Jan 15 2019
Best of 2018 #16: Sarathy Korwar – “My East Is Your West”
The question of influence is not just one of music theory, but also of perspectives. On his 2018 release My East Is Your West, Sarathy Korwar configures a new, more honest balance of how an Indian music influence upon jazz might sound, and it’s one of the strongest statements made this year. The timing couldn’t have been better. Even if the perspectives have been skewed at times, the branching out to other cultures is a good thing when done with sincerity. And with the resurgence of an Indian music influence in the jazz sphere, Korwar’s point of view is a welcome bit of guidance… and perspective. It’s also one of the more enjoyable recordings to hit the shelves this year. I am addicted to his renditions of “Journey In Satchidananda” and “Hajj.” Be sure to check out my interview of Korwar by following the Bandcamp link below.
Released on Gearbox Records.
Music from London, UK.
I wrote about this album for The Bandcamp Daily.
There’s so many ways to utilize the music of the past as the source of inspiration for the music of today. Trio HLK (along with guests Evelyn Glennie and Steve Lehman) present a before-and-after comparative of deconstructed standards, where the original work serves as the seed for a massive transformation into something quite new. The before and after pictures are not always apparent. In fact, a certain level of disconnect should be expected going in. However, that’s the charm of the album, and its intelligence. In that same way a puzzle can be considered a source of entertainment even as it forces a brain to go into overdrive and the nervous system to persevere ’til the solution is found, Standard Time coaxes a deep dive into the memory banks for something familiar as it simultaneously keeps the attention focused on its playful expressionism of the new.
This bizarre yet immaculately orchestrated session from Jeroen Kimman’s Orquesta del Tiempo Perdido is one of the most intriguing things I’ve heard all year. In the spirit of the diverse expressionism of the Kamikaze Ground Crew but with an emphasis on alien eccentricities rather than terrestrial oddities, Kimman’s ensemble finds a curious convergence between the whimsy of children songs and space-age effects and all of it balanced upon a slender, fluid melody that cuts down the heart of each of these fascinating tunes. Nothing here sounds normal, and, yet, by the time the album reaches its conclusion, there is something comfortingly, strangely familiar about it. Were I to create a Favorites of 2018 list, it’s quite likely that Stille would earn the top spot.
The lyricism of this recording borders on the epic, which in itself makes Pagan Panic pretty damn special. But the casual ease in which it’s offered up makes for a contrast in expression that puts this recording on an entirely different plateau. Some albums have an emotional impact of such strength that it elicits the feeling of having undergone a journey, of experienced an arc not unlike a storybook character. The 2018 release from Manu Pékar is one such example, and one of the best to see the light of day in 2018.
Jan 16 2019
Best of 2018 #15: John Hollenbeck Large Ensemble – “All Can Work”
Released on New Amsterdam Records.
Music from Binghamton, NY.
I wrote about this album for The Bandcamp Daily.
Available at: Bandcamp | Amazon
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By davesumner • Recap: Best of 2018 • 3 • Tags: Binghamton (NY), Jazz - Best of 2018, John Hollenbeck, New Amsterdam Records