Satoko Fujii - Hyaku, One Hundred Dreams

Label: Libra Records, 2022

Personnel - Satoko Fujii: piano, composition; Ingrid Laubrock: tenor saxophone; Sara Schoenbeck: bassoon; Wadada Leo Smith: trumpet; Natsuki Tamura: trumpet; Ikue Mori: electronics; Brandon Lopez: bass; Tom Rainey: drums; Chris Corsano: drums.

For her 100th album as a leader, the prolific avant-garde jazz pianist and composer Satoko Fujii assembles a tight-knit nine-piece ensemble filled with talent. The five-part suite that constitutes Hyaku, One Hundred Dreams was composed at home during Covid years, and matured into a compelling work captured live at The DiMenna Center in NYC. 

With undeniable virtuosity, Fujii’s dreams begin enigmatic, dreamy and explorative with piano, percussion and electronics giving the example. They are later joined by the booming bass notes of Brandon Lopez, who makes his debut under the command of the bandleader. After a noisy collective passage, it’s the bassoonist Sara Schoenbeck, another novelty in Fujii’s new lineup, who shines with melodic attentiveness and timbral expansion. Following Wadada Leo Smith’s short yet alluring trumpet reverie, the pair of drummers - Tom Rainey and Chris Corsano - assumes a centripetal forward pull with energy. Ceremonial unisons give the piece its conclusion.

The Japanese trumpeter Natsuki Tamura takes control of “Part 2” in its inception, but the grinding bowed bass of the final section oozes some shades that go well with the previous buzzing, low-pitched fervor. “Part 3” features saxophonist Ingrid Laubrock in fashionable creativity with bass and drums. The other horn players work as tension inducers, but it’s the clusters of trumpet, electronics and drums that build up distinct layers of sound. Flurries of notes with exploratory impulses and impetuous interjections are part of the melodic thrust created by Laubrock and Schoenbeck. They maintain the momentum here, taking us directly to “Part 4”, where wonderful accented lines and a flowing angularity recall Andrew Hill. Electronic artist Ikue Mori organizes a section of her own, and then we have brass instruments and woodwinds in polyphonic counterpoint. Laubrock steps forward though, radiating interesting voicings with a handful of extended techniques. There’s no stiff metronomics but rather a free-flowing stream that benefits all these broad-minded improvisers. 

“Part 5” brings the suite to a close, apparently as a self-possessed melodic configuration with a perceptible harmonic underpin. But then, things expand into multiple debate with the four horns at the center, and encouraging rock-prompted fluxes that also put the drummers in the foreground. Fujii, a tireless dreamer, is a creative force with an envelope-pushing imagination. She’s found here in the pinnacle of her compositional capacities.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - One Hundred Dreams, Part One ► 03 - Part Three ► 04 - Part Four

Fred Hersch & Esperanza Spalding - Alive at the Village Vanguard

Label: Palmetto Records, 2022

Personnel - Fred Hersch: piano; Esperanza Spalding: vocals.

Without major arrangements, this piano-voice duo recording captured live at New York's Village Vanguard, shows off the many musical qualities of Fred Hersch and Esperanza Spalding. The pair imbues most of the tunes with a quirky perspective and humor, but I felt this work more as an audience entertainment rather than an audio recording to be revisited.

Gershwin’s “But Not For Me” swings in rubato time with theatrical posture and a kind of jocularity in the words. Spalding’s vocal solo is followed by Hersch's contrapuntal notes professed in different registers of the piano. The musicians waste no time showing melodic agility on “Dream of Monk”, a tune with lyrics from the pianist, which had been previously  included on his 2012 trio album Alive at the Vanguard (with bassist John Hébert and drummer Eric McPherson). Due to its nature, there’s an ample improvisational window turned into playful and intuitive interaction. Monk’s mysterious ways are evoked and exhaled at every breath with fluid changes of rhythm and intonation. 

The homage to the iconic pianist of “Round Midnight” is intensified with a rendition of one of his tunes: “Evidence”, here made wondrous in detail by Hersch after a responsive introduction. The vocalist shines on the latter piece but finds new spaces on “Loro”, where the Brazilian folk complexities of its composer, Egberto Gismonti, is dismantled by an effortless communication with her accompanist. Their deep-seated instinct takes the form of a slinky celebration on Charlie Parker’s calypso-bop flavored “Little Suede Shoes”, where there’s an inclination for percussive extended techniques and the low registers.

“Girl Talk” is made rightfully critical by Spalding but didn’t catch my ear, just like “A Wish”, the discreet closing number penned by Hersch and Norma Winstone and firstly recorded in 2003 to be included on their duo album Songs & Lullabies.

Mostly traditionally low-key, this is an album to be played once, not twice… and here comes Monk again!

Favorite Tracks:
02 - Dream of Monk ► 05 - Evidence ► 07 - Loro

Igor Lumpert Innertextures - I Am the Spirit of the Earth

Label: Clean Feed, 2022

Personnel - Igor Lumpert: tenor saxophone; Greg Ward: alto saxophone; Peter Evans: trumpet; Chris Tordini: double bass; Kenny Grohowski: drums; Jeff Miles: guitar (#1,2,4,5,9); John Ellis: bass clarinet (#1,2,4,5,7); Caleb Curtis: alto saxophone (#4,8,9).

Slovenian saxophonist and composer Igor Lumpert enlisted a wonderful group of collaborators for I Am The Spirit of the Earth, the sophomore album with his Innertextures project. The complexity within the outlined structure of some pieces doesn’t remove space for improvisation, reflecting his creative spirit in terms of consistency, focus and fire.

Opening the door to a vibrant experience, “Roots” benefits from the nimble movements of bass clarinetist John Ellis in the textural work, who is joined by chained horn-driven lines and the guitar of Jeff Miles. There’s a rambling, effervescent saxophone solo from Lumpert, followed by a precise, acute statement by trumpeter Peter Evans, who enjoys the dynamic comping provided by guitar, bass and drums. 

“Slovenian Fight Song” is split into two different cuts. The first part puts on display spectacular saxophone statements, while the second, being shorter, feels more orchestral-centered with plenty of unisons at start, an 13/4 meter in the groove, and a powerhouse saxophone solo with motifs and rhythmic stunting. 

The title track starts off as a mystic meditation but ends in a constructive saxophone counterstatement with solos by Lumpert and Greg Ward over an agitated ground. In the same way, with splendid dynamics, “Zoo Frog” boasts staccato-filled phrasing and fascinating counterpoint. Following a striking saxophone solo developed over a poised comping of bass and drums, is Ellis who captivates as he lowers the range of the notes with authoritative pronouncement.

The facility and joy put into this well-written music is mirrored on “Rimbaud”, where the alto saxophonists Caleb Curtis and Ward giddily respond to each other in witty dialogue. The final window, framed as an avant-chamber-jazz vamping, shows off excellent work by the drummer Kenny Grohowski.

Lumpert knits all the pieces together with ecstatic vision, and the result is an organic work that makes every risk feel right and necessary.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - Roots ► 03 - Slovenian Fight Song, Part 2 ► 08 - Rimbaud

Jon Irabagon - Rising Sun

Label: Irabbagast Records, 2022

Personnel - Jon Irabagon: tenor saxophone; Matt Mitchell: piano, Fender Rhodes; Chris Lightcap: electric, acoustic bass (#4); Dan Weiss: drums.
Guests: Miles Okazaki: guitar (#3,6); Adam O’Farrill: trumpet (#5,7).

Walking blazing trails that show all his musicality and technical prowess, saxophonist Jon Irabagon puts together seven incredible pieces inspired by and composed during a post-pandemic-restrictions road trip to the American Mountain States (South Dakota, Idaho, Utah, Colorado and Wyoming).

On the album, aptly titled Rising Sun, Irabagon is joined by a virtuosic rhythm section that includes the ultra-modern keyboardist Matt Mitchell, the sturdy bassist Chris Lightcap, who eschewed his usual upright for an electric bass guitar (the sped-up rendition of Dizzy Gillespie’s “Bebop” is the exception), and the driving drummer Dan Weiss. 

The session, dedicated to saxophonist Barry Bergstrom, starts freely bouncing with “Sundance”, which sets the mood with excitement and post-bop verve. Irabagon’s language is professed with impressive details and superb articulation. After unison segments with Mitchell, it's the pianist who deconstructs with polyrhythmic consciousness. This number becomes balmy, mellow and bluesy, inviting Lightcap for a solo, and then vamps with circular demeanor in the changes, gaining a dimension that evokes the folk jazz of Keith Jarrett, the avant-garde intensity of David Murray, and the sophistication of Sonny Rollins.

“Alliance” cuts across in post-modern fashion. Apart from anything else, Weiss introduces the proceedings, and his work is subsequently consolidated with a motivic, wildly loping bass line full of funk. In the background, Mitchell is on the loose, while Irabagon, making a delayed entrance, expands the motif at the base during his powered flight. In the third part of the song, the group installs a pulsating Latin feel, escalating into a spirituality that recalls Pharoah Sanders.

The bandleader launches “Hoodootoo” unaccompanied, moderately growling with expression and extracting focused pitches from his horn. Intervallic mosaics stimulate the group, here turned into a quintet due to the responsively rowdy presence and progressive vision of guest guitarist Miles Okazaki. Amping the energy to new heights via stitching wha-wha fabrics, the latter also plays on “Rising Sun”, a nearly hallucinogenic trip set in motion with rapturous free-funk liberties.

Trumpeter Adam O’Farrill builds a formidable frontline coalition with Irabagon on two numbers: the cool but heavy in pace “Mammoth”, which is initially peppered by the saxophonist with inside/outside agility, metric balance and soulful posture; and the closing “Needles”, where the dance continues with Weiss momentarily on the spotlight.

Abounding in freshness, this is a pure saxophone treat that shows why Irabagon is one of the most foremost saxophonists of our times.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - Sundance ► 05 - Mammoth ► 06 - Rising Sun

Simone Basile - Morning Raga

Label: Emme Record Label, 2022

Personnel - Simone Basile: guitar; Manuel Caliumi: saxophones; Enzo Carniel: piano; Ferdinando Romano: double bass; Giovanni Paolo Liguori: drums.

Inspired by the spirituality that emerges from Indian ragas, Italian guitarist/composer Simone Basile put together nine tightly composed numbers for a session whose contemporaneity and adaptability are very much on display.

Following “Bob Alert”, an effect-drenched guitar introduction with an enveloping role and the words of Bob Kennedy in the back, we can perceive that the members of this quintet are far from strangers. By sharing artistic sensibilities and an uncanny musical rapport, the group mounts “Morning Raga”, the most beautiful track on the record, with a dazzling collective aptitude. A stunning entrance motivated by thematic cohesiveness gives the song a great hook that is expanded by the soloists - saxophonist Manuel Caliumi and Basile - who fly through the clever changes with expressiveness. Employing a cool tone, the former finds a few pauses to better shape his well-developed phrases; the latter brings emotion and excitement during a resonating guitar statement. These same two musicians engage in a dynamic dialogue on “Moak’s Shop”, a tune with agreeable melodicism and rich harmonic pavement, and fight a pacific duel with distinct timbres on the rock-shaded “Macci 36”, where spotless parallel lines go well with the rhythmic certainty underneath.

“Hope” is played unhurriedly and rubato in one moment, and with a throbbing, prayerful vagueness next. It combines bowed bass, atmospheric guitar, tremolo piano textures, toms and cymbal enlightenment, and serviceable saxophone lines. “Hamsadhwani” is a raga flowing in five with persistent Eastern tinges and fusion undertones materialized by the French keyboardist Enzo Carniel. The crisp unison melody of the theme reveals a relative complexity that never overshadows accessibility.

With his latest release, Basile proves his growth in the art of music making. And a nice, flowing energy comes out of his compelling compositional efforts. 

Favorite Tracks:
02 - Morning Raga ► 03 - Moak’s Shop ► 06 - Hope

Matthieu Mazué Trio - We Stay Still

Label: Jazzdoor, 2022

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

We Stay Still is Mathieu Mazué Trio’s intriguing follow up to Cortex (Unit Records, 2021). The album, made up entirely of original compositions and presented with as much discipline as freedom, passes the idea of ‘through-composed’ momentum.

“White Fields” is launched with demonstrative, poignant piano playing; shivering in the way Mazué employs intervals and surfaces. The bassist Xaver Rüegg, whose notes notably lock in with the drummer Michael Cina’s drive, delivers a sophisticated if enigmatic solo, benefitting from apt piano support in the upper registers. Roughly felt as a haunting dirge, this piece bears some similar qualities as “Au Plus Profond Des Steppes”, where we find some volatility in the footprint and accuracy in the rhythmic accents; the enigmatic tones turning it picturesque and slightly labyrinthine in the side paths.

The trio gives it all on “Supply Chains”, whose rhythmic ferociousness will probably make your head and feet move back and forth. It’s like if punk rock had met electronic music with a marvelously inventive touch. The confident alliance between the bassist and the drummer paves the way, with the two-hand dexterity of Mazué’s incursions fanning out across the surface. “Knocks” can also be frenetic, vigorous and complex, but alternates moods via more meditative atmospheres.

Tension-filled blocks are constituent of “Dislocation”, revealing a modern kind of swing with breaks and abrupt runs, whereas “Shells” denotes a more conventional swinging flow that empowers Rüegg and Cina to trade fours with a conversant disposition.

Cerebral but with a loose fluidity, “Standing Black Shape” is the longest track of the record, lasting more than 12 minutes. Despite the systemic approach, the journey is eventful, ending up in a motivic concentration of sound.

Mazué’s modernist trio has a lot to give to contemporary jazz, unwrapping inspirations and talking idioms of their own creation.

Favorite Tracks:
02 - Au Plus Profond Des Steppes ► 03 - Supply Chains ► 05 - Dislocation

PAN - I Had a Dream

Label: Creative Sources, 2022

Personnel - Jung-Jae Kim: tenor saxophone; Vít Beneš: electric guitar; Joel Haag: acoustic guitar; Shafeeq Alsadi: qanun; Farshad Saremi: kamancheh.

PAN is an international quintet based in Sweden with a peculiar instrumentation that includes saxophone, acoustic and electric guitars, qanun (an Arabic type of zither) and kamancheh (an Iranian bowed string instrument). The group has a different way of dealing with sound, running seven composed cuts (by saxophonist Jung-Jae Kim) in programmatic fashion. Their experimentalism often takes the form of avant-garde collages bound to suggest shadings and contrapuntal complexities.

“Air Dream” comes wrapped in sonic ambiguity, heavily contrasting with the motorized flux of sounds of “Road Driving”, where the sensation of speed and acceleration is notorious, and “Bricks Battery”, whose motivic patterns involve considerable warping. 

In a first phase, “Wave Voice” combines the multiphonic sounds of the saxophonist and the erratic bowing of the kamancheh player Farshad Saremi. Surrounded by a buzzing aura and immersed in a dreamlike state, they are joined by the incantatory plucking of the qanun, while the guitarists contribute slightly discording configurations. All tracks follow unconventional notation, but catchy melodic lines are introduced here with good judgement, taking a special effect on the Eastern-tinged “Radio Nostalgia”. This is a romantic, if poignant, number with vocalized expression. 

The exploratory tendencies of the quintet, which employs alternative techniques, are felt even more on “Siren Sopor”. This one, shaped up by noisy saxophone in tireless circularity, carries an ambient stillness created by the qanun, and some eerie, low-pitched tones in the background.

PAN’s adventurous creative styling relies on curious themes that breathe, clink, clank, and noodle together, sometimes in a low simmer, other times in a controlled state of trepidation.

Favorite Tracks:
03 - Wave Voice ► 04 - Siren Sopor ► 06 - Radio Nostalgia

Gonzalo Rubalcaba & Trio D'Été - Turning Point

Label: 5Passion Records, 2022

Personnel - Gonzalo Rubalcaba: piano; Matt Brewer: bass; Eric Harland: drums.

Technically advanced, the Cuban-born pianist Gonzalo Rubalcaba boasts above-the-average rhythmic skills in front of the keyboard. Turning Point, the follow-up to Skyline (5Passion, 2021), signals the second installment in a trilogy of trios that intends to explore new sounds with different cohorts. Here, his Trio D’Eté features two other rhythmic experts, bassist Matt Brewer and drummer Eric Harland, with whom he worked on other occasions.

“Infantil”, a flourishing piece dedicated to the fusion guitar icon John McLaughlin, opens the program as a rhythmic mesh that includes swinging parts and multiple breaks in the flow. Influences of Latin, funk and straight-ahead jazz are condensed in the ideas that flow effortlessly from Rubalcaba’s fingers. From the beginning, Brewer’s big bass sound imposes the step, and the ever-responsive Harland extemporizes intermittently in a few bar exchanges with his colleagues.

Like the aforementioned number, which was included on the album Avatar (Blue Note, 2008), both “Otra Mirada” and “The Hard One” were previously recorded. Originally a bolero, the former is a bit extended and doesn’t appeal much to me, while the latter is a motivic, fluid, and staccato-charged piece with shades of Chick Corea and some Bartok and Stravinsky inspirations.

More meditative, and contrasting with the fervent swinging mechanisms of the short-lived “Turning I” and “Turning II”, “Ikú” is a mournful Yoruba-inspired dirge that turns out emotionally honest in its melodicism. It becomes more diffuse and energetic with the time, facilitating Harland’s (brushes/mallets) competence to stand out.

The disc ends with the brightly colored “Joy, Joie”, specifically written by Rubalcaba for this trio. It follows a simple AABA structure over which you'll find great piano playing and an exciting vamp that stimulates the drummer to create and extend elegant chops. 

Favorite Tracks:
01 - Infantil ► 06 - The Hard One ► 07 - Joy, Joie

Patricia Brennan - More Touch

Label: Pyroclastic Records, 2022

Personnel - Patricia Brennan: vibraphone; Kim Cass: double bass; Mauricio Herrera: percussion; Marcus Gilmore: drums.

More Touch is a courageous step and important record from Patricia Brennan, a wonderful vibraphonist who is rapidly becoming one of the most innovative on today’s contemporary jazz scene. The nature of her compositions gives the quartet the chance to stretch and test boundaries, and the musicians respond by adding a unique dimension to her creative vein. Brennan is seen shoulder to shoulder with a talented rhythm team: bassist Kim Cass, who is an expert in form, texture and groove; the skillful Cuban percussionist Mauricio Herrera; and Marcus Gilmore, an unreservedly modern drummer who surprises in every project he participates.

The rhythmically charged “Unquiet Respect” opens with a samba sequence, later given harmonic perspective with Cass’ groovy underpin and Brennan’s rapturous vibing work. Slightly bendable in pitch, her trance jazz dance from the outer space resulted from the mix of reggae and soca (a blend of African and East Indian rhythms) of her hometown of Veracruz, Mexico.

The title cut can be classified as a psychedelic electro ambient that gets polyrhythmically turbulent before the ending. Reserved but with a sophisticated intimate ambiance, “The Woman Who Weeps” is a modal-induced exertion whose strong spiritual connotation comes from its inspiration: the Mother of Sorrows (Mater Dolorosa).

Clocking in at nearly 15 minutes, “Space for Hour” is all about space, silence and atmospheric enchantment. Attentive listeners will detect ghostly moments, vamping grooves, impeccable rhythmic accentuation, and passionate improvs. The fascination created by the jazz harmonies and its fearless drive can also be heard on “El Nahualli (The Shadow of Soul)”, whose odd-metered theme Brennan defines with a great melodic sense. Having its immense percussive work as a consistent sustain, this piece emanates a strange warmth throughout.

Cass becomes an undertow of his own conscience during the explanatory bass intro of “Convergences”, as well as in the first part of “Robbin”, which firstly depicts silent snowy landscapes before expanding horizons with a rock-inspired texture that approves spontaneity. The quartet finalizes with the ritualistic “And There Was Light”, where the Batá drums, largely used in Cuba’s Santeria, is preponderant. 

There’s nothing conventional here, with Brennan trailing a musical path that we very much urge you to explore.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - Unquiet Respect ► 03 - Space for Hour ► 04 - El Nahualli

Darren Pickering Small Worlds - Volume One

Label: Rattle Records, 2022

Personnel - Darren Pickering: piano, modular synth, iPad; Mitch Dwyer: guitar; Pete Fleming: bass; Mitch Thomas: drums.

New Zealander keyboardist and composer Darren Pickering leads his Small Worlds project - a quartet with guitar, bass and drums - in an intimate session recorded between October and December 2021. The group churns out some interesting ideas while keeping cool introspection in practice, opening the record with the delicately woven “Simple Ballad”. The title may give you a hint about space and pace, but doesn’t tell you about the sizzling sound of tightly brushed cymbals, melodies that stir emotions, and the compatible combination of keys and strings. Pickering and guitarist Mitch Dwyer indicate they know exactly what their function is within the song.

“Moody 7” is an iterative exercise in seven that makes me think of a crossing between E.S.T. and Radiohead. The jazzy rock flavors of these bands are also expressed on “Ixtapa”, whose symmetric texture is garnished with tasteful electronic elements. Influenced by other styles, Pickering infuses a classical feel and short-lasting polyphony on “In the Know(er)”, a piece that, in due course, drops the 4/4 tempo to hold a steady triple feel.

Some tunes would benefit from a less polished production. Such is the case with “Klazmus”, which compensates with an energy-packed solo from Pickering. “Standing”, co-penned by the bandleader and the multi-instrumentalist Andrew McMillan, sets relaxed unison lines against an exciting rhythmic drive that brings to mind Aaron Parks Little Big. The solid interplay asks for more individual explosion here. Although that doesn’t happen, the group takes leave by spreading out feel-good vibes on “Strega Tone Poem”, where Pickering’s modular synth melody works as a recurring theme.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - Simple Ballad ► 02 - Moody 7 ► 03 - In the Know(er)

Dezron Douglas - Atalaya

Label: International Anthem, 2022

Personnel - Emilio Modeste: saxophone; George Burton: piano, rhodes; Dezron Douglas: electric and acoustic bass; Joe Dyson: drums + guest: Melvis Santa: vocals, percussion (#5).

Atalaya, the new outing by New York bassist/composer Dezron Douglas (Pharoah Sanders, Ravi Coltrane), involves a cohesive quartet and consists of ten originals. One of them, “Wheeping Birch” was co-written with the Cuban singer Melvis Santa, who contributes melodious words in Spanish. On this particular cut, an articulated electric bass solo conveys rich, deep tones within an easy, relaxed phrasing. 

In general, the album is a kaleidoscope of grooves and moods that hooks us up right from the start. The title track nurtures an adventurous 13-beat-cycle groove with charming soprano melody dripping from above. The smart deconstruction of tempo leads to inevitably modulation, and the group takes a good dip in the rich texture with a free-floating frame of mind. 

“Rosé” passes a certain breezy feel that evokes green nature and upper blue skies. With a three time feel making the way, it's the saxophonist Emilio Modeste that rips out improvised lines that bristle with tension and release. He wows again on “Coyoacan”, employing a Coltranean vernacular that adjusts to the oscillation between conscious briskness and swinging brightness. On “More Coffee Please”, the saxophonist has in the pianist George Burton a solid co-conspirator in the improvisation. Moved by an uptempo locomotion, this latter tune behaves like an energetic post-bop boost that ripples with angst.

Douglas grooves with notes that slip in and out of the space on “Luna Moth”. The bandleader delivers an unaccompanied solo that leads to a transient unison melody with Modeste, who, shortly after, carries out all the talking while Douglas engages in a vibrant swinging progression. Before the bolero-flavored “Foligno” closes out the session, there’s “Octopus”, which, after an introductory bass monologue delivered with a magnetic, pitch-bending effect, ends up with a functional integration of melody and harmonic drive.

With the assistance of his valuable peers, Douglas put together a fine album that, nott being groundbreaking, demonstrates his musical virtues.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - Atalaya ► 02 - Rosé ► 04 - Luna Moth 

Iago Fernández - Luzada

Label: Fresh Sound New Talent, 2022

Personnel - Iago Fernandez: drums, organ, voice; Mark Turner: tenor saxophone; Joris Roelofs: bass clarinet; David Virelles: piano; Ben Street: double bass; Yumi Ito: vocals (#1,4,9); Wilfried Wilde: guitar (#1,4); Kuba Dworak: double bass (#1); Song Yi Jeon: vocals (#9). 

Luzada is a grown-up album with a beautiful collective sound fabric and sublime improvisational occasions. The Galician drummer and composer Iago Fernandez, who is based in Basel, Switzerland, assembled a formidable group with a dynamic two-horn frontline composed of American saxophone titan Mark Turner and Dutch bass clarinetist Joris Roelofs. The bassist Ben Street and pianist David Virelles are majestic in the rhythm section, and there are guests on selected tracks that help coloring some of his healing undertones and thoughtful meditations.

“Almas Viaxeiras” opens the doors to Fernandez’s sonic world with a quintuple time feel and a delicate, homogeneous texture that, suggesting a slight Brazilian tinge, serves as a keynote to Japanese-Polish singer Yumi Ito’s singing. The poem, written in Galician by Iago, is about the impossibility of physical contact between two deeply connected souls during the pandemic. Turner and the guest French guitarist Wilfried Wilde are featured here, the latter adorning the concluding head.

Ito also sings in Galician on the appreciable “Flor Esvelta” and joins timbres with South Korean singer Song Yi Jeon on “Purple Light”, which has illuminating arpeggiated piano clearing the path to improvisations by Turner and Roelofs. Commanding their instruments with authority, both musicians interweave lines on Xan Campos’ energizing “Cadeas Por Fin”, the sole non-original of the album, as if they came from the same mind. Before that, the spotlight was on Virelles, who introduces the excellent “Arrolo de Alba” with a slow drive and deep chordal underpinning. Roelofs explores darker corners and timbres here, which contrast with the surrounding light lines, and Street delivers a fine, grounded solo.

Brimming with self-possessed pleasure, “Doces” is underlined with a surefooted rhythm after a gauzy chamber-like intro. Roelofs really hits the spot while making fluid conversation; he’s followed by the intervallic grandness of Turner, who effortlessly gives wings to a brilliant phrasing. The album closes with “Curarei”, whose folksy melody and churning rhythm don’t blur other elements drawn from chamber jazz and classical music. 

Surrounded by wonderful musicians who understood his music, Fernandez shows he’s a sensitive drummer and qualified composer. Unhesitatingly, Luzada was one of the most agreeable surprises I had this year.

Favorite Tracks:
02 - Doces ► 05 - Cadeas por Fin ► 09 - Purple Light

Mats Gustafsson & NU Ensemble - Hidros 8 Heal

Label: Trost Records, 2022

Personnel - Mats Gustafsson: baritone saxophone, conduction; Anna Högberg: alto and baritone saxophones; Susana Santos Silva: trumpet; Per-Åke Holmlander: tuba; Hedvig Mollestad: guitar; Dieb13: turntables; Christof Kurzmann: lloopp, voice; Massimo Pupillo: bass; Gert-Jan Prins: drums, electronics; Ivar Loe Bjørnstad: drums.

As an important figure of the fertile improvised music, the Swedish saxophonist and composer Mats Gustafsson is always on the move with projects whose musical ideas continue to flourish and develop. His most prominent groups include the Fire! Orchestra, The Thing, The Underflow, The End, and Nu Ensemble. It’s with the latter rotating ensemble, which came to life in 1997, that he releases Hidros 8 - Heal, a two-track program of 46 minutes inspired by the current state of the world. The new lineup includes Norwegian guitarist Hedvig Mollestad, who debuts in a band with Gustafsson at the helm, and Portuguese trumpeter Susana Santos Silva, a member of his Fire! Orchestra.

It’s precisely with the creative trumpeter that the improvisational activities is launched. It happens on “Hidros 8 Heal Part 1”,  right after a nearly esoteric intro (with electronic contamination, metal-scrapping sounds of different frequencies, and cymbal shielding), followed by the thematic unison over a strapping, metal-inspired 14-beat-cycle guitar ostinato. A change of pace occurs when the storytelling becomes ruminative with drones and provocative actions from tuba and saxophone. Previous to an authoritative guitar solo over the reinstated power chords, one can experience a cacophonous horn-centered motion that sweeps fast and furious. 

As “Hidros 8 Heal Part 2” commences, we notice a disarray that, not being anarchic, is heavy and noisy. Screams, shouts and throaty growls lead to a solemn melody in parallel, but everything stops to make room for the voice of experimental Austrian musician Christof Kurzmann. With the drummers providing an enthusiastic flow and the guitar leaking torrents of noise, the ground ostinato of the first time erupts again at the base, supporting beefy-toned saxophones and their clusters of notes.

The material presents an ideal balance of spontaneity and structure, assuring a vibrant musical experience that woos both hard rockers and free jazz devotees.

Favorite Track:
01 - Hidros 8 Heal Part 1

Arild Andersen Group - Affirmation

Label: ECM Records, 2022

Personnel - Marius Neset: tenor saxophone; Helge Lien: piano; Arild Andersen: double bass; Håkon Mjåset Johansen: drums.

Arild Andersen is a Norwegian bassist and composer who has been professionally active for over five decades, having recorded with the master composer George Russell, trumpeter Don Cherry, and saxophonist Jan Garbarek, among others. And it’s precisely with a mood and sound that recalls the latter musician that he opens Affirmation, an album comprising an unedited improvised seven-part suite and one composed piece. 

“Affirmation, Part I: One” is atmospherically nocturnal with balanced, soaring sounds that reveal lyrical melancholia and a touch of class. Backed by three other extremely competent Norwegian musicians - saxophonist Marius Naset, pianist Helge Lien and drummer Håkon Mjåset Johansen - Andersen pushes us to the immersive brushes-driven state of “Affirmation, Part I: Two”, where the group conjures moments of vivid intimacy. Neset’s saxophone is delicate if searching; Lien’s pianism is unobtrusive, and Andersen’s interjections are chanting and poetic.

Johansen’s percussive work is particularly contagious on “Affirmation, Part I: Four”, a slightly dancing piece within a static environment, where the rhythm section beckons and ultimately coaxes Neset’s tenor into an inside/outside exploration. There’s plenty of reaction by Lien, and everything ends pacifically after the group’s effortless communication heightens both tension and curiosity.

“Affirmation, Part II: Five” brims with a pulsating punctuation and ear-catching interplay between Andersen and Lien. Then, we have a juxtposed, beefed up dialogue between the bandleader and Neset. Bursts of swinging activity are impeccably generated, proving this group can seamlessly alternate stillness and ferocity in their music.

An inconsolable romantic impressionism is detected on “Affirmation, Part II: Seven”, and the group concludes this positive session with “Short Story”, a Jarrett-esque, Andersen-penned ballad with spotless melody, harmonic amenity, and an endlessly captivating saxophone statement full of emotion. With all four performers in top form, Affirmation is an incredible sonic expedition.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - Affirmation, Part I: One  ► 04 - Affirmation, Part I: Four ► 05 - Affirmation, Part II: Five

Eve Risser Red Desert Orchestra - Eurythmia

Label: Clean Feed, 2022

Personnel - Eve Risser: piano, voice, composition; Antonin-Tri Hoang: alto sax, analog synth; Sakina Abdou: tenor sax; Grégoire Tirtiaux: baritone sax, qarqabas; Nils Ostendorf: trumpet, analog synth; Mathias Müller: trombone; Tatiana Paris: electric guitar, voice; Ophélia Hié: balafon, bara, voice; Mélissa Hié: balafon, djembe, voice; Fanny Lasfargues: electro-acoustic bass; Oumarou Bambara: djembe, bara; Emmanuel Scarpa: drums, voice.

Displaying an uplifting hybridity, French pianist and composer Eve Risser leads her 12-piece Red Desert Orchestra with vision, leaving a firm footprint even when the music has a certain lightness to it. For the suite Eurythmia, both the musicians and the musical influences come from Europe and West Africa, resulting in a music motivated by openness and a clear drive.

“So” thrives with a clever electronic-like treatment and Brazilian percussive tract. Saxophone trills, apt trombone commentary, v-shaped piano moves, and muted trumpet contribute a multitude of colors. Even more appealing is “Sa”, a horn-driven exercise with modulation and coruscating drumming by the versatile Emmanuel Scarpa. Altoist Antonin-Tri Hoang is also featured here, catalyzing energy with briskness and nerve. A cyclical, African-tinged texture is implemented at the end, enhanced by the highly expressive vibes of the balafons. This ravishing rhythmic tapestry serves as a foundation for “Desert Rouge”, a central piece in six whose organic whole is brought by fine solos, collective response, and a sense of experimentalism that hits the spot.

“Gämse” is made of many ingredients: electronic, avant-garde jazz, soul, funk, and exotic rhythms. On top of a booting bass line slides a lusty trombone solo that contrasts with the romanticism of the piano. Even though, Risser doesn’t sidestep from some angular friction and deft runs.

After an obstinate baritone-driven effort (“Harmattan”), and an ambient-like improv (“Petit Soir”) whose only sin is to be too abbreviated, we have “Soyayya”, a new arrangement of the 2019 piece “Après un Rêve”. The latter number - with prepared piano, balafon and percussive instruments churning polyrhythms and counterpoint - features a squirming tenor solo with strong timbral qualities by Sakina Abdou. Appeasing guitar chords finalize the proceedings.

An interesting musician to be reckoned with, Eve Risser solidifies her ensemble’s stature, spreading out some magic across spellbinding textures and rhythms.

Favorite Tracks:
02 - So ► 03 - Sa ► 08 - Soyayya

Megumi Yonezawa - Resonance

Label: Sunnyside Records, 2022

Personnel - Megumi Yonezawa: piano; Mike McGuirk: bass; Mark Ferber: drums.

Japanese-born, New York-based pianist Megumi Yonezawa releases her sophomore album on the consistently assiduous Sunnyside label. Resonance, a 10-song session recorded with her regular trio - bassist Mike McGuirk and drummer Mark Ferber - includes four interpretations of indelible standards, whose highlights are Coltrane’s “Countdown”, revisited with different flavors and displaying a classical innuendo in its inception, and the soulfully-brushed “Body and Soul”, whose main melody is elegantly stated in conjunction with McGuirk. 

Although these readings will likely facilitate the connection with a wider audience, I was more impressed with the originals, starting with the title track, a waltz with a light, bright touch and silky harmonic roads where melody grows effortlessly. “Valley in Deep Sea” is another favorite, a springy, fully-improvised invention delivered with mystery and a deeper sense of awe. 

The versatile tom-tom language offered by Ferber opens and closes “Lone Winds Blow”, an impressionistic exercise that doesn’t abstain from enjoyable modal bluesy, classical and Latin feels, which reflect more the trio’s intimate footing than any dynamic combustion. Yonezawa’s lines and phrasing are creative but her tunes eschew overstated tension, remaining temperate and fluid. That’s the case with the opener “Before the Wind”, which balances softness and straightforwardness with an asymmetric additive meter of 11/8. The trio works with a firmly articulated rhythmic premise that goes even further on “It’s All That Matters”. The sliding bass figure that introduces this piece morphs into a swinging walk that underpins creative piano storytelling. After McGuirk takes a solo himself, there’s a concluding vamp for the drummer.

“Yet Again at Will” keeps the momentum going with a waltzing cadence, and the session comes to a conclusion with a harmonically astute reading of Arthur Altman’s classic “All or Nothing at All”. Yonezawa and her trio mates make serious music, and by continuing playing together, they could open up exciting new horizons in the future. This is especially true if they loose discipline a bit to embrace wider portions of adventure.

Favorite Tracks:
02 - The Radiance ► 04 - Valley in Deep Sea ► 05 - Lone Winds Blow 

Benjamin Lackner - Last Decade

Label: ECM Records, 2022

Personnel - Benjamin Lackner: piano; Mathias Eick: trumpet; Jérôme Regard: bass; Manu Katché: drums.

Commanding a sound-sculpting acoustic quartet that favors an intimate ambiance, the German-American pianist Benjamin Lackner fully realizes his intention of getting out of his comfort zone - the piano trio - without obscuring his musical personality. On his new album, Last Decade, the melodies are usually entrusted to Norwegian trumpeter Mathias Eick, while the French rhythm section of bassist Jérôme Regard and drummer Manu Katché provide all the necessary support.

Portraying a serene setting, “Where Do We Go From Here” tells an affectionate story with sentimental melody. This slow-moving piece is followed by “Circular Confidence”, whose type of narrative have sonic elements colliding with technical ability, bringing to mind the successful association between pianist John Taylor and trumpeter Kenny Wheeler. On this one, Katché mounts the alluring rhythm with a graceful control of the kit, also excelling with brushes on “Hung Up on that Ghost”, a sort of suspended, agreeable dream where the ensemble takes full advantage of the song’s rich harmonic sequence. Lackner injects motifs and ideas, fusing them with inside/outside discernment, while Eick puts his range and phraseology on display. This calm flow turns into a mix of sad and elegant descriptions during the title track.

Prior to the beautiful solo bass effort that is “Émile” - penned by Regard in dedication to his son - we have “Open Minds Lost”, underpinned with sturdy bass notes that show the way with a clear harmonic sense. The coloration of the piano, the melody and the rhythm confirm that the four musicians are on the same page.

Last Decade is a work leaning on reflection and emotional growth, where one can feel the group’s strong connection. This should be obvious even if you’re not in the mood for inward cogitation.

Favorite Tracks:
04 - Hung Up on that Ghost ► 07 - Open Minds Lost ► 08 - Émile

Kenji Lee's Fortune Teller Trio - Kyudo

Label: Self released, 2022

Personnel - Kenji Lee: tenor saxophone, Hammond organ (#13); Andy Peck: double bass, electric bass (#4); Jonathan Barahal Taylor: percussion; Estar Cohen (#1,9,13).

This is an extraordinary outing by Tokyo-born, Michigan-based saxophonist Kenji Lee who got inspiration in Kyudo, the Japanese martial art of archery. The track sequence forms a narrative that, like the above-mentioned traditional practice, has no particular target apart from the movement and form that lead to spiritual development. Over the course of 14 pieces packed with new discoveries and a modernistic personal language, his Fortune Teller Trio reveals perfect discipline and precise focus. 

“Seisha Hicchu”, which translates as ‘true shooting, certain hitting’, is a propulsive, frantic swinger that galvanizes Lee and guest vocalist Estar Cohen into enthusiastic performances. The singer also shines on “Sacred Text”, which displays characteristics of a mournful march.

Written by bassist Andy Peck, “Deth’s Breth” unfolds with dark intonations. His bass lines, going from linear to entangling to motivic, have the spunky drumming of Jonathan Barahal Taylor and angular saxophone depictions creating something between metal and punk music. Vivid and agitated, “Agate” incorporates electric bass as part of its rock-solid rhythmic actions. A drum solo occurs in accordance to the formula: jump and dance.

A couple of short-duration numbers are delivered as percussive bass-and-drums duets for variety, whereas boppish sax/bass unisons race over a swinging groove on the Peck penned “Pell Mell”. Instead, and with emphasis on the melody, “Empty Cup” adopts a more pop/rock song format with strong improvisation atop. Metric modulation is detected in the last section when seven beats per measure flow rapidly. 

Musicality is around, even when the spontaneity of the improvisation is dominant. During Ornette Coleman’s “Chanting” (taken from the 1988 album Virgin Beauty) and Mahler’s “Symphony no. 9”, a lento, restraint posture doesn’t discard organic unity. The album finishes in tones of ballad with a fine reading of singer/songwriter Joanna Sternberg’s “You Have Something Special”.

Lee achieved the principles of truth, goodness and beauty with his music. More to the point: Kyudo is simply awesome work.

Favorite Tracks:
02 - Deth’s Breth ► 04 - Agate ► 07 - Empty Cup

Trevor Dunn's Trio-Convulsant with Folie à Quatre - Sèances

Label: Pyroclastic Records, 2022

Personnel - Trevor Dunn: bass; Mary Halvorson: guitar; Ches Smith: drums, timpani, conga; Carla Kihlstedt: violin, viola; Mariel Roberts: cello; Anna Webber: flutes; Oscar Noriega: clarinets.

Brooklyn-based bassist Trevor Dunn (Melvins, Nels Cline Singers) steps up the game started 18 years ago with his excellent powerhouse Trio-Convulsant (featuring guitarist Mary Halvorson and drummer Ches Smith) by expanding it into a septet with the addition of an improvisation-oriented chamber jazz quartet called Folie à Quatre. Together, they play seven Dunn compositions that, even getting darker and obscure in places, shine in their own way. The inspiration came from two directions: the album Blue Desmond (RCA, 1962) by American saxophonist Paul Desmond, and the Convulsionnaires of Saint-Médard, an 18th-century French Christian sect considered mystic, heretic and political. The result is a sinuous chamber-jazz-metal amalgam with plenty of energy and an insightful perspective.

“Secours Meurtriers” (French for ‘murderous reliefs’) inducts the bizarre practices with Anna Webber’s flute introduction leading to rock passages of progressive vision and complex meter (13/4). The cello of Mariel Roberts arrives confidently with delay effect, and after a few minutes of microtonal flute incursions, Halvorson’s rock guitar vamp solidifies the texture for Smith’s drum expansions. Dancing bass lines complete the scenario. 

On “The Asylum’s Guilt”, a bass figure delivered at a dodgy tempo makes us search, forming the core over which the rest of the instruments circle around with moderation. The polyrhythmic “Restore All Things” also plays with figures and tempos, flowing with a slight funk disposition and pedal-point passages that create eerie mystery. In turn, “1733” is based on numerology; a cinematic move that brings together the wild action of Tarantino and the supernatural thrillers of M. Night Shyamalan. After a bowed bass-cello-percussion inception reinforced with power chords, Smith thickens the path with rambunctious drumming before the group sinks down into atmospheric ambiguity. The final section is in line with power metal methodologies. 

One of the most brilliant pieces is “Saint-Médard”, which evolves with counterpoint, occasional polyphony, and a dazzling instrumentation. The tempos are uncommon (3/2, 5/2 and 8/8) and Halvorson’s buzzing guitar probes tones and textures with stereo ripples. If “Eschatology” is expeditious and intricate at the same time, featuring a fluid in-and-out solo by Oscar Noriega on bass clarinet and Halvorson’s flickering guitar fluxes, then “Thaumaturge” has Dunn opening the curtain for a contemplative 9/4 journey with no major startles.

Sèances captures the musicians in their heights and also demonstrates Dunn’s composing capabilities, being a well-invented mesh of sounds from different genres that collide around the space. 

Favorite Tracks: 
01 - Secours Meurtriers ► 02 - Saint-Médard ► 03 - Restore All Things

Michael Marcus - Abstractions in Lime Caverns

Label: Esp-Disk, 2022

Personnel - Michael Marcus: tenor and soprano saxophones, alto tarogato, clarinet, bass flute, gongs; Frank Lacy: French horn; Tarus Mateen: acoustic bass; Jay Rosen: drums, percussion.

Accompanied by other stalwarts of the New York avant-jazz scene, multi-instrumentalist Michael Marcus dedicates his new album, Abstractions in Lime Caverns, to French bassist François Grillot, who passed away in 2021 at 66. Over the course of 10 admirably modeled tracks in which he explores the duo, trio and quartet formats, Marcus pays a couple more tributes to his inspirations. “Hueysville” is for altoist Sonny Simmons, with whom Marcus played for many years, and comes with a straightly bop, Charlie Parker-kind of melodicism on the alto tarogato. “Hillscape”, with its beseeching main melody and the two-horn interplay creating absolute shinning moments, is dedicated to the influential pianist Andrew Hill. Here, the known improvisational aptitude of Marcus and Fench horn player Frank Lacy extends to the bassist Tarus Mateen.

The session is a travelogue of sorts within the jazz universe. Take “Xia Xia”, for example, a Yusef Lateef-like excursion presented as a clarinet-drums duo, which envelops the listener with the relaxing sounds of the Orient. The duet continues to “Banana Pudding”, taking us to another kind of free-floating exotic realm. The path of tradition is taken seriously on “Crossing the Rio”, another duo with the experienced drummer Jay Rosen, whose subdued percussion blends harmoniously with tenor sax and gongs.

The hip opener, “Zight Pulse”, guarantees that the energy is consistently churning. Played by the full quartet, it boasts a magnetic head, whose melody is delivered with graceful intervallic concurrency and an ad-libbed, angular musicality that sounds like Steve Lacy would do. The dancing groove laid down by Mateen and Rosen keeps the momentum flowing, and they show to have alternative foundational options on the title track, while engaging in droning bass pulsations and imaginative cymbal embellishment.

The tones adopted are not blustery but sunshiny and pleasant. One can feel the warmth that emanates from the bass flute and French horn on the soothing and beautiful “Lioness of the Trees”. Revealing his strong musicianship everywhere, Marcus releases an album with strong themes and multi-colored hues. That will make you want to revisit it often.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - Zight Pulse ► 02 - Xia Xia ► 08 - Hillscape