheres. There’s definitely strong interplay among these great musicians, but a wide-ranging perspective would have given the album a more imposing character.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - Nostalgia ► 05 - Float Away ► 07 - Free Above All

Julian Lage - View With a Room

Label: Blue Note Records, 2022

Personnel - Julian Lage: electric guitar; Bill Frisell: electric guitar, baritone guitar; Jorge Roeder: acoustic bass; Dave King: drums.

American guitarist Julian Lage cultivates a unique sound that combines roots and progression. He has been calling attention both through his own albums and sideperson credits (Charles Lloyd, Gary Burton, John Zorn, and Nels Cline). The awaited sophomore album on the Blue Note imprint, View With a Room, is the follow-up to last year’s Squint, featuring his working trio with bassist Jorge Roeder and The Bad Plus drummer, Dave King. But for this outing, the gifted guitarist Bill Frisell was invited to play a few tracks, perfectly serving the musical sensibilities of Lage compositions. The two guitarists are in absolute control of the fretboard, and never resort to pyrotechnics to impress. Instead, they deliver beautifully texturized music with an immense and effortless harmonic scope. 

“Tributary”, the opening piece, and “Echo”, which was written and arranged by Lage and Roeder, are highlights, exemplifying this capacity to create rich textures and employ stunning melodies without overplaying. Bookended by tasteful electronics and an Americana-tinged atmosphere, the former flows with silky chord progressions and passages with delicate detail, spectacular staccatos, lustrous octaves, and smartly controlled articulations. The latter tune, starting with a prominent bass figure, brings together charming tones and a certain cinematic mystery. Excellent note choices elevate the poignancy, just like in “Let Every Room Sing”, a chorale-like song impregnated with warm classical innuendos. Complementary guitar layers with occasional harmonics rest on top of the spare, if loose, commentary provided by Roeder and King.

Lage and his partners leap into the closer, “Fairbanks”, as well as the sprightly “Chavez”, whose B section recalls Sting’s former group The Police, with a pop/rock frame of mind. In reality, this album is made of borderless music, and if “Temple Step” is a blues with a reggae touch (Frisell plays baritone guitar here), then “Auditorium” promotes an alliance between country-pop and the crunchy, contemporary snare-driven rhythmic tapestry at the base. On its part, the waltz “Word For Word”, delivered in trio, has that irresistible bounce of Jim Hall and Bill Evans, as well as a polyrhythmic feel edged by triplets on the drummer’s side.

This recording, displaying the magnitude of the composer’s gifts, exudes virtuosity and sincerity all around - from composition to sonic maturation to execution.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - Tributary ► 02 - Word For Word ► 05 - Echo

Todd Marcus Jazz Orchestra - In the Valley

Label: Stricker Street Records, 2022

Personnel - Todd Marcus: bass clarinet, composition; Greg Tardy: tenor saxophone; Brent Birckhead: alto saxophone, flute; Russell Kirk: alto saxophone; Alex Norris: trumpet; Alan Ferber: trombone; Xavier Davis: piano; Jeff Reed: bass; Eric Kennedy: drums.

American bass clarinetist of Egyptian descent Todd Marcus put his bold orchestral plans into effect in this new recording, In the Valley, commanding a supple nonet that includes experienced musicians with outstanding soloing credentials such as saxophonist Greg Tardy, trumpeter Alex Norris, trombonist Alan Ferber, and pianist Xavier Davis. The fusion of Middle Eastern music and both straight-ahead and modern jazz idioms borders on perfection.

With references to maqam music, “Horus”, titled after the ancient falcon-headed Egyptian god, inhabits a kaleidoscopic universe of fascinating sounds. One finds passages with understated Arabic and Latin touches, and dense layering of horns are complemented with compelling improvisations. Marcus flies East and West in profuse excitement, exposing the marvelous timbres of the bass clarinet; Norris blows his horn with hard-bop flexibility; and then there’s the eight-beat cycle bass groove that stimulates Eric Kennedy for some extra drum chops. Lastly, we have the horn players engaged in enthusiastic volleys.

In its depiction of modern-day Cairo, “The Hive” feels grandiose in posture and dusky in tone, bridging moods that evoke Grachan Moncur III and Jackie McLean. This mysterious aura coupled with an odd tempo doesn’t intimidate trombonist Alan Ferber, who launches the improvised statements with clarity. “Cairo Street Ride” is another piece inspired by the capital of Egypt, specifically its chaotic traffic. It’s infectious in the temperament and filled with heady tangents and crossings, moments of polyphony, parallel orientation, and stirring counterpoint. The featured soloists are bassist Jeff Reed, who often employs chromaticism in the narrative, and Tardy, who puts his soul on every note.

“Final Days”, an elegiac ballad, displays an instrumentation that shrinks and swells with conspicuous flute, mallet drumming, and wailing reeds. A nicely flowing conclusion is brought by the title track, whose punchy lines and odd meter help to invoke images of grandiose Egyptian sites.

Clear yet mystery-induced arrangements motivate beautiful ensemble playing throughout. This recording solidifies Marcus’ credentials as a creative composer. His imaginative vision fits our modern days.

Favorite Tracks:
02 - Horus ► 03 - The Hive ► 04 - Cairo Street Ride

Juanma Trujillo - Collage

Label: ears & eyes Records, 2022

Personnel - Juanma Trujillo: electric and acoustic guitars; Sean Conly: acoustic bass; Francisco Mela: drums.

Venezuelan guitarist Juanma Trujillo has been living in New York since 2014, forging his own path in the improvised/experimental music scene. For this gorgeous trio album titled Collage, he works with two judiciously chosen musicians equally keen on open settings: the assiduous American bassist Sean Conly (Darius Jones, Michael Attias) and the in-demand Cuban-born drummer Francisco Mela (McCoy Tyner, Joe Lovano). They share a mutual conscience and enhance freedom in their explorative temperament here while playing five Trujillo compositions and one impromptu presentation.

The guitarist love for cinema is reflected in “Araya”, a volatile piece inspired by the 1959 documentary of the same name by Venezuelan filmmaker Margot Beacerraf. The folksy tone of his acoustic guitar is magnetically strange, favoring abstraction and enchantment. The sounds of Liberty Ellman come to mind, and the enigmatic chordal voicings compel us to discover more.

Trujillo’s electrified axe resounds vibrantly with crunching notes on “Rebote”, in which he mixes folk and rock with a peculiar bounce; and also on “El Santo”, a noise-infused attack with a proclivity for psychedelic rock aesthetics. His expert manipulation of sound is laid down over bass pedal points and adroit snare-and-cymbal patterns. In the last segment, one finds great percussive rebounds by Mela providing added weight to a nice conclusion.

The bandleader is the trio’s guiding light, exploring space from different angles. That aspect is demonstrated not only on “Himno”, a chorale-like piece that, not being totally predictable, takes us to discernible melodic trails, but also on the fully improvised “El Chivo”, an expressionistic invention that falls between the rustic and the modern. The latter revels in unremitting acoustic folk interlocks, bowed bass for a slightly eery effect, and anxious drumming with no particular timekeeping. 

The trio wraps up the set with “Simultaneo”, a laid-back crossover jazz in the vein of Bill Frisell and Charles Lloyd, which contains elements of Americana, South American folk, and some American and European classic connotations. This trio works splendidly, revealing an excellent sense of moment throughout. Trujillo, totally transparent in his multiple influences, also throws in a lot of stuff that is undoubtedly his own.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - Araya ► 03 - El Santo ► 06 - Simultaneo

Espen Berg Trio - Fjære

Label: Odin Records, 2022

Personnel - Espen Berg: piano; Bárður Reinert Poulsen: bass; Simon Albertsen: drums. Guest appearances: Mathias Eick: trumpet; Hanna Paulsberg: tenor saxophone; Silje Nergaard: vocals.

On Fjære, his fourth recording for the Odin label, Norwegian pianist and composer Espen Berg leads his tight trio with a consistent force, whether by playing abstractly or following composed material. He teams up with two partners deeply associated with his musical personality, the bassist Bárður Reinert Poulsen and the drummer Simon Albertsen. This trio of storytellers welcomes three persuasive guests to play in a selection of cuts.

Featuring trumpeter and ECM artist Mathias Eick, “Vintermørke” is well-proportioned and neatly put, conveying a Nordic jazz atmosphere that feels repose, organic and airy. The piece expands horizontally in a sweet tranquility that is also embraced by the bass and trumpet solos. The bandleader closes out the improvisation time after the theme is reestablished. Another bearer of sensitive delicacy is “Nikolai”, a piece launched by hand drumming and touched by flashes of folk, classical, and some Latin charm in the step. During his outstanding statement, Berg takes an adventurous course, creating enlightenment and connection, and transcending boundaries and conventions. It’s perhaps his best solo on this recording, in a very personal piece written for his 6-year-old son.

“Akervise” incorporates the saxophonist Hanna Paulsberg, featuring Albertsen's infusions of a moderately accelerated rhythm for superb contrast. “XVII” is introduced by sparse piano chords outlined with clever chromaticism and hand clapping before a majestic groove comes into play, negotiating a defying time signature. The uptempo “The Fourth Awakens” is marked by shapeshifting and rhythmic complexity, showing a lavishness that recalls Tigran Hamasyan without being hyperbolic in the chops. 

Whereas the asymmetric “Magnetic” features Eick in another loosen up context that often releases poignancy and controlled tension, “I’d Do it For Your Love”, the sole non-original of the album, lays the lovely voice of Silje Nergaard on top of a lushly reharmonization of Paul Simon’s popular song. And then, there’s a couple of quiet pieces - “The Vertical Movements of Eötvös” and “Svalbard” - that feels soft to the point of breaking. I urge you to unlock the secrets of Berg’s inspired set of tunes.

Favorite Tracks:
03 - XVII ► 06 - Nikolai ► 07 - The Fourth Awakens

Russ Lossing - Folks

Label: Sunnyside Records, 2022

Personnel - Russ Lossing: piano; John Hébert: bass; Michael Sarin: drums.

Pianist Russ Lossing cloaks his music in a haze of folkloric refinement for this particular jazz trio album with bassist John Hébert, a faithful collaborator for more than 20 years, and drummer Michael Sarin, in his second appearance with the pianist.

The composed folk melodies set the tone for the group improvisations with the exception of the balmy opening track, “Heaven Above”, which, shrouded in lyrical tranquility, off and on brings Bill Evans and John Taylor to mind. Here, the time is kept for the improvisations and the melodic treatment given by Lossing feels stunning with an emotional range. Hébert’s notes are huge when comping while Sarin’s sensitive percussion adds the perfect touch. 

On both “Village Folk” and “Mountain Folk”, the trio smears the musical canvases with soft hues for a bucolic portraiture. But it’s with “Country Folk”, another meditative, chant-like observation whose melody and harmony grab you strongly before lingering in the air, that the trio is at its best. Assuming a gorgeously asymmetric configuration, this particular number is enriched by lush piano notes that flow like a river, supportive yet never intrusive bass lines, and delicate brushwork. The ideas proliferate, expressed with different dynamics, just like on the Bartok-inspired “Grey”, which, revealing a more irreverent posture, leans on the avant-garde side despite the swinging post-bop thrust that runs at bottom.

Sophistication is in the call-and-response mechanisms proposed on “Call Now”, whose propensity to swing is complemented by an impeccably accented theme with concurrent playing by piano and bass, and also some Monk-meets-Motian spark. Hébert is particularly brilliant in the way he disguises and then disrupts during his bold statement. 

Rather than embracing fragility through the simplicity of folk, the trio pursues a wild excitement on “Lightning Bug”, a rambunctious effort that shows their hard-to-predict frame of mind. Lossing’s work has ranged from solo discs to duo and trio projects, projecting an expressive, personal sound that employs technique and sensibility on the side of emotions. Folks confirms that his heart is in the right place. 

Favorite Tracks:
01 - Heaven Above ► 03 - Grey ► 04 - Country Folk

Billy Drummond & Freedom of Ideas - Valse Sinistre

Label: Cellar Music Group, 2022

Personnel - Dayna Stephens: tenor and soprano saxophone; Micah Thomas: piano; Dezron Douglas: bass; Billy Drummond: drums.

The excellent musical career of drummer and composer Bill Drummond has been forged more as a sideman than as a leader. Over the years, the experienced in-demand musician was heard in projects by Lee Konitz, Archie Shepp, Carla Bley, Eddie Henderson, Andrew Hill, and Chris Potter. His newest body of work, Valse Sinistre, marks his first appearance at the helm of an ensemble since 1996, the year he released the quartet album Dubai on the Criss Cross label. Drummond also leads a quartet here, a multi-generational one, with saxophonist Dayna Stephens in the frontline and a rhythm section complemented by Micah Thomas on piano and Dezron Douglas on bass.

The well-rounded repertoire brings jazz tradition infused to the core, starting off with Jackie McLean’s supercharged “Little Melonae”, whose boldly etched theme, frantic tempo, and indelible spirit is reinforced with smoke-filled solos that nurture an adventurous streak. The top-tier arrangement is by Douglas, and Drummond is particularly impressive as he keeps up the technically and physically demanding pulse.

The title track was composed by Carla Bley and originally included in her 1981 album Social Studies. This reworking of the tune has a piano intro that already bubbles with mystery in the chords. It feels like eccentric circus music, intertwining the bizarre and the burlesque. The bandleader’s variations behind the kit are remarkably tuneful here, and also on Grachan Moncur’s “Frankenstein”, whose marvelously intriguing aura makes a good company to the other tune.

“Changes for Trane & Monk” is the sole Drummond original, homaging the chord changes of Coltrane and the hooky melodies of Monk, whereas “Clara’s Room”, an unfussy post-bop waltz by the late pianist Frank Kimbrough, marks another dedication to that wonderful musician. This latter piece belongs to a group of gently molded compositions that go well together, namely “Never Ends”, a composition by Thomas delivered with a focused soprano saxophone, crisp bass notes, and with a final vamp triggering snare drum activity; and David Raskin’s standard “Laura”, painted with cymbal legato and refined brush technique. True to form, the bandleader never shies away from a good swinging groove, and Stanley Cowell’s “Reconfirmed” dives headfirst into a Parker-ish demeanor developed in the piano-bass-drums format.

With a knack for playing old and new pieces in a subtly dynamic fashion, Drummond reappears strong as the leader of this resilient quartet.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - Little Melonae ► 03 - Valse Sinistre ► 05 - Frankenstein

Allison Miller / Carmen Staaf - Nearness

Label: Sunnyside Records, 2022

Personnel - Allison Miller: drums; Carmen Staaf: piano.

On Nearness, a new recording that lives up to its name, drummer Allison Miller and pianist Carmen Staaf reconnect with the magnetic energy of their debut duo album, Science Fair (Sunnyside, 2018). Boasting a special chemistry that remains fun-lovingly intact, the duo shows a tremendous adaptability to any sort of modern jazz, presenting eight originals - three by Miller and five by Staaf - and two covers.

The lead-off track, “Dan Dan”, a product of Miller’s compositional creativity, is soulful, elegant and driving. In complete control of the kit, the drummer combines different parts to create warm and catchy sounds, while Staaf effortlessly accomplishes textures and tempos. They know exactly which type of sound suits each piece and do it tastefully.

Miller’s searching “Top Shelf” is another great illustration of their capabilities, kicking off rubato but advancing with surprising findings for an avant-garde meets post-bop delivery. This number, having a triple time feel conducting its rhythmic impetus, was originally recorded on Parlour Game, a 2019 album by Miller and violinist Jenny Scheinman, in which Staaf is also featured. Another piece retrieved from that album and included here is “Beans and Rice”, in which angular melodic traits combine with the swinging flow; we can hear Monk and Duke Ellington or, in other instances, Don Cherry and Oscar Peterson.

Staaf shows a strong affinity for the blues, contributing “Blue Thrush”, which is underpinned with selective percussive elements, and also “New York Landing”, whose twelve bar cycle in plain 4/4 allows for well seasoned chops. However, it was “Birds” that better worked out, a fluid popish song with magic in the interplay and traces of The Beatles and Keith Jarrett, which suddenly evolves to a Latin thrust before its dreamy ending.

Taste overrides technique, and the rendition of the jazz standard “The Nearness of You” is silky-smooth, sensual and exotic. On the other hand, Monk’s indelible ballad “Ask Me Now” doesn’t need much more than its sculptural melody to captivate. Nearness is an agreeable album sure to leave you with more gratification than before you start listening to it.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - Dan Dan ► 03 - Top Shelf ► 06 - Birds

Angles - A Muted Reality

Label: Clean Feed Records, 2022

Personnel - Martin Küchen: alto saxophone; Magnus Broo: trumpet; Goran Kajfes: trumpet, effects; Mats Äleklint: trombone, sousaphone; Alexander Zethson: piano, synth; Mattias Ståhl: vibraphone; Johan Berthling: double bass; Konrad Agnas: drums.

Angles is an ever-exciting, versatile, and mutable Swedish ensemble led by the cutting-edge saxophonist Martin Küchen. A Muted Reality is their latest recording, and includes three new compositions by the leader, arranged by the group. This album marks a return to the octet format.

Angles’ song archetypes and influences - ranging from West African rhythms to world-folk music to spiritual jazz odysseys - are manifest without sounding rehashed. This musical excursion,  glorified by uncompromising ways of expressing feelings and freedom, begins with the title track in a slow, mournful procession of modal ideas. This moderately dark setting leads to an effect-drenched trumpet solo over a measured cadence populated by diaphanous keyboard layers. Over the course of their improvisations, pianist Alexander Zethson and the bandleader deliver modal grandeur and fiery passion, respectively. They are later joined by skewing horns in a demonstration of strength and unity, whereas hope can be felt over the epic final section, whose Eastern tang is bolstered by sigmoid folk melodies and a percolating rhythm. 

“The Hidden Balcony” takes those Eastern sounds further deep; no weak moments are found. Creative soloing is ubiquitous with trumpeter Goran Kafjes and trombonist Mats Äleklint having the conn before a wild Polka-style vamp concludes the piece with plenty of rhythmic figures and free blowing. The final cut, stylishly called “Fkk Down, Fkk Off”, is a Mingus-like orchestration with swinging verve and boogie-woogie. The musicians bring some more traditional elements into the setting, making it somewhat nostalgic, and drummer Konrad Agnas celebrates his first appearance with the combo with a good stretch.

A Muted Reality is a thoroughly enjoyable musical flight with limitless space for the soloists to venture as well as moments of maximum collective powerhouse effect.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - A Muted Reality ► 02 - The Hidden Balcony

Bennie Maupin / Adam Rudolph - Symphonic Tone Poem for Brother Yusef

Label: Strut Records, 2022

Personnel - Bennie Maupin: reeds, flute; Adam Rudolph: percussion, piano, electronics.

Multireedist Bennie Maupin and percussionist Adam Rudolph, two veterans of the eclectic jazz cosmos, recorded this five-movement album to celebrate the 100th birthday of the great late saxophonist/flutist Yusef Lateef, author of indispensable exotic gems like Eastern Sounds (Prestige, 1961) and Jazz Mood (Savoy Jazz, 1957). Rudolph worked with Lateef for two decades and has been very active lately with his Go Organic Orchestra and trio outfits with saxophonists Dave Liebman and Ralph M. Jones, and drummers Hamid Drake and Tatsuya Nakatani. Not as busy as his musical partner, Maupin is associated with the work of a few jazz giants such as Miles Davis, Herbie Hancock and McCoy Tyner, among others. Both have distinctive work under their own names, and Symphonic Tone Poem for Brother Yusef serves us a flavorful sonic plate of avant-garde values and ambient jazz sensibilities.

“First Movement” adds serene electronics in the background in a refined ambience that includes thumb piano, hand drumming, voice, and other percussive elements that contribute to a triple time flow. Maupin’s sketchy lines are laid atop with an easygoing resolution. “Second Movement”, gracefully executed as a cyclic Zen meditation, resonates with warm, glowing gongs before installing a ritualistic pattern with cymbal splashes and vibing adornments. The flute makes it easier for us to imagine a magical place full of harmony, where our hearts fill up with positive energy.

Despite the quiet avant-garde setting of “Movement Three”, Maupin becomes more impulsive and restless with the time, oscillating between tearful, mysterious and searching. The following track, “Movement Four”, boasts some agitation in the fancy beat but doesn’t discard a few raw elements that consolidate the bridge between the modern and the ancient worlds. A well-outlined bass clarinet spreads duskiness, mystification and some opacity too, in contrast with the sparse sakuhachi flute that soars at a higher height. The enchanted atmosphere ceases when the transfixing rhythm returns, making for a vibrant conclusion. The free spirit of the duo continues on “Movement Five”, whose expert instrumentation - with mesmerizing piano intervals, understated percussion, and palpable clarinet lines - has a lock on the magical spells, but with considerable more darker intonations. 

This gifted duo never overcooks, finding the perfect formula to shine, with no need of frills and shocks to provide a wonderful experience for the listener. This is a gracefully executed work where their purity of vision and sense of modernity are going strong.

Favorite Tracks:
02 - Second Movement ► 04 - Fourth Movement ► 05 - Fifth Movement

Yaroslav Likhachev Quartet - Occasional Sketches

Label: Clean Feed Records, 2022

Personnel - Yaroslav Likhachev: tenor and soprano saxophone; Yannis Anft: piano; Conrad Noll: bass; Moritz Baranczyk: drums.

The effervescent, Cologne-based saxophonist Yaroslav Likhachev is clearly an inspired improviser but also a talented bandleader and composer, a fact attested by his debut album, Crumbling (JazzHausMusik, 2020), and now by Occasional Sketches, his first recording for Clean Feed. Heralding a compositional transition from one album to another, the saxist takes on even more complexity, bursting into the avant-garde jazz scene with successful results.

He and his dedicated quartet get in gear with “O.S. #3”, whose kinetic rhythm and melodic angularity are interrupted with a more abstract, pensive passage composed of jarred bass abrasions, saxophone multiphonics, softly dizzying pianism, and subdued drumming. Subsequently, we have a passage where improvisation reigns, with Lickhachev and pianist Yannis Anft unleashing phrases that mix classic elements and daring imagination. 

Sandwiched between the opener and “O.S. #2”, whose darker mood and stout-toned tenor inject pathos into the role, we have “O.S. #4”. The latter features a woozy soprano on the loose and pulls influences in no small part from Andrew Hill, Eric Dolphy, Steve Lacy, and Anthony Braxton. German bass player Conrad Noll makes his lines contract and expand by employing efficient pedal points, whereas Anft applies occasional tremolos and whirls during the perfectly-pitched improvisation of the bandleader.

The spunky “O.S.#5” is launched with bass and adds restless drums underneath before a terse sequence of notes and rhythmic figures becomes salient. “O.S. #1” advances in a proud strutting, boasting well turned soprano melodies; whereas “O.S. #7” suggests a firmly grounded ride with no falling off in intensity. It ends up in a thriving mania, encouraging some kind of electro-rock dance. Lastly, “Pre O.S.” takes us to the places where everything began, relying on intricate, fleet solos from tenor and piano.

Rising to the expectation, Likhachev mounts a disc that is refreshing in its efforts to push the envelope and gain new followers. Hence, what you have to do is give it a chance and let the indomitable energy draw you in.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - O.S. #3 ► 02 - O.S.#4 ► 09 - Pre O.S.

Harish Raghavan - In Tense

Label: Whirlwind Recordings, 2022

Personnel - Morgan Guerin: tenor saxophone, EWI, bass clarinet; Joel Ross: vibraphone, marimba; Charles Altura: guitar; Harish Raghavan: acoustic bass; Eric Harland: drums.

The sophomore album from the New York-based bassist and composer Harish Raghavan, In Tense, consists of six originals written with a specific quintet in mind - multi-woodwind player Morgan Guerin, guitarist Charles Altura, vibraphonist Joel Ross and drummer Eric Harland. The musical setting, defined with more composure than heat, manifests a new trajectory in his discography, and we find each musician navigating hills and valleys as if tracking a well-charted course. Here, the contemporary vision remains intact and the musical skills efficient, as demonstrated in his debut, Call for Action, and in sideman appearances with the likes of Ambrose Akinmusire, Walter Smith III and Marquis Hill.

“AMA”, which opens with big bass notes and subtle electronics, feels like an emotionally charged pop/rock song with enough air to breathe, proffering crisp harmonic progressions, fresh melodicism, and a spastic solo by Raghavan. The piece shares some similarities in posture and texture with the title track, which, colored by vibes, features a charismatic guitar solo while diluting most of its tension in subtleness.

The wryly post-bop elegance of “Circus Music”, a tune written in response to our troubled times, unwraps a well-outlined theme with rhythmic accentuation and a slight angular bend. Guerin and Altura, who often work cheek by jolt throughout the record, alternate bars here, applying their clear speeches after a patiently evolving solo by Ross. They reel off again on both “S2020” and the closing “Prayer”. The former invokes the future with a complex theme, carrying a folk innuendo in the melodic proceedings and a straight-eight bass groove that steams things up; the latter, more glamorous than fervent, accelerates in tempo, going funky-ish in the interest of the improvisations before reviving the shininess of the main melody.

“Eight-Thirteen” got its name from the time a minute before Raghavan’s son was born. It’s structured and restructured with changeable passages that don’t require to be strengthened in the flow since the bassist keeps the groove solid and going, always backed by Harland’s conversational drums.

Not all tracks hit us hard or with the same intensity, but with the assistance of musicians with a penchant for exploring sonic terrain, Raghavan builds his own sonic architecture, partly meditative and partly propulsive.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - AMA ► 02 - Circus Music ► 06 - Prayer

Tarbaby feat. Oliver Lake - Dance of the Evil Toys

Label: Clean Feed Records, 2022

Personnel - Orrin Evans: piano; Eric Revis: bass; Nasheet Waits: drums + Guests: Oliver Lake: alto saxophone; Josh Lawrence: trumpet; Dana Murray: percussion (#4).

The new outing from Tarbaby, the acoustic avant-jazz trio co-led by pianist Orrin Evans, bassist Eric Revis and drummer Nasheet Waits, primarily guests the legendary altoist Oliver Lake, and also greets the up-and-coming Josh Lawrence on trumpet and Dana Murray on percussion on selected tunes. Dance of the Evil Toys, their first album for the Clean Feed label, comprises 11 compositions - three by Revis, two by Lake, two collective improvisations, two surprising covers, and one each by Waits and Lawrence.

The album opens with “Blessed One The Eternal Truth” by the soul jazz keyboardist Trudy Pitts, featuring vocals by Evans over a wonderful accompaniment of bass and brushed drums. The pianist brings out a bright chordal sequence in the B section of the tune and his singing becomes more and more captivating. The two following numbers are by Lake: “Bonu” was originally included in the saxophonist duo album with William Parker, To Roy, and later revisited in 2017 by the Trio 3. This current version features Waits at the outset - his command of the kit involves cymbal washes and subdued tom-tom activity - and then Lake, who formulates his melodies with expressive intonation over a protean texture that never rushes but tentatively swells in intensity. His phrases find echoes in his peers’ actions. The other piece is “Bumper”, where the altoist leads by blowing with eloquence, triumphantly backed by a rhythm team that stretches loose with swinging motions and pulsing vitality. Evans is marvelous in his harmonic deconstructions and Waits gets our attention here again with explicit snare maneuvers and unexpected accents.

The composition that gave the album its title is the first of three Revis offerings. As you may recall, this piece was the opening track of Branford Marsalis’ outstanding album The Secret Between the Shadow and the Soul. This straight eight avant-garde expedition can take us anywhere in our mind, and the simultaneous presence of Lawrence and Murray expedites bass perambulations and other fragmented passages with enough tonal inquiries. The trumpeter’s laid-back “Purple” doesn’t distract from the staples the trio defines for itself, and comes fueled by the distinct yet effective articulations of Lawrence and Lake, who blow their horns both separately and combined. Preceding that, Waits’ “Ke-Kelli” revealed as much enigmatic tones as shifting precision, reaching its apex with a stupefying piano solo over a vamping sequence with stately teamwork between bass and drums. 

Tarbaby’s take on Prince’s haunting pop ballad “Sometimes it Snows in April” ends the recording on a soft note. Yet, intuitive players of the highest order like these rarely allow you to rest in their infinite search for something.

Favorite Tracks:
03 - Bumper ► 04 - Dance of the Evil Toys ► 06 - Ke-Kelli

Anteloper - Pink Dolphins

Label: International Anthem, 2022

Personnel - Jaimie Branch: trumpet, electronics, percussion, vocals; Jason Nazary: drums, synth + Jeff Parker: guitar, bass guitar, percussion, synth; Chad Taylor: mbira (#2)

Anteloper is a modern duo of intense improvisers whose versatility and layering capabilities make them sound bigger than a simple duo. The co-leaders, razor-sharped trumpeter Jaimie Branch (Fly or Die) and exciting drummer Jason Nazary (Darius Jones Trio), invited guitarist Jeff Parker (Tortoise) to play in and produce this five-track electro-hop-jazz meets punk-rock album. Pink Dolphins, their third release, is the follow-up to Kudo (2018) and Tour Beats Vol.1 (2020).

“Inia” starts the proceedings by carving out a pinpoint grid of caustic electronics, synth, and snappy drums for a trippy experience. At its crest, we spot Branch’s trumpet lines, which may take the form of coiled freakazoid wires or simply composed observations. With a similar posture, “Baby Bota Halloceanation” alludes to the Wadada Leo Smith type of vibrations but with an abreast rhythmic design that creates shuffling momentum.

Special guest and respected drummer Chad Taylor plays mbira on “Delfin Rosado”, a more tangible piece with an-easy-to-follow melody and an adroit pulse. The approach is, nevertheless, disarming, as they mitigate the chasm between indie rock, electronica, and avant-jazz. These guys do this better than many other outfits around. Like the track I’ve just described, “Earthlings” has the finger of Parker, being very much jazzified by his electric sound. Still, Branch is the one who steals the show with her singing. There’s this irresistible swirling of the drums stitching the texture, a blurry emotional chorus that sounds awesome, and that settlement between the boisterous and the mellow makes it the elected alternative rock tune of the summer.

Clocking in at nearly 15 minutes, “One Living Genus” is the new-psychedelia effort that concludes the album. It comes packed with synth washes and a regular 4/4 rhythm in its early stage; then it bubbles more than crunches with successive doses of flamboyance before prolonging for seven minutes the static atmospheric restraint with which it ends.

This is provocative music for curious ears. Definitely fresh numbers with singular moods and in-context progressive modernity.

Favorite Tracks:
02 - Delfin Rosado ► 03 - Earthlings

Kirk Knuffke Trio - Gravity Without Airs

Label: TAO Forms Records, 2022

Personnel - Kirk Knuffke: cornet; Matthew Shipp: piano; Michael Bisio: bass.

Prescinding of drums, the avant-garde cornetist Kirk Knuffke is in very good hands while teaming up with two magnificent explorers from a different generation who have been recording extensively together for years now: pianist Matthew Shipp and bassist Michael Bisio. If the former played with Knuffke for the very first time here, then the latter was featured alongside him in both duo and trio (with cellist Fred Lonberg-Holm) configurations. The program chosen for this double disc CD includes six Knuffke compositions and eight improvised numbers. 

Knuffke’s “Gravity Without Airs”, whose title was taken from Meditations by Marcus Aurelius, opens this recording of the same name with epic chordal movements, digging-deep bass sounds and mesmerizing cornet melodies delivered with impressive tonal range and intervallic elasticity. The players are definitely at the top of their game here, and the grandiosity of their musical imagination is used every second of the tune’s 11:37 minutes to astonish. The album is stronger when it comes to twisty revelations, and this piece, out of nowhere, takes us to staggering rhythms as well as invigorating motions and struts. 

His creative opus proceeds with the improvisation “Stars Go Up”, which, without being explicitly dark, immerses us into a pool of mystery filled with lyrical maturity. Knuffke’s pitched screams clash with the spasmodic contortions of the rhythm section, just like in the modal “The Water Will Win”, an openwork of perplexity and liberation.

“Between Today and May”, a non-cloying ballad written by the bandleader, feels more spiritual than physical, exhibiting beautifully haunting bowed bass and tender piano melodicism. If Bisio sounds fabulous at every pluck of the string in “Birds of Passage”, then Shipp never hesitates in his articulation of cadenced hammered piano clusters whose locomotion winds down progressively. 

Knuffke never fails to generate ideas, stimulated by the groundwork force from his two associates. That fact is perceptible on “Heal the Roses”, where they hit peaks and valleys, full of prep with taut exchanges between cornet and piano. “Shadows to Dance”, for example, plunges into a pleasant reverie but then switches gears, embracing something murkier and menacing for the most of its duration. “Today For Today”, another composition by the cornetist, ends the record with subtle liquid phrasing - more like Chet Baker than Don Cherry - over a palpable and beautiful texture. 

The possibilities of the material are vast and the trio constantly catches and opens our ears with sublime excursions marked by cohesiveness and expansiveness. Gravity Without Airs is a highlight in Knuffke's discography.

Favorite Tracks: 
01 - Gravity Without Airs ► 02 - Stars Go Up ► 03 - Between Today and May ► 08 - The Water Will Win 

Gard Nilssen Acoustic Unity - Elastic Wave

Label: ECM Records, 2022

Personnel - André Roligheten: tenor, soprano and bass saxophones, clarinet; Petter Eldh: acoustic bass; Gard Nilssen: drums.

The fourth album of Norwegian drummer Gard Nilssen’s Acoustic Unity, the first on the ECM Records, doesn’t low the bar set on previous recordings, displaying a well-oiled trio with as much lyricism as rhythmic inventiveness. As habitually happens, multi-reedist André Roligheten and bassist Petter Eldh are in tune with Nilssen’s vision, and the eleven compositions on Elastic Wave succeed one another with tapestries littered with dizzying propulsion and soulfully intoned melodies.

With the opening track, “Altaret”, the trio transpires devotional lyricism, falling into a calm, sweet mode that resonates emphatically with the listener. Before its close, there’s a brushed folk-infused vamp enhancing beautiful brights. Following a similar pathway, “Spending Time with Ludvig”, intertwines folk and avant-garde jazz, recalling the spirituals of Albert Ayler, Pharaoh Sanders, and Archie Shepp. The tune, written for Nilssen’s young son, shapes up and builds momentum through genuine saxophone expressions, dancing basslines, and a highly articulated drum flow.

Another piece rooted in the vernacular of folk and straddling traditions is “The Room Next to Her”, where the deep aphorisms pronounced by the bass saxophone mix with the impeccable tom-tom rumbles and cymbal crashes of the bandleader. This earthly feel contrasts with the ethereal spirituality found on “Lokket til Jon, og skjerfet Paul”, a ballad that honors drummers Jon Christensen and Paul Motian, mentioning their cymbal and scarf, respectively, in the title.

If Eldh’s “Dreignau” enables us to feel the silkiness of the clarinet, a nonuple meter that shifts along the way, and an impeccable ground layer that defines its pulse, then “The Other Village” features Roligheten’s two-horn signature blowing, meaning he plays the tenor and soprano saxes simultaneously. It’s hard not to succumb to accented-themed avant-garde thrusters such as “Influx Delight”, with its tireless bass and drums flow; “Acoustic Dance Music”, which bounds into an energetic hard-swinging motion; and “Boogie”, an upbeat, staccato-delivered romp with a singable melody, and where Eldh and Nilssen keep the groove alive.

Daringly outlined and yet expansive and open, this new collection of compositions shows the ability of three highly articulated speakers to create with equal parts inspiration, responsiveness, and artistry.

Favorite Tracks:
02 - Spending Time with Ludvig ► 03 - Dreignau ► 07 - Boogie

Lisbeth Quartett - Release

Label: Intakt Records, 2022

Personnel - Charlotte Greve: alto saxophone; Manuel Schmiedel: piano; Marc Muellbauer: bass; Moritz Baumgärtner: drums.

Release marks the anticipated return of the German Lisbeth Quartett to the studio albums, 13 years after its debut, Grow (Double Moon Records, 2009), and ceasing a five-year hiatus since its latest release, There is Only Make (Traumton Records, 2017). This work, the first for the European Intakt label, generates more elegance than turbulence through eight impeccably written pieces - seven by saxophonist Charlotte Greve and one by bassist Marc Muellbauer - that gain an extraordinary poetic nature in the hands of four musical narrators. 

“Full Circling” is an impassively quiet solo-less piece whose mantric roundness purposely eschews heaviness. The next two tracks demand close listening. “Bayou” is an old song, revisited with a drum recital upfront. Comfortable behind the kit, Moritz Baumgärtner keeps his thing going after pianist Manuel Schmiedel echoes a 12-beat-cycle piano figure with class and groove. Saxophonist and bassist function in parallel, but it all shifts in texture and tempo with astonishing candor. There’s solo piano introspection before Greve’s heartfelt statement announces the curtain-close of a journey that suddenly returns to a streamlined rhythm in the last 30 seconds. Then it's Muellbauer’s “Le Mistral” that arrives, almost touching on a medieval troubadourism and expanding with incisive chordal work, pulsing bass lines that feel as loose as gripping, and tight complex lines delivered in unison by piano and saxophone. A magnetic alto solo with significant discursive range is brought before the main theme.

The emaciated “Ellipsis” spreads both emotional honesty and intimacy, trailed by a beautiful melody that sails across the enchanting accompaniment with lightness. It includes elementary bass pedals, cymbal scintillation, and modal piano intersections characterized by harmonic nuance. With “Arrow”, the trio shows some rhythmic bite, pressurizing the atmosphere with a rock-hard collective commitment, fine solos, and an exciting finale.

Before the short, intangible “Outro” that concludes this strong body of work, there’s the title track, which has Baumgärtner weaving exquisite details and throwing syncopated responses against the serene instrumentation that surrounds him. The last third of the song welcomes an insistent bass pulsation that doesn’t spoil the appealing nature of the song.

This quartet synthesizes their influences in an original way, and the result is a strangely affecting album to be savored many times with a guarantee of newly discovered elements at each listening.

Favorite Tracks:
02 - Bayou ► 03 - Le Mistral ► 04 - Ellipsis

Randal Despommier - A Midsummer Odyssey feat. Ben Monder

Label: Sunnyside Records, 2022

Personnel - Randal Despommier: alto saxophone; Ben Monder: guitar.

Randal Despommier, an up-and-coming saxophonist born in New Orleans and based in New York, teams up with guitarist Ben Monder in a rich duo album that comprises nine interpretations of tunes by Swedish baritonist Lars Gullin. A Midsummer Odyssey is the second collaboration between the saxophonist and the guitarist, following their involvement in the former’s debut album Dio C’è (Outside in Music, 2021), which was put together in a sextet configuration. 

The lead-off track is the peculiarly titled “Toka Voka Oka Boka”, which brings a strong sense of Swedish folk and classical poetry in the melody, an atypical time feel, and a gorgeous rock twang in the texture. The capacity for hooking listeners with their tasteful lyricism is present again on “Danny’s Dream”, a ballad written for Gullin’s son, which, despite being more conventional in sound, is subjected to a lush harmonization by Monder. It was thanks to this piece that Despommier first had contact with Gullin’s music in 2005 while studying in Perugia, Italy.

The rubato minor mood of “Mazurka” strikes a perfect balance of wistfulness and comfort. The original piece, included in Gullin’s 1974 album Bluesport, was partly inspired by Chopin. The beautiful sense of melody and storytelling continues with “Dyningar”, a shimmering waltz with an occasional understated touch of bossa nova in the solo guitar section. This Brazilian-derived style is taken further by the radiant “I Min Smala Sang”, which was originally written to accompany a poem by Dutch-born Swedish troubadour Cornelis Vreeswijk.

“I Hope It’s Spring For You” is another well known tune in Sweden due to its linkage to a popular TV series for which it was written. Charlie Parker’s common-law wife, Chan Parker, wrote the lyrics in the ‘70s, but this instrumental version verges on the balladic side, consistent with Monder’s textural moves and Despommier’s sailing facility over the tranquil harmonic seas. The duo also brings their finely-honed telepathy into “Igloo”, whose theme is played in bright unison with some descendant triplets in a fully-colored swinging jazz style. There's more incantation than agitation here.

Despite their distinct personalities, Despommier and Monder pair up very well as they take on the chosen Gullin repertoire with acumen and serenity.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - Toka Voka Oka Boka ► 05 - Mazurka ► 06 - Dyningar