Greg Ward

Jan 25 2020

Best of 2019 #42: Matt Ulery – “Delicate Charms”

 

I’ve written negative reviews of three musicians on this site.  They were as follows:  Bill Frisell, Bobby Hutcherson, and Matt Ulery.  Frisell and Hutcherson are jazz giants, and responsible for landmark recordings, and over the course of their careers have been instrumental in the advancement of jazz.  I ripped apart their (at the time) new releases for being far below what they were capable of.  Basically, for the crime of being ordinary.

Matt Ulery’s sin didn’t even rise to that level.  In hindsight, I really should’ve cut the guy some slack.  The bassist and composer is young by jazz standards, but he’s also way ahead of the curve by way of creative accomplishments.  The Chicagoan has already delivered a unique sound that is as inventive as it is classic.  One day I expect to be speaking of his works with the same reverence as I do Henry Threadgill or Wayne Horvitz.  In truth, it was awfully tepid criticism. I basically said his album was too pretty.  And it was.  It lacked some of the edge and mystery of past works.  But in the grand scheme of things, there was nothing really wrong with the album, and perhaps focusing on that single flaw was a bit much… especially in the context that it’s still early, for him (and for us, as listeners), and also possessing an understanding that his music, like all others, exists in a continuum, where some things are merely elements of transformations to come, changes to manifest, and, perhaps a too-pretty recording leading to a grand beauty of the future.

I bring all this up, because that future grand beauty became the present in 2019 with Delicate Charms.  The album has the majestic stature of his jazz orchestra recordings and the curious melodicism of his small ensemble Loom sessions, and yet the elements of each come together in a way that are much different than simple addition, a different kind of math altogether, an abstract calculation where one plus one equals universe.  It’s a gorgeous recording.  It’s also a huge reminder that we are watching evolution in action, tracking artists as their music changes as they change and as the music transforms yet again.  It is easy to forget how truly miraculous it all is.

Your album personnel:  Matt Ulery (double bass), Greg Ward (alto sax), Zach Brock (violin), Rob Clearfield (piano) and Quin Kirchner (drums).

Released on Woolgathering Records.

Music from Chicago, IL.

I wrote about this album for The Bandcamp Daily.

Listen | Read more | Available at: Bandcamp – Amazon

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Jul 11 2019

Now up: June’s Best Jazz on Bandcamp recommendations

 

And here we go. Brace yourselves, music listeners, because my latest Best Jazz on Bandcamp recommendations just posted on The Bandcamp Daily.  The newest monthly installment covers albums for June 2019.  There’s ten primary recommendations in total, plus some bonus recommendations, to boot.  There’s been no let-up on the deluge of new music in 2019, so if you were thinking about maybe settling into a prior month’s purchases, forget about it… you’ve got more excellent new music to discover.  On that note, let’s begin.

Follow this LINK to read those recommendations and listen to music from each album.

And check out past recommendations by running through the archives.

Have fun going through the list!

Cheers.

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Feb 11 2019

The Round-up: I was still holding that postcard

 

Here is some very good new music.

 

Geof Bradfield – Yes, and…Music for Nine Improvisers (Delmark Records)

While nobody is ever gonna mistake the music of Geof Bradfield for traditional, the roots of jazz have long been at the heart of his recordings and it’s not unusual for the pulse to slip into a familiar old-school cadence.  It’s an aspect of his music that has made past recordings so damn enjoyable.  Be that as it may, it’s equally refreshing to hear something where the balance shifts more to the modern end of the spectrum.  His newest isn’t free jazz by any means, but an emphasis on improvisation means that structure and shape of any one piece isn’t necessarily something that can be anticipated.  The saxophonist’s line-up consists of personnel who have received the spotlight from these parts previously, and often:  Alto saxophonist Greg Ward, flutist-saxophonist Anna Webber, trumpeters Russ Johnson and Marquis Hill, trombonist Joel Adams, guitarist Scott Hesse, bassist Clark Sommers and drummer Dana Hall.  Music from Chicago.

Artist site | Listen | Buy:  Amazon

 

Zela Margossian Quintet – Transition (Art as Catharis Records)

The Armenian influence is just delightful on this session from Zela Margossian.  The pianist keeps a conversational chatter going throughout, and the brisk pace hangs in the air even when her quintet shifts into a lower gear.  There’s something about the fusion of modern jazz and old folk music that makes for such an engaging convergence of time and place and expression.  Music from Sydney, Australia.

Artist site | Listen | Buy:  Bandcamp – Amazon

 

Ari Chersky – Fear Sharpens the Dagger (Self-Produced)

This is one of those recordings where the creativity doesn’t end after the last notes are performed.  What began as a live performance eventually moved into the studio for the long work of overdubbing, cut & paste, layers atop layers, additions where needed, and resulted in something quite different than what went in through the front door.  Ari Chersky has created something quite beautiful and strange.  There’s some ambient textures whose bloom yields something far more volatile and lively, and there are rich passages of complexity where the details reveal tiny universes within.  Fans of Bill Frisell’s Unspeakable phase or, perhaps, some of the new century ECM from Arild Anderson and Miroslav Vitous should give this one a listen, for sure.  Music from Brooklyn, NY.

Artist site | Listen | Buy:  Bandcamp – Amazon

 

Orcastratum – Orcastratum (Compunctio Records)

There is something undeniably inviting about the atmosphere created by Glenn Scott‘s Orcastratum project.  A blend of modern and contemporary jazz, R&B, pop and a strong undercurrent of blues all come together in seamless fashion.  Guest musicians like kora master and vocalist Solo Cissokho, saxophonist Binker Golding and vocalists Shaneeka Simon & Eric Bibb (who end the album with the powerful “No Need”) prove the value of embracing the benefits of diverse expressions.

Artist site | Listen | Buy:  Amazon

 

First Gig Never Happened – Mingus without Bass, Monk without Hat (Alessa Records)

It’s pretty easy to fall for these renditions, re-arrangements and inspirations of classic Mingus and Monk tunes.  The trio of drummer Judith Schwarz, keyboardist Alexander Fitzthum and saxophonist Lisa Hofmaninger keep in the spirit of the source material, and this is true during the faithful reproductions of compositions and when they channel their own vision of things.  The loose demeanor of their take on “Fables of Faubus” and how they twist that melody into something a bit different is emblematic of the serious fun this album has to give.  Hofmaninger switching over to bass clarinet results in some of the album’s most riveting moments.  Music from Vienna, Austria.

Artist site | Listen | Buy:  Amazon

 

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