May 21 2018
The Round-up: Shards from the past cut through the hours of our days
Here is some very good new music.
Zion80 – Warriors (Chant Records)
There’s a joyfulness to this music that leaves its mark. Zion80 grooves heavy and hard, but there’s never a time the music doesn’t stay light on its feet. It’s easy to see why Jon Madof‘s dectet was such a nice fit in John Zorn’s Book of Angels series… the ensemble can work subtle shifts between influences without causing even a ripple of disturbance in the rhythmic chatter. The melodies of Warriors are like beaming smiles, full of warmth and friendliness. Mysticism is a pretty big deal in the modern Zorn songbook, but it’s something that Zion80 clearly had in their back pocket before those sessions began. There’s a spirituality that bleeds out of tunes designed for letting loose on the weekend, and that Zion80 doesn’t appear to view that as a contradiction is likely the reason for the music’s success and why it comes off as so damn genuine. Ensemble members saxophonist Jessica Lurie and pianist Brian Marsella are just two of the names familiar to this site. Music from NYC.
Artist site | Listen | Buy: Bandcamp – Amazon
Tim Daisy’s Fulcrum Ensemble – Animation (Relay Recordings)
It can’t be easy navigating a path that attempts to be wide open and modern and free while also drawing thick lines tracing back to jazz in its early stages of life. This inside-out recording from Tim Daisy’s Fulcrum Ensemble is wild and effusive, and sometimes it echoes the swinging affairs from New Orleans past and sometimes it explodes in an avant-garde fury reminiscent of New York City loft scene of the seventies. But in every instance, there’s a strong presence of the modern day, that the form of expression is always focused through the lens of musicians who know exactly where their feet stand and that they breathe the air of today. But aside from matters of influence and style, what matters most is that this music is supremely fun. Its unpredictability is manifest even when the sound is something intimately familiar. Clarinetist James Falzone, trombonist Steve Swell, cornetist Josh Berman, cellist Fred Lonberg-Holm and saxophonist Dave Rempis all leave their mark on this excellent recording. It’s always difficult for me to get to all of the music out there and still meet my submission deadlines, and that’s the only reason this wasn’t one of my Best of Bandcamp Jazz recommendations when this album was released. Don’t be surprised if it makes an appearance in a later column. Music from Chicago.
Artist site | Listen | Buy: Bandcamp
Menagerie – The Arrow of Time (Freestyle Records)
Menagerie‘s updated soul jazz is like the first day of Spring after a long winter. The music’s melodic warmth and cheerful grooves are a signal to emerge from a state of hibernation and set to motion. Lance Ferguson‘s ensemble steps up with a big sound, but its presence is laid-back casual. That seeming contradiction between potential force and resultant calm creates its own form of tension, and thus a special kind of beauty… like when storm clouds gather overhead, but it never rains and a streak of sunlight is allowed to shine through unimpeded. Fallon Williams adds a nice spoken word touch on the opening track. If you liked their 2012 release They Shall Inherit, their newest will also float your boat. Music from Melbourne, Australia.
Artist site | Listen | Buy: Bandcamp – Amazon
MABUTA – Welcome To This World (Self-Produced)
This debut from MABUTA is a nice example of how doing something a little bit different doesn’t necessarily have to be an obstacle to creating supremely embraceable music. The sextet’s mix of South African jazz and contemporary electronic music is all kinds of friendly and forges a strong connection, even as it simultaneously creates an environment that sparks an introspective reaction. The core group of bassist Shane Cooper, guitarist Reza Khota, pianist Bokani Dyer, tenor saxophonist Sisonke Xonti, drummer Marlon Witbooi and trumpeter Robin Fassie-Kock get some solid assistance from an array of guest musicians… notably saxophonists Shabaka Hutchings (who has got to have a ton of frequent flier miles for all the guest spots he’s been up for lately) and Buddy Wells (who lights the album up on his guest spot). Also in a guest role, Tlale Makhene demonstrates that percussion is another form of electricity. Music from Cape Town, South Africa.
Artist site | Listen | Buy: Bandcamp – Amazon
Yves Arques & Miguel Crozzoli – Drops of Sun (Nendo Dango Records)
The tension ranges from simmering to explosive on this duo outing from pianist Yves Arques and saxophonist Miguel Crozzoli. Passages of silence are just as fearful as the unleashing of sonic fury… and just as enchanting. Arques adds some melodic textures, either by preparing his piano or keeping a bit of odd percussion nearby. There are moments of extreme focus when the music becomes an immersive experience. Music from Paris & Buenos Aires.
Artist site | Listen | Buy: Bandcamp
The music of Jaimie Branch is constructed with the sounds of things falling apart. Fly or Die is the echo of metal ripped in half and set to fire with wires as the kindling. It’s not pretty, and yet it has a serious allure. It’s laid back and casual, and yet has a charismatic appeal that locks the attention in place. And when it all comes together with a laser beam melody and harmonic surge breaking through the dissonance like the morning dawn through darkness, everything just falls into place and begins making sense again. The trumpeter’s core unit of cellist Tomeka Reid, bassist Jason Ajemian and drummer Chad Taylor are birds-of-a-feather, and certainly no stranger to the art of building through deconstruction. These are musicians that see the poetry of decay, and how that leads to the rebirth of things anew. Jaimie Branch’s debut album not only cycles through both states, but gives the impression that they’re not viewed as even being separate. Everything about this album is different. It’s a strange vision Branch delivers, and yet it’s so simple to embrace. In a year that saw an astounding collection of singular displays of personality, Branch’s stands out as the most individualistic. This easily could’ve been the album of the year.
Nicole Mitchell was already recognized as existing in a state of creativity somewhat outside common territory. Her recorded and performance history have been primary movers of how music is shaped in this new century. And yet even comprehending that isn’t sufficient preparation for Mandorla Awakening II: Emerging Worlds. Her Afrofuturist project is a dream, a story, a recording, a political statement and societal aspiration. Avant-garde, soul jazz, blues, modern jazz, classical, spoken word, gospel, rock are just some of the residents of this sonic city, whose story unfolds over the course of ten pieces. It’s sometimes chaotic, sometimes hopeful, sometimes at peace, and so much more of it triggering ineffable emotional reactions lying somewhere in between. Mitchell stepped up with a massive vision, and delivered it in a way that is as compelling as it is enjoyable. This easily could’ve been the album of the year.
Jun 14 2018
Recommended: Jason Stein – “Lucille!”
Some Stein originals are bundled up with covers of Monk, Bird and Tristano. Here, Stein is clearly evidencing a comfort level with where he is as a musician. The music is made personal in his own voice, while also honoring the originals in both spirit and sound. How that carries through in terms of song identity and the transitions between the songs benefits the album with a sense of cohesion. It also makes it more personable, as if Stein had opened a window to the outside so everyone could give a listen to a conversation meant only to be heard by the four musicians. The connection that forges is no small thing, and it is in no small part a reason why Lucille! is so damn addictive.
Your album personnel: Jason Stein (bass clarinet), Keefe Jackson (tenor saxophone, contrabass clarinet), Joshua Abrams (bass) and Tom Rainey (drums).
Released on Delmark Records.
Listen to more of the album on the artist’s Bandcamp page.
Music from Chicago.
Available at: Bandcamp | Amazon
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By davesumner • Jazz Recommendations, Jazz Recommendations - 2017 releases • 0 • Tags: Chicago, Delmark Records, Jason Stein