Michael Griener - The Pearls

December 18, 2019

Label: Intakt Records, 2019

Personnel - Ellery Eskelin: tenor saxophone; Christian Weber: bass; Michael Griener: drums.

The music on the album The Pearls is occasionally soft and sparse, but the sound emanated by saxophonist Ellery Eskelin, bassist Christian Weber, and drummer Michael Griener can also be magnetically sturdier. It all depends on the context they are playing in, and, in this particular case, if they are creating in the spur of the moment or rendering old-time jazz pieces with a modern flair. In the former case, the music is presented without a specified form or time, while in the latter, there’s a primordial swinging vibrancy and structure associated with the ragtime of Scott Joplin (“Magnetic Rag”), Jelly Roll Morton (“The Pearls”), Count Basie (“Jive at Five”), and Russell Robinson (“Eccentric Rag”), all of them discharging a radiant bliss while having the trio devotedly concentrated on the ‘in the pocket’ factor.

These highly syncopated mainstream manifestations are intercalated with the remaining tunes, which, being spontaneously created, sound more attractive to me due to the unexpectedness in direction, wider latitude, and variation in mood. However, the overall balance and disparate dynamics created by the two stylistic approaches can easily earn adepts from both sides of the spectrum - the free/avant-garde and the early jazz/mainstream.

Highlights in the unrehearsed department include the sublimely crafted “La Fée Verte” and the cutting-edge “Black Drop”, which closes out the album. The former initiates with Weber’s tonally-rich arco techniques (including percussive), which is later joined by Eskelin’s inquisitive and polyphonic phrases, prior to evolve into a bass groove that, shortly afterward, dissolves into freer activity with Griener’s scintillating percussive work assuming a more preponderant role. In turn, the closing piece is born from chimes, successive terse pizzicato bass notes, and functional brushwork, gaining gradual nourishment through a loose-limbed pedal-like groove and Eskelin’s melodic paradoxes. There’s also “Rue Jardiniére”, where the interactive communication between bass and drums is outstanding.

Following the same philosophy and aesthetic of its predecessor, Sensations of Tone, this new record finds the trio exploring common ground with the same commitment and virtuosity that have been defining their musical personalities for years.

Favorite Tracks:
03 - La Fée Verte ► 04 - The Pearls ► 09 - Black Drop

Lorenzo Feliciati / Michele Rabbia - Antikythera

December 17, 2019

Label: RareNoise, 2019

Personnel - Lorenzo Feliciati: electric fretted and fretless bass, keyboards, samples and soundesign, electric guitar; Michele Rabbia: drums, electronics + guests - Cuong Vu: trumpet; Andy Sheppard: sax; Rita Marcotulli: piano; Alessandro Gwis: piano; Roy Powell: Hammond organ, Moog, keyboards.

Italian bassist Lorenzo Feliciati teams up with fellow countryman drummer Michele Rabbia on Antikythera, his seventh release on progressive music label RareNoise. The title refers to an ancient Greek mechanism that was used to predict astronomical positions and eclipses. Hence, the music is firmly grounded in lingering automations, many times shaped as soundscapes, with technology and improvisation as inextricable allies. A few tunes feature renowned guest artists clamping their improvisatory ideas into the substrata sculpted by the pair of sound architects. This procedure was of extreme importance, not only to give melodic focus to the setting, but also for timbral diversification.

Things get off to a start with the cinematic theme “Irregular Orbit”, which, full of atmosphere, blooms with ambient droning, electronic trappings, and sparkling cymbal chatters that gain further preponderance as electric bass patterns gradually develop. This piece brings pianist Alessandro Gwis to the forefront, whose intimate maneuvers also show up on the ear-pleasing “Perigee”, in which a percolating guitar soothes the soul.

Rita Marcotulli is another pianist featured on the album, giving her notable contribution on three tunes, two of which melodically fortified by British saxophonist Andy Sheppard. His bright-toned soprano comes to the fore on the hip-hopish “223 Teeth”, straddling on top of a simple bass pedal in seven yet finding room for cascading piano replications and vocal samples, while his breathy tenor playing can be heard for a short time on the smooth “Parapegma”. The textural silkiness of this somewhat sensual piece denotes indisputable tango influences.

Other pieces like “Prochronistic” and “Sidereal”, both featuring the emphatic trumpeter Cuong Vu as a source of light, promote an accessible experimentalism. Cautiously adventurous and noir, the former remains in a perpetual rhythmic state of pendulousness for nearly four minutes before emphasizing the trumpet within a less dense electronic context; the latter, lightly funkified by the bass and beat-oriented, throws the spotlight on Marcotulli’s piano - in its pure and prepared forms - before segueing into a section filled with synth and electric guitar sounds.

Antikythera feels sketchy and sometimes choppily edited, but still provides immersive soundscapes with the right amount of abstraction to please fans of a warped, moderately dark jazz with an inclination for dub and experimental ambient.

Favorite Tracks:
01- Irregular Orbit ► 04 - Prochronistic ► 05 - Sidereal

Dave Douglas - Engage

December 16, 2019

Label: Greenleaf Music, 2019

Personnel - Dave Douglas: trumpet; Anna Webber: tenor saxophone, flutes; Jeff Parker: guitar; Tomeka Reid: cello; Nick Dunston: bass; Kate Gentile: drums.

On Engage, the long-established trumpeter, composer, and bandleader Dave Douglas boasts tight-knit arrangements of 12 self-penned compositions shaped with the help of his cross-generational musical cohorts: Anna Webber on flutes and tenor sax, Tortoise’s Jeff Parker on guitar, Tomeka Reid on cello, Nick Dunston on bass, and Kate Gentile on drums. This first Engage act - defined as Optimism. Action. Community - envisions to make the necessary changes to preserve the environment, equality, sciences, and humanities. Hence, metabolizing any possible frustration into hope, Douglas developed all pieces from major triads as a reminder to himself to stay positive.

The album opens and closes in a graceful 4/4 pop/rock-ish song format with “Showing Up” and “Heart Science”, respectively. Displaying catchy melody, the former tune has Parker leading off with the first improvisation, followed by a collective effort.

Electrifying noise and guitar distortion mix with the skittish push-pull energy on “Faith Alliance”, a compact rock exercise propelled by choppy and aggressive drumming. The radical transition to the subsequent piece, the gospelized “Free Libraries”, creates a positive effect as the group eases the tension with casual smoothness. This tune is professed in seven.

On five selected tracks, trumpeters Dave Adewumi and Riley Mulherkar join the core group as special guests, playing side by side on two of them, namely, “Where Do We Go From Here”, whose nimble jazz moves comply with the transfixing groove in six, and “Living Earth”, where they embrace the general swinging elation, contributing melodic density to the theme statement. Reid's pertinent cello reactions to the soloists’ ideas are noticeable on this latter piece.

A trumpet duel between Douglas and Adewuni may also be enjoyed on “One Sun, a Million Rays”, which evolves into an avant-garde marching funk after initial bass pedal suspensions, flickering guitar lamination, and high-pitched flute whistling.

Packing a slow-building charge, “In It Together” injects some ambiguity with the bass flute and a mesh of percussion opening the way for cello rambles and a short scenic muted trumpet solo. The mood here has nothing to do with pieces such as “How Are The Children?”, a soaring anthem featuring a jabbing tenor solo, and “Everywhere But Here”, which gracefully unfurls with an additive 8+6 meter signature.

With a newfound sense of aesthetic as part of his compositional focus, Douglas invites all listeners to “engage”. Let’s do it folks!

Favorite Tracks:
01 - Showing Up ► 05 - Where Do We Go From Here ► 08 - Faith Alliance

Abdullah Ibrahim - The Balance

December 12, 2019

Label: Gearbox Records, 2019

Personnel - Abdullah Ibrahim: piano; Lance Bryant: tenor saxophone; Cleave Guyton Jr.: alto saxophone, flute, piccolo; Marshall McDonald: baritone saxophone; Andrae Murchison: trombone; Adam Glasser: harmonica; Noah Jackson: double bass, cello; Alec Dankworth: double bass; Will Terrill: drums.

After a four-year hiatus, the legendary South African pianist Abdullah Ibrahim returns with a wonderful album, continuing a trailblazing work of pure instinct and eclectic refinement started in 1960. For this new work, aptly titled The Balance, the 84 year-old artist balances solo and collective efforts, high energy and melancholia, elation and forlornness, celebration and restraint, as well as spontaneous rides and thoroughly written parts. So, balance is the key, and the music, an incredible blend of township folk and sophisticated jazz, provides that compelling emotional depth that we found in previous masterpieces such as Water From an Ancient Well (1985) and Ekaya (1983).

Ibrahim performs nine of his originals - six with the group Ekaya (none of the musicians from the aforementioned record are present here) and three solo presentations - along with a lilting rendition of Monk’s “Skippy”. The latter piece, featuring all the woodwind players, develops according an arrangement that deserves thunderous applause.

The same happens with the old hit “Nisa”, a bursting-with-flavor orchestral sumptuousness that projects the earthy, singular tones of Marshall McDonald’s bari sax before the rest of the soloists step in. Ibrahim is simply phenomenal in his note choices, creating intervals and motifs that attest the quality of his playing. This is also evident on the solo pieces, with “Tonegawa”, in all its impressive spiritual splendor, attaining an emotional peak through beautiful phrasing, underlying low pedal notes, and incidental dissonant chords.

Moods keep shifting throughout, and if “Dreamtime” had opened up the session with poignant pianism, leisurely beat, and a melodious flute that conveys serenity, “Jabula” emphasizes African folk elements in the form of gleeful melodies and celebratory rhythmic accents. The propelling brushwork offered by drummer Will Terrill plays a crucial role in this process.

This subtle play of light and shade becomes noticeable again, especially when putting side by side “Song For Sathima” and “Tuang Guru”. The latter avant-garde-ish piece is layered with a strong forward thrust via bass and hi-hat kinetic moves. It features the contrasting tones of a shrilling piccolo and a deep baritone, and is complemented with the slithering brassy lines of trombonist Andrae Murchison and the resolute advances of tenorist Lance Bryant.

There’s an unfluctuating state of grace that lingers long after the harmonica-tinged title track brings the album to a conclusion. Ibrahim continues true to himself and the magic of his individual expression is well alive. The Balance is one of his best records in many years.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - Dreamtime ► 02 - Nisa ► 04 - Tuang Guru

Michael Formanek Very Practical Trio - Even Better

December 11, 2019

Label: Intakt Records, 2019

Personnel: Michael Formanek: bass; Tim Berne: alto saxophone; Mary Halvorson: guitar.

The excellent bassist/composer Michael Formanek, whose musicality and metrical competence pair skillfully, puts together an exciting new trio with alto saxophonist Tim Berne and guitarist Mary Halvorson. The Very Practical Trio’s first album, Even Better, features 10 tunes devised with aligned symmetries and diffuse obliqueness, causing a vortex of emotional impulses on the listener.

On top of the song lineup, “Suckerpunch” shines with dazzling energy and a sweeping tone quality. It kicks off with bass and guitar agreeing on a phrase that will serve as a groove along the road. Halvorson leaves the groove-making task to Formanek and joins Berne in shaping the curves and angles of the melody. Each musician then departs from this settled practice to interpose their own musical elements, integrating them into an organic, polyrhythmic whole. If the album opens with mightiness, then it closes with the tempered magic of Scott LaFaro’s ballad “Jade Vision”, whose limpid melody, ethereal rhythm, and delicious harmonic progression lift you up to an unclouded sky.

In its pungent interplay, the trio often combines agility, resilience, and serenity. “Like Statues”, for example, fall into solemnity, even with Formanek hastening his pizzicato a little bit. The pace is negotiated when Berne starts improvising on top of Halvorson’s decaying harmonizations, which, moments later, morph into a sui generis avant folk jazz statement. Conversely, “Still Here” embraces a cacophonous state that quickly evolves from controlled to rambunctious. A methodical rocking bass pedal mitigates the tension and the atmosphere is polished. Yet, Berne’s pointy bursts, immune to any pace constraint, reveal as much body as elasticity.

In a similar way, the erudite rubato lament, “Shattered”, exquisitely introduced by scintillating guitar and stimulated by Berne’s Coltrane mannerisms in a later phase, contrasts with the itchy outcomes of “Bomb The Cactus”, whose animated wall of sound is built by Halvorson’s indie rock strumming, and “But Will It Float”, a contrapuntal avant-garde crusade motivated by a courageous guitar ostinato and a structured bass groove.

Another paragon of the trio’s polyvalence is “The Shifter”, whose title is sufficiently elucidative for us to anticipate clever twists in shape and rhythm. In addition to an incessant tension and release, the tune also thrives with auspicious parallel movements and intense improvisatory moments from guitar and sax.

Always knowing where they are and what they want, the Very Practical Trio escapes common places with mastery.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - Suckerpunch ► 05 - Shattered ► 10 - Jade Visions

Colin Hinton - Simulacra

December 10, 2019

Label: Panoramic Recordings, 2019

Personnel - Anna Webber: tenor saxophone, flutes; Yuma Uesaka: tenor saxophone, clarinets; Edward Gavitt: electric and acoustic guitars; Shawn Lovato: bass; Colin Hinton: drums, percussion, glockenspiel, gongs.

Brooklyn-based drummer and composer Colin Hinton blossoms as a serious modernist and avant-gardist with this sophomore full length album as a leader, Simulacra, a collection of six unpredictable cuts composed with specific musicians in mind. Although inspired by the talents of Anthony Braxton, Muhal Richard Abrams, Messiaen, and Scriabin, and with the compositional influence of former mentors (Ingrid Laubrock, Tyshawn Sorey, Eric Wubbels) pulsating through the record, Hinton reveals a distinctive, forward-thinking sound of his own, delivering pieces that burst with invention. That could be done thanks to the great quintet he put together: woodwind players Anna Webber and Yuma Uesaka share duties in the frontline, Edward Gavitt brings solid textural development and harmonic spice to the setting, and bassist Shawn Lovato joins the drummer, composing a rhythm section made of both malleable and sturdy properties.

Both “What Was” and the opening track, “Obversify”, clock in at around 18 minutes, providing intricate, never gratuitous sonic voyages that deftly combine written composition and free improvisation. In the case of the latter, a vague atmosphere is launched through sometimes durable, sometimes ephemeral cymbal splashes, sudden tom reverberation, a dancing flute over glockenspiel radiance, guitar fingerpicking and harmonics, and both pizzicato and arco bass paradoxes. A clarinet on the loose hangs around guitar chords that keep shifting at regular intervals. Short time later, it’s the tenor sax that infuses tension, pointing out to more obscure landscapes. After the engrossing clashes between tenors, Gavitt strikes with distorted phrases and noise rock blows, working on top of the fractal mechanics of a prog-rock-like groove. In turn, “What Was” kicks off with a lively pulsation and bold contrasting sounds. Beautifully synchronized movements morph into odd-metered cadences, exposing instrumental aggregations and diffusions, unisons and counterpoint, all within attractive atmospheres that toggle between refined and acerbic. For the ending, a sort of mechanical march is set up with multiple ostinatos in the vicinity.

Influenced by Scriabin’s 20th century classical discoveries and introduced by bass flute and contralto clarinet, “Synesthopy” pushes Gavitt to the foreground. He is a true catalyst for Hinton’s project (also produced the album), contributing exquisite clusters for the moody jazz variances. Following Webber’s swift flute rides and a middle collective passage, he uncorks a solo replete with rhythmic ideas and chromatic virtue.

If the restive Feldman-esque “Breath” feels quite mysterious throughout, opening with a strange panorama of guitar intervals and quirky chords delivered with quarter tone tuning, “Slab Warmth” concludes the record with an active head oozing pointed avant-garde accents. Lovato engages on Hinton’s chattering rhythms, waiting to be joined by Webber’s roughed-toned tenor and Gavitt’s fast-moving chords. Uesaka also participates with measured, deliberate placement of fierce exclamations on tenor, and the two saxophones end up crossing paths, exchanging growls and clamors that feel as sharp as razor blades.

Hinton reaches higher levels with this work, positioning himself as an able and assured composer within the left side of the contemporary jazz scene.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - Obversify ► 04 - What Was ► 06 - Slab Warmth

Peter Lemer Quintet - Son of Local Colour

December 9, 2019

Label: ESP-Disk, 2019

Personnel - John Surman: baritone and soprano saxophones; Alan Skidmore: tenor saxophone; Peter Lemer: piano; Tony Reeves: bass; Jon Hiseman: drums.

British pianist Peter Lemer reconvenes his old quintet and draws a potent portrait of his music, which thrives with an energy that can easily keep listeners engaged. The idea consisted in restoring the ensemble led by Lemer in 1966 to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the album Local Colour, released on the ESP Disk imprint (the year of the release was 1968). Just like in the old times, the pianist has teamed up with bassist Tony Reeves and drummer Jon Hiseman in the rhythm section, while the frontline is shared by experienced reed players like John Surman, who alternates between the baritone and the soprano saxophones, and Alan Skidmore, here replacing the unavailable Nisar Ahmad Khan on tenor. Sadly, Hiseman is not among us anymore given that he passed away four months after this live session has been recorded at London’s Pizza Express.

The diversity won’t make you bored, and the opener, “Ciudad Enahenado”, certifies what I’m saying. A rubato introduction, filled with fleet-fingered piano liveliness, Eberhard Weber-inspired bass slides, and motivic saxophone sketches, precedes a combative rhythmic cadenza that trots off with energy, inviting the horn players to blow spontaneously. After a couple of crescendos that threaten to become heavily swinging, the music shapes into an irreverent yet affectionate final section where elated folk melodies gain extra volume through the deep resonance of the baritone and the tenorist's dark tones.

Also carrying folk influences, “Flowville” features the two singing saxophones in straight cooperation. At some point, during Surman’s solo, the bassist opens a communication channel by answering him in the same idiom, and later on, Hiseman wisely suggests snare drum marching portions before embarking on a beautifully articulated solo with rich tom sounds.

Carla Bley’s “Ictus” is a classic avant-garde delight, here permeated with busy, heated statements. Only with bass and drums as a support, Surman, whose lyrical effervescence on soprano is never less than exciting, catches the final classical-derived phrase of Skidmore’s discourse. Afterward, their phrases merge and entwine before Lemer steps in, adding blues-inspired ideas, fast whirling movements, and sequences of knotty altered chords.

Contrasting with the mix of tranquility and ambiguity of “Carmen”, whose disjointed sense of instrumentation made me think of Sam Rivers, there's a sizzling rendition of John Coltrane’s famous “Impressions”. In turn, “Big Dick”, a post-bop ride that pays tribute to Lemer’s fellow saxophonist Dick Heckstall-Smith, is revelatory of the pianist’s coherent expressiveness along with Surman’s mercurial force and motivic elasticity. If Skidmore plays slightly more restrained on this one, he compensates with his melodic bite and swagger on the concluding “In The Out”, where the epic theme is followed by a joyous 4/4 rhythmic tapestry that swings back and forth in an unorthodox way.

This live session might not sound revolutionary anymore, but its adventurous moments are nonetheless inviting.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - Ciudad Enahenado ► 02 - Ictus ► 08 - In The Out

Rez Abbasi - A Throw of Dice

December 5, 2019

Label: Whirlwind Recordings, 2019

Personnel - Rez Abbasi: guitars, electric sitar-guitar; Rawan Benjamin: saxophone, flute, bensuri; Jennifer Vincent: bass, cello; Rohan Khrishnamurthy: mridangam, ghatam, khanjira; Jake Goldbas: drum set.

A Throw of Dice is the new outing by the highly regarded guitarist Rez Abbasi, who, for the very first time in his career, wrote a score to be played live in a film, namely, the Indian-German classic movie of the same name, dated back to 1929. For the effect, the guitarist gathered a cross border quintet, whose members - saxophonist/flutist Rawan Benjamin, bassist/cellist Jennifer Vincent, Carnatic percussionist Rohan Khrishnamurthy, and drummer Jake Goldbas - contribute a great deal to the pleasing hybrid aesthetic, where Indian ragas and rhythms fuse with Western elements, such as jazz and rock.

Abbasi smears the tracks with his empathic virtuosity, and his sitar-guitar intensifies the world fusion contexts of “Love Prevails”, a piece with interesting nuances in the rhythm, and the deceptively balladic “Facing Truth”, which incorporates bass pedals, tenor circularity, and guitar/flute unisons.

His acoustic chordal work is like a symphony to the ears on the exquisitely beautiful “Mystery Rising”, which positions the flute in the spotlight while advancing with propulsive three and four time feels, as well as on the tranquil “Seven Days Until News”, a piece momentarily bewitched by Vincent’s solemn cello.

However, two of the most impressive selections feature electric guitar, forging ahead with the progressive vision of their creator. I’m referring to “Blissful Moments”, whose initially relaxed fingerpicking gets the company of soprano sax and cello before veering into a stream of rock limned with a mix of raga and reggae feels; and “Wedding Preparation”, a marvel in seven whose centrifugal force comes from adroit jazz phrases and a myriad of colorful rhythms and harmonic textures that serve to affirm Abbasi’s improvisational thread. After embarking on coincidental ideas, guitarist and saxophonist end up dialoguing with suppleness. They reiterate this idea on “Jugglers”.

Other pieces deserving mention are “Changing Worlds”, a well-synchronized coloration of timbres with rhythmic momentum and outside tenor ventures, and “Chase for Liberation”, a sort of jazzatronica manipulation with a contemporary vibe.

Denoting tremendous sagacity in the arrangements and juggling a variety of influences, A Throw of Dice provides aural pleasures in each of its narrative episodes. Abbasi’s first cinematic essay comes filled with expressive charisma and musical substance, resulting in an extremely positive experience.

Favorite Tracks:
06 - Blissful Moments ► 12 - Wedding Preparation ► 17 - Changing Worlds

Jerome Jennings - Solidarity

December 4, 2019

Label: Iola Records, 2019

Personnel - Stacy Dillard: tenor and soprano saxophones; Josh Evans: trumpet; Andrae Murchison: trombone; Zaccai Curtis: piano; Christian McBride: bass; Jerome Jennings: drums + Guests - Tia Fuller: alto and soprano saxophones, flute; Camille Thurman: vocals, tenor saxophone; Endea Owens: bass; Carlos Maldano: percussion; A.J. Jennings: percussion.

A bristling energy comes out of Dizzy Gillespie’s “Be-bop”, the tune that opens the second album of drummer/composer Jerome Jennings. The slapping beat is altered when sectional swing forays come to prominence, and we find him trading fours with the soloists: saxophonist Stacy Dillard, trombonist Andrae Murchison, trumpeter Josh Evans, and pianist Zaccai Curtis. The driving force evinced here is spread throughout the album, a musical love letter in support of the struggles of the most vulnerable people in our society.

Establishing a deep connection with his cohorts, Jennings presents seven originals motivated by social justice and equality with a central focus on African American women, and four covers delineated with a gimmick-free approach to jazz.

Unpacking its content with a clear and resolute 4/4 post-bop grace, “Recy’s Lament” was written for Recy Taylor, an African American woman from Alabama who refused to stay silent after being brutally raped by white men in 1944. The bassist heard here is Endea Owens, who, on the closing track, the ballad “You Are Never Far Away From Home”, plays side by side with Christian McBride, who appears on the remaining tracks. The latter develops a magnificent intro on the masterfully orchestrated “The Theory of Difference”, an energetic piece that homages poet, writer, and activist Audre Lorde, whose work focused on topics such as civil rights, feminism, lesbianism, and the exploration of black female identity. The bandleader’s rhythmic jabs become noticeable after Dillard’s squiggly soprano rides and Curtis’ adroit pianism.

With the Latin exuberance of “Marielle (for Marielle Franco)”, the drummer pays tribute to the late Brazilian political activist who fought against sexual exploitation and domestic violence, as well as LBGTQ injustices. A wise shift in rhythm marks the beginning of Tia Fuller’s nice soprano solo. She is also present on the colorful rendition of the 1991 R&B classic “I Love Your Smile”, here earnestly sung by Camille Thurman, who makes sure to bring charm into her performance; and “Pay It No Mind”, composed in dedication of transgender activist Marsha P. Johnson and launched by the methodic marching mechanisms inflicted by the snare drum.

On “Convo With Senator Flowers”, Jennings abides by an inflamed speech professed by Senator Stephanie Flowers against open carry laws in the state of Arkansas, deftly following its course with synchronous drum manifestations and accents, whereas on Woody Shaw’s “Three Muses” he discourses himself with authoritative spells of groove, giving an extra impetus to the blasting excitement that results from the tune’s 3/4 impulsivity.

The expressive musical ideas that inhabit this drummer’s mind diffuse into so many shapes and colors while maintaining a firm voice toward social justice. Jennings smartly grasps elements of the tradition in order to innovate, having in Solidarity a confident, notable step in his career.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - Be-Bop ► 05 - I Love Your Smile ► 06 - The Theory of Difference

Kurt Rosenwinkel Bandit 65 - Searching the Continuum

December 3, 2019

Label: Heartcore Records, 2019

Personnel - Kurt Rosenwinkel: guitar, voice, electronics; Tim Motzer: electro-acoustic guitar synth, electronics; Gintas Janusonis: drums, percussion, electronics.

The versatility of renowned guitarist Kurt Rosenwinkel is on display in his most recent outing with the experimental post-jazz trio Bandit 65, whose impressionistic musical languages embrace jazz, rock, and ambient. The seven spontaneous tracks on Searching the Continuum were captured live during concerts in Europe (Stocholm, Madrid, Berlin, Vienna) and the US (Philadelphia and Los Angeles) and reveal to have a distilled, deeply personal quality to them. The album is a product of three years of intense live performance and comes full of aerospheric involvement.

Rosenwinkel and his adroit bandmates - fellow guitarist Tim Motzer, an expert in looping and textural soundscapes, and well-versed drummer Gintas Janusonis - follow the principle that the music creates itself, ensuring tight collective integrity in addition to moments of sheer individuality.

Vaporous soundscapes open up the first selection, “Inori”, whose incantatory pace relies on consonant guitars and noble percussion outfits. At some point, the trio embraces a pop/rock circularity that remains alive until the end. Rosenwinkel’s vocalizing accompanies his resolute sense of phrasing on the guitar, a procedure that gains further dimension on the fascinating “At The Gates”, a mesmeric combination of ambient/rock textures and jazz improv that lifts it up to a high peak.

The recording ends in a clear crescendo thanks to “In Time”, whose reverb-drenched chordal work echo in our ears with chill-out resolve before sinking pleasurably in our souls, and “Magical”, which, buoyed by sturdy bass lines and some guitar exoticism, evolves from silently static to a particular atmospheric mood that begs to be played loud.

The group’s taste in experimentalism is palpable on “Sagrada”, where a spacey church organ deflects dissonantly with occasional splatters of tension. Percussive and electronic noises play fundamental roles in the inception, while, later on, bluesy guitar licks morph into chromatic jazz moves toward the end.

On “Bloomer”, talkative percussive rattles and bass drum kicks prepare the territory for a broken beat-inspired flux that stabilizes along the way as it props up languid harmonies and a rock-tinged guitar improv. This number, holding a three time feel, quite differs from the 19-minute voyage “Interstellar Suite”, whose interesting collages within the deft sound design incorporate the earthy and the cosmic. It unfolds like a slow dancing in sustenance of drone intrigue, floating electro-acoustic guitar coils with synth-infused motivation, and circumspect drumming; all under an non-rigid structure.

The surface quality of the overlapping guitars teases out new dimensions, lending a fluctuant light air to the tracks. These are further deepened and expanded in scope according to the musicians’ intuitive playing.

Favorite Tracks:
05 - At the Gates ► 06 - In Time ► 07 - Magical

Billy Mohler - Focus!

December 2, 2019

Label: Make Records, 2019

Personnel - Chris Speed: tenor saxophone, clarinet; Shane Endsley: trumpet; Billy Mohler: bass; Nate Wood: drums.

Billy Mohler’s credits in the music industry are impressive. After graduating from Berklee College of Music in Boston, where he studied electric and acoustic bass, he became a renowned composer, songwriter, and producer, working in different musical spheres such as pop, rock, and R&B. Lately, Mohler has made the decision to return to jazz, his strongest passion, and release an album, Focus!, where he shows compositional abilities and a strong sense of line as part of the rhythmic thrust inherent to the material. His muscular, chordless quartet is stocked with expressive colorists such as tenor saxophonist Chris Speed (Claudia Quintet, Alas No Axis, Endangered Blood, Human Feel), trumpeter Shane Endsley (Kneebody, Steve Coleman) and drummer Nate Wood (Kneebody, Donny McCaslin), with whom he forms a proactive rhythm team.

The album comprises eight self-penned tunes, whose elasticity and rhythmic glee bring the best in these artists, who correspond with flair and audacity.

“Deconstruction” leads off the album with an animated groove and crisp unisons, but it’s not the only forward-moving piece on the record that arrives full of life. “Distant Star”, for example, is grounded in restless bass moves and effervescent drums that fire the imagination of the horn players. By the end, Wood is invited to infuse bright streams of percussion. Bestowing a similar gripping energy, we have “Van’s Jam”, a raw and groovy and shifting piece fueled by stunning dynamics and improvisations, and “Visible Light”, whose expressive elation - slightly Latinized - is worthy of send us out and hit the dancefloor. Sweeping and zigzagging from left to right, Speed and Endsley interact with acumen, speeding through the fast rhythmic lanes provided by the rhythm team. These are tunes crafted with both discipline and adventure.

Even balancing the energy with thoughtful reflection, “Even Tide” and “Coin” are still different in nature. The former kicks in with lone bass, assuring an attractive languid pace through a well-rooted riff that repeats throughout. In turn, the latter, more atmospheric and minimalist, is designed with deep arco playing, subdued yet crucial mallet work for stability, and pondered lines from clarinet and trumpet.

The medium-tempo “Prairie Flower” has round thick bass lines and mallet-colored drumming paving the way for gorgeous horn riffery. If the melody draws on folk, then the overall disposition is not very far from avant-garde epics.

Great part of the pleasure of this disc stems from the way how grooves and melodies dance together. There’s no mystery here, only pure fun. And this recording, besides affirming Mohler as a valid jazz groover, is amply rewarding to behold.

Favorite Tracks:
03 - Prairie Flower ► 05 - Van’s Jam ► 06 - Even Tide

Marquis Hill - Love Tape

November 26, 2019

Label: Black Unlimited Music Group, 2019

Personnel - Marquis Hill: flugelhorn; Mike King: piano, keyboards, Fender Rhodes; Junius Paul: electric bass; Marcus Gilmore: drums + special guests Christie Dashiell: vocals; Josh Johnson: alto saxophone.

Since releasing his debut album in 2011, Chicago trumpeter/composer Marquis Hill undoubtedly established his own thing, fusing elements of jazz, hip-hop, funk, soul, and R&B. The follow-up to Meditation Tape is called Love Tape, his 8th groove-centered studio album, a vehicle to spread a strong message with the assistance of Michael King on piano and keyboards, Junius Paul on bass, and Marcus Gilmore on drums. The idea consisted in culling excerpts from black women’s interviews (Eartha Kitt, Phylicia Rashad and Abbey Lincoln are some of the voices heard) on the theme of self-love and set them against ambient layered sounds with a soul jazzy vibe and looped soundscapes.

Hill strengthens this positive message throughout, but cools down most of the exploratory musical instincts that characterize him by keeping the same vaporous chill-out vibes from start to finish. Regardless the soulful bass inflations and inventive beat that compose its lower layers, this music feels predictable and somewhat quiescent.

Under the spell of a boom tap beat and a trippy ambient, “Roy’s Intro” opens the record with the illuminated words of late trumpeter Roy Hargrove, who states: ‘the whole reason why I play is for God. I’m in service’.

“Won’t You Celebrate With Me?” places a simple riff at the center of a relaxing narrative anchored in a hip-hop rhythm. The melody, frequently dubbed and wrapped in effect, are further exalted by Hill during his solo. The process is repeated on “To You I Promise”, which, flowing in loop, rests on a groovy melodicism drawn from the classic-era R&B. Somehow, the latter seemed a contrafact of Bobby Brown’s hit “Every Little Step”, yet set at a slower speed. Also, the synth-infused “I Believe In Love” places polyphony on top of a smooth, low-key tapestry, whereas “Beautiful Us” adds a generous dash of smooth funk through the bass guitar lines while proving Hill’s ability to show tenderness in his playing.

Guest altoist Josh Johnson displays his evolved rhythmic language on the trippy “A New Life”, exploring improvisation in an immediate, straightforward way. During his workout, he has the company of Hill’s tranquil fills running in the background, as well as the gentle percussive slaps provided by Gilmore. The second guest to appear on the album is singer Christie Dashiell, whose vocal certitude fit perfectly on the neo-soul offering of “Wednesday Love”, which comes peppered with a mesmeric odd beat.

Despite Hill’s tremendous gifts for melody and tender ambiences, Love Tape failed to surprise. In opposition to the powerful spoken word, the very few acrobatic moves on the album weren’t enough to make me want to revisit it. Notwithstanding, it . might work for listeners in need of tension-free moments.

Favorite Tracks:
03 - Won’t You Celebrate With Me? ► 06 - I Believe In Love ► 08 - A New Life

Jason Kao Hwang / Karl Berger - Conjure

November 25, 2019

Label: True Sound Recordings, 2019

Personnel - Jason Kao Hwang: violin, viola; Karl Berger: piano, vibraphone.

Chinese American violinist Jason Kao Hwang teams up with Munich-born pianist Karl Berger for an avant-jazz duo session whose refined tones make it a totally absorbable experience. These cultivated explorers had played together before and none of them are strange to the duo configuration - the pianist had recorded in this format with Dave Holland, Lee Konitz, Ed Blackwell, and Ivo Perelman, while the violinist did the same with Dominic Duval and Ayman Fanous. Conjure was recorded at the pianist’s home studio in Woodstock and features eight improvised pieces that show their constantly openness to the moment.

The opener, “Prophecy”, confirms that their voices make sense together. Berger launches the journey with a low-toned piano pedal, angular musings, and some caustic chordal movements. For its part, Hwang’s melodic narrative is as dramatic as it should be, and we can almost sense the tears suggested by his violin cries. The atmosphere here is enigmatic with an inclination for wistfulness.

“Silhouettes” comes wrapped in a dreamlike aura associated with a reiterated path diligently followed by the vibraphone. Hwang is free to wander, whistling and shrieking on the violin as he seeks to provide not just notable sounds but also emotional meaning in the combination of sounds.

I point out the final cut, “Arise”, as one of the most interesting pieces on the album. It unfolds patiently, developing ominous vibes that oppose rough violin creaks and scratches to occasional sustained pedal tones, sharp tone clusters, and sometimes investigative arpeggiated textures on the piano. While the atmosphere is kept stable here, “Beyond Reach”, featuring Berger on both piano and vibraphone, relies on a more mutable panorama where pace, texture, and groove adjust in unpredictable ways.

Hwang plays the viola on three pieces: “Vanishing Roots”, in which he draws intricate phrases and patterns by plucking the strings of the instrument; “Faith”, whose introspectively dark bowed sounds play a great deal on the controlled yet occasionally febrile vein adopted; and the exotic ritual “Water Finds Water”, which, clocking in at 13 minutes, is the longest tune of the set. The vibraphone work could have been inspired either by African or Asian music.

Berger and Hwang think alike, and Conjure is a reflection of their spontaneous creativity.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - Prophecy ► 05 - Faith ► 08 - Arise

Marta Sanchez Quintet - El Rayo de Luz

November 21, 2019

Label: Fresh Sound New Talent, 2019

Personnel - Marta Sánchez: piano; Chris Cheek: tenor saxophone; Roman Filiu: alto saxophone; Rick Rosato: bass; Daniel Dor: drums.

Spanish pianist/composer Marta Sanchez has been an instigator of modern jazz. Her flexibility allows her to indulge in slick lines and gleaming surfaces with the same facility as when she shuttles between charming postbop and savory avant-garde. Sanchez’s fourth album as a leader is called El Rayo de Luz and follows an analogous framework to Danza Impossible, her excellent previous release. Both are inspired by New York City, where the pianist is based in, and feature the same group of ambitious talents with the exception of saxophonist Jerome Sabbagh, who gave his place to the versatile Chris Cheek. The latter offers an array of contrasting voices to his frontline associate, the altoist Roman Filiu, while the rhythm team, harmonically sealed by the bandleader, relies on the bonded underpinnings of bassist Rick Rosato and drummer Daniel Dor.

The first two tracks, “Cascadas” and “Parmesano”, are extremely appealing. The former centers on the cascading contrapuntal work between piano and the bonded saxes, promoting an ephemeral Spanish hunch that feels good. Cheek and Sanchez are generators of virtuosic rhythmic ideas in their respective solos. “Parmesano”, featuring sax cries at the outset, copes with relentless pedals, bright tom and cymbal colors, and some exoticism in the way the bass moves. All this is streamlined into a coherent form. A peak is attained when Cheek unleashes a witty solo, having Filiu increasing the sultry Eastern spell that was captured in the meantime. The two reed players are also very active on the closing piece, “Unchanged”, with the tenorist focusing on a post-bop dissertation full of small wonders, and giving the best sequence to the delicately tart tones applied by the altoist.

These melodically independent musicians also draw on collective tightness to succeed. This is the case of the darkly hued “Dead Flowers”, whose polyrhythmic approach and groove don't eradicate its inherent cinematic quality, and “El Cambio”, whose irrigation channel firstly built on an uncanny piano ostinato, time-keeping drumming, and sparse bass actions with a propensity to funk, also transports the theme’s parallel lines. One could only marvel to hear the remarkably expressive in-and-out improvisation from Filiu.

The compositions reflect Sanchez’s musical personality, and if “I Will Miss You” adds some bolero colorant to the rhythm, then “Nenufar” stands out from the tune selection as an enigmatic musing ballad, featuring the pianist at her best.

Structurally unambiguous, this work sounds unconventional and explorative without muddling. The title cut, a sui generis dance that flows with two simultaneous time signatures attests what I’ve just said in a wordless, elegant-sounding manner. In her quest for excellence, Ms. Sanchez has a lot to give to the scene.

Favorite Tracks:
02 - Parmesano ► 04 - El Cambio ► 08 - Unchanged

Miles Okazaki - The Sky Below

November 20, 2019

Label: Pi Recordings, 2019

Personnel - Miles Okazaki: guitars, electronics; Matt Mitchell: piano, Fender Rhodes, Prophet-6; Anthony Tidd: electric bass; Sean Rickman: drums.

The advanced musical skills by contemporary jazz guitarist Miles Okazaki continue to impress on his new quartet effort The Sky Below. His sixth album as a leader is a natural follow-up to Trickster, whose tracks were reduced to their basic components before being transformed into new material that sonically illustrates an oceanic odyssey. The results are superior to those presented on the aforementioned 2017 Pi Recordings release. In what concerns to the personnel, the novelty here is the inventive keyboardist Matt Mitchell, who, replacing Craig Taborn with more advantage than loss, denotes an incredible rapport with the bandleader. The collaborative venture in question is grounded on the attractive rhythmic decors of bassist Anthony Tidd and drummer Sean Rickman.

The lead-off track, “Rise and Shine”, is launched with a beautiful integration of guitar, piano, and bass, before Rickman contributes a superlatively spunky rhythm that is responsible for an anxious shift of mood. A polyrhythmic flux of energy invades the unorthodox danceable setting, and the piece ends with an urgent, effect-laden combination of guitar and keyboards.

A funk bass ostinato sets the groove of the trippy “Dog Star”, a M-base exaltation heightened by ideas that repeat and expand. There’s a bracing energy throughout and moments of tight synchronization. Okazaki and Mitchell share the joy of taking risks and a taste for highly intricate language as they solo with admirable concentration and sense of aesthetic. Their improvisational resources also come to the forefront on “The Lighthouse”, a sophisticated reading of a standard packed with gorgeous parallel lines and relentless vibrancies. It ends surprisingly bluesy.

Brimming with a melancholic groove and dazzling acoustic guitar strums, “The Castaway” is melodically challenge in its avant-pop overture. Yet, it sounds accessible when compared with the art-rock unconventionalities of “Seven Sisters”, whose peculiar dialogue of tone-shifting rhythmic figures shows a preference for convergence rather than disparity.

“Monstropolous” is a rip-roaring rollercoaster of curious expressions proper for a modern dance floor. Its fast pulsation differs from the strange and beautiful musings of “Anthemoessa”, which incorporates distortion as it grows more and more compact, and “To Dream Again”, expertly conceived with microtonal dissonance. Although brought to life with a searching quality, these simmering slow jams show some sadcore tendencies.

Definitely rewarding a deep dive from the listener, this masterwork uses ingenious rhythmic tapestries, mind-boggling grooves, harmonic erudition, and acrobatic stunts in the melody to tell a story with a lot to be absorbed, felt, and pictured. Avoiding comfort zones, Okazaki, who brings five different guitars and multiple effects to the setting, stretches his musical views as a composer and instrumentalist. The Sky Below is for unconditional exploration.

Favorite Tracks:
02 - Dog Star ► 06 - The Castaway ► 07 - The Lighthouse

Dopolarians - Garden Party

November 19, 2019

Label: Mahakala Music, 2019

Personnel - Chad Fowler: alto sax, saxello; Kidd Jordan: tenor sax; Kelley Hurt: vocals; Chris Parker: piano; William Parker: double bass; Alvin Fielder: drums.

The multi-generational avant-jazz sextet Dopolarians was born from the predominantly Southern spirit of its members, who decided to record Garden Party in New Orleans. The group’s first effort, comprising six modern tunes that don’t neglect elements of the past, shape into a consistent, well-conceptualized program where free improvisation and disciplined incursions integrate in an extremely gratifying manner.

The veteran tenor sax player Kidd Jordan forms a supercharged frontline with the young alto saxist Chad Fowler, with vocalist Kelley Hurt alternating between focused teamwork with the horn section and spontaneous explorations in specific sections. The harmonic assistance is given by emerging pianist Chris Parker, who finds extra rhythmic support in two colossal pillars, bassist William Parker (no relation with the pianist) and drummer Alvin Fielder. Unfortunately, Dopolarians's future releases will never sound the same without the latter, who has passed away in early 2019. His perceptive drumming is well alive here and the opening piece, “C Melody”, confirms this thought. There is an organic blues-based sax/piano polyphony in movement, configuring an accessible dialogue full of motifs and inspirations that go from Ayler to Ornette. Chris Parker contributes significantly to the rhythmic frame through unrestricted delineations that tend to expand rather than stabilize. This is an impromptu exercise credited to Fielder, Jordan, and the two Parkers.

“Dopolaria” is the first of three tunes composed by Fowler to appear, and comes described as a love song inspired by a fragment of a Puccini melody. The dulcet piano/bass inception, complemented with understated brushwork, gradually fades to give place to sax/voice commotions. Soon after that, you’ll notice a delightful avant melodicism flustered by the eeriness of anxious arco bass and agitated piano whirls hinged on the nimble chord changes.

“Father Dies, Son Dies” and “Guilty Happy” are also Fowler’s creations that explore the interesting timbral qualities of the group’s instrumentation. The former, tense and fascinatingly offbeat, carries a Steve Lacy-like vibe with steeply sloping unisons, cymbal effervescence, and a few harmonic volleys arousing just the right amount of ambiguity. It’s a composition about impermanence and the inevitability of death, where saxello outcries and a reactive piano work in their own way to build rising momentum. In turn, the riff-oriented “Guilty Happy” possesses a mix of free folk and Afro Latin vibes promoting its infectious propulsion and suggesting an exciting crossing between Gato Barbieri and David S. Ware. Expect a wide range of hooks, squeals, explosive dissonances, and occasional gruff executions from the saxophonists.

Hurt’s “Garden Party” exudes poetry in its musical fervency, ending as a complete settlement with Fielder holding everything with brushes in the background, whereas Chris Parker’s snappy “Impromptu” achieves a radiant complexion fabricated with a bendable bebop flair and polyrhythmic feel.

Promoting diversity of sound, Garden Party is a record of dynamic invention and grandiose free aesthetic.

Favorite Tracks:
02 - Dopolaria ► 03 - Father Dies, Son Dies ► 05 - Guilty Happy

Lee Konitz Nonet - Old Songs New

November 18, 2019

Label: Sunnyside Records, 2019

Personnel - Lee Konitz: alto saxophone; Ohad Talmor: arranger, conductor, tenor saxophone; Caroline Davis: flutes; Christof Knoche: clarinet; Denis Lee: bass clarinet; Judith Insell: viola; Mariel Roberts: cello; Dimos Goudaroulis: cello; Christopher Tordini: bass; George Schuller: drums.

The unmatchable 90-year-old alto saxophonist Lee Konitz, a living legend whose full and lush sound never ceased to create impact, revisits the nonet format on Old Songs New, his latest release on the Sunnyside imprint. The album’s arrangements have the distinguished signature of a former pupil and frequent collaborator, tenor saxophonist Ohad Talmor, who also conducts and contributes reed lines on “I Cover the Waterfront”, a serene classic that shows Konitz’s respect for the melodic persuasion of Frank Sinatra. The influence of this singer in the saxophonist’s playing is also noticeable during the balladic enchantment of “In The Wee Small Hours of the Morning”.

In addition to a dynamic trio of strings (two cellos and a violin), the session relies on credible musicians such as Caroline Davis, whose flute sinuosities are vital on “Foolin’ Myself”, a piece that grooves high with the vivacity of swing and a melodicism that magnifies the spirit of the old times. The pattern combinations from bass clarinetist Denis Lee, a devoted ally, and clarinetist Christof Knoche are also traceable here.

Accessible and refreshing is Gordon Jenkins’ “Goodbye”, which opens the recording with bemused candor - some chamber horn inclinations, skilled brushed drumming, and confident walking bass. The veteran bandleader wears the unique colors that made his sound and language landmarks in jazz, and the tune’s ending is akin to a soft landing.

Fluid strains of modern bebop travel “Kary’s Trance” with emotion and dexterity. Konitz wrote this piece for his daughter and its first recording occurred in 1956 on the album Inside Hi-Fi. Thus, in opposition to the remaining tunes, this piece was recorded many times before. However, in its newest version, the song is dressed with fresh, colorful garments, maintaining the 4/4 and 3/4 time signatures and containing interesting passages where the brightness of the alto sax is set against the darker toned hues generated by the strings.

Other interpretations of standards such as “This Is Always” and “You Go To My Head” have this appealingly loose grip that differs from the narratives presented in the 50’s. Both pieces magnify the melody on top of a vibrant collective chemistry.

The session ends with another original, “Trio Blues”, whose title says everything (a blues form approached in the classic sax/bass/drums configuration) except that this is an extemporaneous exercise. Bassist Chris Tordini and drummer George Schuller excel in their actions.

Continuing to benefit from an embouchure of his own, Konitz stands as one of the most admired jazz influencers of our times. His facility in developing melody with unexpected stabbing notes has a refreshingly positive effect. As a result, traditional jazz enthusiasts and post-bop loyalists should be on cloud nine.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - Goodbye ► 02 - Foolin’ Myself ► 04 - Kary’s Trance

Radical Empathy Trio - Reality and Other Imaginary Places

November 14, 2019

Label: ESP-Disk, 2019

Personnel - Thollem McDonas: keyboards; Nels Cline: electric guitars; Michael Wimberly: drums.

Radical Empathy Trio is a dialoguing collective project co-led by keyboardist Thollem McDonas, guitarist Nels Cline, and drummer Michael Wimberly. Reality and Other Imaginary Places, their sophomore album, marks the return of the trio after a four-year hiatus.

The album was recorded during McDonas’ 2017 residency at Pioneer Works in Brooklyn and consists of two improvised tracks of approximately 20 minutes each. The varied sonic atmospheres are a natural result from the progressive interplay between the artists, who show identical facility in generating tenuous soundscapes for an enchanting spell or in electrifying the listener through tumultuous currents of noise and electronic raids.

“Collective Tunnels” kicks off with the keyboardist and the guitarist blending their sounds with a concordant vision and complementary timbre. At this early stage, Wimberly sustains with softness what his co-workers plot, but his chops expand in intensity with the time. Brief distorted guitar washes, convergences and divergences in the conversational fluency, and opportune electronic manipulations, all contribute to the positive effect. A loop-like guitar ostinato combines with the idiosyncratic overtones of a virtually computerized keyboard, in an experimental texture that anticipates an incursion into noise rock embroidered with futuristic sounds. These imaginary places are depicted with copious technology to draw the listener in.

Wimberly’s actions are never intrusive, not even when he injects more puissance as a reaction to the provocative sounds of his trio mates. He switches to brushes for a softer substratum, but the bluesy vibes of that particular phase don’t last long, since Cline bulges his guitar work with art punk attitude and post-Hendrix uproar. McDonas’ offsetting lines thicken to a bray, and all things funnel into an industrial rock from the future before landing on the protuberances of a synth-driven psychedelic rock à-la Deep Purple.

“Conscious Tunnels” embraces a quieter, if intriguing, narrative in its preliminary solo piano part, evolving with freedom and good sense. It’s a dusty, bumpy trip whose distinctive timbral palette benefits with the inclusion of phrase exchanges in corrosive counterpoint, eerie drones, speculative ostinatos, and graceful aesthetic vocalizations. The climax is reached with sinewy piano initiatives, scattershot rhythms with heavy cymbals, and gusts of distorted guitar. The massive dissonance created disintegrates about three and a half minutes from the end, ultimately reposing in a lofty tranquility that invites us to contemplate.

This open-form alchemy is for the open-eared. They have plenty to chew on here, and good reasons to rejoice with the bold taste of the music.

Favorite Track:
01 - Collective Tunnels

Mat Maneri Quartet - Dust

November 13, 2019

Label: Sunnyside Records, 2019

Personnel - Mat Maneri: viola; Lucian Ban: piano; John Hébert: double bass; Randy Peterson: drums.

Mat Maneri is an avant-garde viola player with a penchant for exploring melodies in the vicinity of atonality, and whose approach spans from tearfully mellow to dauntlessly stark. He can brag about his combined efforts with improvisational champions such as Cecil Taylor, Paul Motian, Ivo Perelman, and Evan Parker, but for this new outing, Dust, he commands a quartet composed of pianist Lucian Ban, bassist John Hébert, and drummer Randy Peterson, his longest collaborator.

Regardless the laid-back nature of this often loose and melancholy opus, you know you’ve entered his realm from the moment you hear the opening track, “Mojave”, a slow, pensive poem of translucent lyricism. The distinctive crepuscular tone of the viola, often bordering on the dissonant yet never completely clashing, contrasts with the melodiousness of the piano, while the unfasten lower level results from a combination of soft, unpredictable drumming and spineless bass forms. Ban penned this one.

Many of Maneri’s pieces share this dramatic rubato touches within just-before-dawn textures. The reflective “51 Sorrows”, for example, is submerged in melancholy, doing justice to its title. Ban’s piano stroll doesn’t go unnoticed as he implants colored cadenced phrases in the uniformly ashen global tapestry. The introverted “Red Seven” exposes Hebert’s slides and wide intervals in its introductory phase. Although pretty active in the brushwork, Peterson still corresponds most of the time with the languid line of thought followed by his co-workers. But you'll find more soothing textures, cheerless nostalgia, and vulnerability scattered throughout pieces such as “Losed” and “Retina”, both favoring mournful cries and long breathable bass notes, and also on the noir-tinged “Last Steps”, an old composition whose intensity is considerably stepped up near the end in order to briefly kick the dominant torpor.

The completely improvised “Motian” pays tribute to the exquisite drummer/composer Paul Motian, and just like his music, is not interested in obvious resolutions but rather in suspensions and volatility. In truth, its mood is not so different from the other tunes on the album.

In addition to the aforementioned opening tune, the highlights are the feathery “Two Hymns”, another Ban's composition, which touches upon modern classical beauty, and the concluding “Dust”, another improvisation whose overlapping layers are shaped as recombinations of several elements presented over the course of the session. There’s a mildly spicy Indian flavor in it, but all results in a sort of lovely, icy stillness.

The marvel of this record is the offbeat ambiance created by each piece. For those who are able to find beauty in both abstraction and desolation sounds, this is a valid choice.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - Mojave ► 05 - Two Hymns ► 09 - Dust

Julia Hulsmann Quartet - Not Far From Here

November 12, 2019

Label: ECM Records, 2019

Personnel - Uli Kempendorff: tenor saxophone; Julia Hülsmann: piano; Marc Muellbauer: acoustic bass; Heinrich Köbberling: drums.

German pianist Julia Hülsmann releases her third quartet album on the ECM label with a significant alteration in the ensemble’s lineup. Saxophonist Uli Kempendorff replaces trumpeter Tom Arthurs, leaving a strong impression through consistent thematic developments uttered with pacifying timbres and noir escapes, or getting the shape of fluid phrases that ramp up the flux of emotions. Remaining undivided for 17 years, the rhythm includes bassist Marc Muellbauer and drummer Heinrich Köbberling.

The 13-track album includes five compositions by Hülsmann and two disparate versions of David Bowie’s 1985 hit “This is Not America”. Kempendorff, Muellbauer and Köbberlingand contribute two compositions each to an album that will put the pianist on the map again.

The set opens with "The Art of Failing", a cautious sax/piano duet and one of the examples where the musical empathy between the two musicians in question is underlined. They embark on parallel lines on Muellbauer’s “Le Mistral”, a strong effort smoothly introduced by solo piano before segueing into a dissimulated odd pulse that results from the combination of a bass groove and brushed drums. Hülsmann's radiating comping is pretty effective during Kempendorff’s intense statement.

The spacey rendition of Bowie’s “This is Not America” is still permeated with some tension with bass and saxophone sharing responsibilities in the melodic articulation of the theme. The shorter solo piano version of this same tune closes out the album with more desolation than aspiration.

Other two pieces that achieve a wider emotional spectrum are Kempendorff’s “Einschub”, a soaring anthem brimming with rich rhythmic connectivity, and the bandleader’s “No Game”, where the band delves into post-bop sophistication with both explorative and swinging postures. The rich harmonic progression assists in bringing textural freshness without detaching from tradition, in the sense that the group delivers something new yet familiar. Like the latter tune, “Weit Weg” and “Streiflich” are expansions of originally solo piano pieces. Yet, they differ drastically in the mood. While the former is imbued in an introspective stillness, the latter advances assertively with wide steps and some classical cultivation, benefitting from gorgeous saxophone hooks.

Hülsmann composed the title track, “Not Far From Here”, specifically for this quartet and the melody stands out on top of an elegant rhythm that carries a breezy bossa vibe. In the track’s denouement, Kempendorff focuses on timbre at the same time that explores extended techniques.

These four egoless artists are here for the music and to make it sound cohesive as a whole rather than take individual praise for their actions. It’s great to realize that from one track to another, the group shifts mood without losing any of its musical identity.

Favorite Tracks:
02 - Le Mistral ► 07 - No Game ► 08 - Einschub