The Russell Fortunato Project - Playing

Label: Self released, 2023

Personnel - John Aruda: tenor saxophone; Christophe Bilodeau: piano; Russell Fortunato: bass; Luther Gray: drums.

Boston-based bassist Russell Fortunato is probably unknown to many jazz surfers, but his project - featuring saxophonist John Aruda, pianist Christophe Bilodeau and new added drummer Luther Gray - deserves attention as its bright, well-balanced sound takes us to the realms of John Coltrane, Michael Brecker, Jerry Bergonzi, and Bob Mintzer. Their new album, Playing, comprises 11 cuts.

The haunting “Last For Now” and the congenial “Rugby” are absolute highlights, excavating harmonies and stitching them with melodies and loose-limbed grooves that swing as comfortably as they are convenient. The spare piano accompaniment generates space for expeditious bursts of saxophone delivered by Aruda, while the pavement is made unfaltering by arresting hi-hat and snare demarcations and schematized bass lines.

As my second choices, I point out “Stratosphere”, a rubato meditation; and the opener “Dance of the Temptress”, a post-bop inflection that folks like Herbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter, Ron Carter and Tony Williams would certainly love to play.

The rhythm team is constantly locked in, but it’s Aruda who predominantly steals the show with in-and-out strokes of genius. He’s pretty active on “Easy Jam”, whose ecstasy takes us to the same post-bop spirit that swings and allures; “Release”, a blues that doesn’t shy away from Coltranean elements; and “Stickball”, whose shinny hard-bop tendency is conceived by the thematic sax/piano melody, and where the bandleader delivers a communicative solo.

Moving in a particular jazz aesthetics, Fortunato and his associates fully articulate their sonic palette, going from number to number with technical facility.

Favorite Tracks:
02 - Last For Now ► 03 - Rugby ► 04 - Stratosphere

Ivo Perelman / Ray Anderson / Joe Morris / Reggie Nicholson - Molten Gold

Label: Fundacja Sluchaj, 2023

Personnel - Ivo Perelman: tenor saxophone; Ray Anderson: trombone; Joe Morris: bass; Reggie Nicholson: drums.

The intrepid, unstoppable tenor saxophonist Ivo Perelman along with the master trombonist Ray Anderson bring keen improvisational acumen to this expressionistic quartet complemented by the rhythm section of bassist Joe Morris and drummer Reggie Nicholson. The two frontmen, who had never recorded together before, play around with both perceptible melodic figures and alternative terminologies in Molten Gold, a frequently striking new double-disc outing.

They pursue deeply intuitive excursions in this engagement, starting with “Warming Up”, the first of four extended free improvisations (all four tracks pass the 20-minute mark). Insistent short attacks are delivered by the horn players in a tart, impassioned manner. The slyly witty chanting patterns of Perelman disclose his strong folk influence, while Anderson responds with terse interjections, helping to create dynamism in their unrelieved probe of intensities and moods. By the last segment, Morris and Nicholson fortify the architectural backbone by locking into an open-ended cycle leveled with a certain marching quality.

“Aqua Regia” turns up surreptitiously, creating mystery through the combination of arco austerity, brushed decoration, and melodic figures that repeat, evolve, and transform into new ideas. After amusing us by going from a temporary balm to a jarring commotion, the group seems to immerse itself in a dance that prolongs until the piece's denouement. Perelman, who often juggles with shrilling rises and sliding descends, ends “Gravity” by doing this dancing. He has plenty of support as Morris and Nicholson hold the fort. This track, darker in tone but no less compelling, wraps up a particularly satisfying session of  infectious free jazz.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - Warming Up ► 03 - Aqua Regia

Aruán Ortiz Trio - Serranias: Sketchbook For Piano Trio

Label: Intakt Records, 2023

Personnel - Aruán Ortiz: piano; Brad Jones: bass; John Betsch: drums.

Cuban-born, New York-based pianist and composer Aruán Ortiz has already demonstrated his fearlessness in music, a quality that often leads to unpredictable results in his recordings. His new trio outing, Serranías: Sketchbook for Piano Trio, serves as a double celebration: the 20th anniversary of his recording debut as a leader in the US and his own 50th birthday. His trio companions joining him here are bassist Brad Jones, who also played in the 2018 album Live in Zurich, and drummer John Betsch, who adheres to Ortiz’s universe for the first time.

Following on the heels of his previous works, this thought-provoking album continues to put avant-garde jazz and Afro-Cuban/Haitian tradition on the same experimental page. “Shaw Nuff”, a Dizzy Gillespie/Charlie Parker number, is restructured and reharmonized with hybrid stylishness. The rhythm ingrains in your head, having a steadfast bass pulsation going on, while the pianist seems on another wavelength. The result of his actions feels very much organic, though, tied with chromaticism of his own design. In due course, the trio enters a swinging routine, enabling a few transitions with changes in speed and some vamping in its denouement. 

If “En Forma de Guajira”, with its non-obvious tempo and inspired motions and grooves, is a searching tribute to the ethnomusicologist Argelles Leon, then the playful if somewhat abstract solo piano effort “Canto de Tambores e Caracoles” was inspired by the Afro-Cuban poet, playwright, and journalist Jesus Cos Causse.

“Memorias Del Monte” marches with a snaky 12-beat cycle bass figure, sometimes passing the sensation that is going to mutate into an electronic trance dance. There are crystalline constellations of notes emerging from Ortiz’s playing, and the trio shows its knack for serious rhythmic puzzles. Such is also the case with the title track, “Serranías” (mountainous areas), whose polyrhythmic communication opens doors to new emotional spaces.

19th-century Cuban pianist Ignacio Cervantes' “Los Tres Golpes” is more solemn in tone, mounted with droning bowed bass, unconcealed cymbal glee, and unsparing piano reflections that become sweeter at the end. Ortiz’s “Black Like a Thunder Stone” and “Lullaby for the End Times” explore different moods. The former, flowing hastily with a modernized bop-oriented approach, translates into catchy portions of melody that recall jazz standards; the latter plays like a balmy chorale with gentle brushwork and sparse bass notes.

With plenty of individual expression, Serranías holds together as a complete work unto itself. Ortiz’s unique voice is present.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - Shaw Nuff ► 02 - En Forma de Guajira ► 03 - Memorias Del Monte

Bobo Stenson Trio - Sphere

Label: ECM Records, 2023

Personnel - Bobo Stenson: piano; Anders Jormin: bass; Jon Fält: drums.

Sphere is another beautiful album by the 78-year-old Swedish pianist and composer Bobo Stenson who, with a unique style, brings his trio to new heights. The musicians involved in the project are Anders Jormin, a poetic bassist who has been accompanying him since the mid ‘80s, and Jon Fält, a sensitive drummer who first joined them in 2008 for the album Cantando (ECM).

Per Nørgård’s “You Shall Plant a Tree” opens and closes the album with two different versions, immersing us in a vast sea of tranquility and deep feelings. The second track, “Unquestioned Answer”, is in memory of the modernist American composer Charles Ives, taking the same title as one of his unusual musical works. It’s a spacious Stenson piece shrouded in mystery and restraint where the trio explores emotional atmospheres with occasional abstract scraps and loose threads.

The rubato dramatics of “Spring”, a classical composition by Sven-Erik Bäck, contrast with the palpable terrain offered by “Kingdom of Coldness”, one of the most bewitching cuts on the album. The latter was penned by Jormin, who makes a good use of the arco to define a circular ostinato; Fält creates an irregular stream through hair-raising cymbal scratches and brushed skins; and Stenson is as lucid and sensitive as ever in his melodic candor.

Stenson, who played with legendary saxophonists Charles Lloyd and Jan Garbarek as well as with trumpeters Don Cherry and Tomasz Stanko, doesn’t hide the classical intonation on Bäck’s “Communion Psalm”, touching our souls with an introspective sense of freedom. His superlative melodies are even more intense on the exquisite “The Red Flower”, on which the bassist and the drummer build a subtle, stably rooted foundation.

The immense beauty of Sibelius’ “Valsette Op 40 No. 1” is possible due to the extraordinary cohesiveness of a one-of-a-kind trio that knows how to navigate spaces with both tantalizing vagueness and conscious direction. Virtuosity lives here with no need to show it off.

Favorite Tracks:
04 - Kingdom of Coldness ► 06 - The Red Flower ► 08 -  Valsette Op 40 No. 1

Ralph Alessi Quartet - It's Always Now

Label: ECM Records, 2023

Personnel - Ralph Alessi: trumpet; Florian Webber: piano; Bänz Oester: bass; Gerry Hemingway: drums.

Trumpeter and composer Ralph Alessi’s lovely new release, It’s Always Now, offers a special and intimate musical atmosphere that distinguishes it from past ECM works such as Baida (2013), Quiver (2016) and Imaginary Friends (2019). Here, Alessi is found at the helm of a classy new European-American quartet composed by German pianist Florian Webber (who co-penned three cuts), Swiss bassist Bänz Oester, and New Haven-born drummer Gerry Hemingway.

There’s no rush in the music but rather a spontaneous urge to connect and communicate by telling beautiful stories with both composed and improvised sequences. The first two numbers are penetrating piano-trumpet duets that reveal a perfect balance between vulnerability and strength. The opener, “Hypnagogic”, carries a strange dreamy feel, living not only from the trumpeter’s stunning range and strong narration, but also Webber’s impeccably textured comping, whose delicacy continues to “Old Baby”, a bearer of the pure, ethereal ECM sound.

“Migratory Party” flows effortlessly with a parallel three-note figure, brushed drums, and confident bass trajectories in support. The docile danceability of “Residue” finds the four musicians in close communication - Alessi and Webber share synchronicity in the movements while Oester and Hemingway keep the bottom ambulatory and focused. Also taking the shape of a graceful dance, “Hanging by a Thread” displays an iterative balance in the groove and a deceptively simple melody. 

“His Hopes, His Fears, His Tears” is another compelling narrative with much beautiful insight and strange beauty. “It’s Always Now” feels like a distant Eastern chant with many possibilities to explore. If Webber’s prepared piano sounds like a gong on this one, then on “Diagonal Lady”, he participates in an enchanting flow that starts off with Oester and sort of dissolves after a while. Alessi’s crystalline notes illuminate the way like powerful rays of light. His piercing sensibility and intricate lyrical language gains preponderance with the breathy, hushed murmurs of the double bass and the subdued luster of the drums. Having said that, “Portion Control” smears the process with tension and disquietude.

This album makes the listener all the more grateful with its remarkable breath and scope, providing a marvelous sense of fulfillment. 

Favorite Tracks:
01 - Hypnagogic ► 04 - Residue ► 07 - Diagonal Lady

Greg Ward's Rogue Parade - Dion's Quest

Label: Sugah Hoof Records, 2023

Personnel - Greg Ward: alto saxophone; Matt Gold: guitar, synth; Dave Miller: guitar; Matt Ulery: bass; Quin Kirchner: drums.

Chicago-based alto saxophonist and composer Greg Ward, an empathetic sideman (Makaya McCraven, Mike Reed) and respected bandleader, blends musical styles with extraordinary facility. The quintet lineup of his Rogue Parade project remains unaltered, featuring guitarists Matt Gold and Dave Miller, bassist Matt Ulery and drummer Quin Kirchner - all musicians with whom he has been enjoying fruitful collaborative partnerships throughout the years.

The follow-up to the ensemble’s debut Stomping Off From Greenwood (Greenleaf Music, 2017) is called Dion’s Quest and its narrative inspiration stems from Ward’s personal and artistic life. “Crimson Clay”, for example, is encouraged and energized by Ward’s frequent trips to South Africa. Advancing in five with resolute if defiant rock-inspired riffs, this enticing opener contains agile unison playing during its thematic development, time shifts, and compellingly improvised statements by Miller and the bandleader.

The sturdy guitar sound of Gold is in evidence on “Dashing Toward First Light”, whose pulse and touch draws from funk and fusion alike. “Noir Noveaux” displays a more relaxed theme upon which the musicians breeze through its chilled-out pulse. There’s an unexpected deceleration in tempo and a notable blues increase in the tone by the end, demonstrating the connection and interplay put at the service of the group’s identity.

A cry for the George Floyd and the pandemic losses, as well as hope gained by the 2020 election results, are expressed in the form of a blues on “Blues of the Earth”. This selection is wired with rapid-fire Hendrixian extemporaneity. Proving a welcome contrast with the latter, “Bravo Constantine” is soulful, asymmetric and actively propulsive. Yet the bold angles and broad-toned rock demeanor come back with the penultimate track, “Beware of the Oh EEE’s”, which has Miller and Ward expressing their thoughts ardently over the staunch wall created by Gold, Ulery and Kirchner. The CD concludes on a hopeful, positive note with the nearly prayerful rubato of “Ocean of Faith”.

Rogue Parade has been road-tested and the rapport between its members is instinctive. 

Favorite Tracks:
01 - Crimson Clay ► 05 - Bravo Constantine ► 07 - Beware of the Oh EEE’s

Brad Mehldau - Your Mother Should Know: Brad Mehldau Plays the Beatles

Label: Nonesuch Records, 2023

Personnel - Brad Mehldau: piano.

The virtuosic American pianist Brad Mehldau dives into the sophisticated pop/rock universe of The Beatles in his new outing, Your Mother Should Know: Brad Mehldau Plays the Beatles. The results are not as bold and imaginative as in Mehldau’s last effort Jacob’s Ladder, where, accompanied by great guest musicians, he delivered Scripture-inspired originals and excellent renditions of prog rock songs.

Here, playing solo, he puts a nice expression in the melody of the opening track, “I Am the Walrus”, adding colorful harmonic filling to generate an elegant dancing quality that the 1967 original (from the album Magical Mystery Tour) didn’t have. Other two great interpretations are “For No One”, whose in-and-out dexterity conduce to bluesy and psychedelic innuendos, and “Golden Slumbers”, whose gospelized sequences immerses us in a lyrical grace.

The remaining eight pieces are not particularly exciting. “Your Mother Should Know” adopts a foot-tapping swinginess in its stride maneuvers; “I Saw Her Standing There” triggers some bass fortitude appertaining to the pianist’s left hand; and “She Said She Said” offers rubato portions in its balladic dormancy. The pianist finishes off with a dramatic if unimpressive reading of David Bowie’s “Life on Mars?”.

Mehldau is an inspiring, out-of-the-box musician, but this particular album is a minor entry in his discography.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - I Am the Walrus ► 04 - For No One ► 10 - Golden Slumbers

Christian McBride's New Jawn - Prime

Label: Mack Avenue Records, 2023

Personnel - Josh Evans: trumpet; Marcus Strickland: bass clarinet, tenor saxophone; Christian McBride: bass; Nasheet Waits: drums.

Hitting us with the force of a tornado right from the start, Prime, the second chapter of bassist/composer Christian McBride with his post-bop-meets-avant-jazz outfit New Jawn, relies on top-notch musicianship, uncommon technique, and refined taste to succeed. The quartet performs a rich repertoire consisting of two McBride original compositions, one each by his bandmates: trumpeter Josh Evans, saxophonist/bass clarinetist Marcus Strickland and drummer Nasheet Waits, and three refreshing covers with a lot to be savored.

The two opening numbers - McBride’s “Head Bedlam” and Strickland’s “Prime” - are particularly stirring. The group makes a cacophonous entrance in the former, prior to providing guidance and aligning structure through the bassist’s funky groove. In the latter piece, their proposition consists of angularity and ambiguity, rounded out with interesting-to-follow solos and smart accents that pulsate without totally breaking the swinging motion. 

Evans’ “Dolphy Dust” is agreeably disconcerting in its swinging allurement and flows with plenty of Dolphy-esque sharp edges. Carrying less exuberance and prone to reflection, Waits’ “Moonchild” kicks off with sharply intoned bass clarinet over articulated bass lines. Equally in this spirit but pouring different emotions, McBride’s “Lurkers” contemplates arco bass and tom-tom fantasies, whose mournful tones can reach spiritual freedom at times. 

The covers were chosen wisely and the stupendous energy that characterizes this quartet is brought to the fore, firstly on Larry Young’s mercurial “Obsequious”, a post-bop workout delivered with a free posture and surprising transitions. Evans blows his horn with gleeful enjoyment and geometrical precision; he is followed by Strickland, who is less impetuous but more inquisitive and mysterious. The proceedings end up in a bouncing funk that you can dance to. Moreover, you can do the same during the jubilant Latin tinge of Ornette Coleman’s “The Good Life”.

The session is concluded with Sonny Rollins’ “East Broadway Rundown”, whose initial bass pedal goes beyond the theme statement, and where a bass monologue precedes an audacious drum solo. What McBride’s high-caliber quartet captures here is well worth listening to.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - Head Bedlam ► 02 - Prime ► 04 - Obsequious

Marc Ducret - Palm Sweat: Marc Ducret Plays the Music of Tim Berne

Label: Out of Your Head Records, 2023

Personnel - Marc Ducret: electric and acoustic guitars, bass guitars, daxophone, percussion, prepared guitar, daf, chains, suitcase, voice, handclaps; Fabrice Martinez: trumpet, piccolo trumpet, flugelhorn, tuba; Sylvaine Hélary: alto flute; Chrstiane Bopp: trombone; Bruno Ducret: cello, voice, handclaps.

The intricate music of Tim Berne is not strange to French guitarist Marc Ducret, who, with years of experience under his belt, has been playing in several projects of the American saxophonist (Caos Totale, Big Satan, Science Friction, Snakeoil, Bloodcount) since 1990. Ducret is put in the limelight, interpreting eight recent Berne compositions along with French collaborators: his cellist son, Bruno Ducret, trumpeter/tubist Fabrice Martinez, flutist Sylvaine Hélary, and trombonist Chrstiane Bopp. 

A mash-up of three numbers - “Curls / Palm Sweat / Mirth of the Cool” - starts the proceedings with a nervy proposition. The stereo distortion and sequential loops that emanate from Marc’s guitar are dark enough to please metalheads, and there’s also noise electrifying the obscure visions that come to our head. An abrupt reshaping and change of mood are achieved with slightly discrepant pitch-bending textures when the acoustic guitar becomes the choice to go on top of a fine percussion tapestry. 

The folksy tone of the acoustic guitar is also heard on the two versions of “Rolled Oats”, placing us somewhere between an inscrutable dream and a logical certainty. The intermittent silences enhance the cello, and the contemplative mode doesn't need a drum kit to clutter things up. “Static” is a hypnotizing musical treat delineated with folk and modern creative (ir)resolution. The outstanding balance between tightness and relaxation is provided by trumpet, strings, vocal chants, long-form melodies, percussion, and a fluttering mystic motion with some bluesy inflections.

The shapeshifter “Shiteless 1” negotiates a thorny rhythmic structure, crosshatching with guitar layers of a different order and creating multi-tiered counterpoint. It veers from a sparkling optimism to an ominous dance that recalls Cabaret Voltaire. Colorful brass and woodwind sounds zigzag atop this rhythmic cadence, but the piece ends in a dour, ponderous continuum. Distinct while equally exploring timbres to a good effect, “Strutter Step” is initially foreboding as Marc discharges pressure over an intimidating substratum. Things simmer down half-way to incorporate nimble bass lines in consonance with acoustic guitar, a distorted electric guitar solo, and collective orchestral clarity.

This set of probing pieces comes to an end with Ducret’s sketchy explanation “About this Recording”. He may want to tell us how much he loves these compositions, how ingenious was his approach and how complex is his execution. All the same, his qualities remain unabated.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - Curls/Palm Sweat/Mirth of the Cool ► 03 - Shiteless 1 ► 08 - Static

Zack Lober - No Fill3r

Label: Zennez Records, 2023

Personnel - Suzan Veneman: trumpet; Zack Lober: bass; Sun-mi Hong: drums.

The musical career of Canadian-born bassist and composer Zack Lober spans two decades and is filled with constructive collaborations as a sideman. Saxophonist Chet Doxas and flutist Jamie Baum are some of the examples. Lober, who's also a DJ and turntablist and lived 11 years in NYC before moving to the Netherlands, also played with David Binney, John Escreet and Dan Weiss in his Ancestry Project, a multimedia quintet performance concerning the life of his family, as it was told to him by his Polish grandfather.

The opening cut from his debut album, No Fill3r, was drawn from the latter project, showing syntactic maturity in the language of Dutch trumpeter Suzan Veneman and a mix of earthiness and coolness in the rhythmic mesh weaved by Lober and South Korean drummer Sun-mi Hong. The piece in question, called “Mid Music”, is a strong introduction to the trio, preserving a swinging flow and illustrating gracious melodic angularities that are redolent of Ornette Coleman.

The mind-set of the trio maintains high standards in the gorgeously soothing “Force Majeure”, which refers to forces that are greater than ourselves. It’s delivered in six with a solid core and a beautiful songlike touch. Things go more frenzied on the title track, a freely improvised number that jangles and bubbles with polyrhythmic interplay while pushing the envelope of the trumpet-bass-drums format. There’s jazz, rock and electronic music influence here, and the bass hooks that pin the groove dissipate into the next number, “Blues”. The latter may sound archetypal in its 12-bar progression but is melodically off-grid.

The threesome has found common ground in these compact compositions, and “Chop Wood”, inspired by Buddhism and its benevolent philosophy, flows under soft brushes and a more eloquent, if loose, bass drive. Sober trumpet lines populate this pavement and contribute to making “Luck (Alice)”, penned for Lober’s wife, a cheerful song.

Lober plays with inspiring self-respect but also shows recognition for his peers and their sounds. Their willingness to create new music is very much sensed in this positive debut recording. 

Favorite Tracks:
01 - Mid Music ► 02 - Force Majeure ► 04 - No Fill3r

Sara Caswell - The Way to You

Label: Anzic Records, 2023

Personnel - Sara Caswell: violin, Hardanger d’Amore; Jesse Lewis: guitar; Ike Sturm: bass; Jared Schonig: drums; Chris Dingman: vibraphone (#1,2,5,8).

From the opening selection of The Way to You, violinist Sara Caswell's third album as a leader, we can sense the eclecticism and ambition of a group of qualified musicians. The album is the culmination of a 17-year journey during which she toured/recorded with amazing artists such as Henry Threadgill, Brad Mehldau, Esperanza Spalding, Linda May Han Oh, and Donny McCaslin. She’s also a member of Joseph Brent's 9 Horses trio.

“South Shore”, a composition by the sui-generis trumpeter Nadje Noordhuis, is instigated by jazz-folk contours and a rock music feel, like if Jean-Luc Ponty had joined Sting’s The Police. Vibraphonist Chris Dingman, who sits in on four tracks, exteriorizes thoughts with speed of execution here. His harmonic streams and textures are well integrated with those of guitarist Jesse Lewis and both create one of the most exciting moments on the album when their burning licks and phrases populate guitar-vibraphone tradeoffs on Kenny Barron’s “Voyage”. The post-bop linearity of the theme segues into the swinging amusement of the improvisations. 

Other appealing numbers are “Stillness”, an acoustic guitar-driven song with a 3/4 balladic feel (bassist Ike Sturm, who penned it, soars with flexibility); Egberto Gismonti’s “7 Aneis”, an exuberant Brazilian choro with quick changes and a festive disposition; and Tom Jobim’s “O Que Tinha de Ser”, an intimate musical poem where Caswell plays the Hardanger d’Amore, a 10-string Norwegian fiddle able to produce peculiar, resonant tones.

Although expansive in mood and style, I got the sense that a bit more provocation was needed on pieces like “On My Way to You”, a product of French composer Michel Legrand, which moves at a glacial pace; as well as on Caswell’s compositions “Warren’s Way”, an old-timey romantic waltz with hints of Americana dedicated to her partner in life (the drummer Michael W. Davis); and “Spinning”, a gently swaying popish song. Conversely, “Last Call”, which was co-composed with Davis and guitarist Dave Stryker, is the stronger of her originals, benefitting from the electrified bluesy chops and harmonic clusters of Lewis.

Caswell demonstrates her sense of command but some of the material holds her back, resulting in a partially satisfying recording that, being colorful, is not always surprising.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - South Shore ► 02 - Stillness ► 09 - O Que Tinha de Ser

Kendrick Scott - Corridors

Label: Blue Note Records, 2023

Personnel - Walter Smith III: tenor saxophone; Reuben Rogers: bass; Kendrick Scott: drums.

For his fifth outing, American drummer/composer Kendrick Scott embraces the trio format for the first time as a leader with the bright assistance of saxophonist Walter Smith III (Ambrose Akinmusire, Terence Blanchard), and bassist Reuben Rogers (Charles Lloyd, Joshua Redman). The album, titled Corridors, is exclusively made of Scott originals (composed during lockdown) with the exception of “Isn’t This My Sound Around Me?” by the great late vibraphonist Bobby Hutcherson. This piece, displaying shambling yet elegant brushwork at the take off, balances a finely composed theme with an extrovert swinging posture during the soloists’ digressions. Scott and Rogers pull the needlepoint together nicely.

Still and all, the disc kicks off with the impressive “What Day is It?”, whose theme flourishes with a classy bass groove, nervous cymbal activity, and expedite saxophone melody. A relentless pedal point lives through the improvisations, occasionally slipping into a swinging pulse, with Smith infusing a mix of folk and post-bop flavors in the melodic sequences. The title cut, which starts off with a beautiful bass soliloquy, demonstrates the scope of Scott’s open-minded musicality by employing a pensive charm and genuine simplicity. Smith bores into conversational phrasing by pouring transparent ideas with excellent technique and taste.

“One Door Closes” and “Another Opens” are less-than-a-minute vignettes expressed with fittingly layered saxophone and impeccable bass/drums cooperation, respectively. The titles are concatenated on “One Door Closes, Another Opens”, which, marrying melodic and textural material with emotional heft, has a soulful croon reinforcing the proceedings. This number pays tribute to the ones who died and were born during the pandemic.

The album concludes with the stirring “Threshold”, a twisted blues whose plain-spoken motivic theme leaves a groovy thang in the air. The dynamics are on high, and the lush licks recall John Coltrane and Kenny Garrett. 

Favorite Tracks:
01 - What Days is It? ► 02 - Corridors ► 09 - Threshold

Michael Hudson-Casanova - Animus

Label: Passerine Records, 2023

Personnel - Michael Hudson-Casanova: saxophones; Erik Skov: guitar; Gustavo Cortiñas: drums + guest: James Davis: trumpet (#2). 

In his most recent work, Chicago-based saxophonist/composer Michael Husdon-Casanova presents a repertoire of all originals that, being contemporary, doesn’t disregard traditional concepts and ideas. Probing new sonic terrain, the saxophonist convenes two apt musical partners: guitarist Erik Skov and drummer Gustavo Cortiñas, with whom he provides pleasurable sonic moments in a bass-less trio format.

The melodious if slightly parched “Recycle” initiates the session with reverb-drenched guitar and a confined drumming that gains more breadth in the last few minutes; the bandleader coats this fabric with soft, velvety linings. The listening experience is considerably elevated with the gently pop/rock textures of “What If Everything is Not Enough”, a reflection on craving where low-pitched guitar notes are responsible for a patterned groove, atmospherically surrounded by generous cymbal work. You’ll certainly enjoy the rhythmic accents and the presence of guest trumpeter James Davis, who is in the spotlight for most of the time. He seems to appreciate Cortiñas' fulfilling chords as well as his melodic responses.

The well-versed compositional traits of Hudson-Casanova are on display in the spiritually vibrating “Animus”, which is put in motion with a polyrhythmic character, and the empathic “Aftermath”, another tune we want to revisit afterwards. The former finds the saxophonist testifying with restrained fervor over the brightly shimmering sweep of guitar and drums; the latter cut, bestowing effervescent snare activity for a start, is where the improvisers have their chemistry on lock by expressing a fine mix of focus and adventure. Hudson-Casanova is genuinely inspired here while Skov assists his own distorted solo with a harmonically contextual chordal loop. 

“Continuum”, which is delivered in seven and generates a churning vortex culled from contorted rock, jazz and electronica, diverges from the two introspective versions (trio and sax-guitar duo) of “Etude for Clementine”, a hellenistic sculpted number. Hudson-Casanova gives a step forward in his career.

Favorite Tracks:
02 - What if Everything in Not Enough ► 04 - Animus ► 08 - Aftermath

Alex Weiss - Most Don’t Have Enough

Label: ears&eyes Records, 2023

Personnel - Alex Weiss: tenor saxophone ; Dan Blake; soprano saxophone; Yana Davydova: guitar; Dmitry Ishenko: bass; Ches Smith: drums; Marta Sanchez: piano (#3,9).

The sociopolitically-themed Most Don’t Have Enough, a stark set of incandescent hybrid pieces by Brooklyn-based saxophonist and composer Alex Weiss, is inspired by the world of our times: the damage caused by Trump’s presidency as well as the violence and precariousness seen a bit everywhere around the world. He leads an amazing quintet that includes luminous stars like the soprano saxophonist Dan Blake and drummer Ches Smith. 

All but two of these nine tracks are originals. The attractive themes, the easy flow with auspicious time shifts, and the quality of the arrangements are immediately found on “The Leonard Nimoy Method”, where an indie rock melodicism mixes with avant-jazz angularity to please the ear. The song, dedicated to the actor of The Invasion of Body Snatchers, is stirred up by a tenor solo delivered with passionate lyricism and deep intensity, a fine collective envelope, and wonderful soprano rambles.

Blake also channels his positive vibe and energy into the final moments of “Homage to Elijah Cummings”, the first of two pieces guesting the virtuosic Spanish pianist Marta Sanchez. The other cut she participates in - delivering an unorthodox statement - is the closing “Akira: Sun and Moon”, whose odd-meter groove altered periodically with a 4/4 rock drive are meant to celebrate Weiss’s son, Akira.

Disgusted with what Trump brought to America, Weiss makes “Your Dark Shadow Arrives at the Door” unfold with 3/4 curiosity, whereas in “Organized Religion”, which mentions another known predicament, there’s a combination of rock muscularity (reinforced with Yana Davydova’s distorted guitar) and jazz fluidity (in the form of unreserved unisons, counterpoint and polyphony). 

The two gorgeous covers presented here are swinging attractions with audacious melodic lines, well-shaped figures, and deft runs conducted with purpose. We’re talking about Chris Speed’s “Really OK”, which brings to our mind the music of Herbie Nichols and Steve Lacy; and “Humpty Dumpy” by the groundbreaking saxist Ornette Coleman, another tremendous influence on Weiss’s musical vocation.

The rhythms and concepts might not be a novelty but Weiss’s tunes bounce with zesty enthusiasm. It’s a feel-good record that runs a nice gamut between substantial rock and accessible avant-jazz.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - The Leonard Nimoy Method ► 05 - Really OK ► 09 - Akira: Sun and Moon

Ricki Malet Trio - Ricki Malet Trio

Label: Self released, 2023

Personnel - Ricki Malet: trumpet; Alistair Peel: bass; Bronton Ainsworth: drums.

For some time now, Perth-based trumpeter and composer Ricki Malet has been enriching Australian ensembles led by bassist Kate Pass (Kohesia Ensemble) and multi instrumentalist Mace Francis (Orchestra; The Hounds). Presently, he leads a close-knit trio - featuring bassist Alistair Peel and drummer Bronton Ainsworth - with tradition in its primal nature and core. They tackle six Malet originals and four well-known standards, whose modern jazz sensibilities and arrangements make them escape the generally tendency to over refine tradition.

“The Great Indoors” is the captivating opener, developing from cymbal scintillation, sparse yet groovy bass notes, and clear brass expression. The harmony is defined with no ambivalence and the beneficial synergy between the three musicians is on display, even during improvised excursions that are perceptible, suggestive and naturally grounded in the mood. 

Relaxed and effective, “Mama (for Jess)” is a 3/4 spin with a few blues-inflected specifics, whereas “Low Five” gives you all the information in the title: it’s in five with a despondent temperament. “The Waking”, in turn, is breezy and mellifluous, conveying a heavenly sense of comfort in its musical amenities.

The covers get underway with pianist Bud Powell’s bop classic “Dance of the Infidels”. In a first instance, this piece is a showcase for Ainsworth’s rudiments, which serve as fillings for the intermittent discontinuation of the chord progression. Malet and Peel paint their improvisations here with tasteful designing. 

The bassist returns with a dissertation on Charlie Parker’s “Segment”, where straight-ahead boplicity commutes to a momentary Afro-pulsing vamp that resembles Billy Harper’s “Somalia”. The group is constantly in motion during the mercurial rendition of “Someday My Prince Will Come”, which begins at a non-waltzing tempo, as well as on “What is This Thing Called Love”, where they depart from a bolero feel and sluggish pace to land on a swinging field of exuberance.

Malet’s compositions are agreeable surprises, benefitting from the melodic confidence of the bandleader and the complementary resources of his associates.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - The Great Indoors ► 02 - Mama (for Jess) ► 08 - Low Five

Chris Potter - Got the Keys to the Kingdom: Live at Village Vanguard

Label: Edition Records, 2023

Personnel - Chris Potter: tenor saxophone; Craig Taborn: piano; Scott Colley: bass; Marcus Gilmore: drums.

The indispensable jazz saxophonist Chris Potter is gifted enough to create fantastic worlds out of a traditional setting. This is true even when he’s not playing his own tunes. Recorded live at the Village Vanguard, the most desired venue of New York, Got the Keys to the Kingdom displays refreshing non-original material that bolsters the bandleader’s versatility, huge sound, and sophisticated language. Potter is backed by a stupendous rhythm section composed of inventive pianist Craig Taborn, confident bassist Scott Colley, and intrepid drummer Marcus Gilmore.

His genre-crossing aptitude is immediately visible on the opener “You Gotta Move”, an African-American spiritual song popularized by the hill country blues singer/guitarist Mississippi Fred McDowell. This soulful interpretation seems to amalgamate modal jazz, post-bop and soul music with passion, and encapsulates powerful statements from saxophone and piano. Taborn, who starts his improvisation tastefully casual and ends it wildly intervallic, helps to keep an ultimate 12-beat cycle vamp alive for Gilmore’s expansions. The drummer shines even brighter on the title track, another spiritual played with a specific, challenging tempo.

“Nozani Na” is provided with exotic percussive flavors and colorful tapestries. The dancing quality of this Amazonian folk tune, transcribed by Edgar Roquette-Pinto and the great Heitor Villa-Lobos, contemplates serpentine melodies and exuberant solos. By its side, Charlie Parker’s infrequently played “Klactoveedsestene” evokes the good old times as a grooving bop number that swings aplomb, and also shakes during the bar exchanges with the drummer. Before that, Potter delivers an absurdly energetic improv over a sturdy rhythmic grid of bass and drums.

If the aforementioned pieces feel grounded, then the kind and soft-tempered pieces such as Billy Strayhorn’s “Blood Count” and Jobim/Buarque’s “Olha Maria” are hypnotizing in all their magnificent splendor. The former, enigmatically introduced by Taborn, has its dour, dreamy feel magnified by the rubato tempo; the latter, fusing classical innuendo and modal jazz intonation, gives a voice to Colley, who provides qualitative introductory description and wonderful accompaniment.

Potter, who has the right stuff for every occasion, is caught here in full grasp of his capabilities. Every new work from him is an event, and here, his colleagues respond instinctively and expertly to his vibrancy. The results are stellar.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - You Gotta Move ► 03 - Blood Count ► 05 - Olha Maria

Fred Frith / Susana Santos Silva - Laying Demons to Rest

Label: RogueArt Records, 2023

Personnel - Fred Frith: electric guitar; Susana Santos Silva: trumpet.

Captured live in France in 2021, Laying Demons to Rest marks the second collaboration (the first in duo) between British avant-garde guitarist Fred Frith and inventive Portuguese trumpeter Susana Santos Silva. On the heels of the memorable double-disc trio album Road (Intakt, 2021), which conquered our ears and senses with incredible guitar-trumpet-saxophone moments, Frith delivers nearly 42 minutes of continuous free improvisation, weaving an off-the-wall musical fabric centered on timbre and atmospherics.

The duo embraces vast amorphousness within a progressive structure that begins with droning trumpet, airy sounds, electronic noises, and dissonant chords. Then the crystalline guitar drops give way to a distortion-soaked provocation that skyrockets intelligible trumpet phrases in the upper registers.

The story develops with cinematic suspense and the roles readjust; now they set piercing guitar screeches against low-pitched brass. An instant later, we hear organ-like sounds with a percussive tract in the bass notes of Frith’s axe. Concurrently, Santos ruminates via popping sounds just to raise notes to an opera house level.

Several suspended passages keep the tension alive but the duo extricates from raucous conversations by focusing on simple ostinatos that create a strobelike repetition.

These two creatives have immense musical potential and already proved their skills. This recording, despite being an unrepeatable product of their distinct sound worlds, felt somewhat dry. At times, I wished their tone-paintings had some more grip, something less sketchy and more palpable in terms of rhythmic expression.

Buster Williams - Unalome

Label: Smoke Sessions Records, 2023

Personnel - Jean Baylor: vocals; Bruce Williams: alto saxophone, flute; Stefon Harris: vibraphone; George Colligan: piano; Buster Williams: bass; Lenny White: drums.

Bassist/composer Buster Williams is a living jazz legend who worked with Art Blakey, Chet Baker, Chick Corea, Dexter Gordon and Sonny Rollins, just to name a few. He was also a frequent and reliable choice of celebrated singers such as Sarah Vaughan, Carmen McRae and Betty Carter. For this session at Smoke, he delivers eight pieces - four originals (old and new) and four covers - in an old-fashioned way (in the best sense of the word), celebrating his 80th birthday with musical intensity. Faithful to this idea, the album title, Unalome, refers to a Buddhist symbol representing individual transcendence and the path to enlightenment over the course of one’s life.  

The bassist’s voluptuous tones can be heard pronto on “Stairways”, an extremely pleasant new original and my favorite track on the album. Vocalist Jean Baylor (co-leader of the Baylor Project) brings auxiliary expression to the melodic threads in the head, while the soloists - saxophonist Bruce Williams, vibraphonist Stefon Harris and pianist George Colligan - infuse their statements with clarity and honesty, mixing tradition and inventiveness while illuminating around the edges of a safe rhythmic net mounted by the bandleader and his long-time associated drummer, Lenny White.

“Estate”, written by Italian pianist Bruno Martino and popularized by Brazilian singer/guitarist João Gilberto, takes the form of a romantic 4/4 bolero marked by a two-bar bass groove. “Tayamisha”, an old original penned for the bassist's daughter, is recovered with an Asian-tinge and a gentle but determined swinging propulsion. Buster’s hands splatter across the bass for a solo that sounds unorthodox in particular spots. 

Tradition is all around, being eminently heightened during a fine reading of “You’ve Got the World on a String”, which, being sang with a laid-back posture by Baylor, develops in pure swinging fashion. The Warren/Dubin classic “42nd Street”, a hymn to New York midtown, thrives with a new arrangement that combines jazz and R&B. This number is introduced by Baylor, who seems to rejoice with opportune saxophone interjections during the theme.

The Buddhist influence appears on “The Wisdom of Silence”, where Buster spreads his famous singing lines over the vibing chords at the base. Later, he uses remarkable accompaniment to conduct a modal circularity that transmits a blend of poignancy and mystery.

Many of the cuts on Buster Williams’ Unalome sound familiar but the group handles them with a kind of grace that is indicative of their skills and good taste.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - Stairways ► 03 - Tayamisha ► 07 - I’ve Got the World on a String

Jim Black & The Schrimps - Ain't No Saint

Label: Intakt Records, 2023

Personnel - Asger Nissen: alto saxophone; Julius Gawlik: tenor saxophone; Felix Henkelhausen: acoustic bass; Jim Black: drums.

Jim Black, an insightful drummer and composer with a propensity for knotty rock textures, joins forces with three European musicians with ages under 30: Danish alto saxophonist Asger Nilssen, German tenor player Julius Gawlik and German bassist Felix Henkelhausen. An indomitable energy prevails throughout the 12 tracks on Ain’t No Saint. 

The chord-less session starts powerfully with “The Set-Up”, a tribute to 76-year-old trumpeter Baikida Carroll with whom Black played on Tim Berne’s octet album Insomnia (Clean Feed, 2011). The ensemble rides raw surfaces, externalizing gestures with a gripping immediacy. Henkelhausen defines the harmony with permanent commitment, and his work is also relevant on two natural-sounding pieces that follow a more standard song format: “No Pull”, which slows things down through a leisurely 4/4 pop/rock stream; and “The Once”, which he introduces with empathetic involvement, later having long saxophone notes giving it harmonic context. Following his improvisation, the intensity of the latter piece is impetuously elevated into a pragmatic if athletic rock circularity.

“Snags” reveals swinging urgency with the saxophonists in synchronous activity during the main theme, and then becoming very communicative in their interspersed statements. Equally exposing a good swinging time, “Surely” is bounded by an incredible rhythmic stimulation, with Nilssen and Gawlik gearing up a pump of adrenaline before making their phrases converge in the last minutes.

There’s tremendous passion behind every drum stroke, and Black excels particularly on “Asgingforit”, a more overtly progressive cut imbued with a hymn-like solemnity, as well as “Bellsimmer”, where he contributes to the fray by tapering off into world-inspired rhythms and prog-rock terrain. The ritual insurgence embraced by the horn players here differ from the elated melody delivered in parallel on “Crashback”. The bandleader digs in on the occasion with an inexorable rhythmic drive, turning the piece into an entrancing groover.

Black’s implacable body of work will reward followers of muscular avant-garde jazz and resilient rock hybridity.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - The Set-Up ► 03 - Asgingforit ► 06 - Bellsimmer

Chris Brown / Ben Davis / Matt Ingalls / Marshall Trammell - Tremble Trove

Label: Artifact Recordings, 2023

Personnel - Chris Brown: piano, electronics; Ben Davis: cello; Marshall Trammell: drums; Matt Ingalls: clarinet and bass clarinet (CD2 only).

This quartet of free improvisers from Oakland manages the art of sound with a strong desire to be spontaneous and creative. 12 electroacoustic tracks spread throughout two discs, the first of which is presented in trio format - with Chris Brown on piano and electronics, Ben Davis on cello and Marshall Trammell on drums - and the second as a quartet with the addition of clarinetist Matt Ingalls.

You won’t find loads of melody in here but more of rugged and grainy textures as the group vigilantly avoids intemperate tunefulness. “The Theme”, stand-offish at first while carrying earnest low frequencies, still pulls some lyricism, electing despondency as it drops any vestige of gladness. “Brewing” is also stern, but contains a sparkling rumble of pianism, well-developed cello lines that later morph into bow raspiness, and a focused rhythmic print. 

“Among Us” is stealthy, indivisible and responsive at the same time, whereas the chilly “Undisturbed” is stationary but not devoid of tension. “Look Out”, for example, is ominous in tone and somewhat aggressive in posture, but also risk-taking and well-designed. It emerges from solid-body cello continuum, prepared piano, and tinkling percussive dramatization.

Brown’s electronics mark the outset of “Aviary”, which ends in a fiery climax, and the first disc culminates with the 26-minute “Suite”, where temperate meanderings abide with jittery motions.

Each of the four tracks on the disc 2 follows a specific structure that allows the quartet to engage in crescendos with a sequence of solo, duo, trio, and quartet moments. Ingalls probes highs and lows by whistling and harrumphing, but that doesn’t make the second disc better than the first. With a solid core and knotted fringes, these sonic fabrics will please more those who search indefinitely than the ones who like to tap their feet to the beat.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - The Theme ► 05 - Look Out ► 07 - Brewing