Jazz Recommendations – 2017 releases

This Icelandic quartet’s captivating melodic approach belies the commonly-used meaning of their band name.  Their music is thick with a moody atmosphere, and any good cheer from a song’s tunefulness will be paired with the counterweight of an abiding melancholy.  The quartet’s sixth release ADHD6 holds true to form, with the sole caveat that one should be prepared for some unexpected jolts of volatility.  “Spessi” erupts in celebration, and the thumping tempo of “Med Ívari” contrasts nicely with its subdued melodic expressionism.  And then there’s the alluring “Alli Krilli” and its approximation of an ambient dance tune.

But the immense tranquility of folk song “Fyrir Rúna” is what to expect from the ADHD catalog, and no matter how many instances are encountered, it’s unlikely to soften the addiction for more.  “Magnús Trygvason Eliassen” is the patient layering of melody as a subtle amplification of intensity, and “Levon” employs the same method, but chooses to take a route where subtlety is key.  Because, ultimately, the melody is where this quartet makes its home.

A really nice addition to the family of albums released by ADHD.  I highly recommend checking out more of their recordings.

Your album personnel:  Óskar Guðjónsson (sax), Ómar Guðjónsson (guitar, bass), Davíð Þór Jónsson (hammond, piano) and Magnús Trygvason Eliassen (drums).

This album is Self-Produced.

Listen to another album track at the artist’s Soundcloud page.

Music from Reykjavík, Iceland.

Available at:  Amazon

Waclaw Zimpel‘s Indian Orchestra is far more than a World Jazz fusion of influences, and in some very essential ways, it’s also much less than that, too.  On 2, there is a sense that the clarinetist purposefully restrained his compositions from going into the deep end of any one type of music expression, and by backing off just enough to make a difference, the sophomore release from Saagara resulted in a far more seamless fusion of sounds, and consequently, something far smoother to pour.  The hypnotic, comforting drone of the khaen (a bamboo wind instrument that sounds like an organ purposed solely for ambient music) is, thus, set as the perfect environment to incubate the rhythmic dialog of khanjira, ghatam and thavil as well as a wide-open range for fiery alto clarinet and violin solos to thrive.  Waclaw also infuses the music, via studio wizard mooryc, with tasteful doses of electronic effects which serve to accentuate the organic instruments as much as add something unique to the mix.

Most pieces adopt an upbeat, talkative personality, and considering how the music emphasizes tunefulness as a natural byproduct of complex interactions, it leads to some seriously friendly expressions.  These are melodies fully capable of leaving an imprint on a listener’s memory, and inciting the foot to tap along is fair game, too.  And after all that, the album ends with a simple, gorgeous duet of clarinet and piano.  The sudden jolt of spareness is almost stunning, but it’s the song’s heartbreaking beauty that leaves the lasting impression.

I love this album.

Your album personnel:  Wacław Zimpel (alto clarinet, bass clarinet, khaen), Giridhar Udupa (ghatam), Bharghava Halambi (khanjira), K Raja (thavil), Mysore N. Karthik (violin) and mooryc (production, electronic effects, all additional instruments).

Released on the Instant Classic label.

Listen to more of the album at the artist’s Bandcamp page.

Music from Warsaw, Poland and Bangalore, India.

Available at:  Bandcamp

I adore an ensemble that pushes all-in on a melody, time and time again.  The sextet The Sycamore does it on their self-titled debut, and how they first craft a simple statement of melody and then just ride that thing as far as it’ll take ’em makes for some thrilling music that also happens to be pretty damn catchy.  Two guitarists- one acoustic; the other electric- add some nice textures, especially in how the acoustic guitar of Alessio Capobianco lends a calming influence on “Nel Paese dei Balocchi,” a song that follows two previous that bring plenty of heat.

The solos get parsed out so that everyone gets their voice in within the span of a song, but also in a way that each song features one soloist more than the others on that track.  On “Kali,” it’s trombonist Andrea Angeloni making the huge statements.  On “Rain,” it’s bassist Pietro Paris doing his best imitation of the song title’s imagery, and when saxophonist Lorenzo Bisogno follows after, it’s as if sunlight has returned to the scene.  And then there’s “Hard Times,” where electric guitarist Ruggero Fornari burns the melody across the heart of the song.  And for drummer Lorenzo Brilli, it’s not about solos; it’s about how his constant, steady presence exerts a control over the tunes, so the dramatic moments show just the right amount of restraint so not to go overboard, and to spur the solos on further so they never get stuck in their own personal cycle of improvisation outside the sphere of group play.

The music lasts for a breezy forty minutes, and the perfect length for this particular project.  It leaves the feeling of wanting just a little bit more, which is really the best way to leave a listener.  Me, I’m looking forward to hearing more from this group.  It’ll probably be that way for you, too.

Your album personnel:  Lorenzo Bisogno (tenor sax), Andrea Angeloni (trombone), Alessio Capobianco (acoustic guitar), Ruggero Fornari (electric guitar), Pietro Paris (double bass) and Lorenzo Brilli (drums).

The album is Self-Produced.

Listen to more of the album on the artist’s Bandcamp page.

Music from Perugia, Italy.

Available at:  Bandcamp

Brussels-based guitarist Quentin Stokart just uploaded three intriguing albums to his Bandcamp page, each featuring collaborations with different artists, and each possessing their own personality.  Let’s run them down.

Quentin Stokart – Bloom

The quintet session Bloom has a lovely, sonorous tone.  Melodies are poured slowly, and their rate of descent is appealingly uneven with little unexpected changes.  And over the course of the first four album tracks, the tempo is at the mercy of this patient development.  It reaches a peak with the tune “Chi,” which acquires an ambient voicing that holds fast even when a saxophone cries out.  The tone changes for the final two tracks.  “Edi” is the first instance where the rhythmic element makes its presence felt, and even this is a straight-forward approach, but it does have the effect of spurring the musicians to shape the melody with more urgency.  That sense of urgency grows on the album finale “Tuft,” which accelerates to a brisk pace and comes the closest to a straight-ahead post-bop sound on an album that leans more to the Nordic Jazz side of things.

Your album personnel:  Quentin Stokart (guitar), Clement Dechambre (alto sax), Bruno Grollet (tenor sax), Manolo Cabras (bass) and Alain Deval (drums).

Listen to the album, and purchase it, at the artist’s Bandcamp page.

Quentin Stokart – MQ and Franq

These duets were recorded in Stokart’s home, and they are as different as can be.  MQ pairs Stokart up with soprano saxophonist Mathieu Robert.  The music is peaceful, as if an ode to the rising sun.  Sometimes the melody is exhaled like a satisfied breath, and other times it’s sketched meticulously and revealed slowly.  Franq, on the other hand, is volatile and dissonant.  The alto sax and clarinets of Frans Van Isacker joins Stokart on this set, and there is a sense of complete randomness that might be hiding an underlying purpose.  Intriguingly, the dissonance they cook up has a mechanical tone, as if a desktop computer spontaneously deconstructed itself in a grand transformation into something new for a reborn purpose.  It’s not pretty to listen to, but it is more than a little interesting to experience.  This is especially true if all three album are listened to consecutively, in any order you choose.

MQ album personnel:  Quentin Stokart (guitar) and Mathieu Robert (soprano sax).

Listen to the album, and purchase it, at the artist’s Bandcamp page.

Franq album personnel:  Quentin Stokart (guitar) and Frans Van Isacker (alto sax, clarinet).

Listen to the album, and purchase it, at the artist’s Bandcamp page.

There’s really nothing not to like on this jumping session from guitarist Amanda Monaco.  The easy-going lyricism is the feature that immediately makes its presence known on Glitter, and that’s true whether it’s how Lauren Sevian gives the impression her baritone sax is perpetually held aloft by a stiff breeze or the light-on-its-feet quality to organist Gary Versace’s patter of dialog or how drummer Matt Wilson’s fluid swing can simultaneously feel like the immense movement of oceanic tides and the uncomplicated joy of afternoon sunlight.

This straight-ahead session digs into both hard- and post-bop schools of music, and always keeps the door open for thick blues expressions to enter at will.  Monaco possesses the ability to set a song on fire with a guitar solo, as she does on “Dry Clean Only,” but it’s how she makes her presence known from the thick of ensemble play that really shines the light on her talent.  The way she weaves melodic lines into the fabric of Sevian’s baritone sax on “Girly Day” is a prime example of the benefits derived from this approach.  And then there’s the simple fun when the quartet digs into a groove with all they’ve got, as on the cheerful “The Mean Reds.”  Most tracks settle in the mid- to up-tempo range, and that’s the speed where the quartet is at its strongest.  There’s no enjoyment let-down on the ballad for “Theme For Ernie,” but unrelenting cheerfulness incited by the brisk “Freight Trane” is the kind of thing that forges a strong connection between instrument and ear.

Just one of those solid, straight-ahead sessions that you’ll be glad to have sitting in your music library.

Your album personnel:  Amanda Monaco (guitar), Lauren Sevian (baritone sax), Gary Versace (organ) and Matt Wilson (drums).

Released on Posi-Tone Records.

Music for NYC.

Available at:  Amazon