Jan 23 2020
Best of 2019 #48: Colunia – “Zéphyr”
It’s hard not to fall under the spell Emilie Chevillard’s chromatic harp. It possesses such a distinctive sound, and simultaneously stands out from and blends in with the other instruments. It is that way a single tongue of flame can draw the attention from within a fireplace, even as it draws the other flames in close. And this is true of the 2019 release from Colunia, where the heat of the flames and the way they dance amongst one another possesses a hypnotic effect while, simultaneously, keeping the listener bolted upright. The conversational chatter from drummer Florian Chaigne, the arresting melodicism of saxophonist Gweltaz Hervé, the deep hum from bassist Emeric Chevalier, and guests on woodwinds and strings, all come together with a dazzling brilliance that makes the singularity of the fire far more resonant than any individual flame. But all the same, this is one more example of a growing base of evidence that harp needs to be included far more often in a jazz setting.
Your album personnel: Emilie Chevillard (chromatic harp, konnakol), Florian Chaigne (drums, konnakol), Gweltaz Hervé (soprano, alto & baritone saxophones), Emeric Chevalier (double bass), and guests: Linda Oláh (vocal), David Chevallier (guitars), Geoffroy Tamisier (trumpet), and Thomas Jacquot (sitar).
The album is Self-Produced.
Music from Nantes, France.
I wrote about this album for The Bandcamp Daily.
There’s a nearly delirious euphoria that accompanies 
The backdrop for this recording is the kind of thing that floats my boat. A fortunate series of coincidences brought tabla player 
In describing the music of
Jan 23 2020
Best of 2019 #47: Ben Goldberg – “Good Day for Cloud Fishing”
That being said, those projects that actually incorporate poetry into the fabric of the recording contain a certain delight that should not be dismissed as a mere extension of his natural sound. Goldberg’s excellent 2015 release Orphic Machine was an ode to the poetry of Allen Grossman, utilizing his words as both foundation and frame. On Goldberg’s latest foray into spoken word, Goldberg’s trio with trumpeter Ron Miles and guitarist Nels Cline recorded a new piece based on a poem by Dean Young. Then, present in the recording studio, the poet was asked to write an entirely new poem from what he had just heard, which led to a new piece from the musicians, and thus continued a closed loop of creative spontaneity and inspiration, circling endlessly back upon itself. From a conceptual standpoint, this is pretty damn cool, both as a mainline of improvisational technique and by way of its multi-medium crossover perspective. And viewed in the context of the music alone, it’s a testament to Goldberg’s innate poetic spirit and how it manifests in yet more wonderful music.
Your album personnel: Ben Goldberg (Bb clarinet, contra-alto clarinet), Nels Cline (electric guitar), Ron Miles (trumpet), and Dean Young (typewriter).
Released on Pyroclastic Records.
Music from Berkeley, California.
I wrote about this album for The Bandcamp Daily.
Cool album cover artwork by Spottswood Erving (which may be an alias for David Breskin).
Listen | Read more | Available at: Amazon – Bandcamp
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By davesumner • Recap: Best of 2019 • 0 • Tags: Ben Goldberg, Berkeley (CA), Best Jazz of 2019, Nels Cline, Pyroclastic Records, Ron Miles