Joel Harrison + 18 - America at War

April 21, 2020

Label: Sunnyside Records, 2020

Personnel - Joel Harrison: guitar, vocals; Jon Irabagon: tenor sax, flute; Ben Kono: soprano and alto saxes, oboe, English horn, flute; Ken Thomson: alto sax, clarinets; Stacy Dillard: tenor sax; Lisa Parrot: baritone sax, bass clarinet; Dave Smith: trumpet; Ingrid Jensen: trumpet; Seneca Black: trumpet; Chris Rogers: trumpet; Marshal Sealy: French horn; Alan Ferber: trombone; Curtis Hasselbring: trombone; Sara Jacovino: trombone; Ben Staap: tuba; Ned Rothenberg: shakuhachi; Daniel Kelly: piano; Gregg August: acoustic and electric basses; Jared Schonig: drums; Wilson Torres: percussion, vibraphone, timpani.

On the big band recording America at War, Joel Harrison, an active guitarist, composer and bandleader based in New York since 1999, turns his attention to the futility and devastating consequences of the armed conflicts conducted by the United States throughout the years. With that in mind, he put together a tight-knit 18-piece ensemble to perform nine original compositions - written between 2014 and 2017 - and one cover, all arranged with fetching instrumentations. The conduction was assigned to trumpeter/composer Matt Holman.

Evoking Harrison’s youth in Washington DC and the strong rhythmic groove of funk music from the 60s and 70s, “March on Washington” makes for a wonderful first chapter, being smooth in the ear, yet sufficiently dynamic to get our attention to each of its moves. The substantiality of Ben Staap's tuba is strongly felt and the horn arrangement sounds great. After Dave Smith’s confident trumpet solo, an explosive wah-wah rock guitar, packed with coils and trills, erupts powerfully. Carried out by the marching snare drum of Jared Schonig, the piece's last third sustains tasteful horn lines atop. Unisons, colorful vibraphone fills, and saxophones in ecstasy, all take part in the magnetic orchestration that brings the tune to a conclusion. “1, 2, 3, 4, we don't want your fuckin’ war” is the musicians’ ultimate shout.

The cinematic noir tones that initially characterize “Yellowcake” morph into a Latin sumptuousness that also grooves with jazzy abandon. The title alludes to the type of uranium that George W. Bush used as an excuse to start a war with Iraq. The soloists - trombonist Curt Hasselbring and tenor saxophonist Jon Irabagon - allow many single notes to soar, forming phrases with precise articulation. The latter excels once again - together with multi-reedist Ben Kono (here on soprano) and trombonist Alan Ferber - on “The Vultures at Afghanistan”, a Latinized tour-de-force suffused with post-bop statements that showcase the soloists’ singularities. Schonig and the lively percussionist Wilson Torres systematize their maneuvers with acumen.

Both “My Father in Nagasaki” and “Requiem For An Unknown Soldier” share a more reflective nature. Harrison wrote the former piece with his father in mind, one of the first two men to reach the Japanese city mentioned in the title in the aftermath of the nuclear attack. Ned Rothenberg enriches it with sweet shakuhachi melodies.

If “Gratitude” mixes jazz and gospel and delivers it with a popish feel, then “Honor Song” boasts a sort of superhero-like theme in representation of the Native American tradition to honor warriors through songs. These tracks feature great improvised moments by trumpeter Ingrid Jensen and saxophonist Stacy Dillard, respectively.

“Stupid, Heartless, Pointless Drug War” closes out the album, offering a potent mix of groovy jazz and robust hard rock. Before that, you will hear Harrison singing Tom Wait's anti-war song “Day After Tomorrow”.

An impressive amount of versatility marks this album, whose message is strongly influential, both musically and politically.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - March on Washington ► 02 - Yellowcake ► 04 - The Vultures at Afghanistan

Flash Reviews - Jeff Swanson / Andre Matos / Roberto Magris

April 19, 2020

JEFF SWANSON & CASE-FITTER - FATHOMS (Bace Records, 2020)

Personnel - Jeff Swanson: guitar, OP-1; Greg Ward: alto saxophone; Dustin Laurenzi: tenor saxophone; Paul Bedal: keyboards; Matt Ulery: electric bass; Greg Arty: drums, percussion.

Chicago-based guitarist/composer Jeff Swanson reunites his Case-fitter group and releases his second album of originals. The material consists of 10 disciplined, eclectic tracks delivered with a strong sense of texture. The opener, “Gaussian”, is built in conformity with an iterative idea as a theme, just like “Tre”. They showcase the bandleader in a fine guitar solo and Ulery’s authority on the lower registers, respectively. “The Accutron”, a guitar-driven 3/4 ballad, has Swanson throwing in some eligible bluesy lines, while “Fyra” is an ostinato-drenched collage that veers into psychedelic territory. The multi-dimensional impression of Arty’s drumming is noticeable on “Elisha”, a piece that starts as a reflection but then blooms with a deft combination of snare, hi-hat and bass drum. The pieces on the album were shaped in quartet, excluding four tracks where saxophonists Greg Ward and Dustin Laurenzi add extra color: the unruffled, odd-metered “Roads”, the danceable “Replicants”, the happily electronic “Farvel”, and the indie-meets-classic rock “Let The Children Play”. [B]

ANDRE MATOS - EARTH RESCUE (Robalo Music, 2020)

Personnel - Andre Mastos: guitar, bass.

Portuguese guitarist Andre Matos continues his solo work with another album, Earth Rescue, the successor to Muquina (2016) and Nome de Guerra (2017). The sea of calm he dives into is meant to be slowly absorbed and comes reflected on “Castelo dos Mouros”, the poignant and spacious opener; “Future Memories”, which is bathed in polished textural washes; “Borboletas”, where the harmonics make me think of the wings of a butterfly at rest in opposition to the chordal movement; and the title track, a contemplative look at the Earth’s urgency to breathe and flourish again. “Carlos” is busier yet equally methodical, displaying a thick round bass in support of the guitar. If “Planalto” leans on the folk genre, “1984” is all pretty prairies and ranches, shaping up as a country song suitable for a film score. Matos adds some ambiguity to “Climbing”, but the album, as a rule, embraces breezy symmetry and easygoing melodicism. I felt some of the pieces could be extended. Politicians are invited to take a listen and, hopefully, inspired by the music, help rescuing the Earth, considering it a primary concern of the present times. [B]

ROBERTO MAGRIS - SUITE! (JMood Records, 2020)

Personnel - Mark Coilby: tenor saxophone; Eric Jacobson: trumpet; Roberto Magris: pino; Eric Hochberg: bass; Greg Artry: drums; PJ Aubree Collins: vocals.

Italian pianist Roberto Magris releases Suite!, a double album comprising originals, known jazz standards, and curious interpretations of pop and rock songs. The album opens with a great rendition of King Crimson’s “In The Wake of the Poseidon”, here propelled with a contagious rhythm and jazzified with a warm touch. Another cover that surprised me favorably was John Lennon’s “Imagine”, rendered solo with openness of heart and catchy sweeps on the higher registers. When performing solo, Magris attains deeper spiritual dimension, and titles such as “(End of a) Summertime”, a fascinating reading of Gershwin’s famous tune; “Never Let Me Go” and the self-penned modal prayer “Love Creation” charm with soulfulness. This work comes stocked with stylistic diversity, and if both “Chicago Nights” and “The Island of Nowhere” are hard bop-inflected tunes in the line of Lee Morgan and Hank Mobley, then Jerry Martini’s “One With the Sun” and “Sunset Breeze”, whose intense bossa groove brings Joe Henderson to mind, come infused with crossover flavors as they intertwine and merge distinct lexicons. “Suite!” finds a confident 3/4 stride, and everyone should meditate upon the wise words in “A Message for a World to Come”. [B]

Aruan Ortiz - Inside Rhythmic Falls

April 16, 2020

Label: Intakt Records, 2020

Personnel - Aruán Ortiz: piano, voice; Andrew Cyrille: drums; Mauricio Herrera: percussion + guests Emeline Michel and Marlène Ramírez-Cancio: vocals.

New York-based pianist/composer Aruán Ortiz doesn’t forget his Afro-Cuban roots each time he attempts to create new art-jazz sculptures. He has released several jazz albums under his own name, but the Cuban tradition got significant proportions on the excellent solo effort Cubanism (Intakt, 2017). Now, with Inside Rhythmic Falls, he further explores percussive Afro-Cuban delights, twisting them with modern creative wisdom in the company of a mighty rhythm duo composed of Grammy-nominee Cuban percussionist Mauricio Herrera and acclaimed American drummer Andrew Cyrille, an iconic figure of the avant-garde and free jazz currents. For this work, the pianist, born in the very musical southeastern Cuban province of Oriente, borrows inspiration from the changui, a style of Cuban music created by slaves working in the sugar cane refineries in the early 19th century.

“Lucero Mundo” is exclusively made of voices and percussion, with Marlene Ramirez-Cancio reciting the poem. Ortiz himself and Haitian singer Emeline Michel complete the cycle of words that serves as a homage to ancestors. In the same line, “Inside Rhythmic Falls Pt.I (Sacred Codes)” might not speak through words but does it beautifully and rawly with pure percussion. Surprisingly different and exciting is “Inside Rhythmic Falls Pt.II (Echoes)”, where the piano plays an important role in the process. While simultaneously operating in the lower registers - where he extracts sometimes intricate, well measured cadences - Ortiz outlines euphoric circuits of notes with the left hand. In connection with what’s going on, the percussionists probe new beats with a quick sense of understanding and integration.

Despite the angularity that stems from powerful tone clusters and whirling melodic chromaticism, “Conversations With The Oaks” displays the trio of performers fully immersed in a profound musical intimacy. The wide sense of risk-taking is general and expands to “Argelier’s Disciple”, where the pianist travels across several registers with agility, and “De Cantos Y Ñañigos”, where Cyrille’s simmering brushwork, together with Ortiz’s methodical execution, finds space to breathe. The latter piece makes reference to the Abakuá (also known as Ñañigo), an Afro-Cuban men’s secret society launched in 1836.

Equally intriguing, “Marimbula’s Mood” features Herrera on the Caribbean plucked box instrument called marimbula. It copes with this unostentatious finesse, contrasting with the more extroverted posture of “Para Ti Nengon”, a popular Cuban song subjected to a polyrhythmic treatment.

“Golden Voice (changui)” is a highlight, presenting fragmented piano lines in the form of patterned mosaics etched into the stretchy percussive flux. The left-hand jabs provided by Ortiz wildly stimulate, causing an impression. This piece alludes to changui singer Carlos Borromeo Planche.

Even if not as thrilling as Cubanism, the music on this record is always passionately delivered, regardless the pace and the rhythm of the pieces.

Favorite Tracks:
02 - Conversations With The Oaks ► 04 - Golden Voice (changui) ► 08 - Inside Rhythmic Falls Pt.II (Echoes)

Ted Poor - You Already Know

April 15, 2020

Label: Impulse! Records, 2020

Personnel - Ted Poor: drums; Andrew D’Angelo: saxophone; Andrew Bird: violin; Blake Mills: guitar.

Seattle-based drummer Ted Poor possesses a clear, detailed language that makes him a singular voice among fellow instrumentalists. He achieved wider notoriety after joining trumpeter Cuong Vu in his trio and 4-tet projects, embracing once more the leadership with this brand new outing, You Already Know. Comprising nine pieces that favor smartly arranged forms of interplay, the album features the gifted saxophonist Andrew D’Angelo, as well as violinist Andrew Bird and guitarist Blake Mills on one of the tracks.

One doesn't have to wait long to witness the group’s constructive chemistry. “Emilia” opens the album with an intelligible conversational drum cycle that keeps going. Poor deals with each part of the drum kit with astuteness, extracting beautiful, contrasting tones that are not averse to scintillation. D’Angelo’s prayerful melodies rest over the effective piano comping that further brightens the Americana-suggested scenario. Everything seems so simple, detached of unnecessary complexities, that makes hard to believe how remarkably good it sounds.

Poor’s “Only You” marches along with a hot rhythm, grooving with a nearly trip-hop feel. There’s a two-note saxophone ostinato that shifts in key, gaining further emphasis in the presence of the piano. The sax-over-drums improvisation that follows imply folk and avant-jazz intonations, which are transported into D’Angelo’s “New Wonder”. As you can guess by know, genre boundaries are bent in a spontaneous way.

The hymnal “United” substantiates a nuanced rhythmic flux at the base that confers it a lively vibe. Rob Moose’s overdubbed string section adds passion to a number, whose melodic conduction is unsurprisingly entrusted to the saxophonist. The musicians easily find a compelling common ground here, but it’s “Push Pull”, professed at a fast lope, that has the liveliest vibe, diving headfirst in a sort of danceable psychedelia. Its effusive progression carries an intensity almost worthy of an electronic music hit.

The lyricism that comes out of D’Angelo’s effect-drenched saxophone broadens the sense of space on “Kasia”. I feel this piece as a ritualistic chant put in practice with mantric discipline and opportune electronic reverberations. Apart from this latter factor, this is quite similar to what we hear on the balladic “Reminder”, the quiet and stable contemplation that finishes off the album. In turn, “To Rome” is a curiously orchestrated blues ripen through violin laments, guitar plucks and subtle piano. Still, it’s the explicit tom-tom drumming that speaks to me more than anything else.

I wish Poor were more prolific as a leader since his formidable aesthetics and minimalistic compositional adroitness make him one of the most diligent rhythmic colorists of our times.

Favorite Tracks:
02 - Only You ► 04 - To Rome ► 08 - Push Pull

Sebastien Ammann's Color Wheel - Resilience

April 13, 2020

Label: Skirl Records, 2020

Personnel - Michael Attias: alto saxophone; Samuel Blaser: trombone; Sebastien Ammann: piano; Noah Garabedian: bass; Nathan Ellman-Bell: drums.

Swiss-born, New York-based pianist Sebastien Ammann reunites his fantastic Color Wheel group, a daring project featuring musicians with whom he forged close relationships over several years performing together. Acclaimed alto saxophonist Michael Attias has in trombonist Samuel Blaser the perfect foil to obtain contrasting tonalities in the frontline, while the musical abilities of bassist Noah Garabedian and drummer Nathan Ellman-Bell assure the proper rhythmic course delineated by Ammann's contemporary perspective. The second outing from the quintet, Resilience, comprises nine tracks that unfold with a unique personality. All but two are Ammann originals.

The bandleader drew musical inspiration from visual artists for the first and the last tracks on the album. The former, “Yayoi”, is a wonderful effort inspired by the work of Japanese conceptualist Yayoi Kusama. Long and calm notes deliberately emanate from Attias' saxophone find comfort in Ammann’s inspired pianism. The impellent drumming offered by Ellman-Bell becomes salient even before the modernistic theme gains emphasis. The urgency of some passages - with Attias and Blaser exploring attractive textural avenues - differ from the tranquility of others, and everything ends as it began... in peace. In its turn, the concluding “Pedestrian Space” was inspired by the minimalist conceptual-based sculptor Fred Sandback. Under a dry-toned rhythmic spell, this streamlined piece places a major focus on piano sweeps and single-note pointillism in counterpoint with the staccato fluxes created by the horn players.

“Untangled” is a gem compellingly crafted with a form and a structure that combines the bold and the poetic. A fetching bass groove in six is momentarily altered and makes us search for the tempo, with Ammann exhibiting his deftly rhythmic comping during the busy activity of the soloists. Blaser populates apropos expressions with pragmatic circularity, while Attias excels with his simmering tone, blowing torrential melodies packed with jagged-edged formations. Both are clever improvisers in full bloom.

The Italian title “Castello di Traliccio” was taken from a book and means trellis. The Fender Rhodes confers it a nice groovy feel, while bassist and drummer, enjoying a healthy connection, deliver an unyielding rocking pulse that provides solid ground for the sax-trombone enlacement. Metrical and rubato notions are put to a test here with encouraging results.

The title track attempts to evoke the sounds of John and Alice Coltrane, using a beautiful modal progression in five over which the bandleader presents us with an enlivening, energy-filled keyboard solo.

Carla Bley’s “King Korn Revisited” and Dave Scott’s “Afterthought” are the two covers that complement the album with a keen post-bop awareness.

Stirring up some real spark with this work, Ammann is already riding a comet toward the highest galaxies of modern jazz.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - Yayoi ► 02 - Untangled ► 03 - Castello di Traliccio

Kazuki Yamanaka - Dancer in Nirvana

April 8, 2020

Label: Fresh Sound New Talent, 2020

Personnel - Kazuki Yamanaka: alto and soprano saxophones; Russ Lossing: piano; Cameron Brown: acoustic bass; Gerald Cleaver: drums.

New York-based Japanese saxophonist Kazuki Yamanaka puts together a multigenerational quartet - pianist Russ Lossing, bassist Cameron Brown, and drummer Gerald Cleaver - for his second album, Dancer in Nirvana. The CD is composed of eight Yamanaka originals plus an improvised piece created in the spur of the moment and, consequently, credited to the group. The latter number, “Epilogue”, closes out the album with avant-garde commotion, exploring unconditionally as it moves in a direction of ambiguity. The bandleader’s ideas vary in shape and timbre, but often get great responses from Lossing, with the quartet entering in momentary frantic spirals.

The Motian-esque “The Lost Sheep” embraces suspension, and its strong sense of exploration is corroborated with avant-jazz sympathy on “The Life of a Mushroom”, whose forward motion is settled by a fascinating groove in five.

“Stella’s Fancy” works in a bopish vein that takes it closer to a jazz standard. Launched by Lossing’s independent ramble, this sonic canvas is painted with assertive soprano strokes, a relaxed bass drive, and elegantly brushed drumming. It sort of prepares the tone for the next track, “Lady Peacock”, another bop-inclined piece that swings in great fashion.

Having the bass moving and grooving again in a swinging route - and complemented by Cleaver’s uniform ride cymbal pulse - “Elusive Mood” brings some breeziness in its clean-cut interconnecting sounds.

Statues of Buddhism in Kyoto served as an inspiration for the memorable title cut, which opens the record with impeccably synchronized movements and the exact amount of thrill needed for us to understand that this quartet lives somewhere between tradition and modernity. Contrasting moments are found when the improvisers have the spotlight - Lossing is pretty inventive in his speech, interspersing chordal work with single-note phrasing to achieve splendid colors; in turn, Yamanaka unhurriedly builds a narrative rich in emphatic melodicism and sporadic rhythmic figures, having Brown and Cleaver shaping the backbones with their known rhythmic robustness.

“John’s Green Waltz” is another highlight on the album. Written for the late guitarist and former mentor John Abercrombie, it’s expressed with emotion and intensity, building and releasing tension along the way.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - Dancer in Nirvana ► 03 - John’s Green Waltz ► 09 - Epilogue

Andy Milne and Unison - The reMission

April 7, 2020

Label: Sunnyside Records, 2020

Personnel - Andy Milne: piano; John Hébert: bass; Clarence Penn: drums.

Pianist Andy Milne releases a trio album of mainly original material in the company of generous cohorts, bassist John Hébert and drummer Clarence Penn. The exploration of the classic piano trio formation was being delayed for over a decade, with Milne focusing on duos, quartets and quintets, but now, after overcoming a health challenge, the pianist embraces this Unison trio project with all his soul. He is found in great shape throughout the ten tracks of a record composed of eight originals - some of them purposely written for this trio - and two covers, which bookend the album.

A spirited reading of “Passion Dance”, one of McCoy Tyner’s finest compositions, is presented in opposition to the polished depiction given to Benny Golson’s “Sad to Say”. The two aforementioned pieces are the opener and closer of this journey, respectively. While the former has those pleasurable modal chords soaring over a magnetic groove, also swinging when convenient, the latter is rendered with some cautious restraint but also a strange magic. It’s jazz sculpted with art and melancholia.

Due to a foreboding mystery created by timely low-pitched notes on the piano and the harmonic quality of its progression, “Resolution” conveys a sensation of solitude; no wonder it was originally composed for solo piano, yet it can be poetic and levitating at times. Hébert bows with depth on the largely rubato “The Call”, which emits deep, disconsolate tones. Adopting a slightly abstracted posture, the trio’s sense of exploration plays out intriguingly on this particular piece.

A singular, melancholic placidity is found on tunes such as “Vertical on Opening Night”, a vehicle for the bassist’s melodicism, and the beautiful “Anything About Anything”, introduced by engrossing bass sounds and the subdued brushwork of Penn, a terrific colorist who joins with the bandleader on record for the very first time. The spiritual openness of the piano chords is utterly rewarding, while the melody is light-emitting. It’s one of my favorite tracks on the album.

If “Winter Palace” is pure post-bop amusement well-founded on a rhythmic figure shared by piano and bass, then “Drive By-The Fall” expands the scope, initiating its course with timbral contrasts on the drums and a bass pedal delivered with the essential rhythmic flair. It then segues into a relaxed 4/4-metered passage until shifting again and again through seamless transitions, straddling the line between the intimate and the demonstrative.

“Geewa” relies on intuitive counterpoint and rhythmic venture, accommodating an inner pressure ready to come out anytime, whereas “Dancing on the Savannah” allows us to experience and feel groove in a more systematized way.

The album title, The reMission, couldn’t be clearer, and Milne deserves compliments for both the remission of the disease he was diagnosed with and the mission accomplished with this gorgeous trio recording.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - Passion Dance ► 06 - Anything About Anything ► Geewa

Day & Taxi - Devotion

April 6, 2020

Label: Percaso Production, 2020

Personnel - Christoph Gallio: alto and soprano saxophones; Silvan Jeger: acoustic and electric basses; Gerry Hemingway: drums.

Day & Taxi is an avant-jazz trio spearheaded by Swiss saxophonist Christoph Gallio, who has been probing different rhythm sections since 1992, the year of the project’s inception. Devotion, the most recent outing on his own label Percaso Production, features Swiss bassist Silvan Jeger, a regular collaborator since 2013, and the notable American drummer Gerry Hemingway, who, sitting in for David Meier, joins them for the first time in record.

This current formation works very well, navigating through a collection of 20 Gallio tunes with a pure, instinctive sense of aesthetic and explorative imagination. The words of Austrian poet Friederike Mayrocker are heard on three selections.

A fair amount of tracks is dedicated to fellow artists, and the opener, “Tall Guy Blues”, which was penned for Swiss bassist Christian Weber, falls within the latter category. At a first glance, a calculated insouciance is discernible, and the group communicates the feeling of creativity. The language and tone of Gallio are bold and sinewy, respectively, somewhere in-between Joseph Jarman and David Murray. However, on “Silvia (to Silvia Bächli)”, his courses made me think of John Tchicai.

“Gegenteil (to Jürg Stäuble)” revolves around a catchy melodic idea while flowing with audacity, energy and wit. In its last section, sax and drums react simultaneously, displaying a functional coordination. The spirit of this piece steps away from “Mare (to Kaissa Camara, 1998-2018)”, which, embracing a strange serenity, makes use of droning legatos and gets closer to “South For North”, a groovy dance of freedom with shades of Steve Lacy and Marty Ehrlich. Upon wild extemporaneous flights from Gallio, it’s Hemingway who, in complete command of the drum set, shows how beautiful and melodic his chops are.

The drummer jumps into the lead spot again on the taut “Pan Comido (to Hans Tanner)”, finishing it in big after locking in with Jeger in support of Gallio’s underlying impetus and growls. The saxophonist switches to soprano on “Fleurette Danoise (to Anne Hoffmann)”, ingraining it with Lacy’s mood.

Smitten with free funk and electronic music, pieces like “Doowoo (to Corsin Fontana)” and “Lightweight Heavyweight (to Eric Hattan)” have a pumped-up electric bass giving them life via strutting, roundish lines. Yet, while the former shapes as an avant-garde jazz stretch with an alternative coating, the latter falls into experimental jazztronica, barely touching dub zones.

This recording doesn’t disappoint, and all three musicians, taking obvious joy from the experience, will certainly make the listeners feel great too.

Favorite Tracks:
05 - Gegenteil ► 07 - South For North ► 09 - Pan Comido

Stefano Travaglini - Monk

April 2, 2020

Label: Notami Jazz, 2020

Personnel - Stefano Travaglini: piano

Italian pianist Stefano Travaglini is accustomed to play solo, and he does it in an unique way. His newest solo album is called Monk, the sparkling follow up to Ellipse (Notami Jazz, 2017). As you can immediately guess, this recording consists in personal interpretations of pieces authored by the genius pianist Thelonious Monk. Over the course of this session, he flies freely, refusing imposed boundaries and configuring various combinations drawn from the modern classical and jazz idioms. This way, he enables Monk’s music to be smeared and smudged into new colors and shapes.

He tackles “Trinkle Tinkle” with a haunting aesthetic, employing his advanced technique to sparkle deep emotions. Elliptical movements erupt from his right hand, while the left creates noble momentum on the lower registers. This track shows us that soulfulness is going to play an important role in this musical "deal".

The stirring and inventive take on “Round Midnight”, for example, is hair-raising. Loosened up in tempo but still keeping the wondrous sentiment and structure of the original, this piece is one of the most beautiful on the record.

Bearing an impressive rhythmic force and vigorous chordal work, “Bemsha Swing” can be paired up, in terms of excitement, with “Straight No Chaser”, whose melody, set against a patterned texture, is pretty much recognizable from its very first minute. While showcasing exuberance throughout, angular motions are prompted, in opposition to “Well You Needn’t”, where a more horizontal, less angular line is sketched with a penchant for the classical concept and form. The melody here is made evident at the end.

On “Ruby My Dear”, the pianist charts considerably ambiguous melodies that unfold with abandon, accompanied with staccato hops in the bass line. This plan of action is also found on “Monk’s Dream”.

And if the lyrical cascading sequences of “Criss Cross” feel gracious and gentle, “Evidence” leans on the static, but has plenty of micro movements occurring from the inside and around a relentless pedal. Also discrepant in mood are “Misterioso” and “In Walked Bud”. The former develops with a denser, if dramatic, entanglement, while the latter, a tribute to Monk to his fellow pianist Bud Powell, takes a slower and more introspective path, losing that vibrant swinging stride as we know it. Different, but no less efficacious, though.

With no cuts or edits, Travaglini’s free improvisation offers an expanded, progressive, third stream vision of Monk’s music.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - Trinkle Tinkle ► 06 - Straight No Chaser ► 09 - Round Midnight

Satoko Fujii Orchestra New York - Entity

April 1, 2020

Label: Libra Records, 2020

Personnel - Satoko Fujii: composer, arranger; Oscar Noriega: alto saxophone; Briggan Krauss: alto saxophone; Ellery Eskelin: alto saxophone; Tony Malaby: tenor saxophone; Andy Laster: baritone saxophone; Natsuki Tamura: trumpet; Herb Robertson: trumpet; Dave Ballou: trumpet; Curtis Hasselbring: trombone; Joe Fiedler: trombone; Nels Cline: guitar; Stomu Takeishi: bass; Ches Smith: drums.

Satoko Fujii is a prolific and multifaceted Japanese pianist, composer, and bandleader who has been playing in a variety of formats, from solo to small groups to large ensembles. Her delightful avant-garde style acquires a relevant expression with Entity, the 11th outing of her acclaimed 13-piece Orchestra New York, an assembly of some of the greatest jazz improvisers out there.

Inspired by the Buddhism, Fujii composed and arranged the five tracks on the record with the specific qualities of these musicians in mind. And the result is a wonderful sonic ride pervaded with surprise and adventure.

The title track welcomes you with a colossal jarring chord issued collectively, after which Ches Smith’s meticulous percussive work finds space available. The horns punctuate his expressions with a logic agglomeration of notes, forecasting a sonic storm that is brought by Nels Cline’s electrifying guitar. The rhythm keeps mutating into a panoply of body rocking locomotions and the guitarist dives deep in the noise rock, freeing bittersweet dissonance until a horn-driven passage brings tranquility. This is just before another sonic eruption arrives, this time accelerating into a crescendo with fiery saxophone outbursts.

“Flashback” takes a more straightforward inception through precise orchestral movements, the source of an incredible energy. Dynamics are cooked with carefully chosen ingredients and their distinguished seasoning refrains from spice things up all the time. This is noticeable when it all comes to a relative calm with electric bass noodling by Stomu Takeishi and an insouciant muted trombone drive by Joe Fiedler, who later leads a denser passage laced with tension. From then, we hear Oscar Noriega stretching out alone on alto saxophone, and the expressive trumpet of Herb Robertson projected against a minimalist background.

“Gounkaiku” starts off like a game of timbres provided by a spontaneous arrangement for the horn players, who devotedly build a panel of mosaics for approximately four and a half minutes. Bassist and drummer then provide twangy spells and rumbling toms, respectively, reaching wider panoramic landscapes, and the climax occurs with Dave Ballou inserting an unabashed trumpet solo while benefiting from Cline’s versatile accompaniment. An inclination to darker atmospheres marks the ending of this track.

If “Elementary Particle” offers a wild late section, “Everlasting” is a spiritual detour that proclaims a far more direct relationship with melody. This prayerful exercise is configured with occasional droning for mystery, and ethereal streams of light. Strange dialogues break out with air sounds, circular routines, slap and flutter tonguing expressions, obsessive squeaks, moaning whispers, and long stretchable notes. Embracing delicate shades of feeling, the orchestra creates moments of sheer beauty.

Fujii’s identity is stronger than ever, and her orchestral empowerment enmeshes textures, improvisations and timbres into a satisfying, cohesive whole.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - Entity ► 02 - Flashback ► 05 - Everlasting

Dayna Stephens Trio - Liberty

March 31, 2020

Label: Contagious Music, 2020

Personnel - Dayna Stephens: tenor and baritone saxophones; Ben Street: acoustic bass; Eric Harland: drums.

Well-versed saxophonist Dayna Stephens went for an appealing trio recording session with longtime collaborators, bassist Ben Street and drummer Eric Harland. These musicians were featured on Stephens’ very first recording, The Timeless Now (CTA Records, 2007), and one composition from that album - “Lost And Found” - appears on Liberty with a new outfit, passing a sensation of downtempo jazz without really being it. The warmly connected bass lines join the laid-back drumming to support the darkly wistful tones of Stephens, who, on this one, plays baritone sax with asserted pensiveness.

Setting the tone for what follows, the opener, “Ran”, was written for film and music producer Randi Norman, conjuring supple melodies and swinging with easygoing familiarity. Stephens populates his tenor solo with smart note choices and rhythmic figures, while Street, finding pungently strutting routes throughout, also sets his bass to speak freely, having mainly a hi-hat rhythmic pulsation in the background. “Wil’s Way”, the closing track, is another composition penned to a friend, this time the organist Will Blades, with whom Stephens recorded on the albums Sketchy (Doodlin Records) by the organist and on his own New Day (Vegamusic), in 2007 and 2014, respectively. In this re-configured version, we find the saxophonist grooving with a blend of hard-bop and post-bop energies, well anchored in the rhythm section’s dynamic thrust.

The group’s work is similarly extroverted on “Loosy Goosy”, whose boppish exuberance hearkens to Joe Henderson and Sonny Rollins’ musical universes. Occasional Eastern-tinged spells are cast during the trade offs with Harland. This number was previously recorded, first appearing on the album Today is Tomorrow (Criss Cross, 2012).

Whereas “Tarifa” is a hymn-like African celebration that makes a picturesque sonic detour with plenty of rhythmic flair, “Planting Flowers”, composed by pianist Aaron Parks when he was 15, finds the trio sauntering with a casual, happy posture. They exert a fair amount of charm here.

The respect Stephens has for Coltrane is mirrored in two pieces where the latter’s genius is molded and taken to entirely new places. While “Faith Leap” is an unfaltering, breezy exercise founded on “Giant Steps”, where the bass follows the footsteps of the saxophone over a period of time, “Kwooked Stweet” is a contrafact of “Straight Street” and comes conducted with emphatic rhythmic accentuations and expressive interplay. By the end, Harland’s talkative drums can be heard over a sliding bass vamp designed for that purpose.

Shaped with equal parts sturdiness and grace, the 11 tracks of Liberty, Stephens’ ninth recording as a leader and first trio output, flourish with invention, suspension, and resolution. Above all, the group brings emotion into play, building and releasing tension in a stylized fashion.

Favorite Tracks:
04 - Lost and Found ► 06 - Loosy Goosy ► 07 - Tarifa

Flash Reviews - Reverso / Tobias Hoffmann Nonet / Chicago Underground Quartet

March 30, 2020

REVERSO - THE MELODIC LINE (One Note Records, 2020)

Personnel - Ryan Keberle: trombone; Vincent Courtois: cello; Frank Woeste: piano. .

Reverso is a perfectly integrated American-French trio whose newly arrived sophomore release, The Melodic Line, features material composed by Les Six, a French collective of composers from the early 20th century. Emerging the classical and the jazz worlds whilst understanding each other’s ideas, the trio limits pressure to a certain amount in favor of a more melancholic chamber artsiness that lives in conformity with the first three pieces on the record. However, I was not dragged into their mood until the fourth track, “Montparnasse”, which stroke me with Courtois’ sublime cello cries and general spellbinding ambiance. The trio explores sonic roadmaps with an intuitive sense of adjustment, but “Absinthe” develops like a pop song with melodic transparency and efficient harmonization. Showcasing Woeste’s bright pianism at the center, this piece has Courtois punctuating throughout with resolute, timely plucks, and Keberle improvising on top of a circular progression. The elevated melodicism revealed here is also crucial to the last track, “Clara”. In turn, “Major Jack” feels quasi-theatrical in its classical-oriented dramatics. [B]

TOBIAS HOFFMANN NONET - RETROSPECTIVE (Alessa Records, 2020)

Personnel - Tobias Hoffmann: tenor and soprano saxophones; Stefan Gottfried: alto saxophone; Fabian Rucker: bass clarinet, baritone saxophone; Simon Plotzeneder: trumpet, flugelhorn; Daniel Holzleitner: trombone; Christopher Pawluk: guitar; Philipp Nykrin: piano; Andreas Waelti: bass; Michael Prowaznik: drums.

German saxophonist/composer/arranger Tobias Hoffmann explores the nonet format, advertising 10 of his own compositions with moments of orchestral quality, flanked by peripheral details that help coloring the core with a wider palette. A close rhythmic connection is immediately perceived on the opener, “Retrospective”, which indicates contemporary embodiment and metrical defiance. The orchestration feels simultaneously gleeful, optimistic, and ardent, just like on “Happenstances”, but this time around, the soloists, stretching with lush horn fills in the back, can enjoy a gorgeous swinging rhythm. “Fruhlingserwachen” and “Remembrance” feel like quiet oasis when put side by side with high energy numbers such as “Procrastinator”, a favorite that catches your ear with a polychromatic rhythmic drive, horn interactions, and swellheaded melodies, or even “Who’s To Blame”, a self-absorbed swinger. On both pieces it’s hard not to notice the deep sounds and soloing artistry of Fabian Rucker on bass clarinet and baritone saxophone, respectively. Hoffmann excavates sounds with both rigor and freedom, and the instrumentation feels just right for every take. It’s a tuneful waltz that brings the record to a conclusion. [A-]

CHICAGO UNDERGROUND QUARTET - GOOD DAYS (Astral Spirits, 2020)

Personnel - Rob Mazurek: piccolo trumpet, electronics, bells; Jeff Parker: guitar; Josh Johnson: synth bass, organ, piano; Chad Taylor: drums.

The versatile members of the Chicago Underground Quartet have an entrenched ability to surprise whether playing within a relaxed context or on the edge of tonality. The opener, Alan Shorter’s 1969 “Orgasm”, starts off with trumpet and guitar speaking in absolute accordance, dark synth bass and jittery drumming, but ends with experimental guitar chops over a dub, jazzy groove. On the hypnotically paced “Strange Wing”, a 6/4-metered effort penned by Mazurek, the twisty intervals brought in by guitarist Jeff Parker alternate with fine trumpet melodies. The trumpeter interweaves anthemic lines and brusque serpentine stretches on the percussive “All the Bells”, and if Chad Taylor’s “Batida” sinks into an intoxicated funk layered with ostinatos and polyphony, his prog-rock-ish “Westview” has a feverish urban feel adorned with odd-metered passages. “Good Days (For Lee Anne)” and “Unique Spiral” inhabit different worlds - the former is a ballad lulled by guitar tremolos and understated brushwork, while the latter, following a more geometric linearity, embraces a danceable rocking pulsation. Good Days marks a very strong return of a formidable quartet. [A-]

Webber / Morris Big Band - Both Are True

March 27, 2020

Label: Greenleaf Music, 2020

Personnel - Anna Webber: conductor, tenor sax, flute; Angela Morris: conductor, tenor sax, flute; Charlotte Greve: alto sax, clarinet; Jay Rattman: alto and soprano saxes, flute; Adam Schneit: tenor sax, clarinet: Lisa Parrott: baritone sax, bass clarinet; Adam O’Farrill: trumpet; John Lake: trumpet; Jake Henry: trumpet; Kenny Warren: trumpet; Tim Vaughn: trombone; Nick Grinder: trombone; Jen Baker: trombone; Reginald Chapman: bass trombone; Dustin Carlson: guitar; Patricia Brennan: vibraphone; Marc Hannaford: piano; Adam Hopkins: bass; Jeff Davis: drums.

The big band project co-led by saxophonists/composers Anna Webber and Angela Morris was launched five years ago, but the bandleaders only now are dropping its debut release, Both Are True. The cohesive 19-piece ensemble includes some recognized New York-based artists such as trumpeter Adam O’Farrill, saxophonist Charlotte Greve, bassist Adam Hopkins, and drummer Jeff Davis. With respect to the bandleaders, Webber jumped to the frontline of the contemporary scene with her fantastic septet work Clockwise, a favorite of last year, while Morris released Asleep in the Dust, an art book/double CD with her trio TMT in collaboration with visual artist Jerry Birchfield.

The nine tracks on this record, including two short, spontaneous saxophone duets, besides sealed with their signatures as composers, feature them as soloists. Webber performs in Morris’ pieces and vice-versa.

Webber’s “Climbing on Mirrors” shows that nothing here feels stiff but balanced and fluid. A settlement of contrapuntal congruity is offered with several intensities and the rhythmic punctuations fall into places that may cause a vertiginous sensation. Saxophonist Charlotte Greve soloes with unhurried lucidity and the piece, despite decelerating towards the end, rebounds with the drummer’s actions. In the last segment, a vocal chorale provided by all members of the band makes for a wonderful effect.

The Morris-penned title track begins with deep-seated droning sounds, followed by the timbral complexion of saxophones spiraling non-stop. The improvisations - from Jay Rattman on soprano, Webber on tenor, and Patricia Brennan on vibraphone - are mobilized by a strong creative force, and, by the end, Marc Hannaford’s piano arrhythmias bump into the ghostly presence of the horns.

Morris also composed “And It Rolled Right Down” and “Coral”, yet these numbers are retained in a much different order in the way that the former thrives with an Ellingtonian orchestral touch, following a proportioned structure and teeming with the juxtaposed angular measurements from a trio of improvisers - Adam Schneit on clarinet, Reginald Chapman on bass trombone and Jake Henry on trumpet. The latter piece, in turn, escapes the raucousness of other moments, inflicting some purposeful vagueness, but finding firmness in Adam O’Farrill’s discourse.

With “Foggy Valley”, the band ventures through a dark sonic fare, having Morris' wry sax viscosity populating its eerie backdrops.

Webber’s compositional prowess is on display on “Rebonds”, which adheres to a rocking funkiness that serves as a showcase for guitarist Dustin Carlson’s tart sounds, and “Reverses”, which starts off with carefully spaced delimiters immersed in bright tones of light. The tempo rises and the atmosphere heats up meteorically before decaying again into serenity. The words of the finale are by poet and civil rights activist Maya Angelou.

Integrating written and improvised material in new ways, Webber and Morris take the big band concept into fresh territory. This is an accomplished conjoint effort.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - Climbing On Mirrors ► 03 - Both Are True ► 04 - Rebonds

Lakecia Benjamin - Pursuance: The Coltranes

March 25, 2020

Label: Ropeadope, 2020

Personnel - Lakecia Benjamin: alto sax, keyboards; Gary Bartz: alto sax; Greg Osby: alto sax; Steve Wilson: alto sax; Marcus Strickland: bass clarinet; Keyon Harrold: trumpet; Jazzmeia Horn: vocals; Dee Dee Bridgewater: vocals; Georgia Anne Mudrow: vocals; Ricardo Ramos: guitar; Brandee Younger: harp; Sharp Radway: piano; Chris Rob: piano, organ; David Bryant: piano, Rhodes; Marc Cary: piano; Meshell Ndegeocello: bass; Reggie Workman: bass; Lonnie Plaxico: bass; Ron Carter: bass; Darrell Green: drums; and more.

On her new outing, Pursuance: the Coltranes, saxophonist Lakecia Benjamin is far from the cosmopolitan sounds of funk and R&B and closer to the spiritual modal jazz. She interprets a collection of 13 tunes by Alice and John Coltrane, all recast through series of dynamic alterations and multiple perspectives rooted in her own beliefs. The album comes equipped with a large cross-generational lineup that includes colossal bassists Reggie Workman and Ron Carter, saxophonist Gary Bartz, violinist Regina Carter, and vocalists Dee Dee Bridgewater and Jazzmeia Horn, among many others.

“Liberia” channels an incredible modal energy, featuring two saxophones in prayer (Benjamin and Bartz), fervent piano voicings, and a strong bass-drums connection. A jubilant swinging infection takes hold of the improvisational section, and an analogous approach is observable on “Syeeda’s Flute Song”, where the happy melody bumps into spacious harmonizations provided by David Bryant’s Fender Rhodes. The bassist here is Ron Carter and the solos belong to Benjamin and trumpeter Keyon Harrold.

Violinist Regina Carter comes to the forefront on “Walk With Me”, solemnly combining her sound with bowed bass before a groove emerges to promote openness, and “Going Home”, which weaves a contemplative path that finds the sweet spot between chamber music (with violin, flute, bass clarinet, and the harp sweeps of Brandee Younger) and gospelized spiritual.

An African-tinged pulse and key-shifting melody mark the soothing “Prema”, while, in a reverse direction, “Central Park West” is given a soul/funky treatment, brandishing a whirling piano motif at the core of its A section. The scat singing featured on the latter is by the illustrious Jazzmeia Horn, who is heard volleying with the bandleader by the end. Another guest singer to appear on the recording is Dee Dee Bridgewater, whose terrific blend of technique and emotion eulogizes the spectacular “Acknowledgement”, here beautifully introduced by the pacific waves of “Alabama”.

Both written by Alice, “Om Shanti” and “Turiya and Ramakrishna” are mantric exercises holding an optimal amount of emotional meaning. The former is professed with the vocal energy of Georgia Anne Mudrow, a popping electric bass groove supplied by Meshell Ndegeocello, and Ricardo Ramos’ distorted guitar; the latter piece is sensitively brushed throughout its insistent circularity. In a distinct note, “Affinity” closes out the album with a polyrhythmic, at times free-ish ramble that counts on Workman’s sturdy bass lines and saxophonist Greg Osby’s smart obliquities to succeed.

Benjamin was a rigorous apprentice of the Coltrane-isms, but don’t think this is a by-the-numbers rip-off of the pair’s art, since she inducts a lot of her own ideas into the mix.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - Liberia ► 03 - Central Park West ► 12 - Turiya and Ramakrishna

Avishai Cohen - Big Vicious

March 24, 2020

Label: ECM Records, 2020

Personnel - Avishai Cohen: trumpet, effects, synthesizer; Uzi Ramirez: guitar; Yonatan Albalak: guitar, bass; Aviv Cohen: drums; Ziv Ravitz: drums, live sampling.

Trumpeter/composer Avishai Cohen gives another solid step toward innovation with the consistent group he formed six years ago, after moving back from the US to his native Israel. The eclectic album, Big Vicious, is the successor to the duo recording Playing The Room and marks his fourth outing on the reliable ECM imprint. The electro-acoustic ensemble, which includes two drummers, delivers a program of nine originals and two covers. Despite their backgrounds in jazz, these open-minded artists experiment with different sonic flavors and the outcome is more than satisfactory.

The album was recorded in the Tel Aviv studio of musician/producer Yuvi Havkin, known in the artistic world as Rejoicer. He collaborated with the group in the writing of three of the 11 pieces - they are “Honey Fountain”, whose suave electronic vibes stress a trance-like bass in plain communion with the drums, with softly sculpted trumpet melodies soaring together with a spacious, effect-drenched guitar; “Fractals”, whose moody electronic experiments threaten to end up in a trippy techno party; and “Teno Neno”, a well-designed shapeshifter that involves phaser-effect washes, suspensions, and an unhurried beat. Speaking of beat, “This Time It’s Different” has that funkified clubjazz groove that makes you wanna jump.

Avishai, alone, penned four tunes and his penchant for the rock genre is on display in pieces such as “Hidden Chamber”, where you can picture a crossing between the goth rock of The Cure and the cool jazz of Miles Davis; and “King Kutner”, whose punkish feel, in salutation to The Pixies, is cemented with Ramirez’s subversive guitar chops - sometimes rugged, sometimes bluesy. In turn, “The Things You Tell Me” relies on a layered art rock bolstered with folk connotations à-la Robert Wyatt, while the dreamy “Intent” haunts the listener with mysterious ambient textures.

“The Cow & The Calf” boasts some of the trip-hop charisma of Portishead and a strong singable chorus, but stays one step behind of the incredible rendition of Massive Attack’s hit “Teardrop”. The group also probes ways of bringing new light into Beethoven’s classical music by dissecting his “Moonlight Sonata” according to their own methods.

Revealing himself a musical chameleon, Avishai Cohen deserves acclaim for this exciting work.

Favorite Tracks:
02 - Hidden Chamber ► 06 - Teardrop ► 10 - The Cow & The Calf

Jure Pukl - Broken Circles

March 22, 2020

Label: Whirlwind Recordings, 2020

Personnel - Jure Pukl: tenor and soprano saxophones; Charles Altura: guitar; Joel Ross: vibraphone; Matt Brewer: bass; Kweku Sumbry: drums.

With Broken Circles, Slevenian-born, New York-based saxophonist Jure Pukl floats along on the waves of self-awareness and optimism, issuing a call for action on the sociopolitical and environmental predicaments that our world is facing lately. His third recording for the London label Whirlwind Recordings, features the talents of guitarist Charles Altura, vibraphonist Joel Ross, bassist Matt Brewer and drummer Kweku Sumbry.

This record comprises compositions that allow him to fly with freedom and, simultaneously, take full advantage of his bandmates’ musical skills. The opener, “Sustained Optimism”, is among the most prominent pieces on the album, moving with well-oiled sophistication and shifting meters, and indulging in relatively complex rhythmic detail. The bandleader shows off a big-toned tenor sound, hewing closer to the steeply accented, fragmented, and often patterned free styles of Steve Lehman and Mark Shim; the prodigious Joel Ross proves to be an insightful melodic runner, while Altura tips into frenetic territory in the last segment, time when Sumbry’s actions lead to intensification. The lively title track also reveals this welcome sense of openness, finding a fine balance between sturdiness and flexibility.

Both revealing balladic qualities, “Separation” and “Compassion” carry noble intentions. The former, inspired by the recent US/Mexican border issues, discards fragility for a sturdier posture with the melody following a gracious cadence; for its part, the latter, which was previously included in Pukl’s quartet work, Doubtless, is a mainstream-friendly tone poem using Chilean kalimba, soprano saxophone, and brushed drums. The good vibes come naturally attached to its main theme, but a pinnacle point is reached when Ross unleashes a beautiful solo cooked up with impressive maturity and confidence.

Pukl plays soprano once gain on the closing piece, “Sky is the Limit”, and is heard on bass clarinet on “Gloomy Sunday”, a 1930s Hungarian tune that stabilizes over Sumbry’s cymbal splendor and snare articulacy.

Bright in tone, “Triumph of Society” features stylishly crafted sax/vibes conversations during which bass and drums adhere to a hearty swinging activity; it then throbs with bouncy percussive propagations and lofty guitaristic eloquence. The scintillating “Half Past Five”, impeccably announced by Brewer’s minute-and-a-half stream of consciousness, is infused with a delightful contemporary aesthetic that results from the combination of colorful harmonic progressions and a delightful groove in 11/8 meter.

The music in Broken Circles reflects Pukl's virtuosic prowess both as a composer and performer. His work has evolved in exciting ways and the 11 originals presented here couldn’t have been shaped with more character and life.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - Sustained Optimism ► 04 - Compassion ► 09 - Half Past Five

Liberty Ellman - Last Desert

March 19, 2020

Label: Pi Recordings, 2020

Personnel - Liberty Ellman: guitar; Steve Lehman: alto saxophone; Jonathan Finlayson: trumpet; Jose Davila: tuba; Stephan Crump: bass; Damion Reid: drums.

Guitarist/composer Liberty Ellman keeps trailing a path of glory in modern jazz with his unorthodox approach to music. An indispensable member of Henry Threadgill’s Zooid and Myra Melford’s Snowy Egret, Ellman is no less impressive when leading his own projects. A major step forward in his career is taken with Last Desert, his sixth outing, whose title refers to the world's leading endurance footrace known as the 4 Deserts Ultramarathon Series. Here, Ellman amazes us at every turn in the company of the same dream sextet that had recorded Radiate five years ago - alto saxophonist Steve Lehman, trumpeter Jonathan Finlayson, tuba player Jose Davila, bassist Stephan Crump, and drummer Damion Reid.

The album opens with “The Sip”, a composition where a musing guitar narrative repeats with clever instrumental fillings in the back. The mood is both relaxing and involving, inviting us to float in the infinity of the space. Finlayson and Lehman show their contemplative side, while Davila and Crump hold to the ground with resolute weighty notes that collude while sinking deep into the Earth.

“Last Desert I” gives Finlayson the melodic lead, and he opts for a simple, effective way to move around, enjoying sax and tuba in sympathetic support. In a first instance, Ellman punctuates discreetly over a suspended scenario, but the ideas gain extra dimension and exquisite harmonic color after Crump and Reid lay down a groovy rhythmic avenue that invites him to stroll along. Finlayson brings an oddly swinging irreverence, seeing the tail of his impetuous solo being caught by backing unisons, right before the final statement is declared. After an atmospheric start, “Last Desert II” enforces a pedal-like groove that inspires Lehman to wrap his dazzling phrasing in an alluring timbral variety. Subsequently, is Davila who stretches out unaccompanied for a while, prior to be joined by trumpet and a sweet, viscous funk-rock groove.

The infectious, bouncing bass lines heard in the previously described piece also take effect on “Doppler”, where the relentless staccato texture admits counterpoint and parallelism alike. The energy expands in connection with hooky solo turns from guitar, sax, and trumpet.

On “Rubber Flowers”, the group keeps the momentum flowing after a sturdy head filled with punctilious parallel lines. The bandleader exchanges fresh ideas with Lehman, but while the former attains a cerebral angularity in his tasteful aesthetic, the latter pours out searing lines built with intervallic awe. Following Finlayson’s speech, there is still time for Reid to magnify procedures in a vamp.

“Liquid” is an essential element in this ambitious desert journey. It makes for a beautiful conclusion, with Ellman showing off his soloing genius before the tune veers into an accessible pop-like passage comprised of dulcet chord voicings.

All instruments find the right place where to live, and they blend so well together that it’s hard to stop listening. More often than not, this advanced music informed by an amalgamation of jazz, funk, and avant-garde styles, relies on grooves set with intricate glossiness and off-centered abandon.

Ellman keeps pushing against conventions with his daring artistry, and we thank him for that.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - The Sip ► 03 - Last Desert II ► 07 - Liquid

Tim Berne's Snakeoil - The Fantastic Mrs. 10

March 18, 2020

Label: Intakt Records, 2020

Personnel - Tim Berne: alto saxophone; Oscar Noriega: clarinet, bass clarinet; Marc Ducret: guitars; Matt Mitchell: piano, modular synth; Ches Smith: drums, vibraphone, glockenspiel.

Making its debut on the Swiss-based imprint Intakt Records, Tim Berne's Snakeoil never looked as cohesive, exciting, and spellbinding as now. Their sixth outing, The Fantastic Mrs. 10, manifests the same appetite for experimentation and freshness, tossing the listeners into a world of curious, organic sounds that stream across ingeniously generated structures. Berne launched the group in 2012 as a quartet - with multi-reedist Oscar Noriega, pianist Matt Mitchell, and drummer/vibraphonist Ches Smith - but added an extra layer of complexity with the guitar of Ryan Ferreira. The difference here is that it’s Marc Ducret, Berne’s long-time collaborator in projects such as Caos Totale, Bloodcount and Big Satan, who fills the position, fulfilling his duties with brilliancy.

The title track opens the record with that stylishly thought-out angularity that characterizes the bandleader's approach, in anticipation of an infectious theme statement that feature him in unison with Mitchell. The rocking rhythm is incredibly gripping, and powerfully expressive improvisations then occur in a variety of settings. Noriega projects his bass clarinet with furious energy; Berne objectively combines sturdy and brittle tones within a predominantly suspended atmosphere that turns into haunting reverie when Ducret’s distorted cries become spasmodic. Mitchell fills and drains with torrential streams of notes before settling in a Jarrett-like chordal work that makes a strong impression on the final statement.

These types of rip-roaring layers can be spotted on other provocative tunes, and the 14-minute “Third Option” appears at the top of the list. In this case, Berne and Noriega trade off jagged punctuations, eventually agreeing on an extended melody connectedness with Mitchell and Smith already on board. I’m sure you’ll enjoy guitar explorations in a dark hued context, insouciant piano outpours backed by active percussion and screeched guitar chops, searing saxophone clamors walled in dreamy yet intriguing auras, and subtle murmuring vibes.

Introduced by glockenspiel, “Rolo” is another serious case, exhibiting sinuous, sloped and tangential courses filled with effective adjustments in rhythm and dramatic variations in mood. Besides Berne, who excels in his fragmented phraseology, Smith’s percussive wizardry comes to prominence.

“Surface Noise” initially revolves around an abstract piano/glockenspiel quiescence until Berne’s urgent lines attract everything to the center. Collaborating closely, Ducret and Noriega lend their peculiar stylings to the piece, which probes an atmospheric tone quality prior to fixate in harmonic cycles with sparkling hi-hat activity and linear saxophone onslaughts.

Immersed in sheer beauty, the sensitive “Dear Friend” by Julius Hemphill is the only composition on the album that Berne didn’t compose, and guitarist/producer David Torn is credited for the electronic arrangement on the folk-imbued closing number, “Rose Colored Assive”.

Rarely an avant-jazz album possesses this unstoppable energy and fascination straight down the line. This is absolutely my favorite Snakeoil work; an essential pick for adherents of addictive modern jazz.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - The Fantastic Mrs.10 ► 03 - Rolo ► 06 - Third Option

Wolfgang Muthspiel - Angular Blues

March 17, 2020

Label: ECM Records, 2020

Personnel - Wolfgang Muthspiel: guitar; Scott Colley: bass; Brian Blade: drums.

Austrian jazz guitarist Wolfgang Muthspiel first came to prominence as a leader in the 1990’s with albums that featured giants such as John Patitucci, George Garzone, Tom Harrell, Peter Erskine, Marc Johnson, and Paul Motian, among others.

Lately, under the seal of the ECM Records, he has been exploring mostly original compositions in the quintet and trio formats. And it was exactly in the latter configuration that Angular Blues was shaped, a sonically pleasant recording that relies on the rhythmic elegance of bassist Scott Colley and drummer Brian Blade. If the drummer is a regular partner, the bassist replaces Larry Grenadier and gives his first contribution to a project by Muthspiel. But let me tell you, he reacts with the intimacy of a family member.

Colley’s improvisatory imagination brings groove and emotion to the title cut, a rhythmically intricate and complexly patterned blues that, after all, sounds more cohesive than jagged, while on the opening track, “Wondering”, he expresses the theme statement with poise. The narrative here develops in a 5/4 meter signature, with Muthspiel weaving delicate guitar textures and delivering a limpid acoustic guitar solo.

Like the previously cited pieces, the spacious, affectionately brushed folk ballad “Huttengriffe” is plucked and strummed on the acoustic guitar, whereas “Camino” benefits from electric sounds, offering an intriguing, reflective, and somewhat poignant experience. At odds with this thoughtful and literate mood, “Ride” is a frisky bebop infusion with shades of Barney Kessell and Joe Pass. Also dwelling in a more traditional realm are the standards “I’ll Remember April” and “Everything I Love”. The latter, a Cole Porter song, is rendered with unambiguous rhythmic ideas, also showing off trade eights between the soloists and Blade in addition to notable improvisations from guitar and bass.

My favorite piece on the album is “Kanon in 6/8”, which puts the triumvirate’s quick-witted communication on display. They go full steam ahead, applying cascading designs and a pliant rhythmic control, in a piece that also highlights the bandleader’s superb harmonic qualities and soloing dexterity, here with a modest tendency for rock. There’s also a solo classical-like version of this piece in 5/4, expressed with an improvisatory flair and where a sense of calm pervades.

Muthspiel’s new trio effort is simultaneously refreshing and comforting.

Favorite Tracks:
02 - Angular Blues ► 06 - Everything I Love ► 07 - Kanon in 6/8

Christian McBride - The Movement Revisited

March 12, 2020

Label: Mack Avenue, 2020

Personnel Big Band - Christian McBride: bass; Steve Wilson: alto sax, flute; Todd Bashore: alto sax ; Ron Blake: tenor and soprano saxes; Loren Schoenberg: tenor sax ; Carl Maraghi: baritone sax; Michael Dease: trombone; Steve Davis: trombone; James Burton: trombone; Doug Purviance: bass trombone; Lew Soloff: trumpet; Ron Tooley: trumpet; Frank Greene: trumpet; Freddie Hendrix: trumpet; Darryl Shaw: trumpet; Warren Wolf: vibraphone, tambourine, timpani; Geoffrey Keezer: piano; Terreon Gully: drums + Alicia Olatuja: vocals; J.D. Steele: vocals + choir Voices Of The Flame.

The Movement Revisited, the newest opus of first-class bassist/composer/arranger Christian McBride, is an important African American manifesto that takes the form of a five-part suite focused on four indelible figures of the Civil Rights Movement - Martin Luther King, Malcolm X, Rosa Parks, and Muhammad Ali. The bassist gathered an 18-piece band that includes vibrant soloists, a great choral team led by soul/gospel singer JD Steele, and four skilled speakers, who profess the words of each protagonist with passion. In addition to these four activists, the last track on the album, “Apotheosis: November 4th, 2008” acknowledges Barack Obama, the first African American President of the US, as the fifth element. This particular piece is launched with a reflective classical-like intonation and then blossoms with more vivid colors once McBride tosses in a well-balanced bluesy, rock n’ rollish vibe that completely defines the harmonic progression.

The opener, “Overture/The Movement Revisited”, appeals to unity by sequencing spoken word that confronts darkness and light, hate and love. It covers a handful of crucial topics such as violence, fear, freedom, religion, justice, war, and equality. After the wise words, it’s the bandleader’s dancing bass lines that not only encourage the invigorating swinging rhythm imposed, but also substantiates scorching solos from saxophone and piano.

“Sister Rosa - Prologue” describes the Montgomery bus boycott with the benefit of Sonia Sanchez’s dramatic description and a resolute, sometimes spiritual interplay between bass, flute, and percussion. The soulful tones of “Sister Rosa” flutter in the air, resulting from a wise arrangement that incorporates impactful melodies, influential choir singing, and great improvisations from Ron Blake on soprano saxophone, Warren Wolf on vibraphone and Geoffrey Keezer on piano. Also headed by a prologue, which in the case comes underpinned by slick bass slides and bends, “Brother Malcolm” is a musical prayer that complements the human rights activist’s deeds. It features singer Alicia Olatuja as well as Blake’s spiritual tenor calls over a modal piano accompaniment. On the other hand, on “Ali Speaks”, we have drummer Terreon Gully, alone, emphasizing rhythmic punctuation in response to Dion Graham’s cadenced words.

Both “A View From the Mountaintop” and “Rumble in the Jungle” mix jazz, soul, and gospel, featuring the lead vocals of JD Steele and the gospel choir Voices of Flame, which he leads. The latter piece has Carl Maraghi’s baritone sharing the groove with McBride, and its infectious rhythm supports a buoyant conversation between saxophones, which arrives with plenty of in-and-out crusades.

The splendor of the music sides with the force of the words in a powerful and personal musical statement that envisions to alert the world for essential principles. This is the third big band recording for McBride.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - Overture/The Movement Revisited ► 03 - Sister Rosa ► 09 - Rumble in the Jungle