May 31 2017
I interviewed trumpeter Yazz Ahmed for The Bandcamp Daily.
We talked about her new album La Saboteuse, how recording sessions involved road trips, the struggle with identity, and how those things informed her new album.
Here’s a LINK to go read it.
And you can listen to and purchase the new album La Saboteuse on Bandcamp.
Apr 18 2017
Saxophonist Matt Otto has a couple of new albums out, so this seems like a good time as any to feature the music of an artist that first hit my radar nearly five years ago.
Let’s begin…
Otto’s collaboration with the Ensemble Ibérica is a series of languid expressions, each possessing the potent combination of a stunning beauty and a disarming gentleness. The delicate accents of Spanish and chamber add some compelling textures, and the inclusion of instruments like oud, steel guitar, cavaquinho, cello and Cuban tres brings a liveliness to the conversation that serves to emphasize the serenity, not threaten it. And while Matt Otto’s tenor sax has a bold voice clear as day, his slight modulations between a sunny smile and a moody calm incites the prevailing serenity to resonate with a spellbinding intensity. Ibérica is easily one of the most gorgeous things to be released in 2017, thus far.
Your album personnel: Matt Otto (tenor sax) and Ensemble Ibérica: Beau Bledsoe (guitar, oud), Jordan Shipley (guitar, cavaquinho), Michael McClintock (electric guitar, Cuban tres, acoustic bass guitar), Brad Cox (Rhodes), Karl McComas-Reichl (bass, cello) and Mike Stover (steel guitar).
Released on Origin Records.
Of particular interest on this straight-ahead session from Otto and Andy Ehling are the two compositions that are shared with Otto’s collaboration with Ensemble Ibérica. On Reunion, “Elm” is a jaunty tune with a cheery disposition, and hearing how it’s transformed into a state of complete and utter tranquility on Ibérica is alone worth the price of the download. The same could be said of “Du Bois,” and how its Middle-Eastern influence and hypnotic oud solo undergo a metamorphosis into fiercely burning embers on Reunion. And then there’s a track like “Twain,” which is unique to this 2015 recording date, but which has the languid expressionism that marks the success of the Ibérica recording. But, truly, the heart of this recording is a track like “Adler,” with its brisk pace and casual delivery that transmits the impression that these are simply good friends getting together to play and someone just so happened to have a recording device lying around. Friendly music willing to reveal some depth behind the wide smile.
Your album personnel: Matt Otto (tenor sax), Andy Ehling (alto sax), Leonard Thompson (Rhodes), Brad Williams (drums) and Ben Leifer (bass).
Released on Jazz Collective Records.
Listen to more of the album on the artist’s Bandcamp page.
Available at: Bandcamp | Amazon
Otto’s 2012 release Broken Waltz was my introduction to his music. What immediately grabbed me was the interplay between Otto and the bass clarinet of Brian Walsh. Otto clearly loves the conversations that occur with other reed instruments, and seems to delight in creating intertwined melodic lines and watching the array of patterns emerge. A similar effect occurred on his Reunion collaboration with fellow saxophonist Andy Ehling, but hearing the light & dark contrast between tenor sax and bass clarinet is a seriously arresting element to Broken Waltz, and while it certainly isn’t the only compelling feature of this excellent recording, it possesses a gravitas that earns the attention it draws in.
On Rhodes, Leonard Thompson does some nifty shading around the edges of the solos, and gives them a presence of greater expanse and nuance, both. Vocalist Sara Gazarek sits in on a few tracks, and strikes a nice balance between complementing the album’s inclination toward introversion and counterbalancing it with a tone that’s more outgoing. There are moments, like on “Origin,” where the bass and drum combo of David Carpenter and Jason Harnell develop a chatter that borders on hypnotic.
It’s a strong album that deserves another round of attention. Note to long-time readers: Broken Waltz was a Jazz Pick back when I was writing for eMusic, so check your library first before hitting the download button to be sure you haven’t already scooped this album up.
Your album personnel: Matt Otto (tenor & soprano saxophones), Leonard Thompson (Rhodes), David J Carpenter (bass), Jason Harnell (drums), Brian Walsh (bass clarinet) and Sara Gazarek (vocals).
Released on Jazz Collective Records.
Listen to more of the album on the artist’s Bandcamp page.
Available at: Amazon | CDBaby | eMusic | Bandcamp
This 2010 collaboration with trumpeter Aaron Shragge has them embracing the Tom Waits songbook and giving it all of the melancholy tones, wry sense of humor and sudden bursts of cheery optimism that marks the source music. The contributions of Greg Leisz on pedal steel go a long way to cinching the album’s success, but it clear right from the start that each musician is plugged in to what Waits is all about.
Your album personnel: Matt Otto (tenor sax), Aaron Shragge (trumpet, shakuhachi), Brandon Bernstein (guitar), Jason Harnell (drums), Ryan McGillicuddy (bass) and Greg Leisz (pedal steel).
Released on Jazz Collective Records.
And there’s plenty more to discover. Give a listen to other Otto recordings on his Bandcamp page.
You can also give a listen on his Soundcloud page.
And then there’s also his main site.
Mar 31 2017
I interviewed tubist Daniel Herskedal for The Bandcamp Daily.
We talked about the challenges of adding an unconventional jazz instrument to the ensemble, immersing oneself in different musics, his process for bringing a project together, and how all of those feed into his new album The Roc.
Here’s a LINK to go read it.
And you can listen to and purchase the new album The Roc on Bandcamp.
Mar 30 2017
I interviewed saxophonist Tamar Osborn for The Bandcamp Daily.
We talked about her new recording The Search, how she came up through the traditions of a number of music languages, and how her ensemble Collocutor began with “borrowing” musicians from another ensemble.
Here’s a LINK to go read it.
And you can listen to and purchase the new album The Search on Bandcamp.
Jul 13 2017
The Whistler Bandcamp page is amazing
It’s a great opportunity to check out some amazing musicians, and also to hear them in a live setting. Today’s column will give you a brief rundown on the local jazz musicians that have a slot on the Whistler Bandcamp page.
But first, a quick note about Name Your Price etiquette: Whether marked Free or Name Your Price, this music is free for you to download. You should. The musicians want you to have it in your music library to enjoy. But if you’re reading this site, no matter how diverse your backgrounds and experiences and lives may be, I’m completely certain that you all give a damn about the musicians who make your lives better with their creative pursuits, and you’d like to support them. So, for those of you who don’t have a lot of familiarity with the Bandcamp NYP/Free models, here’s some approaches people commonly take:
Obviously, any funds these musicians raise is gonna get invested in making more music, so it’s in everyone’s best interests that we financially support the musicians who build the creative supports that we rely upon to get through life and to remind us how beautiful life can be.
Anyways, I just wanted to get that out there. Now, about this music… let’s begin.
Meridian Trio – Andromeda EP
Three tracks from the trio of alto saxophonist Nick Mazzarella, bassist Matt Ulery and drummer Jeremy Cunningham: one bop, one blues and one that has that weary but transcendent soul of a deep spiritual jazz tune. All three of these names should ring familiar to readers of this site and my eMusic, Wondering Sound and Bandcamp columns. In the instance of Ulery and Cunningham, they’ve each received a slot on this site’s various Best Of lists: Ulery with his 2012 release By a Little Light and Cunningham with his 2016 release re: Dawn (from afar). And of particular note on Mazzarella, he’s got a new album, Triangulum, out on Clean Feed Records with this same Meridian Trio.
Artist site | Listen & Download on Bandcamp
Matt Ulery’s Loom – The Queen
It was Matt Ulery‘s 2011 release Flora.Fauna.Fervor. that first introduced me to the bassist’s predilection for fascinating, unusual music. While a world apart in terms of overall sound, Ulery’s music reminded me of some of Bill Frisell’s stranger output… something otherworldly, alien, but possessing a melodic beauty that makes everything comforting and familiar. The song “The Queen” sources from that 2011 album, and it’s accompanied by two remixes on this EP. Ulery’s Loom ensemble is comprised of pianist Rob Clearfield, trumpeter Thad Franklin, tenor saxophonist Tim Heideman, violinist Zach Brock, vibraphonist Katie Wiegman and drummer Jon Deitemyer.
Go and follow this link to check out more of Ulery’s music on this site.
Artist site | Listen & Download on Bandcamp
Stirrup – Super Seeded
The quartet Stirrup get right in your face and don’t back off. The thing is, while the music often comes off as intense, even angry, all of that aggression has an oddly friendly bearing. Bassist Nick Macri, drummer Charles Rumback, trumpeter Russ Johnson and cellist Fred Lonberg-Holm are your musicians for this track. They were a trio back when they first hit my radar with the 2013 release Sewn, and their music hasn’t grown any calmer or normal since Johnson joined up. Edgy modern jazz, ferocious rock, untamed electronics and any other ingredients they can find in the cupboard go into the mix for what they serve up on a recording. If you like this track, go check out their live album A Man Can’t Ride On One, which was also recorded at the Whistler.
Artist site | Listen & Download on Bandcamp
Dave McDonnell Group – Vox Orion
I first became familiar with the Dave McDonnell Group with their 2014 release The Dragon and the Griffin. Comprised of all-stars from the Chicago scene, the saxophonist’s particular voicing of the post-bop sound had an airy melodicism to pair with its unrepentant edge. McDonnell has moved from Chicago to Cincinnati, and the personnel have shifted around, too, but that particular free-grounded dichotomy is still there. Joining him on this set are vibraphonist Jason Adasiewicz, bassist Joshua Abrams and drummer Quin Kirchner.
In addition to checking out that 2014 release (linked above), also take a spin with his 2016 release Eidetic, which features this same quartet and was also recorded at The Whistler. In fact, many of the compositions on the live album were also featured on the 2014 studio recording. (Go check it out).
Artist site | Listen & Download on Bandcamp
Makaya McCraven & Shane Parish – Spooky Action at a Distance
Drummer Makaya McCraven and guitarist Shane Parish had never performed together prior to this one-off show at the Whistler as part of their Stars Align series… a monthly concert & podcast presentation. McCraven’s name has been cropping up with increasing frequency among my various recommendations columns. This frenetic, jazz-rock-avant garde-etc piece shows his talent doesn’t pay attention to genre borders and that his creative dexterity is likely to appeal to quite a few of the musicians who have made an appearance on this site.
Want to hear more of McCraven’s expansive sound? Check out his 2015 release In the Moment.
Artist site | Listen & Download on Bandcamp
And those are only just some of the tracks featured on
The Whistler’s Bandcamp page.
Be sure to dig into the rest and follow those other links to more music by these artists.
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By davesumner • Artist Overviews • 0 • Tags: Brick & Mortar