Jazz Recommendations

Jan 17 2019

Best of 2018 #12: Peggy Lee Band – “Echo Painting”

 

For many years, Peggy Lee has been casting her spell of avant-garde, folk, modern jazz, chamber, and ambient musics, and with each successive occurrence, the enchantment gains even greater strength.  There is an emphasis on orchestration in her works, and equal weight given to an improvisational approach that pulls the structure apart at the seams.  But even with these given qualities that, under normal conditions, would seem to have conflicted interests at heart, the cellist is able to attain a fluidity that brings a focused perspective to bind it all together.  Magic inspires a massive experience of wonderment; the Peggy Lee Band are magicians of the highest order.

Released on Songlines Recordings.

Music from Vancouver, Canada.

I wrote about this album for Bird is the Worm and The Bandcamp Daily.

Available at:  Bandcamp | Amazon

By • Recap: Best of 2018 • 0 • Tags: , , , ,

Jan 17 2019

Best of 2018 #13: Tim Haldeman – “Open Water As a Child”

 

Tim Haldeman‘s homage to Flint, Michigan was originally a project for the Ann Arbor Jazz Festival, and thankfully he shepherded it into the studio for a proper recording.  It’s one of the more emotionally powerful albums of 2018.  Haldeman’s sextet works from a foundation of introspection, which has its own appeal to be sure, but it’s when the ensemble builds up to a raging intensity that the stunning beauty of this album is truly unleashed.  I like to drive around and listen to music, just as something I enjoy.  Open Water As a Child forced me to pull to a stop on the side of the road repeatedly, just so I could fully interface with music that elicits an awed silence, remaining motionless and in reverence.

Released on Woolgathering Records.

Music from Ann Arbor, MI.

Read more on Bird is the Worm.

Available at:  Bandcamp | Amazon

By • Recap: Best of 2018 • 0 • Tags: , , ,

Jan 17 2019

Best of 2018 #14: Ryan Keberle & Frank Woeste – “Reverso: Suite Ravel”

 

The bullet point list of the components to Reverso: Suite Ravel is plenty intriguing on its own.  But these arrangements of Ravel works for a chamber jazz session are so damn engrossing that the details found in the album’s liner notes just melt away.  What remains is a stunning beauty matched with an engaging liveliness… a combination that lets the listener decided whether to sink into daydreams or move through life with the album’s prevailing motions.  The combination of jazz improvisation and chamber structure don’t always make for the easiest convergence of influences, but the quartet of pianist Frank Woeste, trombonist Ryan Keberle, cellist Vincent Courtois and drummer Jeff Ballard bring it to life as if nurturing a flower to bloom from their personal mix of soil.  This album sweeps me away every time I listen.

Released on Alternate Side Records and Phonoart.

Music from New York City.

I wrote about this album for The Bandcamp Daily.

Available at:  Bandcamp | Amazon

By • Recap: Best of 2018 • 0 • Tags: , , , , ,

Jan 16 2019

Best of 2018 #15: John Hollenbeck Large Ensemble – “All Can Work”

 

A manifestation of John Hollenbeck‘s lyrical perspective inevitably takes on a curious form.  The most obvious example is on full display with Claudia Quintet, an outfit that established a form of modern jazz expressionism and a tangential post-jazz escape route that has served as a guiding light for other birds-of-a-feather musicians.  But this perspective also reveals itself in other Hollenbeck projects, like his rearrangements of classic songs for jazz orchestra or his 2018 large ensemble project that pays tribute to collaborators and teachers.  When a musician is dedicated to finding a personal voice and channeling it through a singular vision, the immaculate music of All Can Work is what happens.

Released on New Amsterdam Records.

Music from Binghamton, NY.

I wrote about this album for The Bandcamp Daily.

Available at:  Bandcamp | Amazon

By • Recap: Best of 2018 • 3 • Tags: , , ,

Jan 15 2019

Best of 2018 #16: Sarathy Korwar – “My East Is Your West”

 

The question of influence is not just one of music theory, but also of perspectives.  On his 2018 release My East Is Your West, Sarathy Korwar configures a new, more honest balance of how an Indian music influence upon jazz might sound, and it’s one of the strongest statements made this year.  The timing couldn’t have been better.  Even if the perspectives have been skewed at times, the branching out to other cultures is a good thing when done with sincerity.  And with the resurgence of an Indian music influence in the jazz sphere, Korwar’s point of view is a welcome bit of guidance… and perspective.  It’s also one of the more enjoyable recordings to hit the shelves this year.  I am addicted to his renditions of “Journey In Satchidananda” and “Hajj.”  Be sure to check out my interview of Korwar by following the Bandcamp link below.

Released on Gearbox Records.

Music from London, UK.

I wrote about this album for The Bandcamp Daily.

Available at:  Bandcamp | Amazon

By • Recap: Best of 2018 • 0 • Tags: , , ,

« Older Entries Newer Entries »