Jazz Recommendations – 2015 Releases

What’s most captivating about Matt Owens‘ debut is how he maintains an unbroken flow of expressions despite putting so many variables into play.  Working with a couple trumpeters, a couple pianists, percussionists, a small army of vocalists, a wind quintet and a string quartet, Owens has chosen a lot of raw materials with which to construct The Aviators’ Ball, and he doesn’t use them sparingly or with uniformity.  Different wind instruments raise up their voices at different times, the strings oftentimes have different ideas about how to instill the music with harmony, and the rhythm section, as a guiding force, doesn’t always map a path by conventional means.  But through all of this, the motion of these pieces is gentle and fluid, unencumbered by the weight of so many textures and influences.

And it’s the approach to melody that allows Owens and crew to pull this off.  Wind instruments rise slowly then shoot back groundward in staggered flight patterns, while piano and percussion cut through the center of their contrails, and buffeted up by a huge surge from the string quartet, and the lines of travel charted out by all of these instruments are wrapped about the melody with a thoughtful care to allow it to develop naturally within a complex environment.  There is a certain simplicity to this music.  It’s not always immediately apparent, but it resonates with great strength.

The cheerful “Raindrops On Our Rooftop” has the quaint charm of an old country folk song updated for a new century, and it has the catchy hooks of a movie theme song, and yet even with a foundation based in simplicity, the song achieves a fullness that transcends the sum of its generalized characteristics.  The result is no different on title-track “The Aviator’s Ball,” which possesses the sweeping grace of formal dance in an empty grand hall, and in that space develops into something far more expansive than a simple procession of dance steps.

The album offers up three vocal tracks, each captivating in their own way.  The first of those is “Mouse Song,” which possesses the unguarded openness of a children’s song and lets the melody do the heavy lifting.  Tom Davies‘ vocal contribution works the thin, delicate line between wind instruments and his own acoustic guitar.

“Going Back to the Village” has the perfect cadence to match its catchy melody, and both go galloping along as Edward Barnwell‘s piano accompaniment breaks off from the herd and takes a series of thrilling passes around the ensemble base.

“Every Wish Is For You” signals the start of the second half of the recording, and from a tonal standpoint, it behaves as the perfect dividing line between the first half’s sunnier disposition and the more introspective second half.  The harmonies are thick on this composition and they emit plenty of warmth, but the melody betrays a contemplative nature that focuses more on the grey skies than the shards of light that break through the clouds.

This is followed by an absolutely captivating rendition of the traditional folk song “Black is the Colour.”  Riognach Connolly‘s delivery is simultaneously off-the-cuff casual and so powerfully in-the-moment that each word, each note rings with the truest conviction.  Owens and drummer Rick Weedon and pianist John Ellis keep the tempo to the slowly rocking motion of a boat on choppy waves, and the wind instruments murmur and sometimes reveal a burgeoning intensity, but, ultimately, it’s Connolly’s haunting vocals that eclipse everything.

No less resonant is “Monsoon.”  Originally performed by vocalist Zoe Kyoti and Owens as part of their pop-folk trio Magic Beans, the rendition by Owens’ full ensemble allows the song to achieve a stunning full bloom.  Kyoti’s delivery is direct and unsubtle… qualities that are massively disarming in a song about love and honesty.  Her voice enters the harmonic confluence of the wind instrument and result in a supremely affecting piece.

This leads into the album finale of “Violet,” with its sing-song melody and drifting ambiance… a bit of a lullaby as the credits roll on this terrific recording.

Your album personnel:  Matt Owens (double bass), John Ellis (piano, organ), Neil Yates (trumpet, tin whistle), Rick Weedon (drums, percussion, vibraphone), Edward Barnwell (piano), Danny Ward (drums), Steve Chadwick (cornet, trumpet), Sophie Hastings (marimba, glockenspiel, vibraphone), Amina Hussain (flute), David Benfield (oboe, cor anglais), Jon Harris (French horn), Simon Davies (bassoon), Semay Wu (cello), Alison Williams (violin), Naomi Koop (violin), Aimee Johnson (viola), Carla Sousa (flute), Lucy Rugman (clarinet), Philip Howarth (cor anglais), Jill Allen (clarinet), Lucy Keyes (bassoon), Atholl Ransome (alto flute), Billy Buckley (guitar, lap steel), Rosa Campos Fernandez (clarinet), Riognach Connolly (lead vocals), Zoe Kyoti (lead vocals, guitar), Tom Davies (lead vocals, guitar) and Kirsty Almeida, Caroline Sheehan, Orli Nyles, Cara Robinson (vocal harmonies).

Released on All Made Up Records.

Visit the artist site.

Jazz from the London scene.

Cover art by David Knopov.

Available at:  eMusic | Amazon

This is gonna be a huge week for playing catch-up on our This Is Jazz Today recommendations.  Hopefully, we’ll be back up to speed one week from today.  Speaking of today, we’ve got five more recommendations for you, and I’m thrilled to present each of them.  All five albums are quite distinct from one another, and, really, quite distinct from anything else on the scene.  There’s a few familiar names to this site among the bunch, but many of these names and projects will be new to you… and that’s a quality of this site that always makes me happy to uphold.

Time for some spotlight on under-the-radar music.

Let’s begin.

Improgressive – Primo (SLAM Productions)

A duo collaboration between clarinetist Alberto Popolla and saxophonist Errico Defabritiis, where the 70s British Rock Canterbury scene serves as both the inspiration and the foundation for this very cool project.  The intertwining paths taken by the two instruments is a joy to hear, both as an appreciation of the complexity of their patterns and the simplicity of its beauty.  A couple bonus live tracks show that this duo’s magic isn’t relegated just to a studio setting.  Soft Machine fans should definitely be checking this out.

No artist site | Listen | Buy: eMusic – Amazon

*****

Yuma Uesaka – Spear and Shield (Self-Produced)

A compelling debut from saxophonist Uesaka, who susses out some powerful moments from his gentle lyricism.  Of special interest is the way in which he shows no difficulty working a lighter touch, as on album opener “Dot to Dot” than he does on a rendition of Ornette Coleman’s “Turnaround”… with both tracks resonating strongly in their own way.  A member of Uesaka’s quintet, bassist Ben Rolston, put out a solid debut of his own a few years ago, and it shows that the Ann Arbor, Michigan scene has some nice talent to offer up.

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

*****

The Sorcerers – The Sorcerers (ATA Records)

Like a great TV theme song, this seriously catchy recording brings together Ethiopian jazz, soul and funk.  Plenty of grooves that you’ll want to dive into head-first, but it’s the way the melodic elements dance atop that motion that cinches the recommendation.  This music is fun and is likely to elicit plenty of smiles, and while it’s plenty enjoyable to kick back and listen to alone, this album is a soundtrack meant for gatherings of friends.

No artist site | Listen | Buy: Bandcamp – eMusic – Amazon

*****

Gregg Belisle-Chi – Tenebrae (Songlines)

Solo electric guitar session from Belisle-Chi that really falls outside of the Jazz sphere and situates itself under the vague descriptor of instrumental music.  An easy-going style that prefers to flirt with serenity rather than give into it altogether… an effect amplified by guest vocalist Chelsea Crabtree who adds some nice harmonies to the affair.  Fans of Steve Tibbetts’ ECM works should really be checking this out.

Download a free album track courtesy of the label.

Artist site | Listen | Buy:  Amazon

*****

Dave McDonnell Group – The Time Inside a Year (Delmark)

Another engaging release from saxophonist Dave McDonnell, who displays a talent for grasping avant-garde randomness and post bop catchiness in one handful.  The result of this approach is an album that is delivered as if a straight-ahead session, but isn’t necessarily so conventional when viewed at any one particular moment in time.  Strong cast joining McDonnell for this recording, including drummer Frank Rosaly, guitarist Chris Welcome bassist Joshua Abrams, and Jason Adasiewicz, Tomeka Reid and Nate Lepine sitting in on some tracks.

Artist site | Sorry, no audio available | Buy: eMusic – Amazon

*****

Have a great time digging through the list!

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

Cheers.

***

Duplex is the duo of saxophonist Harald Lassen and bassist Christian Meaas Svendsen.  Their modus operandi is to lay the peacefulness on thick while letting a quirky personality slip out to keep things interesting.  They’ve released a couple albums I’ve mentioned previously both here on Bird is the Worm and also my columns for eMusic’s 17 Dots and Wondering Sound.  Despite my rather busy listening schedule, I still find time to return to their recordings… so I figured I’d give them a brief mention here in a column.

Let’s begin…

Duplex – Duolia

Their 2013 release Duolia gets right to the heart of their music.  The environment is one in which serenity should, and often does, thrive, and yet, Duplex create undercurrents of tension and dissonance that resonate quite strongly without shattering the prevailing tranquility that the duo maintain throughout.

Tracks like “Smukt” and “Mantra” emit a shaky peacefulness, often presenting a soothing exterior, but in the case of the former, the suddenness of certain phrasings creates a sense of unease… which in the latter is brought about with sharp rises in volume and volatility.

But essential to the music of Duplex is the way they choose to build that prevailing tranquility.  Tracks like “Siste Reise” and “Veslola” have a solemn presence made for the sunrises of Sunday mornings, for those quiet moments when the whole world enters a collective hush.  Even when the latter track grows slightly agitated, the serenity abides.

The duo slip in some additions to the sax-bass mix from time to time.  For instance, on the captivating “Matona,” m’bira is the perfect match for bass arco, and the occasional vocal chant adds both melodic and rhythmic textures without disrupting the state of equilibrium.  This, too, with the addition of vibraphone on “Wayne.”  Ultimately, these added ingredients simply cause the ripples in the lake to shine beneath the sunlight with an even greater brilliance.

Duplex – Én

Duplex’s 2015 release Én doesn’t present a radical change from Duolia, but it does accentuate the solemn qualities of their music over the unsettling undercurrent of tension.  More than before, this is laid-back music for early Sunday mornings.  This shift is bolstered by the addition of guest musicians Emilie Lidhseim on violin and Sverre Kyvik Bauge on cello.

The melody of “Kiirohige” is bathed in lovely, harmonic warmth.  “Lojal” shows that their quirky nature isn’t going away just because the face of their serenity has been altered.  Little melodic bursts blossom from out of the silences, sax and bass trading tiny expressions that eventually merge into a united whole.  “Sentient” is a rare sense of urgency, as the cries of saxophone cut through the steady, ominous pulse from bass.

Where they only flirted with it previously, this time around, the duo show a greater commitment to vocal contributions.  A track like “You Are Enough” goes for the choral harmonies and the bright tones.  When accompanied by the deep hum of saxophone, the play on light and dark has a certain appeal.  Other vocal tracks have an off-the-cuff ease about them, as if sung boozily over the last of the whiskey in the bottom of the glass.  The wavering bass notes of “City Lights” provide a nifty icy chill to accompany the warmth from the vocals.  Overall, it’s a nice thing to experience familiar creative facets but with a change in emphasis… a sense of something old, something new.

Both albums released on NORCD.

Listen to more of Duplex’s music on their Soundcloud page.

Buy Duolia at:  eMusic | Amazon

Buy En at: eMusic | Amazon

So, we continue our brisk catch-up of the This Is Jazz Today columns with five more recommendations.  And, yes, we still have a lot of catching up to do.  It’ll be another week or two before we get to our normal weekly column of 15-20 recs.  Until then, we’ll continue running some abbreviated recommendations columns.

Today, we’ve got a nice mix of different jazz sub-genres, with each album situating itself in a different spot.  Some of those spots are closer to jazz center than others, which will give you a nice bit of diversity in your buying choices.  As always, your budget belongs to us.

Let’s begin…

Josh Maxey – Celebration of Soul (Miles High Records)

Guitarist Maxey’s music always had an ethereal component to its sound, often bolstered by tempos that came with their own set of wings.  His recent move from NYC to the higher climes of Colorado doesn’t seem to have diminished his capacity for giving the blues an airy, fluid motion… even when the tunes emit the salt of the earth.  Organist Brian Charette, saxophonist Chase Baird, drummer Jeremy Noller (and a number of guests joining in on various guitars) slip in some swing while maintaining Maxey’s signature flow.

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

*****

Liberty Ellman – Radiate (PI Recordings)

A rather quirky personality to each of the tracks on guitarist Ellman’s newest, with many of them presented more as sonic vignettes than actual storylines.  Ultimately, it’s this odd conversation style that serves as the album’s most endearing quality, resulting in dialog that is neither conventional nor dull.  Strong line-up with alto saxophonist Steve Lehman, trumpeter Jonathan Finlayson, bassist Stephan Crump, drummer Damion Reid and trombonist Jose Davila (who doubles up on tuba for this session).

Artist site | Buy: Amazon

*****

Juli Wood Quartet – Synkka Metsa (Origin Arts)

Wow, what a cool recording.  Based on Finnish folk songs, but delivered with a post-hard bop style that sounds equally solemn and tuneful.  Tenor saxophonist Wood’s quartet flirts with a spiritual jazz sound, but the deep swing of the rhythm section and the earthy blues of Alejandro Urzagaste’s guitar gives it more of a Tristano-style cool jazz sound.  A real magnetic personality to this recording, which should appeal to both old-school and new-school fans alike.

Artist site | Listen | Buy: eMusic – Amazon

*****

Baltazanis – End of Seas (Self-Produced)

Really nice modern fusion recording from guitarist Costas Baltazanis’s quintet, plus a bunch of guests adding extra percussion, wind instruments and a sole vocal track.  That polished fusion sound benefits greatly from the extra percussion, as well as the keyboard sections adding some cloudiness and opacity to the sharp, clean lines.  Melodies aren’t so much a launching point as they are exposition devices used to set the scene and build a certain ambiance.

Artist site | Listen | Buy: eMusic – Amazon

*****

César Orozco & Kamarata Jazz – No Limits for Tumbao (Alfi)

What starts out as a relatively straight-forward Latin Jazz recording slowly reveals a dynamic array of facets… most of them nuanced, but often quite startling… much like watching the slow procession of folds of an origamist at work.  Orozco’s mix of Cuban, Venezuelan and Jazz doesn’t settle in to just one point of view, and the ever-changing panorama is one of the album’s best features.  The piano/keyboards of Orozco, bassist Rodner Padilla, percussionist Francisco Vielma and drummer Euro Zambrano are joined by a solid group of guest musicians, including Paquito D’Rivera, Pedrito Martinez and Yosvany Terry (among others).

Artist site | Buy: Amazon

*****

Have a great time digging through the list!

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

Cheers.

***