Walter Smith III - Return to Casual

Label: Blue Note Records, 2023

Personnel - Walter Smith III: tenor saxophone; Matthew Stevens: guitar; Taylor Eigsti: piano, Fender Rhodes; Harish Raghavan: bass; Kendrick Scott: drums // + guests - Ambrose Akinmusire: trumpet (#2,8); James Francies: Fender Rhodes (#9).

Walter Smith III, an ingenious saxophonist equally fluent in melody and rhythmic expression, debuts on the Blue Note imprint with Return to Casual, a formidable 10-track album comprising nine originals and one re-imagined art-pop song from the ’80s. 

The enthusiasm, virtuosity and tightness of Smith’s core quintet is on full display during “Contra”, a breathtaking sonic rollercoaster made with speed and stamina. The head is melodically infused with sax-guitar parallelism while the rhythm team - Taylor Eigsti on piano, Harish Raghavan on bass, and Kendrick Scott on drums - tactfully establishes a suitable backdrop. Both Smith and guitarist Matthew Stevens - his partner on the acclaimed In Common project - deliver searing improvisations. 

“River Styx” is the tune that follows, featuring beautiful statements from Smith and guest trumpeter Ambrose Akinmusire. Both take the most advantage of the harmonic riches and balance that characterize the piece. The physical and emotional range of Akinmusire’s brass moves can also be heard on “Amelia Earhart Ghosted Me”, where he engages in a lyrical conversation with Smith. A different dialogue - more like a battle of keyboards - is proposed on “K8+BYU$”, a soaring horn-less piece in five that guests James Francies. He is bound to tremendous exchanges with Eigsti.

If “Shine” offers a characteristically splendorous theme expressed with a subtle strength that gains an invigorating triple feel, then “Quiet Song” misleads you with its title as it shapes as a driving mid tempo number with fierce piano and percussion activity. Less exuberant is the final track, “Revive”, a heartfelt ballad written for the recently departed artist/activist Meghan Stabile, as well as Kate Bush’s “Mother Stands For Comfort”, where sax melodies dance around and above stippled guitar imprints.

This album ranks as Smith’s finest efforts, channeling his compositional virtuosity and a mastery of the saxophone that transcends technique.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - Contra ► 02 - River Styx ► 04 - Shine

Andrew Rathbun - Semantics

Label: SteepleChase, 2022

Personnel - Andrew Rathbun: tenor and soprano saxophone; Rich Perry: tenor saxophone; Gary Versace: piano; John Hébert: bass; Billy Drummond: drums.

Canadian saxophonist/composer Andrew Rathbun invites veteran tenorist Rich Perry to join him in the frontline of a new quintet featuring the flexible rhythm section of pianist Gary Versace, longtime collaborator and bassist John Hébert, and drummer Billy Drummond, who records with the bandleader for the first time. Following a duo outing with the idiosyncratic pianist Ran Blake, in which they played mostly standards, Rathbun releases Semantics, a JUNO nominated album that comprises seven new originals and an outstanding interpretation of Miles Davis/Gil Evans’ “The Time of the Barracudas”.

The latter piece kicks off with the bassist and drummer fixated on a loose, swinging vibe that would serve as a safe ground for a stunning tenor solo by Rathbun, who opens the improvisational section with an effective melodic force. Versace succeeds him, and then it’s Perry who completes the sequence with cerebral motifs and a Shorter-esque vision of things.

The opening track, “Number 1”, a no-nonsense approach to Rathbun’s composition, feels modal with meter shifts and saxophone unison lines populating the theme statement. Hébert stems the tide here with his magnetic bass playing, whether providing structure to the tune’s head or improvising. Unsurprisingly, the saxophonists dig in for an elastic conversation. The closing number, “Some Things Are Backward”, showcases sharp rhythmic accents, fragmented phrasing that alludes to hard-bop, and a harmonic treatment that incites freedom of speech.

The title track acquires force along the way but also includes reflective moments that can be equally appreciated on “Gestures From Another Time” and especially on “Old Ballad for Hawk”, which is complemented with heartfelt bass and hinged piano statements.

Semantics is very jazzistic in the most straight-ahead and post-bop sense of the word, and the music is never less than intriguing.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - Number 1 ► 05 - The Time of the Barracudas ► 08 - Some Things Are Backward

André Matos / Jeremy Udden - Wandering Souls

Label: Robalo, 2023
Personnel - André Matos: electric guitar; Jeremy Udden: alto saxophone.

Hailing from the same broadminded jazz generation, Portuguese guitarist André Matos and American saxophonist Jeremy Udden got together in Brooklyn for an intimate duo recording soaked in modern ambient stylization. 

The atmospheric beauty of “As Far as Eyes Can See” sets the mood for the album, Wandering Souls, which consists of five improvised pieces. Unpretentious saxophone chanting is set against Matos’ droning escapisms made of aqueous and rippling guitar effects. Space is a must here, and clarity increases as the impressionistic sonic painting sharpens its edges through lyrical contemplation.

“The Rings of Saturn” is both ruminative and explorative in its infectious minimalist loops, whereas “Ceremonial” is not just what the title suggests; it’s also mysterious. The album’s chapters are kept light and cool with impeccable timing and sensitivity. 

“Stoichiometry” implies a chemical reaction between two musicians who have known each other for years but never recorded together. Udden brings confidence and relaxation to his narrative prose; Matos dives into soundscapes that range from swooshing tremolos to atmospheric washes to textural meditations. The album concludes with “The Mind Wanders”, the shortest track on the record at two and a half minutes, and the most harmonically transparent.

This duo is encouraged to uphold their wanders of the soul.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - As Far as Eyes Can See ► 02 - The Rings of Saturn ► 05 - The Mind Wanders

Billy Childs - The Winds of Change

Label: Mack Avenue Records, 2023

Personnel - Billy Childs: piano; Ambrose Akinmusire: trumpet; Scott Colley: bass; Brian Blade: drums.

The Winds of Change is the third consecutive studio album from American pianist and composer Billy Childs on Mack Avenue Records. Known for his determined keyboardic touch, Childs knows the tradition like the back of his hand, boasting in his curriculum collaborations with iconic trumpeter Freddie Hubbard, fusion guitarist Allan Holdsworth and jazz singer Diane Reeves. As a bandleader, he normally displays this luxurious post-bop sheen that is vouched by his extraordinary new peers: trumpeter Ambrose Akinmusire, bassist Scott Colley, and drummer Brian Blade.

“The Great Western Loop” lays out the stakes with focused dynamics. Titled after the 7,000-mile hiking trail that links Southern California to Vancouver to the Grand Canyon, the piece sports a resolute rhythmic spark and rich textures. Akinmusire defines the main melody with imaginative leaps, and returns to it briefly after the pianist's ripe solo. He also stretches here with an impressive range and balance.

The album builds on interesting themes, and the title track starts and ends dramatically rubato with some pronounced slopes at the base. Alternatively, the middle section takes the form of a triple-metered dance whose harmonic taste recalls Wayne Shorter. The quartet effortlessly guides “The End Of Innocence” with a 4/4 tempo. This previously recorded cut features tight interplay and a fine bass solo, but “Master of the Game”, a film noir-inspired tune, is where a mix of modal jazz and classical idioms coalesce. The acute flutter in Akinmusire’s trumpetism creates a truly poetic power that, frequently, draws responses in the pianist's comping. 

Before the album's conclusion with “I Thought I Knew” (delivered in trio), one may indulge in two selections not composed by Childs. They are Chick Corea’s pristine “Crystal Silence”, softly caressed by Blade’s effective brushwork; and Kenny Barron’s “The Black Angel”, which feels immensely blissful in nature.

With Akinmusire as a major asset throughout, the rhythm section sounds quite inspired, whether providing solid foundation or creating valid rhythmic undercurrents.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - The Great Western Loop ► 04 - Master of the Game ► 06 - The Black Angel

Dave Liebman - Live at Smalls

Label: Cellar Music Group, 2023

Personnel - Dave Liebman: soprano saxophone; Peter Evans: trumpet; Leo Genovese: piano; John Hébert: bass; Tyshawn Sorey: drums.

Master saxophonist and improviser Dave Liebman put together a quintet of such mighty force for a 75-minute free jazz session at Smalls in New York. The captured live is not always brilliant, but the interaction between virtuosic musicians who command their instruments with excellence, worth your time. 

Trumpeter Peter Evans is a superb partner in the frontline, who armed with focused brass work and inventive language, is impressive right from the start. His ideas are caught up by Liebman, who plays with an outer clarity that astonishes, and especially by Argentinian pianist Leo Genovese, whose winding phrases and deft harmonies simultaneously provide density and color. With the emotions running rampant at this early stage, John Hébert, an in-demand stalwart bassist versatile both in comping and improvisation, makes his instrument sing.

The transition to the middle part is pacific, with Liebman giving a self-possessed speech. He is subsequently joined by Evans, who enjoys a few minutes with just Tyshawn Sorey’s drum cycles underneath. The drummer, even sounding more straight-ahead at this juncture, still surprises. After piano and bass pour forth with energy, there’s an extended abstract moment of quietness that leads to a residual rhythmic stuttering that finishes off this middle section.

Taking down the guardrails of written music, Liebman probes complex melodies that expand and contract across multiple rhythms. “The End” evolves within a relaxed conversational atmosphere until reaching a heated final climax. Stimulating music.

Favorite Track:
01 - The Beginning

Ingrid Laubrock - The Last Quiet Place

Label: Pyroclastic Records, 2023

Personnel - Ingrid Laubrock: tenor and soprano saxophones; Mazz Swift: violin; Tomeka Reid: cello; Brandon Seabrook: guitar; Michael Formanek: bass; Tom Rainey: drums.

Visionary saxophonist and composer Ingrid Laubrock reaches a new height of expression with The Last Quiet Place, a sprawling, ambitious album that demands to be heard and felt. Leading an otherworldly avant-garde sextet that is receptive of other genres and experimentation, she managed to infuse so much freedom within the organized procedures and deliberate structure of six fully realized gems. They all show the bandleader’s incredible knack for modern composition and unpredictable choices in the arrangements. 

“Anticipation” is set up with duo and trio combinations, making us feel the astonishing breadth of these musicians. At an early stage we hear Brandon Seabrook’s sparse guitar chords, the lyrical violin of Mazz Swift, and understated drumming by Tom Rainey. There’s occasional bass and cello injections by Michael Formanek and Tomeka Reid, respectively, who discreetly join the undisturbed communion. Afterwards, it’s Laubrock who stands out by spiraling over diagonal bass matrixes. Unisons announce the theme, and you’ll eventually find stylish brushwork, timely bass plucks, fabulous guitar comping, and responsive string activity.

The contagious dynamism of “Grammy Season” brings an invigorating motion and a fun funky feel reinforced by electric guitar. This piece, combining fertile melodic imagination and an astute approach to form, includes parallel lines, counterpoint, and plenty of rhythmic hooks before becoming cinematically mysterious in its final chamber impression. “The Last Quiet Place”, whose oneiric title stemmed from the readings of books by American journalist and Pulitzer Prize-winning author Elizabeth Kolbert, leans more toward the alternative pop/rock milieu via its chordal sequence and odd rhythmic flow. Laubrock sounds great on the soprano, blowing over pointillistic guitar and distorted harmonies, nuanced bass pedal points, and expertly brushed drums. The string players also soar around the edges.

“Delusions” conveys a deep sense of cohesiveness, whether through the precise and angular figure that defines its theme or the contorted shapes thrown in by Seabrook, who, together with Laubrock, is extremely active. The demure “Afterglow” features a tenor solo over drums, with intermittent stormy washes from guitar. The album closes with “Chant II”, a previously recorded modular piece (see Laubrock/Rainey duo album Utter from 2018) that, at this juncture, comes to life with swarming buzzes and humming undertones. Rainey excels throughout, and melodic synchronism arises from the six-beat obbligato that leads to the end.

Laubrock makes a huge impact with this disc, showing not just her personal connection to the material but also with the excellent group she leads.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - Anticipation ► 02 - Grammy Season ► 04 - Delusions

Rob Mazurek Exploding Star Orchestra - Lightning Dreamers

Label: International Anthem, 2023

Personnel - Rob Mazurek: trumpet, electronic treatments, voice; Jeff Parker: guitar; Craig Taborn: wurlitzer, moog; Angelica Sanchez: piano, wurlitzer, moog; Damon Locks: voice, electronics, samples; Gerald Cleaver: drums + Guests: Mauricio Takara: percussion, electronic percussion (#1); Cathlene Pineda: synth bass (#1).

For this new outing on the International Anthem label, the trumpeter, composer and interdisciplinary artist Rob Mazurek leads a reduced version of his acclaimed, cosmically-minded Exploding Star Orchestra.

The follow-up to the amazing Dimensional Stardust, one of the best records of 2020, is called Lightning Dreamers. Even if not as big in sound, it rises to the occasion with an instrumentation that feels infectiously alive. Imagine an avant-garde setting with electronic fusions and buoyant psychedelic funk. This is how the CD begins, with “Future Shaman”. Gerald Cleaver emulates a trap beat that calls for Mauricio Takara’s percussive qualities. Also guesting here is Cathlene Pineda who guarantees playful synth bass riffery throughout. Mighty keyboardists Craig Taborn and Angelica Sanchez, guitarist Jeff Parker (with a highly refracted solo), and Mazurek on trumpet claim individual spotlights.

The recording is a dedication to the recently departed trumpeter Jaimie Branch, whose sound can be heard in the beautifully designed “Black River”, a 14-minute epic that incorporates samples of the full-fledged Orchestra recorded live in Paris in 2022. Under a shamanic spell, the flute of Nicole Mitchell wanders, the drummers are ferociously interlocked, and the keyboardists toggle between pneumatic and combative. It's a horde of sounds of the earth and the extramundane that ends with a psychedelic rock note, akin to Primal Scream and Deep Purple. This piece is a tribute to Rio Negro in Manaus, Brazil, where Mazurek lived for three years. In that city, this river intersects with “White River”, which flowing rubato, features Parker with his own guitaristic looser style of performance.

Sometimes we have the sense of being traveling the unknown, and “Shape Shifter” makes us land on three different planets that complement themselves. “Dream Sleeper” has Mazurek’s trumpetism providing initial fuel, after which it’s Damon Locks’ words that cross the taut but resplendent orchestration. Buckle up for a sonic trip that seeks new ground at every turn.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - Future Shaman ► 03 - Shape Shifter ► 04 - Black River

Peter Brotzmann / Heather Leigh / Fred Lonberg-Holm - Naked Nudes

Label: Trost Records, 2023

Personnel - Peter Brötzmann: alto and tenor saxophone; Heather Leigh: pedal steel guitar; Fred Lonberg-Holm; cello, electronics.

German free jazz saxophonist Peter Brötzmann, a prolific in-the-moment creator, can be heard in the wonderful company of two musicians he knows very well: the Glasgow-based pedal steel guitarist Heather Leigh and the cellist Fred Lonberg-Holm, a stalwart of the improvised jazz scene. The saxophonist released a handful of duo recordings with the former and played in several groups and settings (from duo to tentet) with the latter. The record we have in our hands, Naked Nudes, was recorded in his hometown, Wuppertal, on the occasion of his 80th birthday concerts celebration. 

The music presented here consists of three functionally structured improvisations that, on one side, show that the trio has no interest in playing it safe, but on the other, doesn’t merely follow aleatory trajectories just for the fun of provoking and releasing energy. The outcome of this collaboration manifests the triumph of a levelheaded musical sense over any preconceived idea.

For nearly half an hour, the mighty title track demonstrates their passion, revealing newfound subtleties at every listening. Brötzamnn enters unaccompanied, later having the poignantly chanting vibration of cello and chiming steel guitar as a backdrop. The saxophonist blows his horn forcefully as the tapestry under his feet gradually roughens with noise guitar and electronics. Seven minutes in, and the whirring noise dissipates to make a new form emerge. A quiet lull made of uncanny timbral utterances appears but the chiming guitar puffs are turned into ominous noise in a subsequent phase. Like a distant, confusing dream, Leigh’s pitch-bending guitar waves invite Brötzmann to step into a resigned, supplicant redemption.

The other two tracks are shorter. “Flower Flaps” kicks off rumblingly and pointillistically, making way for the incisive and eloquent saxophone; “Johnny Anaconda” is a brew of sounds entrenched with bowed cello, guitar flaccidity, and keen sax manifestations that faintly blur the picture. Naked Nudes is thrilling and wholly original.

Favorite Track:
01 - Naked Nudes

Sam Bardfeld Trio - Refuge

Label: Brooklyn Jazz Underground Records, 2023

Personnel - Sam Bardfeld: violin; Jacob Sacks: piano; Michael Sarin: drums.

Violinist/composer Sam Bardfeld has the ability to employ traditional elements in his music without sounding linear or polished. His music is not totally free, as it is a perfectly structured work with themes and improvisation sections, but the mindset is close to what we find in free sessions, having exploration as its main focus. Refuge, his fourth album as a leader, brings him together with pianist Jacob Sacks, whom I love to hear playing here, and drummer Michael Sarin, who infuses elegance and beneficial understatement in the process. Together they give him a thrilling blend of stable and adventurous support.

The album opens with “It Might Not Work”, which advances with confident, well-measured steps and penetrating melodies. Sacks creates tension with occasional sudden strokes in the lower register, but also infuses lots of harmonic color. He plays unaccompanied for a while, before the rhythmic flow is resumed with a marching-like cadence.

Other Bardfeld-penned titles that stand out are the upbeat “A Ribbon of Sooty Thought” and the world-music-induced “On the Seat of Which”. The former is an AABA-structured piece whose swinging vibration and bop allure suggests an unheard mix between Stephane Grapelli and Don Pullen. Later on, Sacks’ out-of-the-box creativity takes it to more challenging territories, and we can spot a transient shift from quadruple to triple meter. The latter cut, with its violin plucks and bow fluency, recalls Billy Bang as the trio charges through variations.

This is music that exists at the border of post-bop and avant-jazz, and the two covers on the album, although distinct in style, demarcate light and shade with a variety of going-ons. With a strong contemporary pop-rock affiliation, the trio tackles Bruce Springsteen’s “Atlantic City” with a propagative brushed drum groove and delicious noir tones, which Sacks makes sure to maintain during Bardfeld’s solo. The other is the epic “Refuge”, a product of the musical mind of late pianist Andrew Hill (from his 1965 masterpiece Point of Departure), which, via smart figures, interesting ideas and slippery slides is turned into an emotionally engaging rendition.

Bardfeld’s approach brilliantly channels the American culture in its most different refuges. The credit goes not only to the violinist but also to his partners who melt their strong personalities into the music.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - It Might Not Work ► 02 - Atlantic City ► 04 - On the Seat of Which

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