*** This Is Jazz Today ***

Erik Friedlander – Rings (SkipStone)

A beautiful new recording from cellist Friedlander, who is joined by percussionist Satoshi Takeishi and pianist Shoko Nagai (who also adds some electronics & accordion to the mix) for this session.  Friedlander has shown an ability to wreak all kinds of dissonant chaos with his cello, especially on a number of John Zorn Tzadik albums, but the last handful of recordings on his own SkipStone label have revealed an intoxicatingly peaceful side to his vision.  The current one seamlessly fuses together expressions of jazz, folk and chamber, creating an ambiguity of influence that really draws the ear in.  Pretty easy to fall for this one.

Artist site | Listen | Buy:  Bandcamp – Amazon

*****

Danny Green Trio – Altered Narratives (Origin Records)

Unapologetically cheerful and light, this trio set from pianist Danny Green, bassist Justin Grinnell and drummer Julien Cantelm offers up a pop music style of jazz that beams a wide smile that means it.  Intriguingly, planted smack dab in the center of the recording are three pieces that bring in a string quartet.  The shift in sound is very much plumb with what preceded it, but the emotional impact provided is one that balances nicely with the lighthearted warmth of the trio tunes that surround them.  It’s the kind of thing that makes a recording a little less ordinary, as well as a motivation to keep giving the album a spin.

Artist site | Listen | Buy:  Amazon

*****

Will Goble – Consider the Blues (Origin Records)

An appealing hard bop sound from bassist Goble, finding that right mix of buoyant activity and melodic warmth.  His quartet goes out of their way to prove that the inclusion of the word “blues” in the title is anything but misleading.  The up-tempo tunes are plenty fun, but it’s when the quartet slows things down and really lets the melody patiently draw its breath is when the album really burns strong with emotion.  That quartet, by the way, is rounded out by pianist Louis Heriveaux, drummer Dave Potter and tenor saxophonist Gregory Tardy, who really shines bright on this session.

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

*****

WorldService Project – For King & Country (RareNoise Records)

Maybe it’s just me or maybe it’s the music itself, but I’m inclined to say that this is a recording that isn’t likely to make a good first impression.  This punk-jazz session gets right in your face from the opening notes, and it really never dials it in as far as respecting your personal space.  But damn does this music become more friendly and agreeable with each passing track.  Before long, any discomfort from its abruptness falls away and it’s easy to enjoy this recording for the fun music it is.  And that’s just within the span of one listen.  Each subsequent listen and the music had me feeling like we were old buddies.  I mention all this by way of saying, hey, go and give this one the benefit of the doubt… don’t go shutting the door in its face before it really gets a chance to properly say hello.  It’s a quintet of keyboardist Dave Morecroft, saxophonist Tim Ower, trombonist Raphael Clarkson, bassist Arthur O’Hara and drummer Happy Pope.  Fun, enthusiastic music that just can’t help but excitedly bounce off all the walls in the room.

Artist site | Buy:  Amazon

*****

The Remote Viewers – November Sky (ReR Megacorp Records)

A film noir soundtrack that takes the form of the saxophone quartet of David Petts, Caroline Kraabel, Andrian Northover and Sue Lynch, adding John Edwards on double bass and Mark Sanders on all kinds of percussion, and then goes about rolling out an extended exhalation of rhythmic curiosities and melodic deconstruction.  A strange beauty to this one, riveting in its own peculiar way, and quite unlike anything else I can remember.  It’s one of those albums where the music is especially unpredictable, but makes sense when viewed through the rear view mirror.

Artist site | Buy: Amazon – eMusic

*****

Have a great time digging through the list!

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

Cheers.

***