Jul 30 2014
Tiny Reviews: Tiptons Sax Quartet, Alien Ensemble, and Torbjörn Ömalm & Saajo
Tiny Reviews edition!
Featuring: Tiptons Sax Quartet & Drums Tiny Lower Case, Alien Ensemble Alien Ensemble, and Torbjörn Ömalm & Saajo Tih.
*****
The Tiptons Sax Quartet & Drums – Tiny Lower Case
There is a warmth and exuberance to Tiny Lower Case that is strongly reminiscent of traditional New Orleans jazz. And while that’s not the style of the Tiptons Sax Quartet, their mix of Romanian, Klezmer, Soul, Jazz (and more) reflect the odd soup of influences that contributed to jazz in its earliest New Orleans forms. Music that is catchy without ever getting saccharine, heart-on-the-sleeve evocative without ever becoming superficial. Thick grooves are augmented by wildly careening solos, harmonies bolstered by tempos that bounce with life. And capital-F fun. Most especially fun.
Your album personnel: Amy Denio (alto sax, clarinet, voice), Jessica Lurie (alto & tenor saxes, voice), Sue Orfield (tenor sax, voice), Tina Richerson (baritone sax, voice), Robert Kainar (drums, percussion), and guest: Peppe Voltarelli (vocals).
The album is Self-Produced.
Available at: eMusic | Bandcamp | CDBaby | Amazon: CD
*****
Alien Ensemble – Alien Ensemble
The Alien Ensemble, an acoustic project from a member of electronica act Notwist, falls into territory originally scoped out by Todd Sickafoose’s Tiny Resistors… a place where modern jazz blends in neatly with indie-pop, chamber, post-rock, minimalism, folk, and really any other influence from any other genre that seems to fit at the time. Arguably, that kind of thing isn’t really Jazz anymore, but new things are tough to categorize, more often defined by what they aren’t than what they are. That’s this, here. Their self-titled album Alien Ensemble is a mesmerizing blend of influences that presents a cohesive sound very easy to connect with. Fans of Todd Sickafoose, the Ocular Concern, and Matt Ulery’s Loom should be paying attention here.
Your album personnel: Micha Archer (trumpet, Indian harmonium), Karl-Ivar Refseth (vibes), Andi Haberl (drums), Mathias Gotz (trombone, harmonium), Stefan Schreiber (bass clarinet, sax), Olivier Roth (alto flute), and Benni Schafer (bass).
Released on Alien Transistor.
Available at: eMusic | Amazon: CD
*****
Torbjörn Ömalm & Saajo – Tih
Relaxing trio album from guitarist Torbjörn Ömalm, who also doubles on kantele. Elements of jazz are fused with elements of Lapland, Swedish folk, and instead of some blend of influences, the songs sound like the genres are in a perpetual struggle over which will be the dominant force. It lends peaceful music a very subtle, and very different, kind of tension.
Your album personnel: Torbjörn Ömalm (guitar, kantele), Bo Söderberg (drums, percussion), Robert Erlandsson (upright bass), and guest: Henrik Rytiniemi (vocals).
Released on the F-IRE Collective.
Available at: eMusic | Amazon: CD
*****
Some of these Tiny Reviews were used originally in the weekly new jazz releases column I write for eMusic, so here’s some language protecting their rights to the reprinted material as the one to hire me to write about new jazz arrivals to their site…
“New Arrivals Jazz Picks,” “New Arrivals Jazz Picks” & “New Arrivals Jazz Picks,“ reprints courtesy of eMusic.com, Inc.
© 2014 eMusic.com, Inc.
As always, my sincere thanks to eMusic for the gig.
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If I had to point to one album that exemplified the thriving state of Jazz, and its undeniable hope for the future, it would be The Imaginary Delta. By mixing traditional instruments and forms with modern instruments and composition, Fairhall is simultaneously forward-thinking while still tending to the roots of Jazz’s past. And, really, both those things are important. Jazz is about tradition, just as Jazz is about innovation. Most jazz musicians are able to do one of those things well, a smaller group are able to do one of those things great… but it’s a rare thing for an artist to do both of those things, simultaneously, great. Fairhall has done that here. Inventive music that echoes the spirit of Charles Mingus. The Bird is the Worm 2012 Album of the Year. 
A trio of piano, vocals, and bass clarinet/sax. A storytelling flair that could give Tom Waits a run for his money. Heartbreak stories about hopeless cases who can’t stop hoping for the best. Siskind has plenty of page-turning moments on keys, but doesn’t hog the spotlight from his trio mates. Harms has a way with vocals that give jawdropping turns of vulnerability and disarming playful missives. Pino charms on bass clarinet, and provides a noir-ish ambiance to an album that is moody as hell. Also, what you hear on the album is what you get live… the trio is just as evocative in a live setting. One of those albums that just seems to materialize out of thin air, full of intensity and presence.
From a live performance while on tour, Robbins brings a studio warmth to the vivid persona of a live recording. Robbins knows how to giftwrap a complex melody into a simple present, and it’s the highlight of this album. Interplay between quartet members an added bonus, but it’s the tunefulness of the album tracks that makes this recording so damn addictive. I already had a pretty strong like of past Robbins’ recordings, but he really upped the bar to my mind with this release. Robbins is making his mark.
Jesse van Ruller’s trio of guitar, bass clarinet, and bass brings the moodiness of the Netherlands scene full-on, and applies it to a chamber jazz format. Sparse and haunting, yet so full of warmth. Quiet music for quiet moments, but performed in a way to keep the brain’s synapses fully occupied. This album has been in regular rotation on my stereo since I first discovered it, and it’s showing no signs of going away. I’m a fan of sleepy music, but it’s the albums that also let some life shine through that gain my esteem. One of those albums that does more with less.
The music of Paul Motian isn’t an easy safe to crack, possessing a quiet strength that’s both subtle and obtuse. Drummer Jeff Cosgrove found a way in, however, and came back out with his own sound and vision of Motian’s music. With an overt bluegrass/folk sheen to his jazz interpretations, Cosgrove’s ensemble found the right mix of haunting warmth to do honor the late great drummer, while also bringing a unique recording to the table. This is the type of album I listen to only on occasion but when I do, I completely immerse myself in it. This music is self-contained, like losing oneself for a short time in a little-known far-away place. Very cool.
Based on a book that gave the freedom to approach the story in different ways, so it goes on Rayeula that complexities and wrinkles are woven into the fabric of beautifully textured music. This is one of those recordings that dropped my jaw the first time I heard it, then slowly displayed other, more subtle reasons to appreciate it over the course of time. Zenon increasingly establishes himself as one of the premier voices in Jazz on saxophone, and Coq shows himself to be the perfect foil on piano, counterbalancing Zenon’s fire with some keyboard ice. The inspired decision to include Dana Leong on cello and trombone, and add tabla and various other percussion to Dan Weiss’s ensemble responsibilities both add elements to the music that imbues it with a vibrant color that elevates this album up a notch. Challenging music that is simple to enjoy.
I’m enamored with the premise of building an album around compositions based on the children’s lullaby “Twinkle Twinkle.” It’s the right kind of clever. However, while there is a soothing nighttime quality to this music, these ain’t song to fall asleep to. When I first sat down to listen to this recording, my assumption is that it would be something not unlike an ECM piano trio snoozer. But, actually, most tracks are quite lively, and far more representative of Babel Label’s inventive catalog of releases. Solid, from first note to last.
Threads Orchestra’s sophomore release leaves behind much of the genre-warping it artfully performed on its debut Threads, and instead focus on a seamless mix of jazz, classical, and folk as its vehicle for presenting some of the more compelling music on the scene. A cinematic presence with a theatrical flair, the album reflects the music for unperformed theater as dreamt up in composer Jonathan Brigg’s head. This ensemble has proven over the course of two albums that they won’t hesitate to experiment without having to compromise making their music an effortless listen.
There’s a relentlessness to this album that’s always appealed to me. It can be felt even when di Benedetto’s ensemble takes to the sky to soar or when it slows things down to slowly crunch over earth. A straight-ahead recording that should appeal to both new and old-schoolers alike.
This is music in motion. This is music that flows with grace, whether expressing a calm nature or something more on the wild side. Yokai, the excellent release by drummer Anne Paceo, makes its mark by establishing a lovely fluidity despite having many different parts in play.
On Oskar Schönning‘s 2012 release, The Violin, he cooks up a recipe that is one-half old-school bop and one-half modern Nordic jazz, and he presents them slowly, one at a time, like photos in a slideshow, one after the other, joined not by music elements, but by the totality of the story.
Sep 28 2014
Recommended: Jason Steele’s Messenger Collective – “Vol.1: Wirewalker”
Most tracks are heavy with the cinematic atmosphere of a chamber jazz recording. The heart of this album is the trio “First Walk: Notre Dame,” “Second Walk: Sydney,” and “North/South Tower.” Their ominous tones and eccentric delivery are reminiscent of some of fellow guitarist Bill Frisell’s stranger periods, when oddball compositions of an exquisite beauty were informed by fearfulness and whimsy, both. Most notable is the compare and contrast between the guitar and violin of Steele and Emi Tanabe. Sometimes they cheerily romp about together and other times they adopt a solemn tone, but each time their emotional template is in synch. It’s a quality that resonates strongly when juxtaposed with the contrast in deliveries… one that is punctuated with carefully enunciated notes and the other that hums evenly and suddenly breaks into lofty expressions of song.
“Spy vs. Spy” is fueled by a strong dose of Brit-rock exuberance, and its pop music flair continues to influence even when the song discards its form and slowly disperses. “Prelude” applies a softer touch and displays more reserve, yet is no less compelling. The sway of Johnson’s bass arco is the driving force of this song’s easy-going motion.
James Davis’s trumpet often strikes the middle ground between guitar and violin, incorporating a bit of the qualities of each into his contribution. It’s best represented on “From the Rooftop of the World,” where he takes to soaring while also matching guitar’s rhythmic component. Taking into account Davis’s participation on Matt Ulery’s large ensemble chamber jazz projects, his inclusion for this session was a natural choice.
Steele incorporates elements from Petit’s life into the song. “Second Walk: Sydney” utilizes bass line notes from the Australian National Anthem, symbolizing Petit’s walk across the Sydney Harbor Bridge. Similarly, the songs “North Tower” and “South Tower” are formed around time markings from the Petit documentary, Man on Wire. And “Through the Eyes of Annie Allix” adds spoken word to represent Petit’s girlfriend and her role in his adventures.
An absolutely gorgeous album.
Your album personnel: Jason Steele (guitar), Emi Tanabe (violin), James Davis (trumpet), and Douglas Johnson (bass).
Released on Altered Records.
Music from the Chicago scene.
Available at: eMusic | Amazon MP3
As an aside, I highly recommend the documentary, Man on Wire. It’s absolutely fascinating. A great example of a documentarian taking an obscure event and revealing its significance in a way that’s both thoughtful and entertaining. Here’s a LINK to the movie site. It may or may not still be streaming on Netflix Instant.
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By davesumner • Beyond Jazz Reviews, Jazz Recommendations, Jazz Recommendations - 2014 Releases • 0