Search Results for: bill frisell

Feb 1 2012

Recapping the Best of 2011: AJ Kluth’s Aldric – “Anvils and Broken Bells”

 

If, like me, most of your friends are into post-rock, with its sweeping melodies, ambient and/or drone tendencies, and the compositional habit of end points rarely looking like the territory the starting gun went off in, well, you might want to clue them in on AJ Kluth’s Aldric.  Because in many ways, with Anvils and Broken Bells, they’ve fused the post-rock of today with the 80s NYC downtown jazz scene skronk & sizzle of Zorn’s Naked City, so you’ll be giving your friends a dose of Jazz that’s masked in some food their audio palate is more attuned with.  See?  Everyone wins.

The first two album tracks are sonic typhoons; guitar strikes and horn battering rams, electronic squalls, torrent of drums, and sax whipping wildly about.  The third track “Pauls on Pauls” begins much the same, but suddenly the storm breaks and the tune is one of lazy rolling waves and clear skies.  That calm is only temporary, as the tempo rises and the waves swell, leading to a conclusion of heading right back into the storm.

“Saskatoon” is probably my favorite tune on the album.  It opens with a little bit of serenity, squiggly electronics and pings and beeps.  Then guitar comes in nice and slow, making short but poignant statements, accentuated by drums ponderously marching ahead.  Horn and sax enter with slow building notes, letting them hang in the air while bass echoes off the walls with the effects like contrails across a cloudy sky and melodica the sunlight filtering through the rifts in between.  And as if to prove that Aldric is more than sound and fury, “Trio Trois” continues the peaceful refrain, picking up the tempo and volume only at the end and only by use of a very catchy refrain.

From there, the album shows another face.  Mixing the swirling dissonance of the first third and the peaceful repetition of the second, the last third of the album brings together those elements into a fiery set of grooves which one could either mosh pit or foot tap to.  Ultimately, it’s a satisfying bit of transformation that brings cohesion to an album that may have given first and second impressions of stealing off in a direction and not looking back.

I first heard Anvils and Broken Bells about six months ago (approx. July 2011), and it has really grown on me.  I keep finding more and better things to appreciate about it, and enthusiastically include it as one of my top recommended albums of 2011.

Y’know, speaking of when I first heard the album… When I went to create the link to the page on AllAboutJazz where you can download a free album track, I saw my original editor’s comment on it.  Apparently even back then, this ensemble’s sound invoked in my head a nautical theme.  Here’s what I wrote…

“So, Paul Motion, Kenny Wheeler, Joe Lovano, and Bill Frisell get lost at sea on a boat. It begins to storm and the wind picks up. The steering is shot, the boat spins out of control, and they decide to spend their last moments alive playing out. That’s kinda what this song is like. Pretty cool.”

It would appear my opinion hasn’t so much changed as expanded.  And I still think this album is very cool.

Your album personnel:  AJ Kluth (tenor sax, melodica, effects), James Davis (trumpet, effects), Toby Summerfield (electric guitar, many buttons & knobs), Dan Thatcher (electric bass) and Quin Kirchner (drums & cymbals).

Released on the Origin/OA2 label.

Listen to more of the album at the artist’s Soundcloud page.

Music from Chicago.

Available at:  Amazon

By • Jazz Recommendations - 2011 Releases, Recap: Best of 2011 • 0 • Tags: , , , , ,

Jan 12 2012

Recapping the Best of 2011: John Zorn – “At the Gates of Paradise”

 

With his label Tzadik, John Zorn has built a small but miraculous empire of quality recordings, both under his own name and albums under the direction of other artists.  This is one of his.  Zorn is big into themes, built around the concepts or writings that inspired them.  At the Gates of Paradise falls under his Mystical album series.  It’s these albums that have brought me the most joy.

Based on the writings of poet William Blake and ancient Gnostic writings from the Nag Hammad, Zorn has constructed a series of compositions that are hypnotic and dream-like, possessing a serenity found in the sweetest of romances.

Your album personnel:  John Medeski (piano & organ), Kenny Wollesen (vibes), Trevor Dunn (bass) and Joey Baron (drums).

Wollesen, who has appeared on all of the albums in this series, has a knack on vibes of simultaneously creating moments of hopefulness and unease.  Medeski complements him wonderfully on piano, giving buoyancy to the hope and a sharp edge to the unease.  Joey Baron, a vet from the old Bill Frisell days, is a wonderful surprise here, with his expressive sound on drums spurring the tunes on and his immaculate brushwork a gentle wash of emotion.  I’ve always liked Dunn’s work on bass; he gets a sound from it that’s kind of mysterious, effecting the same reaction from me that Sam Jones would as part of Clifford Jordan’s quartet.

The album starts out with the lively “The Eternals,” a composition that has the quartet sounding like autumn leaves caught in a gust wind and turning in a tight circle that dispels any calculations of where it begins and where it ends.  “Song of Innocence” is a softly lilting tune, with Wollesen and Medeski trading turns being the waves that gently rock the boat to and fro.  With “A Dream of Nine Nights”, the pace picks back up, with Medeski constructing piano lines atop one another with a Lego-block-like repetition, building tension that Baron provides the explanation point for over and over with the hazy crash of cymbals.  Wollesen layers his own lines of repetition beneath Medeski’s, sowing tension into the soil.

If the album up to this point has been a series of eyes-of-the-storm, then fourth track “Light Forms” signals that the torrents are near.  Bass and drums thunder as piano and vibes run angular lines like lightning strikes randomly touching ground.  The rain begins to fall with “The Aeons”, a steady but forceful gale of piano rhythms and cymbal patterns, vibes and bass like hail on windows and gutters.  “Liber XV” is the quiet hesitant moments after the storm ends, when everything is still and listening for any sign that the storm will return.

The album ends much as it began, with an up-tempo tune forming tight circles of notes blowing in gusts of wind, followed by languid moments of cool breeze.

If this album floats your boat, I also highly recommend similar Zorn albums Alhambra Love Songs, Goddess, and In Search of the Miraculous, all which feature similar sounds and similar personnel, and all which remain among my favorites and never gather dust on my shelf.

Released on the Tzadik label, which is a treasure trove of excellent music.  Please explore.

Here’s a link to his myspace page, which I don’t typically like to refer to, but he’s got a bunch of music to stream and some decent information and links to other resources.

Available at Amazon: CD | MP3

By • Jazz Recommendations, Jazz Recommendations - 2011 Releases, Recap: Best of 2011 • 1 • Tags:

Dec 15 2011

Tiny Reviews – Recapping the Best of 2011 (Part 1)

Featuring Tiny Reviews of Best of 2011 Jazz Albums by:  Marcin Wasilewski Trio, Susana Santos Silva, Steven Lugerner, Francis Drake, Jean Lapouge, Omer Avital, and Fabrice Sotton.

*****

Hey.

So, I’m gonna briefly hit on some of the albums that were standouts for 2011.  There were a lot, and those are just the ones I know about, so this series may not end for awhile.  Tentatively, I’m thinking I’ll keep this series limited to seven tiny reviews per post, an album for every day of the week.

Let’s begin…

 

Marcin Wasilewski Trio – Faithful

This follow-up to the Marcin Wasilewski Trio’s 2008 release January doesn’t build anything different or wander off in strange new directions.  This is not a bad thing, though, because January was one of the 2008’s best.  Wasilewski’s sound on piano is sometimes introspective, sometimes meditative, and it rarely ever lifts a fist up in anger.  Slawomir Kurkiewicz is mostly a wallflower, but when he does step forward, the sound he attains in the spotlight is quite dramatic while also understated.  Michal Miskiewicz has a consistent pitter patter, like stones skipping over the water.

It’s a fine line between serene and sleepy, and Wasilewski has displayed a talent at keeping things interesting.  Even at its quietest moments, Faithful has a tiny fire lit under the composition that keeps the brain anchored on the tune.

Released on the ECM label.  Over an hour of serene modern piano trio jazz.  Jazz from Poland.

Available at Amazon: CD MP3

 

Susana Santos Silva – Devil’s Dress

Devil's DressThe debut album for Susana Santos Silva‘s quintet was one of the more exciting developments of 2011.  Devil’s Dress is an exhilarating fusion of jazz and indie rock, replete with twisting melodies, surging guitar licks, percussion that seamlessly alternates between jazz and rock rhythms within the space of one tune, and just a fun vibe that brings out both the joy of jazz and the bop of rock.

Your album personnel:  Susana Santos Silva (trumpet), Zé Pedro Coelho (tenor sax), Andre Fernandes (guitar), Demian Cabaud (bass), and Marcos Cavaleiro (drums).

Santos’s sound on trumpet is so warm, even when she’s warping a melody into some indescribable shape.  I’ve been listening to this album since it came out in April, and I still find it as compelling and fun as the first time.  Fans of Ben Allison and Todd Sickafoose, who also employ inventive compositions to incorporate the sounds of rock and indie music into their tune, should take to Devil’s Dress pretty easily.

Released on the Toap label.

Here’s a link to a free download from the album on the AllAboutJazz site, courtesy of the artist.

Available at Amazon: MP3

 

Steven Lugerner – Narratives

Steven Lugerner - "Narratives"Outstanding debut album by multi-reedist Steven Lugerner.  Leading a septet with an array of instruments consisting of alto & tenor & soprano sax, clarinet, trumpet, flute, guitar, piano, bass and drums, Lugerner tells a simple story with plenty of depth.  By eloquently stating the melody and returning to it throughout, he’s able to let the instruments loose to develop as much texture as they want, because the tunes keep coming back to that essential melody, like looking at a photo of home when life on the road grows too long.

Your album personnel:  Steven Lugerner (soprano & alto saxes, clarinets), Lucas Pino (tenor sax & flute), Itamar Borochov (trumpet & flugelhorn), Angelo Spagnolo (guitar), Glenn Zaleski (piano), Ross Gallagher (bass), and Michael W. Davis (drums).

It’s an aptly titled album, as the recording has the intimate feel of a good epic novel.  Lots of ebb and flow of emotional intensity.  The layering of sounds is just phenomenal, really keeps my attention wanting to linger on every detail.  Lugerner has a nice light touch on the sax and it serves him well as he binds all the various part of the ensemble together with his notes.  Has sort of a Guillermo Klein meets Brian Blade feel to it.

Narratives is Self-Produced.

Jazz from the Brooklyn scene.

A free track from the album is available at AllAboutJazz, courtesy of the artist.

Available to stream, and purchase, at the artist’s Bandcamp page.

Available at Amazon: CD

 

Francis Drake – Stories

Francis Drake is the trio name for musicians Max Frankl (classical, acoustic, and electric guitars), Max von Mosch (tenor & soprano sax, clarinet), Henning Sieverts (bass & cello).  On Stories, they’ve created an ambiance of intermittent sharp busts of sound in a quiet setting.  Like the wild chirping of birds just before dawn, Mosch’s reeds cry out in the darkness while Frankl’s guitar is a flash of motion seen between the trees and bushes nearby.  Sieverts is the darkness, especially when he lays thick cello lines over the sound of everything else.

Fans of modern releases on the ECM label will probably like this, as would fans of Christope Pays album Ellipse.  On the Double Moon Records label, fifty two minutes of modern jazz trio. Jazz from Germany.

Here’s where you can stream three songs from the album on Max’s site.

Available at Amazon: CD MP3

 

Jean Lapouge – Temporare

Some music just sounds pretty when all evidence indicates that it shouldn’t.  Jean Lapouge’s Temporare makes for an excellent Exhibit A.  Lapouge’s trio consists of his guitar, the trombone of Christiane Bopp, and the vibes of Christian Paboeuf (who also double on oboe on a couple tracks); not a typical jazz trio.  And the compositions don’t exactly bring it back wholly in the jazz tent.

There is a palpable tension in the harsh calls of Lapouge’s guitar against the skittering vibes, and against the backdrop of blaring trombone notes.  But then guitar grows gentle and the trombone is a friendly word in the ear and the vibes are bright and warm, and an odd serenity sets in.  As dreams can be both serene and terrifying, Temporare shows no inclination to draw a dividing line between the varied emotions this album evokes.

Lapouge, a founding member of the Noetra Collective (would fit right in with early ECM world-jazz like Oregon and Terje Rypdal), may not have seen much commercial success from his music, but the development of his sound has resulted in a genuinely unique voice.  Tempoare, a 2011 release on the Musea Records label, is gonna appeal to fans of Bill Frisell’s Quartet.  It is an album of eerie music that happens to also be quite beautiful.

A free download from the album is available on the AllAboutJazz site, courtesy of the artist.

Available at Amazon: CD MP3

 

Omer Avital – Free Forever

An outstanding quintet date album from one of the great composers and bassists on the jazz scene.  Straight-ahead jazz with Omer’s unique modern voice.  An album so powerful at times it can make the listener sit and shout, not unlike Ellington’s masterful performance at Newport. Recorded live in Italy, with Omer Avital (bass, composer), Joel Frahm (soprano & tenor sax), Avishai Cohen (trumpet), Jason Lindner (piano), and Ferenc Nemeth (drums)… all jazz heavyweights.

I’m still amazed to be reminded that it’s only a quintet date; the sound is rich that at times I’d guess there were twice that many musicians on the bandstand.  I’m gonna stop there, since I plan to write a more detailed review in the very near future.  But let me leave it that this was truly a top album of the year.

Released on the Smalls Records label, approximately 70 minutes of pure unadulterated jazz.

Here’s a link to Omer’s site, where you can stream a few songs from the album and a whole lot of other music he’s involved with.

Available at Amazon: CD MP3

 

Fabrice Sotton – L’attente

A very engaging release from pianist Fabrice Sotton.  Fabrice switches from traditional to electronic piano with zero drop-off in quality.  Compositions have mysterious strings slicing through the interludes.  Fabrice’s sound has the introspection of an Abdullah Ibrahim solo piece with transitions to the playful bounciness of a Vince Guarldi tune.

Just a series of fun and pretty tunes.  A few solo pieces, some duo with percussion, flourishes of South African style jazz, a bit of neo-classical and a little bit of funk.  Sotton mixes the sounds up without ever losing the albums center; or said differently, it doesn’t sound like a compilation of songs from various albums.

Self-Produced, fifty minutes of piano jazz.  Jazz from France.

Here’s a link to Fabrice Sotton’s site, which seems to be hosted on a french music site platform.  Basically, if you give them an email, you can stream all his stuff.

Available at Amazon: MP3

 

By • Jazz Recommendations, Jazz Recommendations - 2011 Releases, Recap: Best of 2011 • 2 • Tags:

Dec 12 2011

New Jazz Arrivals Week Ending November 01, 2011

Featuring Tiny Review recs of:  Goran Kajfes, Miho Wada, Marc Copland & John Abercrombie, John Stowell & Christopher Woitach, Dave Liebman & Richie Beirach, Daniel Zamir, Ajejandro Florez & Tibagui, Nils Petter Molvaer, Randy Brecker, and Kenny Werner.

*****

The following is kinda copied from the weekly article I write for emusic.com, giving a rundown of mini-reviews of interesting jazz new releases.  I’ll post them once a week, adding some artwork and extra links and modifying the text a little bit.  When I write the mini-reviews initially, I’m under a serious time constraint, but now I’ve had time to listen more closely to the music and think about it, so some of the reviews will change, but some may not.  They were initially called “Jonah’s Jazz Picks”; the reason why is not a complicated story or a long one, but sufficiently banal to just overlook.

This was the second installment of my recs.

Let’s begin.

 

Goran Kajfes – X/Y

Goran Kajfes – “X”

This first album just blew me away.  Trumpeter Goran Kajfes lives two different lives… one as a creator of jazz from that golden axis of 60s world & 70s soul jazz, and the second as a modern soundscaper of Brian Eno and Bill Laswell ambient compositions.  The “X” portion of this album will take you back to a time of joyous music that embraces avant-garde boisterousness in the same hug as a disparate orchestra of ethnic instruments.

Goran Kajfes – “Y”

The “Y” portion of the album is all about the warm fuzz of synthesizers and plaintive cry of distant trumpet.  Somehow it all works together.  When I originally grabbed it, I figured I would treat them as separate albums as sometimes be in the mood to listen to just the “X” portion and other times the “Y”, but I’m pretty sure I haven’t yet broken them up into separate listening sessions.  Highly recommended.  On the Headspin Recordings label.

Sand Boogie by Goran Kajfes by Headspin Recordings
Perfect Temperature for Leaving Home, Pt 2 by Goran Kajfes by Headspin Recordings

Here’s a link to Goran’s site, where you can hear some of the music.

And here’s his myspace page, where you can hear more of the music.

Here’s a free download from the album at the AllAboutJazz site, courtesy of the artist.

Here’s a link to emusic, where the album can be purchased.

 

Miho Wada – Para Ti

Miho Wada – “Para Ti”

Naming her style “Japanese Punk Jazz,” Miho Wada finds a way to make jazz flute sound both romantic and badass.  Performing and training with a diverse group of musicians like Nigel Kennedy, Buena Vista Social Club, and Iggy Pop (among others), Miho sounds to be developing a very distinctive and enjoyable voice.  On this EP, she takes us through a series of tunes that displays her love of Cuban music and that have plenty of drive without blunting her light touch.  If you prefer a proper full length album, you can pick up her 2010 release Postcards To Your Bed.  Very cool.

Here’s a link to Miho’s Bandcamp page, where you can hear music from the album.

Here’s a free download from the album at the AllAboutJazz site, courtesy of the artist.

Here’s a link to emusic, where the album can be purchased.

 

Marc Copland & John Abercrombie – Speak To Me

Marc Copland & John Abercrombie – “Speak To Me”

Marc Copland (piano) and John Abercrombie (guitar) are universally recognized as two of the jazz masters on the scene today, and they do nothing on this album to tarnish their legacy.  Taking their time to express their thoughts musically, they create a serene ambiance that’s thoroughly engaging.  It’s an “A” & “B” conversation that the listener is made to feel entirely welcome sitting in on.  Released on the solid Pirouet Records label.

Here’s a link to emusic, where the album can be purchased.

 

John Stowell & Christopher Woitach – Ghost In the Corner

John Stowell & Christopher Woitach – “Ghost in the Corner”

Origin label vet John Stowell and fellow Pacific Northwest jazz vet Christopher Woitach bring their complementary guitar voices together to make a very intriguing album.  Reminiscent less of jazz and more along the lines of Bill Frisell’s The Willies Americana sound, John and Christopher create an album that evokes images of back porches on rainy days.  Should have plenty of appeal to jazz fans with a decent collection of Leo Kottke on their shelf.

Here’s a link to emusic, where the album can be purchased.

 

Dave Liebman & Richie Beirach – Unspoken

Dave Liebman & Richie Beirach – “Unspoken”

Yet two more of the living jazz legends on the scene making an appearance in this column.  Dave Liebman (sax) and Richie Beirach (piano) have been collaborating for well over 30 years, dating back to their classic album Lookout Farm and then later to their formation of all-star ensemble Quest.  Unspoken is an album for the quiet moments after the city has gone to sleep and you’re still awake.  Hell, this album may even make a person feel like they’re being spoken to.  Album ends strong with the song “Hymn for Mom / Prayer for Michael.”  Released on OutNote Records.

Here’s a link to emusic, where the album can be purchased.

 

Daniel Zamir – Missing Here

Daniel Zamir – “Missing Here”

Probably known initially for his albums recorded for John Zorn’s Tzadik label’s “Radical Jewish Culture” music series, Daniel Zamir has now struck out on his own, and he sounds to have done so with a confident voice.  Missing Here has a lyricism that extends an invitation difficult not to accept.  Backed by a strong ensemble featuring superman bassist Omer Avital, Daniel’s soprano sax has a warmth to it, even when the notes have some bite to them.  I’m pretty sure this album was actually released late last year, but self-producing music ain’t an easy business, so I’m not gonna penalize him for not being technically a “new release”, especially not with the music being this good.

Here’s a link to emusic, where the album can be purchased.

 

Alejandro Florez & Tibagui – Malandanza

Alejandro Flores & Tibagui – “Malandanza”

Well, this is an interesting little find.  A mix of Colombian music and jazz, Tibagui adds Alejandro Florez’s guitar to create an intoxicating selection of tunes, sometimes languid, sometimes challenging, but genuinely enjoyable from first note to last.  Woodwinds, acoustic guitar, percussion, and bass.  Jazz fans of Diego Barber’s work should take note, and it should have some crossover appeal to fans of Calexico.  “Glass Dust” is a haunting tune that should probably be in everybody’s playlist, jazz and non-jazz fans alike.

Here’s a link to Alejandro’s site, where you can stream music from the album.

Here’s a free download from the album at the AllAboutJazz site, courtesy of the artist.

Here’s a link to emusic, where the album can be purchased.

 

Nils Petter Molvaer – Baboon Moon

Nils Petter Molvaer – “Baboon Moon”

Known for his jazz experimentalism with electronics and his sparse airy sound, Nils Petter Molvaer adds to his solid discography with more of what’s gained him an avid following.  Dark textures, ominous percussion, and wavering sound effects highlight this atmospheric album.  Put out on the Thirsty Ear label, which puts it square on familiar ground for Indie fans.  Prior fans of Molvaer’s work on ECM will have nothing to worry about, you’ll be safe with this album for sure.

Here’s a free download from the album at the AllAboutJazz site, courtesy of the artist.

Here’s a link to emusic, where the album can be purchased.

 

Randy Brecker with the Danish Radio Big Band – The Jazz Ballad Song Book

Randy Brecker & DR Big Band – “The Jazz Ballad Songbook”

Randy Brecker’s trumpet fits right in with the crowd, and creates some beautiful moments of lush sound that just fly right along.  For those of you hesitant to buy Brecker stuff based on his output during the eighties, hearing Brecker play in a modern jazz setting, especially with orchestration, is a joy to hear and proves his fans correct when they praise his musicality.  Great stuff here.  On the Half Note label.

Here’s a link to the album’s myspace page, where it can be streamed.

Here’s a link to emusic, where the album can be purchased.

 

Kenny Werner with the Brussels Jazz Orchestra – Institute of Higher Learning

Kenny Werner & the BJO – “Institute of Higher Learning”

Kenny Werner is an outstanding musician and his discography should be explored by every jazz fan.  There are some disparate sounds throughout, as his sense of adventure and experimentation have taken him in different directions.  This album sees some of that, but keeps it in the ballpark of mainstream to make it an album that should appeal across jazz and non-jazz lines of demarcation.  On the Half Note label.

Teaser House of the Rising Sun Institute of Higher Learning by Brussels Jazz Orchestra

Here’s a link to Kenny’s site, where you can stream some of the album.

Here’s a link to the BJO’s myspace page, where there’s a whole lot of music to stream.

Here’s a link to emusic, where the album can be purchased.

 

Enjoy and see you next week!

 

Those were the highlights of the jazz albums that hit emusic for the week ending 11/01/11.

Cheers.

 

Here’s some language to protect emusic’s rights as the one to hire me originally to scour through the jazz new arrivals and write about the ones I like:

“New Arrivals Jazz Picks“, courtesy of eMusic.com, Inc.
© 2011  eMusic.com, Inc.

My thanks to emusic for the freelance writing gig, the opportunity to use it in this blog, and the editorial freedom to help spread the word about cool new jazz being recorded today.

By • Jazz Recommendations, Jazz Recommendations - 2011 Releases • 2

Jun 25 2018

The Round-up: Sometimes, being close is the hardest thing

 

Here is some very good new music.

 

David Ake – Humanities (Posi-Tone Records)

It happens quite often on Humanities that a rising intensity becomes a conflagration, and if any attempt at control is being exerted, it has no effect.  And yet, despite it all, there’s a moodiness that hangs over the newest from David Ake, and it has the effect of framing hyperactivity as an introspective matter rather than an emotional one.  It’s why “Groundwork” possesses the hypnotic effect of burning embers even when its flames reach up to the night sky.  It’s why “Stream” etches a path from first note to last even as it pulls apart the bonds that keep it together in a recognizable shape and moving with a concentrated focus.  The pianist has a nice history on the Posi-Tone Records label, and can always be relied upon for doing something a little different with a straight-ahead sound.  Humanities might be the most enjoyable example of that trend.  The pianist is joined by trumpeter Ralph Alessi, guitarist Ben Monder, bassist Drew Gress and drummer Mark Ferber.  Music from Miami, Florida.

Artist site | Listen | Buy:   Amazon

 

Roger Kim – Portrait Maker (Self-Produced)

I’m not sure this chamber jazz session could be any more gorgeous.  Roger Kim‘s large ensemble of strings and wind instruments and voices possess an ethereal presence, but so great is its majesty that the sensation is of clouds that could sweep you off your feet and carry you away.  The guitarist (who also adds some banjo to the mix) titles the first track “Franny and Zooey in the Snow,” and the music captures the essence of a lovely winter day surrounded by snowflakes with the same immediacy that it does the resounding innocence clung to by many of J.D. Salinger’s storybook characters.  The album clocks in a little under thirty minutes.  It’s music that feels like it could go on forever and then suddenly ends too soon.  Music from Oakland, CA.

Artist site | Listen | Buy:  Bandcamp

 

Emil Miszk & The Sonic Syndicate – Don’t Hesitate! (Alpaka Records)

The sudden transitions between soothing harmonies and caustic dissonance are quite jarring.  But the pattern repeats itself throughout this intriguing session from Emil Miszk & The Sonic Syndicate, and familiarity breeds friendliness.  The trumpeter leads an octet comprised half of wind instruments and the other half of guitar, piano, bass and drums.  It’s the former that’s most responsible for those lovely harmonic passages and the latter for the edginess.  There are moments, however, when the transfer of power between the two achieves a certain balance, a unity of expression, and everything makes sense.  An interesting debut.  Music from Gdańsk, Poland.

Artist site | Listen | Buy:  Bandcamp – Amazon

 

Attila Gyárfás – Cloud Factory (Sinistra)

There’s a very fun and wild personality exhibited by this debut from Attila Gyárfás.  Mixing punk rock, modern jazz and Frisellian effects, the drummer shuffles the deck of tones for atmospheric effect and edgy counterweights to the ambience.  He’s joined by the bass and guitar duo of Marco Zenini & Márton Fenyvesi, along with Felician Erlenburg and Jason Alder on wind instruments.  In addition to the changes in tone, the spikes of intensity are as thrilling as the peaceful moments are comforting.  Just a really neat album, and the kind of thing that really shouldn’t fly under the radar.  Not all of you will like this recording, but some of you will fall head over heels for it.  Music from Budapest, Hungary

Artist site | Listen | Buy:  Bandcamp – Amazon

 

Bruno Heinen – Mr. Vertigo (Babel Label)

There’s a distinct personality to the music of Bruno Heinen.  Whether it’s an embrace of the music of Karlheinz Stockhausen and Vivaldi or a set of songs that uses the children’s song “Twinkle Twinkle” as their basis or a spin with the Bill Evans songbook, Heinen’s perspective cuts to the heart of the matter.  His newest is a solo venture, and it’s particularly intriguing to hear how previous projects filter into a solitary setting.  This is especially true of revisiting his Tierkreis project, and how the music box environment falls right into place in the flow of expressionism that marks this set.  Music from London.

Artist site | Listen | Buy:  Bandcamp – Amazon

 

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