Jazz Recommendations – 2012 Releases

Tiny Reviews, featuring:  Max Johnson Quartet, Partyka Brass The Day After Christmas, Irene Scardia Risveglia, Florian Pellissier Quintet Le Diable et Son, Pow Wow Wop n’ Wow

*****

Max Johnson – Quartet

Debut album from bassist Max Johnson as session leader, though not new to the scene at all.  Plenty of dissonance, spastic rhythms, bending and twisting of notes, and the occasional interludes of lullaby warmth.  Though free jazz can often be sort of prickly when it comes to first date hugs, Quartet is nuanced in a way that makes it embraceable on the initial listen.  I think it gets too often accepted that a free jazz album won’t be accessible music, but Johnson proves that wrong here, and he does a nice job of reminding us of the bass’s possibilities without letting the album become a classroom exercise.  Also, fine taste in collaborators.

Your album personnel: Max Johnson (bass), Mark Whitecage (alto sax, clarinet), Steve Swell (trombone), and Tyshawn Sorey (drums).

Released on the NotTwo Records label.

Jazz from NYC.

Available at eMusic.

Partyka Brass – The Day After Christmas

Known by some of you as the group that recorded a holiday album with Carla Bley, Ed Partyka‘s septet returns with another holiday themed album. Day After, however, doesn’t result in traditional holiday tunes (aside from album closer “Santa Claus Is Coming To Town”). It’s a set of sometimes haunting, sometimes sublime tunes that accentuate the delicacy of the instruments, rather than their inherent boisterousness.

Your album personnel: Ed Partyka (bass trombone, tuba), Adrian Mears (trombone), Johannes Lauer (trombone), Christine Chapman (French horn), Axel Schlosser (trumpet), Bill Forman (trumpet), and Tobias Weidinger (trumpet).

Released on the Mons Records label.

Available at eMusic.

Irene Scardia – Risveglia

Peaceful piano album, trio format with soprano sax and bass. Piano is definitely the spotlight instrument, with sax and bass adding support. Bass is more often bowed than not, which adds a delicious tension to songs, and the sax parts are flighty and light, and bring a sublime beauty to the album. Very nice recording.

Your album personnel: Irene Scardia (piano), Emanuele Coluccia (sax), and Luca Alemanno (bass).

Released on the Workin’ label.  Jazz from the Lecce, Italy scene.

Available at eMusic.

Florian Pellissier Quintet – Le Diable et Son

Easy-going hard bop date from the Florian Pellissier Quintet.  Some modern jazz flourishes, but its obvious that their hearts pine for the jazz of the sixties, especially music like the Herbie Hancock Blue Notes.  Should appeal to new- and old-schoolers alike.

Your album personnel:  Florian Pellissier (piano), Yoann Loustalot (trumpet), Christophe Panzani (sax), David Georgelet (drums), and Yoni Zelnik (bass).

The album is Self-Produced.  Jazz from the Paris scene.

Available at eMusic.

Pow Wow – Wop n’ Wow

Swedish outfit that plays moody avant-garde.  More of a melodic focus than a rhythmic one.  This is still pretty accessible, and if you like the introspective Nordic jazz sound, this album is just a ramped up and deconstructed version of it.  The group has been around since 1975.  Quality musicianship.  Probably the kind of album that gets better with repeat listens.

Your album personnel:  Björn Almgren (sax), Ingemar Landén (drums), Kjell Thorbjörnson (double bass), and Jonny Wartel (tenor sax).

Released on the Footprint Records label.  Jazz from the Gothenburg, Sweden scene.

Available at eMusic.

*****

Portions of the reviews were originally used in my Jazz Picks weekly article for eMusic, so here’s some language protecting their rights to that reprinted material as the one to hire me to write about new jazz arrivals to their site…

“New Arrivals Jazz Picks“ and “New Arrivals Jazz Picks,“ reprints courtesy of eMusic.com, Inc.
© 2012  eMusic.com, Inc.

As always, my sincere thanks to eMusic for the gig.  Cheers.

The bird as metaphor in not uncommon when describing musicians or their music.  Which specific aspect of the feathered creature gets referenced differs from moment to moment, but typically it’s just one.

On his newest release Live in Basel, the music of the Pete Robbins Transatlantic Quartet is the whole damn bird.

Your album personnel:  Pete Robbins (alto sax), Mikkel Ploug (guitar), Simon Jermyn (electric bass), and Kevin Brow (drums).

Robbins talks the talk.  Listen to opening track “Eliotsong.”  He has a chirp-chirp-coo rhythmic pattern that is so infectious, and Robbins breaks into it immediately.  It’s a warm and comforting sound.  It makes it easy to buy into the album.  It renders meaningless the concept of CDs and MP3s and speakers and the passing of time, and allows the listener to just interact with the music as if sitting there in the club when it was originally performed and recorded.

Robbins knows how to direct the flock.  Listen to second track “There There.”  Robbins has bassist Simon Jermyn lead with a solo, then in tandem with Mikkel Ploug’s guitar.  Together, they create a raindrop serenity that leads immaculately into Robbins’ eventual entrance.  It’s a delicate affair, made lively by the rapid strings of notes and made gentle in the graceful way Robbins delivers them.

Robbins knows how to nest a tune.  Listen to third track “Inkhead.”  It’s a nod to the groove, but has a dreamy wind-down of ambient guitar and bass.

Robbins knows about altitude.  Listen to fourth track “The Quiet Space Left Behind.”  It’s a slow gentle sway, a lullaby for baby saxophones.  Robbins shifts between sudden climbs in elevation and languid soaring, often within the same solo.  It allows him to accent melodies in ways that make them simultaneously dynamic and pretty.

Robbins knows how to take evasive action.  Listen to fifth track “Hoi Polloi.”  Listen to its herky-jerk bounce.  Try to keep up with its rhythmic misdirects.  The pronounced cough of Robbins sax draws one’s attention away from Jermyn’s prowling bass lines, and the stomp of Brow’s drums splits off from the slippery path of Ploug’s guitar.

Robbins knows how to land.  Listen to album closer “Hope Tober.”  Robbins plays rapid progressions that end with final extended notes, like a seagull flapping its wings furiously just before hitting the water’s surface and gliding to a halt.

With some artists, their sound is so inviting that I’d be content listening to them just tune their instrument while running through a practice book.  Pete Robbins is one of those artists.  Live in Basel really brings that fact home.

Released on Hate Laugh Music, which is Robbins’ self-made label.

Originally recorded at the Birdseye Jazz Club in Basel, Switzerland, and from musicians who call their home NYC (Robbins), Copenhagen (Ploug), Dublin/Brooklyn (Jermyn), and Toronto/Copenhagen (Brow).  So, yeah, from all over the place.

I couldn’t find any audio to embed here, however, you can stream a whole bunch of Robbins’ music on his site.  If you have an ad blocker, you might not be able to pull the music up.

Available at:  Bandcamp CD&Digital | Amazon MP3

If you’re not careful, you might take Anat Cohen for granted.  Having released one solid album after the other under her own name, in collaboration with Choro Ensemble and 3 Cohens, and as a supporting musician in Duduku Da Fonseca’s quintet, Cohen’s commonplace excellence on reeds might lead a person to lose sight of how special her music is.

There is a buoyancy to her sound, even when the tone of the music lends to brooding and darker thoughts.  And this really speaks to me of a very classic element of Jazz… the music’s uplifting nature even when coming down with a strong case of the blues.  That via a combination of improvisation, composition, and group interplay, many facets of the emotional landscape can be presented with one voice, representing all while sanitizing none.  In a world of modern jazz that has become as disparate as the mind can express creativity, Anat Cohen plays Jazz, both in spirit and form.

Your album personnel: Anat Cohen (clarinet, bass clarinet, soprano & tenor saxes), Jason Lindner (piano), Joe Martin (bass), Daniel Freedman (drums), and guests: Paquito D’Rivera (clarinet), Wycliffe Gordon (trombone), and Gilmar Gomes (percussion).

On Claroscuro, Cohen hits upon a variety of music forms… New Orleans jazz on the gently swaying “La Vie en Rose,” Malian rhythms in “All Brothers,” NYC swing era jazz with Artie Shaw’s “Nightmare,” Brazilian choro in the haunting interlude of “Kick Off,” South African jazz with a cover of Abdullah Ibrahim’s “The Wedding,” a bit of the flavor of Middle-East jazz with “Anat’s Dance,” and several tracks that touch the meeting points between African and Brazilian musics so very reminiscent of Don Pullen’s masterful work.  One album track is Cohen’s own, two album tracks are from album personnel (one from Lindner and Freedman each), and the rest are taken from the songbooks of other musicians.

But the thing of it is, whether it’s her own compositions or those of another, Cohen delivers it with an easily identifiable personal voice that transcends music influences and roots.  When we talk about the language of music, it’s a reference to an agreed upon lexicon of instrumental and compositional approaches, and also to the songbook of generally accepted standards, but of equal importance is the ability of the artist to communicate the music in a voice that is all their own, that the creative thought is illustrated through the artist’s personal point of view.  The talent to do that is something that artists spend a lifetime developing, and it’s the essential element to forging a bond between the music and the listener.  Cohen is doing that now.  Her sound is very much her own, and that’s an accomplishment that shouldn’t be overlooked as one makes their way through Cohen’s wonderful discography.

Nothing could be more symbolic of what I’m talking about than the delightful Claroscuro.

Released on the Anzic Records label.

Jazz from NYC.

You can stream a few album tracks at the artist’s bandcamp page.  You can also purchase the album there.

Available at eMusic.  Available at Amazon: CD | MP3

Tiny Reviews, featuring:  Joe Fiedler Joe Fiedler’s Big Sackbut, Sonic Drei Paralelepipedo, Alex Riel Full House, Brothers Two Others Brothers Two Others, Emmanuel Cremer Coma.

*****

Joe Fiedler – Joe Fiedler’s Big Sackbut

I love when seasoned musicians who have typically staked out careers as sidemen get the opportunity to take the steering wheel and record something with their own name in the big print for a change.  No matter what the album sounds like, there’s two album qualities you can pretty much bank on: 1.) It will be a professional affair, and, 2.) They won’t be afraid to take chances.

Joe Fiedler‘s newest recording, Joe Fieldler’s Big Sackbut, a quartet of three trombones and a tuba, achieves both of those markers.  This isn’t your typical recording session, but it has an affable everyday-kind-of-music demeanor.  That Fiedler is able to guide unusual music to an easy access point is just one admirable aspect of this fun album.

Your album personnel:  Joe Fiedler (trombone), Josh Roseman (trombone), Ryan Keberle (trombones), and Marcus Rojas (tuba).

However, of this album’s many winning qualities, it’s the harmonies that shine brightest.  The first two album tracks illustrate this point clearly, but it’s the delicate opening to third track “Don Pullen” that really drives the point home.  Even in the presence of one charming melody after the other, it’s the harmonic ebb and flow that elevates these album tracks upward to something a little more special.

Released on the Yellow Sound Label.

You can stream several album tracks on the artist site, under the Listen tab.

Available at eMusic.  Available at Amazon: CD | MP3

Sonic Drei – Paralelepipedo

Sonic Drei is very much in the modern jazz environment with skittering rhythms and shifty melodies, regardless of whether the tunes shoot right out of the gate or take on the semblance of a ballad.  But it’s the music’s shiftiness that is its most appealing quality.  Take, for example, the second track “Why Not,” which transitions sweetly from a modern asynchronicity into a pleasant swing.  It’s tiny little surprises like that which make this such a fun album.  Post-rock fans will enjoy the trio’s sharp cuts and pleasant moodiness.

Your album personnel:  Florian Riedl (sax, clarinet), Peter Cudek (bass), and Martin Kolb (drums).

You can stream the entire album on the artist site.

Released on the Unit Records label.

Jazz from the Munich, Germany scene.

Available at eMusic.  Available at Amazon: MP3

Alex Riel – Full House

Recorded live at the Jazzhus Montmartre in celebration of Danish drummer Alex Riel’s 70th birthday.  He leads a quartet that includes alto sax, piano, and bass through a series of jazz standards.  Great straight-ahead jazz, with the rendition of Coltrane’s “Impressions” being a real treat.  Riel has made his mark on a number of excellent jazz albums, and following his name like a trail of breadcrumbs is an excellent journey to take.  I’ll start you out with a rec of his performance on Benjamin Koppel‘s Adventures of a Polar Expedition.

Your album personnel:  Alex Riel (drums), George Robert (alto sax), Jesper Lundgaard (bass), and Dada Moroni (piano).

Released on the Storyville Records label.

Jazz from the Copenhagen, Denmark scene.

Available at eMusic.

Brothers Two Others – Brothers Two Others

Brothers Two Others is a Swedish quartet that likes to play cool jazz a la Lenny Tristano.  Nice mix of tracks that swing and sway. Music that can double as rainy day jazz or for late night drives through the city.  Tracks like “Stompin’ at Ragsved” have some nifty step-for-step action between sax and guitar, but it’s the ballads where this quartet really shines.

Your album personnel:  James Gustafsson (tenor sax), Daniel Gustafsson (double bass), Niclas Lindstrom (drums), and Daniel Svensson (guitar).

Released on the NLM Production label.

You can download a free album track from the artist’s soundcloud page.

Jazz from the Stockholm, Sweden scene.

Available at eMusic.

Emmanuel Cremer – Coma

Solo cello album from Emmanuel Cremer, who has made a name for himself in both jazz improvisation and classical circles. A sublime album of all the cello loveliness one could ever ask for, but with plenty of complexities to prevent it from ever getting superficially banal.  This isn’t a Jazz album per se, but I found it listed there under new arrivals, and I’m a sucker for this kind of thing, so I’m giving it a mention.

Your album personnel:  Emmanuel Cremer (cello).

Released on the Alambik Musik label.

Music from the Marseille, France scene.

Available at eMusic.

*****

The Joe Fiedler and Sonic Drei reviews are original to Bird is the Worm, but portions of the other reviews were originally used in my Jazz Picks weekly article for eMusic, so here’s some language protecting their rights to that reprinted material as the one to hire me to write about new jazz arrivals to their site…

“New Arrivals Jazz Picks,“ reprints courtesy of eMusic.com, Inc.
© 2012  eMusic.com, Inc.

As always, my sincere thanks to eMusic for the gig.  Cheers.