Nick Roesler - Ghosting a Funeral

Label: Self released, 2023

Personnel - Nick Roesler: guitar, piano, synth, electronics; Dave King: drums.

Multi-instrumentalist and composer Nick Roesler (Chicane Theory, Porcupine) from Minneapolis releases Ghosting a Funeral, an atmospheric duo album woven alongside excellent drummer Dave King (The Bad Plus, Broken Shadows, Happy Apple). They attempt to push boundaries in the dark ambient rock experimentation, passing sensations of obscurity and lonesomeness as the final result.

Opening the album, “Night Sweats” explores within the indie rock canon, contrasting atmospheric guitar and synth effects with some unexpected beats for syncopation. The chiaroscuro tonalities are seamlessly transferred to “Hall Light”, which, following in the same vein, becomes another sinister pleasure.

“Polyurethane” probes trippy sonorities, juggling odd rhythmic textures, low-pitched vibes and electronics to emulate a psychedelic electro-rock. “Elephant in the Room” boasts a stimulating motorik beat that stands out from the sustained droning carpet mounted underneath. Under two minutes long, this is the shortest piece on the album but its grittiness made me wish it were further extended and developed. King’s terrific drumming is put to good effect on “Suspended Bridge”, a pathos-driven mystery tale in which Roersler’s smoldering baritone guitar carries much of the weight. Here, the duo reaches a climax in their association. 

If the title track, swept by ambient synth and guitar washes, attains an enigmatic suspension, then “Midlife Bison” enhances a five-note guitar motif by placing it on top of the layered texture. This is backed by King’s operations on the kit, including rattling percussion, thudding bass drum kicks, dry snare timbres, and opportune cymbal soaks.

Ghosting a Funeral relies on the power of mood, mixing stylistically different elements that shimmer up and drone and hum along with rhythm throbs. It will certainly create more impact on indie rock fans than jazz enthusiasts.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - Night Sweats ► 04 - Midlife Bison ► 09 - Suspended Bridge

Allen Lowe - America: The Rough Cut

Label: ESP-Disk, 2023

Personnel - Allen Lowe: tenor and alto saxophone, guitar (#4,10); Ray Suhy: guitar, banjo (#1-12); Alex Tremblay: bass (#1-12); Kresten Osgood: drums (#1-12). ** On #13 - Roswell Rudd: trombone; Ray Anderson: trombone; Randy Sandke: trumpet; Darius Jones: alto saxophone; Lewis Porter: piano; Jessie Hautala: bass; Jake Millett: electronic drums.**

Allen Lowe is a 68-year-old American saxophonist, guitarist, composer, and music historian who played with saxophonists Julius Hemphill and David Murray, trombonist Roswell Rudd, and clarinetist Don Byron, among others. For this ESP-Disk outing he turned his gaze to American music, spanning different styles within its musical heritage and jazz components. It’s an ever-shifting musical journey made in the company of guitarist Ray Suhy, who is versatile in a panoply of genres (from death metal to prog-rock to jazz), bassist Alex Tremblay, and Danish drummer Kresten Osgood, who worked with Sam Rivers, Paul Bley and John Tchicai.

Probing angular edges, the opening cut - “Damnation” - feels like a punk-jazz-gospel exercise packed with energy, robust solos and loads of fun. “Cheatin’ My Heart” flows amiably with a honky tonk feel marked by Osgood’s rim shots and Suhy’s dulcet chord progression. The third track, “Poor Mourner’s Serenade”, evolves with the sound of sizzling brushes, some crackling Lowe tenor playing and an apt accompaniment by bass and guitar. The theme is expressed in consonance.

Lowe dives headfirst into the American roots, used as a vehicle for his expression on several occasions in the form of pre-blues and blues (“Cold Was the Night Dark Was the Ground” and “Blues for Unprepared Guitarist”, both with Lowe on the acoustic guitar; “Full Moon Moan”; “Blues in Shreds”, which comes saturated in fuzz-toned guitar), and rag (“Old Country Rag”, with the banjo giving it the expected rustic shape).

Written for Allen’s wife, “Hymn for Her” is a pure jazz song that draws from tradition, whereas “It’s the End” contains a turbulent prog-rock excursion with a swinging carpet as support. Conversely, “Metallic Taste” is literal in the title, offering loud heavy metal roar in a jam-like manner. The album concludes with “At a Baptist Meeting”, a piece recorded in 2014 with a mighty horn section. Its avant-garde jazz epicenter burns with sounds that take us to Ornette Coleman, Charles Mingus and Sun Ra.

Depending on how much of a jazz purist you are will give you a reason to debate the place of this record in Lowe’s catalogue. Concurrently, the saxophonist released In The Dark, a three-disc set created for and with his Constant Sorrow Orchestra that justifies a good listening time.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - Damnation ► 02 - Cheatin’ My Heart ► 13 - At a Baptist Meeting

Dan Rosenboom - Polarity

Label: Orenda Records, 2023

Personnel - Dan Rosenboom: trumpet, flugelhorn, quarter tone trumpet; Gavin Templeton: tenor and baritone saxophones; John Escreet: piano, keyboards; Billy Mohler: double bass; Damion Reid: drums.

Trumpeter, composer, producer, and record label owner Dan Rosenboom has been making an impression in the contemporary jazz, whether by leading his own projects - including the powerhouse jazz-meets-metal quartet Burning Ghosts - or collaborating with likes such as multi-instrumentalist Vinny Golia and trumpeter Jeff Kaiser.

His new album, Polarity, is a jewel of intensely played music and interactive creativity performed with openness and edginess in the company of a top-notch quintet. The idea for this album came out of the Boom Sessions (Orenda, 2022), which sonically captured five concerts at ETA in Highland Park, Los Angeles. Polarity was produced by Justin Stanley, who worked with Prince, Beck, Leonard Cohen, and Paul McCartney. 

The collectively composed 19-minute epic “The Age of Snakes” exhibits extended improvisatory chops within a mercurial temper. The lazy bass groove delivered by Billy Mohler, the ambient chordal loops of keyboard wizard John Escreet (occasionally morphing into cascading sequences), and the thoughtful drumming of Damion Reid, sustain the feisty unison lines thrown in by Rosenboom and saxophonist Gavin Templeton. Following the steps of the bandleader, who speaks clear and pure as limpid water, Escreet flies high, sweeping the keyboard acrobatically in a Herbie Hancock-style. Rhythmic and harmonic deconstruction is part of the job, and then we have a freedom-filled tenor solo over stirring drum work. At some point, the group seems influenced by electronica through several synth effects and a trance-like pedal pulse, while the horns keep wandering over chromatic bass movements. A final funky groove leads us to the wrap-up.

The piece that follows, “A Paper Tiger”, is equally impressive as it imposes a frantic rhythmic motion with stupendous melodic angularity atop. The individual excursions from trumpet, sax, piano and drums are as energetic as they are spontaneous. “Walking Shadows” and “Ikigai” demonstrate the group’s command of tempo and accentuation. Yet, they attest that virtuosity is not indifferent to engaging melody.

Following an identical structure and order of solos, “War Money” and “Minotaur” work like a modern swinging orchestra with modal infusions and fervent, darker tones dictated by Templeton's robust baritone sax. The former piece includes inspired piano expressiveness and acute trumpet dispute, whereas the latter has Escreet brilliantly laying down a different rhythm over the texture.

The rapport and interplay between these musicians is outstanding, and the music leaves space open for each of them to shine.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - The Age of Snakes ► 02 - A Paper Tiger ► 04 - War Money

Tobias Meinhart Berlin People - Dark Horse

Label: Sunnyside Records, 2023

Personnel - Tobias Meinhart: tenor and soprano saxophone; Kurt Rosenwinkel: electric guitar; Ludwig Hornung: piano; Tom Berkmann: bass; Mathias Ruppnig: drums.

The second installment of German saxophonist Tobias Meinhart’s Berlin People is titled Dark Horse and was recorded live at A-Trane jazz club, located in Germany’s trendy capital. The quintet bolstered its sound, tightening musical and friendship ties during the time spent on the road (they toured Europe and South America after the release of their first album). The group remains intact in its pieces, featuring the acclaimed guitarist Kurt Rosenwinkel, who establishes a strong connection with the saxophonist in most of the melodic themes. The group is rounded out by Ludwig Hornung on piano, Tom Berkmann on bass, and Mathias Ruppnig on drums. The latter two contribute one composition each to the tracklist.

Meinhart’s “Luna Park” opens empathically through a joyful thematic development that is a tribute to New York’s Coney Island. The unmistakable contemporary sound gains even more emphasis when Meinhart permeates the harmonic tapestry with a gripping tenor improvisation. Rosenwinkel follows him, projecting his blustering synth guitar with ruddy tones and inviting ideas. In turn, Hornung opts for a more thoughtful approach with plenty of rhythmic figures and chromatic slides.

The uptempo “Dark Horse” runs under a sextuple meter with punk rock-ish attitude and jazzistic expression around the edges. Its breathless galloping takes a rest before the closing statement.  “Dreamers” is an older piece - a contrafact of the standard “You Stepped Out of a Dream” - that feels a bit extended here. In spite of that, we can indulge in Meinhart’s soprano sprints over the harmonic riches. There are swinging segments in its 4/4 motion that one can identify with “Berlin People”, which seems immersed in an authentic urban bustle. This fitting 15-minute closer was retrieved from the band’s debut album and extended from six to 15 minutes.

Contrasting with these swirling streams, we have Ruppnig’s tenderly outlined “Gift of Time”, and Meinhart’s “Sonic River”, a lyrically involving 7/4 cut introduced with grace and perspicuity by Rosenwinkel and brushed with balmy effulgence by the drummer.

Although not making the same great impression as The Painter (recorded with a completely different quintet), Dark Horse is nevertheless an agreeable album where the bandleader’s compositions stand out.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - Luna Park ► 08 - Sonic River ► 09 - Berlin People

Marc Copland Quartet - Someday

Label: InnerVoice Jazz, 2023

Personnel - Marc Copland: piano; Robin Verheyen: tenor and soprano saxophones; Drew Gress: bass; Mark Ferber: drums.

The stupendous sound of American pianist Marc Copland is only matched by his immense creativity and originality. For this quartet session, recorded for his own label, the pianist teams up with bassist Drew Gress, a longtime partner in many musical voyages, and two new additions: Belgian-American saxophonist Robin Verheyen and Californian drummer Mark Ferber. They are not only perfectly integrated with Copland’s playing but also bring their own musical personalities to the setting. Someday is comprised of five original compositions (three by Copland and two by Verheyen) and three jazz standards rendered with the group’s lovely approach to traditional jazz.

Velvety coated, “Someday My Prince Will Come” starts the proceedings with a positively restrained waltzing breath and a disarming relaxation that reflects the quartet’s posture. It’s followed by Copland’s “Spinning Things”, a serious post-bop inflection specifically written for this group. Verheyen shines in a tenor improvisation marked by logical fragmentation, smart intervallic choices, and fluid runs. He ends up exchanging ideas with Copland during the final section.

The saxophonist brings two pieces of his own creation to the program: “Dukish”, a ballad that nods to Duke Ellington with lithe beauty and sincerity, and “Encore”, whose dusky chamber tones are stirred by Ferber’s protruding brush playing. Yet, the most beautiful piece is Copland’s “Round She Goes”, a previously recorded piece (first appeared on a duo recording with Greg Osby) expressed with modal brilliancy. Gress proves he’s in top form; Verheyen takes us above the sky with an impressive soprano statement; and Ferber radiates good vibes in a vamping sequence in the wake of the reintegrated theme. 

Copland included one piece each by Thelonious Monk and Miles Davis, namely “Let’s Cool One” and “Nardis”, respectively. The former swings along in a comfortable environment, whereas the latter concludes the album with cyclic 32-bars of sophisticated musicality.

The whole CD, from top to bottom, has Copland and his band inspired to the hilt. Space, elegance and heartiness are all at the forefront.

Favorite Tracks:
02 - Spinning Things ► 05 - Round She Goes ► 08 - Nardis

Tim Berne / Hank Roberts / Aurora Nealand - Oceans And

Label: Intakt Records, 2023

Personnel - Tim Berne: alto saxophone; Aurora Nealand: accordion, clarinet, voice; Hank Roberts: cello.

Tim Berne, an alto saxophonist with unpredictable musical temperament and a more-precise-than-brittle tone, teams up with master cellist Hank Roberts (a longtime partner), and multi-reedist/accordionist/vocalist Aurora Nealand (second musical experience after having joined forces with the duo Trapper Keaper in 2019). These musicians, owners of an excellent instrumental sound and big ears, put a spin on a unique post-modern trio that intrigues and captivates at every turn.

Their melding of ideas, eschewing genre conventions, is encapsulated in the 12 tracks that compose Oceans And. Take the opener as an example: “The Latter”, whose elongated, sustained notes with occasional screeching cello convey a mysterious tranquility, has Nealand’s atmospheric accordion giving harmonic context to Berne’s lines. And yet, one never knows where this gentle dance will take us.

“Framed” is fed by accordion’s elliptical textures, grievous cello, and saxophone motifs that, spreading across the tapestry, show no interest in eradicating tension. The next track, “Eez”, takes abstraction, fragmentation, and looseness even further with its constant diffusion of timbres.

“Partial 2” is an incredible piece that can be tied to “Clustard” and “Sutile”. The clarinet (surprisingly not as dulcet as one might expect) and saxophone engage in logical articulations that probe different intensities, while Roberts remains imperturbable in the back. The cellist excels during the eerie neo-folk of “Frosted”, emphasizing dark-hued elements with a firm identity.

Nealand puts her beautiful voice at the service of “Mortal and Pestered”, a haunting, ritualistic and often dramatic combination of the ethereal and the spectral, whereas on “10tious”, the longest piece on the album, she responsively attempts to mimic Berne’s intricate leaps and rhythmic trajectories on the accordion. There’s also cello pizzicato and quick-witted saxophone, with the protagonists coming and going from the scene with a particular aesthetic in mind.

This trio of like-minded artists offers strangely magnetic music with enough coils and refinements to keep you engaged.

Favorite Tracks:
02 - Framed ► 06 - Mortal and Pestered ► 11 - Partial 2

Freysteinn - í allar áttir en samt bara eina

Label: Self released, 2023

Personnel - Freysteinn Gislason: double bass; Helgi Rúnar Heiðarsson: saxophone; Hrafnkell Gauti Sigurðarson: electric guitar; Óskar Kjartansson: drums.

Icelandic bassist and composer Freysteinn Gislason out fronts a pungent quartet whose workouts can be anything but conventional. The six original compositions here are staunchly structured, and yet the music denotes a free-ish vibe and indispensable experimentalism without scattering too much from the group’s sonic identity. The title of the album, í allar áttir en samt bara eina, validates this idea as it translates into ‘in all directions but still the same’.

“Bylur” exhibits a perfectly cooked-up theme where a shimmering rhythmic net supports the fine melodic delineation started by saxophonist Helgi Rúnar Heiðarsson and later bolstered by guitarist Hrafnkell Gauti Sigurðarson. The latter joins forces with the bandleader for a 9/4 section that soon morphs into 7/4 with noise guitar explosions squalling over the prog-rock-ish texture delivered by bass and drums. Before reversing to the previous tempo and texture, there’s fiery exchanges between guitar and saxophone. 

The title track is set in motion with introductory coherency by Freysteinn and drummer Óskar Kjartansson. The piece advances confidently, juggling with multiple tempos without ever coming to a boil. Still, its finale is utterly surprising. “Brotsjór” is among the best pieces. The group installs this frenzied dance with another additive meter signature that slows down into a ballad. Pensive arco work and reverb-drenched guitar infuse an extreme profundity before getting back to the preliminary intensity for a lavishing tenor solo. 

“Þriðjudagur” is irrigated with folk melodies and burning improvisations, keeping the focus on no-noodling textures and pulsing rhythms that move according the ever-shifting tempos. Following the even-tempered “Samúningur”, the album comes to a close with “Á milli hluta”, an experimental swinging/rock episode in five where descending bass trajectories empower rhythmic interjections by sax, guitar and drums.

Freysteinn and his associates have a common taste for exploration, inferring this music with a seductively tortuous quality that stimulates the ear.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - Bylur ► 03 - Brotsjór ► 04 - Þriðjudagur

Cécile McLorin Salvant - Mélusine

Label: Nonesuch Records, 2023

Personnel - Cecile McLorin Salvant: vocals, synth (#7,9,13); Sullivan Fortner: piano (#3,5,6,11,12); syhths (#6,10), kalimba (#12), vocals (#12), celeste (#14); Aaron Diehl: piano (#1,2); Paul Sikivie: bass (#1,2); Kyle Poole: drums (#1,2); Lawrence Leathers: drums (#2); Godwin Louis: alto saxophone (#3,5), vocals (#12); Luques Curtis: bass (#3,5,12,14); Weedie Braimah, percussion (3,4,5,12,14); Obed Calvaire: drums (#3,5,12); Daniel Swenberg: nylon string guitar (#8).

Lauded singer Cecile McLorin Salvant combines elements of French mythology, Haitian voudou, and apocrypha in this European folkloric tale called Mélusine. She sings in French on most of the tracks, but you can also hear Haitian kréyol, Occitan, and English.

Composed of five originals and nine songs whose origins range from the 12th century to the mid 1980’s, the album challenges norms but also plays off safely within conventions. The French chanson takes both hauntingly sad and dramatic proportions in the opener, Léo Ferré’s “Est-ce ainsi que les hommes vivent?”, as well as on Veronique Sanson’s 1985 pop hit “Le Temps Est Assassin”. 

A dominant Afro-Latin tinge permeates “Doudou” and “Wedo”. Both came from the pen of Salvant who, on the latter piece, offers an upbeat African chant over a modernistic synth tapestry that she plays herself. In Charles Trenet’s easy-listening “La Route Enchantée” we bump into a cabaret-driven enchantment that thrives under the rhythmic propulsion of pianist Aaron Diehl, bassist Paul Sikivie, and a pair of drummers: Kyle Poole and Lawrence Leathers. 

The title track is partly sung in English, finding its sagacious balance with the help of Daniel Swenberg’s acoustic guitar, whereas Michael Lambert’s “D'un feu secret”, a 17th-century courtly song, has its lyricism stirred by Sullivan Fortner's odd synth accompaniment.

We all know what Salvant is capable of. Her magnificently appealing voice is paired with an unblemished technique and often novel ideas. However, I must confess that, even if the results are consolidated, it’s been hard for me to return to this recording. Stylistically, it puts me a bit off, and is far from the greatness of Ghost Song (Nonesuch, 2022), a modern vocal jazz masterpiece.

Favorite Tracks:
02 - La Route Enchantée ► 05 - Doudou ► 08 - Melusine 

Florian Arbenz / Arno Krijger / Greg Osby - Conversation #9: Targeted

Label: Hammer Recordings, 2023

Personnel - Florian Arbenz: drums; Greg Osby: alto saxophone; Arno Krijger: Hammond organ.

Swiss drummer Florian Arbenz reunites with American saxophone heavyweight Greg Osby, one of his jazz heroes with whom he recorded previously at least three times, and adds Dutch organist Arno Krijger to the team. Targeted is the ninth installment of his Conversation series, which features a different lineup in every session. Of the six cuts on this album, two emanated from the pen of Arbenz and one from Osby, while the remaining three are scintillating readings of jazz standards. 

Eddie Harris’ jazz-rock gem “Freedom Jazz Dance” opens the album with a free posture, but rather than conveying abstract states of mind, the trio goes straight to the gut. All layers are slowly distended. The alto saxophone introduction expands into sophisticated phrases that keep dancing in and out of the harmonic scope; the percolating tom-tom accompaniment of the first phase ends up in a locomotion propulsion; and the groovy sounds of the Hammond go from conciliatory to acerbic while infusing a psychedelic rock touch.

The program also stands out thanks to a pair of duets that lean hard on turns with risk-taking propensity. On the Osby-penned “Vertical Hold”, which first appeared on his 2005 Blue Note album Channel Three, resolute saxophone lines roll over the brushed percussive gait of the bandleader. It’s not just their dazzling vocabulary but the purity of their sounds that astonishes. The other duo effort pairs Arbenz and Krijger in a psychedelic, hard-driving interpretation of “Seven Steps to Heaven” by Victor Feldman and Miles Davis. Before attaining a rugged organ epiphany, there’s an introductory drum section with just enough transference of energy between resonating toms and effervescent cymbals.

Arbenz’s “Sleeping Mountain” conjures serene landscapes in its contemplation, but there are brief soaring moments where some mystery is felt. Gershwin’s “I Loves You Porgy” is delivered in a hushed murmur, unlike “Old Shaman”, which bubbles up with a triple time feel, having post-bop and rock elements clashing in positive ways. This trio proves capable of sonically panoramic views.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - Freedom Jazz Dance ► 03 - Vertical Hold ► 06 - Old Shaman

Ben Somers - Plant it Firmly in the Sand

Label: Hammer Records, 2023

Personnel - Ben Somers: tenor saxophone; Rob Updegraff: guitar; Mirko Scarcia: double bass; Tim Giles: drums.

Creating sonic diversity through a multi-genre approach, London-based saxophonist Ben Somers brings his compositions to the fore on his new outing, Plant it Firmly in the Sand. This is an opportunity to listen to him at the front of a jazz quartet consisting of Rob Updegraff on guitar, Mirko Scarcia on double bass, and Tim Giles on drums.

The record opens with “Into the Void”, a dedication to the unique saxophonist Pharaoh Sanders, where the dark, meaty saxophone is found in fellowship with the scintillation of the drums, exquisite guitar harmonies, and dancing bass lines. While embracing post-bop and avant-garde jazz perspectives, the quartet attains a fine balance between the sweet and the vigorous.

This is not the only dedication on the album; “For Greg”, which is etched with a particular swinging pulse, is dedicated to the bassist Greg Cohen, a member of John Zorn’s Masada who also worked with Tom Waits and David Byrne. Because Somers also plays bass (yet not on this recording), this is not surprising. Scarcia displays his woody tone on this occasion, as well as on “Steel Rail Counterpoint”, a number forged with triple time feel, pronounced folk melody, and a flourishing discussion between guitar and sax.

The inspiration for “Take Your Banner” was the late pianist/singer Dr. John and the music of New Orleans. Boasting a cheerful temperament, the piece welcomes guitar-sax unisons, comfortable marching snare, unrestive bass underpinning, and adventurous solos from Updegraff and the bandleader. “Just Like the Rest” was written while Somers was on tour with Seal. It came to life after a weird dream where the singer told him he was only playing for money. Nonetheless, the result - with staccato phrasing a-la Donny McCaslin floating around the rhythm - is positively warm.

The quartet delves into pure tradition on two cuts: “Low Hanging Fruit” and “Good Boy”. The latter was inspired by David Grisman’s fusion of jazz and bluegrass, but also channels sax luminaries such as Charlie Parker and Sonny Stitt in the language. Even played with a rock-solid sense of tempo, they don’t feel as fresh as the remaining material. With that said, Plant it Firmly in the Sand is a likable album that illustrates the musical talents of the four artists involved.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - Into the Void ► 02 - Take Your Banner ► 08 - Just Like the Rest

Matt Mitchell - Oblong Aplomb

Label: Out of Your Head Records, 2023

Personnel - Matt Mitchell: piano, composition; Kate Gentile: drums, percussion (CD1- #1-12); Ches Smith: drums, glockenspiel, gongs, percussion, tam-tam, vibraphone, timpani (CD2, #1-12).

Forward-looking American pianist Matt Mitchell interprets his hyper-complex, turn-on-a-dime compositions alongside two drummers of his preference: Kate Gentile, his co-conspirator in the project Snark Horse, and Ches Smith, one of the most respected bandleaders and in-demand musicians in contemporary jazz. Giving a rich texture to the duo format, Mitchell splits Oblong Aplomb into two discs, each of them featuring 12 tracks that take us to unexpected places. 

The first CD - with Gentile on the drum kit - kicks off with “All Imoderation”, a puzzling, highly concentrated piano/drums piece that joins a unique bounce to a crackling and revelatory emotion. It might suggest otherwise, but the music is very well oriented in its inner convolution. Always with counterpoint and polyrhythm in mind, Mitchell explores with odd meter, transforming each and every transition and variation into a rugged epiphany.

Gentile’s percussive adeptness is astounding on “Escalatory Chicanery”, responding to the stresses, acceleration and retardation of Mitchell’s fleet fingers. The turbulent “Slarm Biffle” contains frenetic motions, ample expansions and tight contractions within sections that toggle between playful and dramatic. This mind-boggling rhythmic precision can also be vouched on “Giggle Trigger”. In contrast, “Oneiric Argot” diffuses dreamy tones, anchored with a more subdued yet no less tractable drumming in response to Mitchell’s metrical intricacies.

The CD2 has Smith adding more instrumental color with vibraphone and glockenspiel, and begins with the broad scope of “The Amused”, where the bass movement created on the left side of the keyboard is stimulating. Open to scintillating frictions, “Chiasma” creates harmonic puzzlement while advancing with irregular steps. “Full Koala” has an alternative rock inclination, whereas “Doleful”, “Labile” and “Numen” are permeated with Smith’s mallet work and harmonic coloration.

Both “Correctly Profane” and “Inveiglers” are ushered by stop-start motions and staccatos, but if the former incurs in abrupt changes in rhythm, the latter is infused with supersonic piano runs.

This music is dense and demanding but those who make the commitment to really listen to what’s going on will be rewarded. Having said that, it’s also great to close your eyes, let it go, and simply enjoy these amazing sounds.

Favorite Tracks:
01 (CD1) - All Immoderation ► 03 (CD1) - Escalatory Chicanery ► 02 - Chiasma (CD2) ► 07 (CD2) - Correctly Profane

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