The Round-Up

Feb 18 2019

The Round-up: I never really slept anymore

 

Here is some very good new music.

 

Jorge Rossy Vibes Quintet – Beyond Sunday (Jazz & People)

For many, the name Jorge Rossy will be associated with the drums via his long stint in Brad Mehldau’s trio, and so it’ll always be a refreshing change of pace for those times when he leads out on vibraphone.  This modern session with saxophonist Mark Turner, guitarist Jaume Llombart, bassist Doug Weiss and drummer Al Foster has a rhythmic drive at its core, but it’s their melodic compulsions that steer each tune.  In fact, it’s a formula not far removed from Rossy’s FOX trio with Pierre Perchaud and Nicolas Moreaux.  There are some subtly captivating passages on this recording.  Music from Barcelona.

Artist site | Listen | Buy:  Bandcamp – Amazon

 

E Scott Lindner – Port of Dreams (Infinity Gritty)

This album has been a refuge for me since it first got on my radar.  This post-jazz recording from E Scott Lindner has a massively cinematic presence, inciting in me imagery so strong that I remain convinced that I must’ve seen it originally on a movie screen.  Incorporating a bevy of wind instruments and strings go a long way to explaining the rich textures and soothing harmonies Port of Dreams has to deliver.  Of those contributions, familiar names like Tomoko Omura, Hailey Niswanger, Sara Schoenbeck and Andrew Gould are among the album personnel.  There are moments this album is so beautiful that I feel like my heart can’t take it all in and remain in one piece.  Music from NYC.

Artist site | Listen | Buy:  Bandcamp – Amazon

 

Piet Verbist Quartet – Suite Réunion (Origin Records)

Piet Verbist is far more off the radar than he should be.  The bassist has a real talent for creating modern works that balance expertly between new- and old-school forms of expression.  The axis of this meeting point is where deeply melodic forays and from-the-heart blues occupy the same space, unconflicted.  His latest is yet another example, and well worth scooping up.  Note that Bram Weijters is the pianist in Verbist’s quintet; Weijters is a site favorite, and is on a whole bunch of new releases right now.  Music from Antwerp, Belgium.

Artist site | Listen | Buy:  Bandcamp – Amazon

 

Johnaye Kendrick – Flying (Self-Produced)

Johnaye Kendrick first hit my radar via her captivating vocal contribution to John Ellis’s 2014 release, MOBRO.  Her sound is one that generates a huge feel out of a seemingly effortless delivery, and it’s a quality that she puts to excellent use on her sophomore release, Flying.  While Kendrick certainly knows what to do with a ballad, it’s an upbeat track like “Scorpion” that really allows her innate tunefulness to shine bright.  Pianist Dawn Clement, bassist Chris Symer and drummer D’Vonne Lewis keep to a straight-ahead sound that’s a perfect fit for this session’s choice of originals and renditions.  Music from Seattle, WA.

Artist site | Listen | Buy:  Amazon

 

Alfie Copoví Trio – Flight (Sedajazz Records)

I’m really taken with this modern trio session from the Alfie Copoví Trio.  They craft a pretty melody, nothing fussy, and then let it sail for as long as the breezy rhythm will take it.  Sometimes it’s hints of gospel, sometimes hints of the blues, sometimes the music hops, but mostly this music grooves.  Music from Valencia, Spain.

Artist site | Listen | Buy:  Bandcamp

 

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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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Feb 4 2019

The Round-up: It seemed like ages ago. Maybe it was.

 

Here is some very good new music

 

Restroy – Restroy (1980 Records/Milk Factory Productions)

Pretty sure I’ve never used the phrase hauntingly tuneful before to describe an album, but that’s what you got with the self-titled debut from Restroy.  The ominous tones and ethereal presence combined with striking melodic inspirations gives the sensation of a band that is channeling the spirits of forgotten pop songs.  A solid line-up of bassist Christopher Dammann, trumpeter James Davis, cellist Kevin Davis, keyboardist Paul Giallorenzo, pianist Mabel Kwan and drummer Avreeayl Ra bring about a communion of organic and electronic sounds that comes off as an uneasy alliance… a quality that kicks up the undercurrent of tension a few notches.  Music from Chicago.

Artist site | Listen | Buy:  Bandcamp

 

Soon – Something Out Of Nothing (Caligola Records)

This is one of those recordings you just sink into like the most comfortable sofa at the end of a long week.  The melodies on this trio session are an open door, but the depth of the recording is felt in the waves of harmonics that wash over everything.  With this lovely piano trio recording in hand, pianist Roberto Soggetti, bassist Giulio Corini and drummer Emanuele Maniscalco are here to make everything right in your world.  Music from Brescia, Italy.

No artist site | Listen | Buy:  Bandcamp – Amazon

 

Mauro Gargano Mo’Avast Band – Born in the Sky (iOSA)

The casual lyricism on Born in the Sky can lull you into a place where it’s easy to forget just how powerfully these melodies are gonna get delivered.  And Mauro Gargano‘s quartet does lean into these melodies, returning to them frequently between some wonderful soloing.  And while those solos will keep the attention locked in place, the album is at its strongest when the entire quartet gets involved, meshing into and criss-crossing the trajectories of their counterparts.  Music from Paris, France.

Artist site | Listen | Buy:  Bandcamp – Amazon

 

Alvaro Severino – Ngen-Kürüf (Discos Pendiente)

That Alvaro Severino takes a sonic road trip across South America’s folk musics is plenty absorbing all on its own, but it’s his airy, free-flowing delivery on acoustic guitar that represents this recording at its most captivating.  The Chilean guitarist’s quartet (with trumpet, double bass and drums) keep up an amicable chatter throughout the session, and a tone that could give a beam of sunlight a run for its money.  Music from Essen, Germany.

Artist site | Listen | Buy:  Bandcamp – Amazon

 

Evil Genius – Experiments on Human Subjects (Orenda Records)

The enthusiasm of Evil Genius is pretty damn infectious.  The music is too volatile to contain, too fast to keep pace with, and so damn fun.  The trio of guitarist Max Kutner, tubist Stefan Kac and drummer Mike Lockwood get a whiff of a melody and take off after it, never looking back.  Those brief, rare moments when they enter a fugue state of harmony are captivating as hell.  Punchy attitude, party atmosphere.  Music from Los Angeles, CA.

Artist site | Listen | Buy:  Bandcamp – Amazon

 

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Dec 25 2018

A final Clean Feed Records rundown for 2018 (Pt.1)

 

Let’s talk about Clean Feed Records

 

Orquesta del Tiempo Perdido – Stille

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 that way a Rube Goldberg contraption requires a clockwork precision to effect its insane series of events across an obstacle course of randomized components, so, too, is this inconceivable assortment of instrumentation and influences.  Post-bop, modern classical, an array of folk musics, electronic music, avant-garde, children’s lullabies are just a few of the expressions in play, as are instruments that range from lap steel to bass clarinet to accordion to concertina to trombone to bass harmonica (and so many more).  This is what is sounds like when creativity is allowed to roam wild and free.

Released in conjunction with the Shhpuma label.

Read more about the album on the Clean Feed Records site.

Music from Amsterdam, Netherlands.

Available at:  Bandcamp | Amazon

 

Mia Dyberg Trio – Ticket!

Stare long enough at a raging fire, and the tiny detailing of the flames begins to emerge… the little curls and the flickering shades of yellow and orange and black and pop of sparks disappearing into heatwave haziness.  That’s how it is with the saxophone of Mia Dyberg.  And while there’s plenty of appeal to the smoky presence of a patiently expressed melody, it’s when she unleashes her sax with all its got that the music attains an effect bordering on hypnotic.  Bassist Asger Thomsen and drummer Dag Magnus Narvesen join in the enchantment.

Read more about the album on the Clean Feed Records site.

Music from Berlin, Germany.

Available at:  Amazon

 

Zack Clarke – Mesophase

This album sounds like it is constantly undergoing a disassembly, except that sometimes all of those parts falling off to the side accidentally come together and form a brand new construction.  This never-ending cycle of deconstruction-unity is pretty damn fascinating.  Zack Clarke gives equal weight to his piano and electronic effects, and the inclusion of Chris Irvine‘s cello and Leonid Galaganov‘s percussion and shakuhachi flute add additional layers of strangeness.  Special mention of Nick Dunston on double bass and Charlotte Greve on wind instruments… their complementary textures of shadow and light provide a sense of structure to all of the moving parts.

Read more about the album on the Clean Feed Records site.

Music from NYC.

Available at:  Amazon

 

C.B.G. – Lili & Marleen

There’s something not quite normal about the C.B.G. trio of clarinetist Joachim Badenhorst, electric guitarist Guillermo Celano and drummer Marcos Baggiani.  Their catchy tempos and deep melodic reveries present an approachable demeanor, but it isn’t long before wild divergences and curious eruptions of volatility take over, leaving a paradoxical amalgamation of just what is what.  The resulting confusion is the source of this album’s charm.  The perpetual challenge of reconciling the embraceable passages with those more abrupt and acerbic is a limitless source of fun and intrigue.

Read more about the album on the Clean Feed Records site.

Music from Amsterdam, Netherlands.

Available at:  Amazon

 

Carlos Bica & Azul – Azul in Ljubljana

I’ve never hidden my adoration for the music of Carlos Bica, especially his Azul trio with drummer Jim Black and guitarist Frank Möbus.  What I find particularly compelling about this live performance recording is how it radiates much of the same mysterious presence as his finely crafted studio sessions.  And as many times before, the trio attains that seriously addictive balance between tunefulness and volatility that draws me in each and every time.

Read more about the album on the Clean Feed Records site.

Music from Berlin, Germany & Lisboa, Portugal.

Available at:  Amazon

 

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Dec 3 2018

The Round-up: The process had lost its magic long ago

 

Here is some very good new music

 

Felipe Salles Interconnections Ensemble – The Lullaby Project (Tapestry Records)

Felipe Salles doesn’t have to come at you with a hard sell on his latest.  The comforting sighs of melody and soothing waves of harmony are plenty evidence of his intent to compose for jazz orchestra the Brazilian lullabies of his childhood.  Even when his ensemble lets loose a surge of intensity, there’s always a sense of goal=sweet dreams.  The whole album is gorgeous, but good god, that fourth movement is stunning.  Music from NYC.

Artist site | Listen | Buy:  Amazon

 

Andrew Hadro – For Us, The Living II: Marcescence (Tone Rogue Records)

This is the second release in Andrew Hadro‘s For Us, The Living series, and, really, the important point to let sink in is that this is seriously engaging music.  Sometimes the engagement is how a ballad gets the listener to sink into its embrace, and sometimes that engagement comes via a riveting dialog, full of lyricism and vivid imagery.  The same could be said about the initial recording, which I still enjoy playing from time to time.  The theme of the two recordings is a focus on living composers, and that’s always thrown me a bit, since the first in the series was mostly Hadro originals.  The current installment swings the ratio in the other direction (including comps by Wayne Shorter, Sean Pentland, Chris Cheek, and Julian Shore… who also performs on the newest), and seems more in line with the intent.  Included among the renditions is a cover of Radiohead’s “Faust Arp,” and I don’t care how many of you groan god, do we really need another Radiohead cover? my answer is always yes, we do.  The frequency of occurrence in no way negates how much loveliness available to jazz musicians to suss out from a Radiohead tune.  There’s also a cover Bill Frisell’s “Throughout,” which as any casual reader of this site knows, that’s the fastest way to get my attention.  The act of recognizing a new jazz songbook of modern standards is an intriguing concept, and seems like the kind of thing that could bring a sense of cohesion to a modern scene that is (wonderfully) unconstrained and fragmented in its forms of expression.  The idea of one original included among those composed in the modern era appeals to me; it’ll be interesting to see if Hadro continues in that direction.  Music from NYC.

Artist site | Listen | Buy:  Bandcamp – Amazon

 

Sons of Kemet – Your Queen is a Reptile (Impulse Records)

Though justifiably attributed as a focal point of the resurgent London music scene, the thing of it is, Shabaka Hutchings creative trajectory covers more geography than just one locale.  The latest from Sons of Kemet is a testament to that, and this is something measured by its sonic perspective as well as one political.  The rhythmic dialogues are like points on a map, marking a journey between cities, countries and continents.  The album and song titles are a shout across the bow, simultaneously undercutting the idea of royal lineage and lofting up an alternate suggestion of who is the true royalty of these times.  But transcending the intriguing underpinnings of this album is how supremely joyful the music is.  The tuba of Theon Cross is just as responsible for the delightful rhythmic bounce as the cast of drummers who contribute, and the guest vocalists add some heat to the affair along with additional saxophonists Nubya Garcia and Pete Wareham.  Music from London.

Artist site | Buy:  Amazon

 

Rafael Thomaz Septeto – Ainda dá tempo? (Tratore)

This is just a gorgeous session from guitarist Rafael Thomaz.  A unity of Brazilian, classical and jazz, his septet brings out the beauty of each melody, and lets the harmonies shine like the heavens opening up for all to see.  There are some interludes spread throughout, and their introspective nature is a nice contrasting element.  Flutist Cesar Pereira, oboist Tiago Marques, clarinetist Alexandre Ribeiro, saxophonist Bruno Cabral, bassist Henrique Tarrason and drummer Fabio Augustinis join Thomaz on this lovely recording.

Artist site | Listen | Buy:  Bandcamp – Amazon

 

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