Berlin

Jan 3 2019

Best of 2018 #48: Mia Dyberg Trio – “Ticket!”

 

It is one of the more compelling moments in jazz when a saxophonist spreads her instrument’s flames out wide in a way that transforms the ferocity into something bordering on hypnotic.  On her 2018 release, Mia Dyberg lives in that moment.  What makes Ticket! most special is that the shows of strength and power range along a wide spectrum of force and restraint.  As such, Dyberg’s trio shows that modulations of intensity are merely different paths that lead to the same captivating destination.  The fun is in following those different paths, and knowing exactly each time where they’ll lead.

Released on Clean Feed Records.

Music from Berlin, Germany.

Read more on Bird is the Worm.

Available at:  Amazon

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Oct 16 2018

Recommended: Peuker8 – “Influx”

 

Listening passively, it’s easy to gain the impression that this is an indie-rock album.  There’s the deep dives on melody, the quirky changes in cadence, the proclivity to stretch the defining shape of song structure… and there’s a guitar at the center of it all.  But immersing oneself into the depths of Influx, other influences immediately become clear, and it’s not long before they reveal themselves as the driving factor of this fascinating release from Peuker8.

While Paul Peuker‘s guitar does keep center stage for most of the recording, it’s the sound and motion of his octet’s other members that attract a majority of the attention.  The inclusion of a string trio brings the modern classical element to the forefront, and how the bass and drums rhythm section mirror their flight patterns and etch the tempo into their harmonic surface is a big reason why the strings maintain a focused intensity.  Some electric guitar burn pairs nicely with a saxophone that is equally adept at growling as issuing out a contented sigh.  And, notably, pianist Clemens Christian Pötzsch deftly applies his talent at bringing a contemplative quality to music emitting a jolt of electricity.  Through these interactions, the modern European jazz influence emerges, as does the modern scene’s emphasis on composition as the strong guiding hand of improvisation.

It’s also one of the stronger releases to hit the shelves in 2018.  The WhyPlayJazz label is having an impressive year of new releases.

Your album personnel:  Paul Peuker (guitar), Clemens Christian Pötzsch (piano), Mark Weschenfelder (saxophone), Alina Gropper (violin), Filip Sommer (viola), Elisabeth Coudoux (cello), Eugen Rolnik (bass), Florian Lauer (drums) and guest: Sissi Rada (vocals).

Released on WhyPlayJazz.

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

Music from Berlin, Germany.

Available at:  Bandcamp | Amazon

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Jun 11 2018

The Round-up: Between steel and sky

 

Here is some very good new music.

 

Shake Stew – Rise and Rise Again (Traumton Records)

Shake Stew is the congregation and their new album Rise and Rise Again is a testament to the choice of expressing spirituality via euphoric motion or solemn contemplation.  Ultimately, the septet take both routes, and in both instances, their church bursts with a celebration of life.  Skittering grooves and thick melodies feed off the energy of one another, a playfulness of motion like the dance between shadow and sunlight.  Tenor saxophonist Shabaka Hutchings sits in for a couple of tracks, and it’s a shame it’s just for two, because he is a perfect fit for this band on this album.  Music from Vienna, Austria.

Artist site | Listen | Buy:  Bandcamp – Amazon

 

Kevin Sun – Trio (Endectomorph Music)

There’s an undercurrent of aggression on the newest from Kevin Sun, and it flows through the music no differently when it veers into avant-garde territory as it does when the trio is simply laying down a pretty melody.  Joined by bassist Water Stinson and drummer Matt Honor, the tenor saxophonist rolls out an impressive display of expressionism, where the method of delivery is what binds the album together instead of the cohesion of sound.  That’s pretty cool, and it’s why the ever-changing landscape of Trio feels like it’s keeping to a predetermined path.  Music from Brooklyn, NY.

Artist site | Listen | Buy:  Bandcamp – Amazon

 

Michael Moss Accidental Orchestra – Helix (Self-Produced)

What’s most astounding about this fascinating free jazz release is how Michael Moss is able to spotlight individual rivulets of melody in the dense wave of his big band harmonics.  Violinist Jason Kao Hwang, trombonist Steve Swell and tabla player Badal Roy are a few of the familiar names in Moss’s Accidental Orchestra, and symbolic of the sonic diversity that powers Helix.  There are countless surges intensity, and how they pull apart at the seams of a piece and then suddenly coalesce into a singular vision is just one of the many fascinating qualities offered up.  Another is Michael Lytle dishing out fire on bass clarinet.  Don’t be surprised if this album makes some noise in year-end lists.  Music from NYC.

No artist site | Listen | Buy:  Bandcamp – Amazon

 

Konrad Bogen Trio – Transit (Self-Produced)

The trio of pianist Konrad Bogen, bassist Mischa Frey and drummer Samir Böhringer develop a seriously friendly chatter on their latest, and what makes it so compelling is how that level engagement maintains its electrical charge regardless of the tone of a particular piece.  And so, the contemplative tunes possess the same magnetism and friendly demeanor as do those tunes that move with a lively hop and bounce.  As they did on their previous release, United, the trio takes a Kendrick Lamar tune for a spin, and with equally successful results.  Definitely musicians to keep on your radar.  Music from Berlin, Germany.

Artist site | Listen | Buy:  Bandcamp

 

Matt Carmichael – Matt Carmichael Quartet (Self-Produced)

A promising debut from tenor saxophonist Matt Carmichael.  A calm intensity and casual delivery makes for an appealing combination.  That, in addition to some well crafted melodies, is the source of this EP’s charisma.  Though I suppose it shouldn’t be overlooked how each of these four pieces demonstrate that the quartet understands the value of making a strong opening statement.  Joining Carmichael are pianist Fergus McCreadie, bassist Ali Watson and drummer Tom Potter.  Music from Glasgow, Scotland.

Artist site | Listen | Buy:  Bandcamp

 

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Apr 16 2018

The Round-up: Because there is always hope

 

Here is some very good new music.

 

Owen Broder – Heritage (ArtistShare)

This album is a beam of sunlight.  From the opening notes, it greets you with warm tones, chipper tempos and melodies like a wide smile.  Owen Broder bounces around between various early-American music forms, differentiating a bit here and there, but overall keeping things fluid by focusing on the commonalities that suggest at how everything is connected.  And it’s an interesting point of comparison to Broder’s Cowboys & Frenchmen ensemble, which hits upon works and expressions more akin to the modern scene.  It’s a nice cast joining Broder and his woodwinds: violinist Sara Caswell, pianist Frank Kimbrough, drummer Matt Wilson, trombonist Nick Finzer, vibraphonist James Shipp, trumpeter Scott Wendholt, and bassist Jay Anderson.  Wendy Gilles, Kate McGarry and Vuyo Sotashe add some vocals in a guest role.  Music from NYC.

Artist site | Buy:  Amazon

 

Janczarski & McCraven Quintet – Liberator (For-Tune)

If you’re out browsing the new release section and looking for something that hits your soul with a classic Hard Bop warmth and easy groove, then this session from the Janczarski & McCraven Quintet will definitely float your boat.  There’s some moments that shift into a modern form of expression, but, hey, the musicians live in today not 1965, so that’s gonna happen from time to time.  But when the Sunday night blues descend upon you, and you’re needing something to cheer things back up, hit the play button on Liberator.  Music from Warsaw, Poland.

 

Artist site | Listen | Buy:  Bandcamp – Amazon

 

Meyer/Slavin/Meyer/Black – Other Animal (Traumton)

There’s an appealing melodic flow to Other Animal that is as much indebted to ambient indie-rock music as it is the type of jazz that makes its home in European alpine mountain ranges.  The driving force of this quartet’s melodic focus is through the delicate forces of pressure from an active rhythmic attack… one that’s defined by its flurries and crosscurrents of percussion, but one whose touch is more that of a cool breeze on a summer day than a thunderstorm downpour.  The quartet is comprised of guitarist Peter Meyer, alto saxophonist Wanja Slavin, bassist Bernhard Meyer and drummer Jim Black.  They settle into a particular sound and spend the entire album exploring its nuances.  Music from Berlin, Germany.

Artist site | Listen | Buy:  Bandcamp – Amazon

 

Gaute Storsve Trio – Attention: This Is Not A Toy, For Adult Collectors Only (Ellingsongs)

This personable album is the amalgamation of post-bop, modern European jazz and Cuban music.  The result is a delightful melody bouncing over the surface of a cheerful groove.  There’s an insistent sense that the trio of guitarist Gaute Storsve, bassist Petter Barg and drummer Henning Carlsen want to incite the listener into dance… or at least get the foot tapping along with the tempo and etch the melody into a memory.  It works, especially when the trio brings in a brass section to expand the textural options.  Music from Oslo, Norway.

Artist site | Listen | Buy:  Bandcamp – Amazon

 

Trillmann – FŒN (Tangible Music)

There’s a quirky personality to this recording from the quartet Trillmann.  Saxophonist Fabian Willmann, trombonist Janning Trumann, bassist Florian Herzog and drummer Eva Klesse develop tunes with a punchy attitude and a sly sense of humor.  Melodies hint at something addictive, but then get warped and misshapen, and become more of a cerebral exercise than the emotional reaction they initially promised.  There’s an appealing quality to that sleight-of-hand.  Music from NYC.

Artist site | Listen | Buy:  Bandcamp

 

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Sep 23 2014

Recommended: Max Andrzejewski – “Hütte und Chor”

 

Max Andrzejewski - "Hutte und Chor"There was already something gloriously hyperactive about the music of Max Andrzejewski.  His quartet, Hütte, creates music that is varying degrees of modern post-bop, indie-rock and theatrical soundtrack.  On his new release Hütte und Chor, Andrzejewski goes a step further and adds a vocal quintet, each a soloist in their own right and each proving it in their own way… individuals doing their own thing that just so happens to amount to a cohesive expression.

Adding gospel and operatic elements to music already in possession of an abounding personality, Andrzejewski takes advantage of the new sonic ingredients without materially changing the heart of the music that led to his successful previous release, 2012’s Hütte.  Songs with a serious geometry are provided a healthy sense of humor, and melodies that refuse to sit still are corralled by rhythms that move just a little bit quicker.

For instance, “Countrygirl” offers up some twang and rockabilly rhythms.  Of especial appeal is how the choir matches the cadence, slipping in a little harmonization, erupting with some wild shouts.  It leads in nicely to the gentle sway of “Gospel,” a slow dance saxophone tune interspersed with soft waves of vocal cooing.  It’s a different kind of scene with the stumbling, tumbling, flailing of “Austria Nervös.”

Arguably, the diamond amongst this album of little gems is “Presque Isle,” in which the quartet and vocal choir achieve an ambling tunefulness that is equal parts charm and challenge.  There is nothing straight-forward about the song’s odd melodic angles and shifting tempos, and yet it presents itself with the disarming presence of a friendly smile.

“Bändigung” scoots along with a rock ‘n roll demeanor, whereas “Ziegenproblem” is a post-bop by free association.  “Auf dieser Ebene” is all about the vocal aeronautics, and an interesting counterpart to the interludes of vocal theater that mark this unconventional recording.  Like bits of German opera as flash fiction in the midst of a modern jazz recording, the quintet of soloists deliver their lines with the same whimsy and fearless abandon as do the instrumentalists on the other album tracks.

Bringing the album to a close is “Memo!” with its untamed enthusiasm of a free jazz song performed at a pep rally, whereas album finale “Für Ali A.” is the solemn, but comforting tones of the descending night, a fond farewell and a curtain drop.

There is something admirably courageous about this unconventional, daringly creative project.

Your album personnel:  Max Andrzejewski (drums), Johannes Schleiermacher (tenor sax), Tobias Hoffmann (guitar), Andreas Lang (bass), and Friederike Merz, Sarah Whitteron, Zola Mennenöh, Laura Winkler, Tobias Christl (voices).

Released on Traumton Records.

Listen to more of the album on the label’s Bandcamp page.

Jazz from the Berlin scene.

Available at:  Bandcamp | Amazon

 

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