Jazz Recommendations – 2013 Releases

Feb 5 2015

This Is Jazz Today: Matana Roberts, Caterina Palazzi Sudoku Killer, Daniel Rosenboom & more!

 

BitW square avatarSo here we are.  As you (hopefully) read in a previous column, my run on eMusic & Wondering Sound is now over.  You can read about what’s what, here, w/this LINK.  For the time being, as I search for a new home for my weekly jazz recommendations column, I’ll be posting the recs on Bird is the Worm.

About those recommendations…

So, we’re seeing the first real signs that the 2015 new release schedule is getting under way.  Today’s recommendations, in a rare instance, fall primarily in one of two camps- the innovative avant-garde and the straight-aheads that keep closer to jazz center.  That said, there’s plenty of differentiation between the residents of those respective categories, so make no assumptions and listen closely, because there’s some excellent music to be discovered in today’s list.

Let’s begin…

 

*** The Featured Five ***

 

Matana Roberts – Coin Coin Chapter Three: River Run Thee

Matana Roberts - "Coin Coin Chapter Three River Run Thee"Just stunning.  The third volume of Matana Roberts‘ Coin Coin series is no less compelling than its counterparts while diverging from the previous two in striking ways.  Still in place is Roberts’ self-described method of “panoramic sound quilting,” an apt phrase both from a sonic experience & production standpoint, but also in the way, like a quilt, she brings past and present together, rendering them simultaneously indistinguishable and distinct from one another, united.  This one is a solo project, and she weaves together layer after layer of saxophone, singing and spoken word, electronic drones, ornamental effects, and field recordings.  It’s one long uninterrupted piece and it’s an immersive experience.  Perhaps most fascinating is that the music possesses a massively hypnotic quality, since, by all means and measures, this same music is very awake.

Pick of the Week.

Released on Constellation Records.  Visit the artist site.

More listening | Buy: eMusic – Amazon

*****

Caterina Palazzi Sudoku Killer – Infanticide

Caterina Palazzi Sudoku Killer - "Infanticide"Heavy drama from bassist Palazzi’s quartet, Sudoku Killer.  Strong infusions of avant-rock mainlined into their edgy form of modern jazz.  But amongst the jarring dissonance and streaks of highly charged electricity are sweetly spoken melodies.  It’s a serious kind of theater.  The remainder of the quartet consists of guitarist Giacomo Ancillotto, saxophonist Antonio Raia and drummer Maurizio Chiavaro.

Released on Auand Records.  Visit the artist site.

More listening | Buy: eMusic – Amazon

*****

Mike Fletcher Trio – Vuelta

Nifty straight-ahead saxophone trio.  On C-melody sax, Mike Fletcher develops an appealing spring to his step, and between his instrument’s dancing motion and the amicable patter of bassist Olie Brice and drummer Jeff Williams, the trio attains a comforting susurrus.  This, in addition to Fletcher’s easy-going lyricism makes this one a winner.  An easy one to connect with.

Released on Stoney Lane Records.  Visit the artist site.

More listening | Buy:  eMusic – Amazon

*****

Jean-Michel Pilc – What Is This Thing Called?

Jean-Michel Pilc - "What Is This Thing Called?"A seriously absorbing solo set from pianist Jean-Michel Pilc, who casts a myriad of reflections off the classic gem, Cole Porter’s “What Is This Thing Called Love?”  More vignettes than songs, most of the album’s 31 tracks don’t go over two minutes in length.  But in those brief moments… (read more about why I recommend this album- LINK).

Released on Sunnyside Records.  Visit the artist site.

More listening | Buy: eMusic | Bandcamp | Amazon

*****

Marius Neset – Pinball

Marius Neset - "Pinball"Heavy emphasis on the lyrical qualities for the newest by saxophonist Marius Neset.  He leads a quintet comprised of all-stars from the UK scene (Ivo Neame, Jim Hart, Petter Eldh and Anton Eger), plus guests on strings, flute and percussion.  As far as emotional impact, Neset doesn’t hold back on the melodies; this is especially effective when the ensemble lays off the gas pedal.  The song “Music for Cello and Saxophone” is worth the price of admission alone, though there are several moments that statement could apply to.

Released on ACT Music.  Visit the artist site.

Buy: Amazon

*****

*** And Seven More ***

 

Daniel Rosenboom – Astral Transference & Seven Dreams (Orenda)

Daniel Rosenboom - "Astral Transference"Fierce and combustible, trumpeter Rosenboom holds nothing back.  The occasional shifts into a straight-ahead jazz sound are almost startling.  When melody becomes the focus, the results are sweetly heartbreaking.

Artist site | Listen | Buy: Bandcamp – eMusic – Amazon

*****

Henry Kaiser & Ray Russell – The Celestial Squid (Cuneiform)

Kaiser, Russell - "The Celestial Squid"The veteran guitarists show how deftly they can mold varied genres into something that sounds nothing like any of them.  Avant-garde music that grabs the ear tight whether a torrent or in a graceful tailspin.  No shortage of personality on this one.

Artist site & Artist site | Buy: Bandcamp – Amazon

*****

Ernesto Cervini – Turboprop (Anzic)

Ernesto Cervini - "Turboprop"An album that flits between old- and new-school jazz.  Aggressive conversational style, which makes for some engaging music.  When the ensemble displays a quirky behavior is when it’s at its strongest.

Artist site | Listen | Buy: Bandcamp – eMusic – Amazon

*****

Jaromir Honzák – Uncertainty (Animal Music)

Jaromír Honzák - "Uncertainty"Nice moody ambiance by Honzák’s quintet, even when they raise the temperature.  Patient expressions pay off with big resonance.  When bass clarinet enters the song, it steals the show.

Artist site | Buy: eMusic – Amazon

*****

Cabbages, Captain & King – Cabbages, Captain & King (Edgetone)

Cabbages, Captain & King - "Cabbages, Captain & King"A rather charming personality to this free improv session.  Piano, drums & guitar each take a playful approach to their rhythmic capacities.  Bursts of tunefulness coalesce from long disassembled passages.

Buy:  Bandcamp – eMusic – Amazon

*****

Vincent Peirani – Living Being (ACT Music)

Vincent Peirani - "Living Being"A very cool electronic jazz release from accordionist Peirani.  Harmonically soothing, melodically whimsical, rhythmically congenial.  For something pretty different, this album really is quite catchy.

Artist site | Buy: Amazon

*****

Harmony of the Spheres – Harmony of the Spheres (V-Records)

Harmony of the Spheres - "Harmony of the Spheres"Quartet of trumpet, guitar, bass and drums emits a strong warmth from a modern straight-ahead sound.  Occasional breaks into prog-y jazz-fusion are a welcome diversion.  Likable, to be sure.

Artist site | Listen | Not available: Amazon, eMusic, CDBaby, Bandcamp

*****

 

Have a great time digging through the list!

And remember, it’s simple:  You like what you like.

Cheers.

 

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Jan 31 2015

Recommended: Jacob Deaton & the Tribulation Band – “My Home”

 

Jacob Deaton - "My Home"What’s most arresting about My Home is the way each song possesses a quality of inevitability, that no matter how far Jacob Deaton & the Tribulation Band wander off from the melody, they’ll always return to it… and often.  The melodies of My Home are formed rather than cut, owing more to imagery than precision, and it’s why the ambiance of each song is so damn absorbing and why the magnetic pull to return to that melody is as strong as it is.

My Home plays out as a cinematic experience, which runs counter-intuitive to the definitive structure each song exhibits.  Those conflicting qualities add a nice bit of tension to the affair.  So does the music’s easy-going nature and its predisposition for the big pronouncement.  These songs are charming and wistful, moving with a pleasant, unhurried gait that allows for the space and time for each expression to bloom, hang, and drift away.  This is something accomplished when the song is at its most peaceful and when it jacks the heat way up.  The blues are evident throughout and Americana informs all of it.

Deaton switches things up a bit by mixing in a few shorter pieces.  They fit part and parcel with the album’s prevailing demeanor, but by limiting the time frame, the band skips the whole patient expression thing and gets right to the point.  The solo guitar piece “Grandma’s Grocery” twists up a melody and then watches it unravel.  “Open the Door” scoots along to the beat of piano and hand claps.  “In the Moment” sets a match to a melody and lets it smolder.

A tuneful album with a strong presence.

It’s also one that I typically recommend to people who tell me they like the Brian Blade Fellowship.  Go scoop it up.

Your album personnel:  Jacob Deaton (guitar), Akeem Marable (alto sax), Nick Rosen (piano), Craig Shaw (bass) and Justin Chesarek (drums).

Released in 2013, this album is Self-Produced.

Jazz from the Atlanta, GA scene.

Available at:  Bandcamp | CDBaby | Amazon

 

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Jan 7 2015

Recommended: Ole Jorn Myklebust – “Jorba”

 

Ole Jorn Myklebust - "Jorba"Jorba is the by-product of trumpeter Ole Jørn Myklebust‘s self-reflection on the creative path traveled thus far.  Comprised almost exclusively of compositions originating from various stages of his music career, his 2013 release is an exercise in contemplation, colored with streaks of celebration and melancholia.  Joined by pianist Andreas Ulvo and bassist Sigurd Hole (two thirds of the equally contemplative Eple Trio), Myklebust focuses on calm expressions of melody and thoughtful harmonic development.

“Theme for Namgar” is thick as mist and moves with the same mysterious patience.  “La Chapelle,” on the other hand, deviates from this formula with passages of bubbling activity and a simmering tension.

The sleepy “Jaures” takes time and care expressing the melody.  It is a pop song transformed into the sweetness of a lullaby.  Myklebust lays down the thick blanket of melody and Ulvo’s piano solo has a certain liveliness for contemplative music, but it’s the deep hum of Hole’s double bass that incites the state of dreaming.

“Mind Your Step” switches between a pulsing tempo and glittering melodic glides, whereas title-track “Jorba” alternates between a quaint ambling tempo and one that scurries quickly along.  Myklebust adds some vocals to the latter track, further accentuating the harmonic element that hangs over every song, no matter how subtle its presence.

The album ends with the sole track that isn’t a Myklebust original.  The trio applies an intriguing Nordic jazz interpretation to Spanish composer Joaquín Rodrigo’s classic “Concierto de Aranjuez,” a composition meant for guitar and orchestra.  By focusing on the melody and adapting through motion, the trio manages to capture a vital aspect of the original.  It also goes a long way to illustrating that the economy of sound displayed on this peaceful recording is built on a foundation of thoughtful planning and craftsmanship.

Your album personnel:  Ole Jørn Myklebust (trumpet, voice), Andreas Ulvo (grand piano) and Sigurd Hole (double bass).

Released in 2013 on Finito Bacalao Records.

Jazz from the Tromsø, Norway scene.

Available at:  eMusic | Amazon MP3

 

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Jan 5 2015

Recommended: Emil De Waal + Gustaf Ljunggren and Søren Kjærgaard Feat. Elith “Nulle” Nykjær

 

Emil De Waal + Gustaf Ljunggren and Søren Kjaergaard Feat Elith Nulle NykjaerThere is a warmth and intimacy to this music that is positively intoxicating.  Recorded in one spontaneous session and almost entirely consisting of single takes, the quartet of drummer Emil de Waal, pianist Søren Kjærgaard, clarinetist Elith “Nulle” Nykjær and saxophonist Gustaf Ljunggren (who also performs on banjo) instill a casual touch to a masterful dialog.  This appealing dichotomy of serious vocabulary used in a laid-back conversation is why this album is going to connect with both heart and head.

The album leads out with the sweet, simple heartfelt melody of “Kurt.”  A wearied tone.  A charming, relaxed ease.  It’s a disposition the quartet adopts throughout.  But they also get the pulse rate up a bit, too.  The boisterous “Har du?” is cheerful and possesses a playful bounce and the rollicking “Æv” starts at a gallop and drummer de Waal makes sure it doesn’t relent.

The charming folk tunes “Delval,’ “Pirates” and “Dabitt” are all about sweet melodies and unassuming ornamentation.  Melancholy tones from Nykjær’s clarinet snap into place with the chipper personality of Ljunggren’s banjo.  The presence of that banjo really adds a remarkable characteristic to this session’s magnetic personality.

The quartet performs a couple of classic standards.  Their rendition of Charles Mingus’s “Goodbye Pork Pie Hat” is all-blues.  A cool, casual stroll that is as unhurried as a gently rolling stream.  Of particular interest is the curious way in which pianist Kjærgaard seamlessly incorporates a Wurlitzer into the action.  On their medley of the Strayhorn/Ellington compositions “Such Sweet Thunder/Purple Gazelle/Very Special,” the quartet toys with tempo and let’s that be the medium with which melodies are shaped.

The album ends with a rendition of Chopin’s “Nocturne Opus 9, no. 2.”  The quartet stays to form and trades in the original’s stately elegance for a lullaby expression that is the sonic equivalent of singing “good night and sweet dreams.”

It’s been a long while since I’ve encountered an album this personable and charming.  If I had discovered this album back when it was originally released in 2013, there’s no doubt it would have appeared on my Best of 2013 list.

Your album personnel:  Emil de Waal (drums), Gustaf Ljunggren (sax, banjo, clarinet), Søren Kjærgaard (piano, Wurlitzer & Korg MS-20 synth) and Elith “Nulle” Nykjær (clarinet).

This Self-Produced album was released in 2013.

Here’s a LINK to a dedicated Facebook page for this quartet.

Jazz from the Copenhagen scene.

Available at:  eMusic | Amazon MP3

It appears the quartet may have a new release also coming out in 2015.  Updates as I learn more.

 

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Oct 20 2014

Recommended: Joan Vidal Sextet – “Illusionary Rhythms”

 

Joan Vidal - "Illusionary Rhythms"A beautiful and engaging session from the Joan Vidal Sextet.  Illusionary Rhythms seeks to give an interpretation of the piano works of composer György Ligeti, with some additional touches upon the works of Béla Bartòk, Conlon Nancarrow and Johannes Ockeghem.  This marks the second time that Vidal has gone with an artist-based theme, with his previous release The Deptford Suite adapting novelist Robertson Davies’ “Deptford Trilogy” from print to music.

The most appealing aspect of this recording are the shifts from serene to animated.  Lovely woodwind passages are beams of moonlight struck through on a clear, starry night.  But it rarely stays that way.  Rhythms develop into ever-expanding cycles, folding over one another until it becomes impossible to differentiate between lines of development.  Saxophone solos are spurred ahead with electric bass and drum grooves.  Slowly exhaling piano sections shift dramatically into punctuated tempos and languorously swaying melodies.  And it never stays the same and the ensemble never retraces its steps… the rhythmic diversity remains unbroken from first note to last.

Released in 2013, this album has repeatedly made its way back into my listening rotation.  Maybe it should be a part of yours, too.

Your album personnel:  Joan Vidal (drums), Gabriel Amargant (tenor sax, clarinet), Martí Serra (tenor & soprano sax), Marco Mezquida (piano), Adrià Plana (guitar), and Miguel Serna (electric bass).

Released in 2013 on Jazzgranollers Records.

Jazz from the Barcelona scene.

Available at:  eMusic | Amazon MP3

Also, I highly recommend Robertson Davies’ “Deptford Trilogy,” the novels that Vidal’s first album were based upon.  The trilogy consists of the individual novels “Fifth Business,” “The Manticore,” and “World of Wonders.”  I read them all about ten years ago, and I still find myself thinking back upon them from time to time.  Here’s a link to where you can pick it up–> The Deptford Trilogy at Amazon

 

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