This is Jazz Today

This was a busy week.  I finally just had to call it quits, but I’m shaking my head and looking at the albums that I didn’t have time to include in this week’s column.  I might have to do a Part B addendum at some point.

But let’s talk about the albums that are included in this week’s This Is Jazz Today recommendations column.  There’s a very nice mix of sounds this week, really representing the depth and diversity of the modern scene.  One of those weeks where there really is something for everyone.

Let’s begin…

*** Pick of the Week ***

Jakob Bro – Gefion

A gorgeous new album from guitarist Jakob Bro, who has repeatedly shown a talent for bringing a melodic liveliness to serene music.  His newest features his strangely alluring mix of jazz and folk and ambient soundscapes.  And though it possesses the ingredients that typically complete your basic Nordic Jazz recording, Bro’s expressionism doesn’t fit so neatly into that general category.  Even when he’s being structurally obtuse, his music possesses a form and presence and melodic incisiveness that proves elusive to categorization.  His newest has him in a trio formation, joined by bassist Thomas Morgan and drummer Jon Christensen.  Just too beautiful.

Released on ECM Records.  Visit the artist site.

Read about other Bro albums | Buy: Amazon

*****

*** This week’s featured albums ***

Anat Cohen – Luminosa (Anzic)

Each new recording by Cohen just further impresses how much feeling she’s able to generate from her clarinet.  Her newest focuses on Brazilian music, but some adventurous takes on music from other parts of the world, too.  I’ll be writing more about this excellent album in the coming weeks, but, seriously, don’t bother waiting… just go buy this album now.

Artist site | Listen | Buy:  eMusic – Bandcamp – Amazon

*****

Giovanni Francesca – Rame (Auand)

Stunningly beautiful album from guitarist Francesca’s quintet.  His sound, with its effects and an instrumentation that includes both violin and trombone is strongly reminiscent of Bill Frisell’s Nonesuch years.  Sweetness and fire, both, on this one.  Expect to read more in the coming weeks on this site.

Artist site | Listen | Buy:  eMusic – Bandcamp – Amazon

*****

Pascal Schumacher – Left Tokyo Right (Laborie)

Resonant new release from vibraphonist Schumacher.  The whole quartet shines, but especially so in the pairing of Schumacher and pianist Franz von Chossy.  Melodies as deep as the sea and just as enchanting.

Artist site | Listen | Buy:  eMusic – Amazon

*****

Emanative – The Light Years of the Darkness (Brownswood)

Excellent large ensemble spiritual jazz performance.  Led by drummer-percussionist Emanative (the alias for Nick Woodmansey), they perform renditions of tunes by Alice Coltrane, Sun Ra, Pharoah Sanders and more.  Rich grooves and melodies as soft as a cool breeze in Summer.

Artist site | Listen | Buy:  Bandcamp – eMusic – Amazon

Read more about this album on Bird is the Worm (LINK).

*****

David Ake – Lake Effect (Posi-tone)

Seriously expressive new set from pianist Ake’s quartet.  Switches between songs of a bubbling intensity and solo pieces as serene as a morning sunrise.  Benefiting the album greatly, Ake gives saxophonist Peter Epstein plenty of room to roll out his solos.

Artist site | Buy: eMusic – Amazon

*****

E.J. Strickland Quintet – The Undying Spirit (Strick Muzik)

A graceful eloquence to this recording, which exhibits no hesitation to wear its heart on its sleeve.  Drummer Strickland leads a quintet of pro’s pros (Jaleel Shaw, Linda Oh, Luis Pedromo and brother Marcus) through a set of straight-ahead tunes.  Lots to like here, but “Midnight’s Clearing” is a song that’ll stick in your head long after the album is done playing.

Artist site | Buy: eMusic – Amazon

*****

New Cool Collective – Electric Monkey Sessions (Dox)

Benjamin Herman’s ensemble expands on their 70s psych-trip-jazz niche.  Going deep with their rhythmic approaches add an interesting new facet to their melodically rich sound, especially the Senegalese influences.  Fun music with some cool grooves.

Artist site | Listen | Buy:  eMusic – Bandcamp – Amazon

*****

Doug Webb – Triple Play (Posi-tone)

Nifty straight-ahead set from tenor saxophonist Webb.  Triple tenor sax line-up (along w/Walt Weiskopf & Joel Frahm) emits an abundance of heat.  Balanced out nicely by the thick grooves of organist Brian Charette and drummer Rudy Royston.

Artist site | Buy: eMusic – Amazon

*****

Glenn Zaleski – My Ideal (Sunnyside)

Nice straight-ahead piano trio set.  Whether kicking up some dust with an up-tempo piece or slipping into a ballad, Zaleski’s crew gets a nice chatter going.  Guest Ravi Coltrane is a good indication that Zaleski’s next recording should include a full-time saxophonist.

Artist site | Listen | Buy:  eMusic – Bandcamp – Amazon

*****

Courtney Pine – Song (The Ballad Book) (Destin-E)

Gorgeous duet album with saxophonist Pine and pianist Zoe Rahman.  Sublime takes on standards and new school tunes.  Solemn as a Sunday morning when the whole world is at peace.

Artist site | Buy: eMusic – Amazon

*****

Nordic Circles – Winter Rainbow (AMP Music)

Nice modern straight-ahead set.  Despite their name, this quintet more often sounds closer to NYC than ECM.  Nothing new, just music with a sunny atmosphere and occasional melancholy clouds.

No artist site | No listen | Buy: Amazon

*****

Have a great time digging through the list!

And remember, it’s simple:  You like what you like.

Cheers.

***

Okay, well, it took a little bit longer to publish this week’s This Is Jazz Today column than I’d intended, but now you have a nice lazy Sunday ahead of you to slowly peruse the new music… so there’s that, at least.

The top albums this week all have some serious personality to them, sounding unlike much anything else on the scene, so I expect the extended time you spend listening to it all will match my own.  Aside from a couple straight-ahead piano trio albums, there weren’t many quickies this week… lots of patient listening, instead.  And while the side-effect may be a late column, the huge amount of originality reflected by the albums below makes it worthwhile… as well as signalling the depth of modern Jazz today.

My only real disappointment is the meager amount of music I was able to embed with the synopses.  Typically, it’s just a small percentage that go without, but this week, unfortunately, there’s a shameful amount of albums that didn’t provide a single embeddable track.  Thankfully, though, this week’s strongest albums did, so get yer ear’s engine started.

And let’s begin…

*** Pick of the Week ***

SFJazz Collective – The Music of Joe Henderson

For its most recent project, the SFJazz Collective chose to embrace the music of jazz titan, Joe Henderson.  An all-star line-up consisting of the saxophones of Miguel Zenón and David Sánchez, trumpeter Avishai Cohen, trombonist Robin Eubanks, vibraphonist Warren Wolf, pianist Edward Simon, bassist Matt Penman and drummer Obed Calvaire, their imaginative takes on Henderson’s music reveals how a well-crafted arrangement can have a transformative effect on a familiar song and how a surgical dissection of a body of work can result in thrilling bursts of original creativity.  And perhaps the greatest display of talent on this session is the way in which the Collective is able to utilize odd turns of phrase and take the road least expected, yet still end up in a place that sounds very much like straight-ahead jazz.

The album is Self-Produced | Visit the artist site

More listening | Buy:  eMusic – Amazon

*****

*** This week’s featured albums ***

Harris Eisenstadt – Golden State II (Songlines)

Where on previous recordings a jarring change of mood would signal a new direction, on the newest from drummer Eisenstadt, his quartet displays a remarkable ease in transitioning seamlessly from flurries of dissonance to extended melodic glides and jaunty strolls through the park humming the blues.

Artist site | Buy: eMusic – Amazon

Read more about this album on Bird is the Worm (LINK).

*****

Jean-Marie Machado Danzas – Lagrima Latina (Self-Produced)

Pianist Machado offers up an abundance of liveliness and personality with his Danzas orchestra and vocal trio.  A supreme tunefulness, the music jumps with enthusiasm and purrs with the sweetest melodic passages.  Expect to be reading more about this fun album on Bird is the Worm in the coming weeks.

Artist site | Listen | Buy: eMusic – Amazon

*****

chuffDRONE – chuffDRONE (Jazzwerkstatt)

All kinds of personality displayed by this quintet.  Led out by two saxophonists, they find the right balance between boisterous enthusiasm and melodic flirtation.  Everything about the music screams fun.

Artist site | Listen | Buy: eMusic – Amazon

*****

World Kora Trio – Un Poisson dans le Désert (Passé Minuit)

This trio of kora, cello and percussion keeps finding new ways to enchant.  The trio develop an easy-going conversational style that teeters between serene & chatty.  So damn pretty at times, it’s heartbreaking.

Artist site | Buy: eMusic – Amazon

*****

Dominik Strycharski – Prophetic Fall (NotTwo)

Furious behavior from flautist Strycharski’s trio.  Avant-garde demeanor, however, doesn’t hide the rampant melodicism.  That said, it’s the trio’s percussive force that represents this album’s best qualities.

Artist site | Listen | Buy: eMusic – Amazon

*****

Mohamed Abozekry & Heejaz Extended – Ring Road (Jazz Village)

A hell of an exciting release from oudist Abozekry.  A strong folk music influence, but the way it’s expressed ranges far and wide.  The shifts from a furious assault to a lazy day serenity are some powerful stuff.

Artist site | Buy: eMusic – Amazon

*****

Toine Thys Trio – Grizzly (Igloo)

Personable sax-drums-organ trio set from saxophonist Thys.  Considering the unusual match of instruments, for the most part, this is a straight-ahead affair.  Strong lyricism that bathes in soulful waters.

Artist site | Listen | Buy: eMusic – Amazon

*****

Judith Goldbach – Reisetagebuch (JazzNArts)

Goldbach’s quartet gives a modern spin to Hungarian folk tunes, providing a bit of something old and a bit of something new.  When bass clarinet and vibraphone step up, the album really takes off.  Enchanting in its way.

Artist site |  Buy: eMusic – Amazon

*****

Steve Turre – Spiritman (Smoke Sessions)

Another solid straight-ahead release from the Smoke Sessions label.  Led by veteran trombonist Turre, they apply their hard bop touch to both originals and standards.  It’s on those tunes that fall in the former category that the quintet’s heart beats the strongest.

Artist site | Buy: eMusic – Amazon

*****

Andre Leroux – Synchronie-cites (Effendi)

Nifty straight-ahead modern set from saxophonist Leroux.  Nice mix of late-night moodiness, eccentric turns-of-phrase and up-tempo boppers.  Many shows of personality that are positively radiant.

Artist site | Buy: eMusic – Amazon

*****

Duduka da Fonseca – Jive Samba (Zoho)

Excellent Brazilian jazz set from drummer da Fonseca.  His trio continues to thrive in finding subtle ways of evoking both the South American and NYC influences.  Best tracks on the newest are the talkative, uptempo tunes that beat with the heart of Spring.

Artist site | Buy: eMusic – CDBaby – Amazon

*****

Jack DeJohnette – Made In Chicago (ECM)

Recorded at the 2013 Chicago Jazz Festival, drummer DeJohnette leads an all-star cast of Henry Threadgill, Roscoe Mitchell, Muhal Richard Abrams and Larry Gray.  Music befitting a (sort of) AACM reunion.  Untamed, wild music.

Artist site | Buy: Amazon

*****

Weldon Hill – Free Expression (Self-Produced)

An enjoyable classic straight-ahead sound from Weldon’s piano trio.  Conversational demeanor aided by simple well-crafted melodies.  Definitely one for the old-school fans.

Artist site | Buy: eMusic – CDBaby – Amazon

*****

Ryan McGillicuddy – Boots & Boots (LAJC Records)

Seriously tuneful piano trio set.  Bassist McGillicuddy is accompanied by the talented trio of drummer Peter Erskine and pianist Vardan Ovsepian.  Nothing fancy, just solid straight-ahead modern jazz.

Artist site | Buy: eMusic – CDBaby – Amazon

*****

Tim Whalen – Oblivion (Self-Produced)

Pianist Whalen leads a quintet in a Bud Powell-themed set.  Lots of surprising moments where the trio breaks from the mold of “just another covers album.”  Passages of intense melodicism carry the day.

Artist site | Buy: eMusic – Amazon

*****

Have a great time digging through the list!

And remember, it’s simple:  You like what you like.

Cheers.

***

Well all right, the This Is Jazz Today column is back!  After a desperately needed week away from music and writing, I’ve got a fresh new batch of recommendations for you today.  Now, this list reflects only the past week of new releases.  I will almost certainly be posting some sort of make-up column for those new releases that dropped during my hiatus the week prior.

But for now, start digging through the newest gems to surface in the Jazz section of the internet.

Let’s begin…

*** Pick of the Week ***

Chris Lightcap’s Bigmouth – Epicenter

There’s an anthemic nature to much of Chris Lightcap‘s style of modern jazz.  This is true whether he adopts a straight-ahead sound that bops right along or goes with something that toes the line separating jazz from other genres.  That continues on his newest, where the all-star bassist deftly combines oddball meters, conventional song structures and stunning melodic washes.  Epicenter is one of the best things to come out, thus far, in 2015.  At year end, I expect to be saying much the same.  Pretty soon, I’ll be writing more about this album and his previous recording, Deluxe.  In the meantime, just start listening.

Released on Clean Feed Records.  Visit the artist site.

More listening | Buy: eMusic – Direct from Clean Feed Records

*****

*** This week’s featured albums ***

Kenosha Kid – Inside Voices (Self-Produced)

Basic building blocks of a strong melody, thick harmonies and a well-lit rhythmic path lead to a texturally rich offering.  Development of album as intriguing as individual songs.  Excellent example of modern jazz-indie rock mix.

Artist site | Listen | Buy: Bandcamp – eMusic – CDBaby – Amazon

Read more about this album on Bird is the Worm (LINK).

*****

Albert “Tootie” Heath – Philadelphia Beat (Sunnyside)

Excellent set from jazz legend Heath in a trio with modern heroes Ethan Iverson & Ben Street.  Nifty generational balance between old-school and new-school straight-ahead styles.  Cheerful music with a sharp wit… oh hell yes.

No artist site | Listen | Buy:  Bandcamp – eMusic – Amazon

*****

Till Martin Quintet – The Gardener (Unit Records)

Saxophonist Martin’s quintet weaves an album of supreme gorgeousness.  Addition of cello and viola allows transition between an icy elegance and soft warmth.  Perfect amount of edge to complement the comforting, serene beauty.

Artist site | Buy:  eMusic – Amazon

*****

James Falzone’s Renga Ensemble – The Room Is (Allos Documents)

Falzone’s sextet of clarinets and saxophones possesses a lexicon equally adept at enchantment and debate.  Modulations between sweet harmonies and acerbic dissonance performed with an appealing care and patience.  A friggin’ all-star line-up of reedists on this one.

Artist site | Listen | Buy: Bandcamp – eMusic – CDBaby

*****

Skydive Trio – Sun Moee (Hubro)

Nice easy-going guitar trio from bassist Mats Eilertsen, drummer Olavi Louhivuori and guitarist Thomas T. Dahl.  Hazy melodies delivered with strong intent.  A tuneful approach throughout.

Artist site | Buy: eMusic – Amazon

*****

Jeremy Danneman – Lady Boom Boom (Ropeadope)

An album that sets equal importance to kicking back in the shade as it does getting out on the dance floor.  Saxophonist Danneman’s debut bleeds all kinds of personality and more than a little bit of fun.  Charming and exuberant.

Artist site | Listen | Buy: Bandcamp – Amazon

*****

Syberen van Munster – Plunge for Distance (Self-Produced)

When this quintet moves at a brisk pace, the music has an appealing pop-music catchiness.  And when sax & accordion combine to influence the proceedings, the result is a haunting beauty.  Guitarist van Munster strikes a nice balance on this solid debut recording.

Artist site | Listen | Buy: CDBaby – eMusic – Amazon

Download a free album track at the artist’s Soundcloud page.

*****

Spin Marvel – Infolding (Rare Noise)

Space-age jazz electronica fusion.  Heavy atmospherics from the live electronic effects and Nils Petter Molvaer’s trumpet create an intoxicating ambiance.  Rhythm section provides the necessary thump and drive to balance things out.

Artist site | Buy:  Amazon

*****

Mike Ievtushenko Trio – Prayer (Barnette Records)

Solid saxophone trio set from tenor man Ievtushenko.  They hit the sweet spot from when hard bop was transitioning into spiritual jazz.  One that should appeal to old-school and new-school fans alike.

No artist site | Buy: eMusic

*****

Ifa y Xango – Twice Left Handed\\Shavings (El Negocito)

Interesting mix of dissonance and drone from this ensemble of wind instruments, guitars, keyboards and electronic effects.  Even when it growls, there’s a comforting nature to the music.  Something different.

Artist site | Listen | Buy: Bandcamp

*****

Yvonnick Prene & Pasquale Grasso – Merci Toots (Self-Produced)

Guitar-harmonica duo run through a set of standards and classics.  They develop a nice chatter, moving at a brisk pace without sounding hurried.  A sort of quaint blowing session.

Artist site | Listen | Buy: CDBaby – Amazon

*****

Free Nelson Mandoomjazz – Awakening of a Capital (Rare Noise)

Seriously compelling saxophone trio session.  Switches from a theme for the end of the world to an infectious groove to striking melodic passages.  All kinds of personality to this one.

Artist site | Listen | Buy: Amazon

*****

Muriel Grossmann – Earth Tones (Self-Produced)

Some nifty old-school spiritual jazz from saxophonist Grossmann.  Excellent mix of barely restrained heat and nearly attained serenity.  Alice Coltrane fans check in here.

Artist site | Buy: eMusic – CDBaby – Amazon

*****

Don Aliquo/Clay Jenkins Quintet – New Ties & Binds (Self-Produced)

Nifty straight-ahead session that reflects a friendly demeanor.  There’s a looseness to the sound that’s plenty appealing.  Incisive interplay between engaging solos keeps things bopping right along.

Artist site | Buy:  No known retail options

*****

Jason Seizer – Cinema Paradiso (Pirouet)

Nice take on classic movie themes from Seizer’s quartet.  His saxophone stays to the quiet end, but makes each note resonate with remarkable strength.  Moody, evocative, quite beautiful at times.

Artist site | Buy: eMusic – Amazon

*****

Chantale Gagne – The Left Side of the Moon (Self-Produced)

Enjoyable set from pianist Gagne, backed by a quartet of pro’s pros (Lewis Nash, Steve Wilson & Peter Washington).  Nothing fancy, just solid straight-ahead jazz.  A little swing, a little bop, plenty of soul.

Artist site | Buy: CDBaby – Amazon

*****

Have a great time digging through the list!

And remember, it’s simple:  You like what you like.

Cheers.

***

Well, as I mentioned yesterday in Part One of this column, the sheer volume of new releases this week forced me to split this week’s This Is Jazz Today column into two parts.  Today is Part Two and Part One appeared yesterday.  Conveniently, each day will feature one of the two co-Picks of the Week.  And the Featured Five will now become the Featured Six, so that I can have an equal number of them each day.  Twenty recommendations in all, ten per day.  And quite frankly, there were more than two recordings that had a strong claim to earn the top spot.  Damn, this was a strong week.  So, I split it in two.

Have I made this more complicated than it needed be?  Probably.  Couldn’t I just have loaded up a ton of recommendations in one single column like I have so many other times before?  Well, you make a good point.  Am I going to persist in delaying the discovery of great new music by allowing this intro to continue endlessly?  Oh, hey, yeah, sorry about that.  And couldn’t I have had the decency to at least write something new for Day 2 instead of copy & pasting yesterday’s intro?  Nag nag nag.

Let’s begin…

*** The Featured Three ***

Bram Weijters & Chad McCullough Quartet – Abstract Quantities

There is a workmanlike quality to the magic this quartet creates with each recording.  Pianist Bram Weijters and Chad McCullough go about their job of crafting expert melodies and seamlessly fusing them into place with logical rhythms and harmonies that achieve their function with a remarkable precision.  The result is a series of striking tunes that give the sense of possessing no beginning and no end, and radiating an individuality that draws the focus on the song of the moment with no regard to what has come before and what’s up next.

Read more about why I recommend this album (LINK).

co-Pick of the Week.

Released on Origin Arts.  Visit the artist site & artist site.

More listening | Buy:  Bandcamp | Amazon

*****

Daniele Cavallanti – Sounds of Hope

Saxophonist Daniele Cavallanti joins with the Milano Contemporary Art Ensemble for an absolutely thrilling album.  A Big Sound that dedicates itself to exploring the nuances of the compositions.  The way Cavallanti is able to introduce the most delicate statements amidst waves of ferocity is just breathtaking.  Coltrane fans should be taking a listen here, especially.  I’ll be writing more about this album in the coming weeks, but feel free to just go buy this fantastic album immediately.

Released on Rudi Records.  No artist site

Buy: eMusic – Amazon

*****

Peter Gordon – Symphony 5

What’s most compelling about the new release by composer Peter Gordon and his Love Of Life Orchestra is that they make very strange music sound like an everyday experience.  The ensemble splices together passages of jazz, rock, pop, classical and any number of other influences, and shapes a stream of ideas that gives the impression of the unconventional, but comes off as almost logical as they serve up one unexpected turn after the other.  An essential element to this approach is that the music possesses a euphoric joyfulness that informs each and every moment.  Music as fun as it is intelligent.

Released on Foom Music.

More listening | Buy: Bandcamp – eMusic – Amazon

*****

*** And seven more ***

Sigurdur Flosason & Kjeld Lauritsen – Daybreak (Storyville)

Cool blues sound from this quartet of sax, Hammond B3 organ, guitar and drums.  Spends equal time on the simmering slow tunes as it does the swing.  And what it does, it does with feeling.

Artist site | Listen | Buy: eMusic – Amazon

*****

Josh Nelson – Exploring Mars (Origin)

Pianist Nelson’s ode to the Red Planet, inspired by science, stories and space travel.  A deft mix of solo, small & large ensemble, instrumental and vocal pieces.  For an album with a (relatively) small sound, it’s awfully damn exhilarating.

Artist site | Buy: Amazon

*****

Ben Wolfe – The Whisperer (Posi-Tone)

Solid straight-ahead quartet date from bassist Wolfe.  No one particular track comes on too strong, but each displays a little personality different from the rest.  Plenty here to like, and good reasons to keep returning.

Artist site | Buy: Amazon

*****

Scott Hesse Trio – The Stillness of Motion (Origin)

Enjoyable straight-ahead jazz guitar trio. Hesse develops a pleasantly talkative mode on his guitar. The bass and drums duo of Clark Sommers & Makaya McCraven clearly speak Hesse’s language.

Artist site | Buy: Amazon

*****

Ant Law – Zero Sum World (Whirlwind)

Plenty nice when this jazz guitar recording brings in some swing, but it’s when the quintet embraces modern approaches that the real personality shows.  Guitarist Law excels when the foot is off the gas pedal.  Nifty mix of eccentricities and conventionalism.

Artist site | Buy: Amazon

*****

Tim Warfield – Spherical (Criss Cross)

Strong set of covers of Thelonious Monk compositions.  Saxophonist Warfield deftly gives Monk’s indelible tunes his own voice without turning his back on the originals.  Warfield is backed by a very strong cast on this quintet date.

Artist site | Buy: Amazon

*****

Mark Wade Trio – Event Horizon (Self-Produced)

Nice straight-ahead piano trio from bassist Wade, pianist Tim Harrison and drummer Scott Neumann.  Nothing fancy, just strong play.  Album ends with a fun rendition of “If I Only Had a Brain.”

Artist site | Buy: eMusic – CDBaby – Amazon

*****

Have a great time digging through the list!

And remember, it’s simple:  You like what you like.

Cheers.

*****

And be sure to check out PART I of this week’s

This Is Jazz Today

(LINK)

*****