Sunday, February 25, 2018

Kaze - Atody Man (CIRCUM-LIBRA RECORDS February 23, 2018)


On Atody Man, Kaze, the cooperative quartet featuring Japanese pianist Satoko Fujii and trumpeter Natsuki Tamura, French trumpeter Christian Pruvost and drummer Peter Orins, continues one of the most captivating ongoing musical conversations in jazz. As they enter their eighth year together, they find themselves enjoying a group rapport that few other bands share. Using minimal yet distinctive compositional frameworks from each band member, they engage in deep musical exchanges full of surprise and wit. It’s almost as if they were talking to one another without words.

“Yes, we do talk in music,” Fujii says of the quartet. “Natsuki and I cannot speak French and Peter and Christian don’t speak Japanese, but we can talk in music. This always amazes me!”

“The compositions have always been an excuse for the improvisation,” says drummer Orins. “We are very different in the way we write music, but I think that we compose to create a place to communicate with each other.”

Their musical communication is rich with a huge vocabulary of sounds and historical and stylistic references, all freely called upon and used in stunning dialogues among master musicians. For instance, the trumpeters playfully spar to comic effect on Fujii’s “Moving” but begin Orins’s “Hypnotique Sympathie” with carefully controlled and modulated long tones that establish a somber ritualistic atmosphere. (Pruvost is heard on the right, Tamura on the left throughout the album.) Fujii is equally mercurial, waxing Chopinesque toward the end of “Hypnotique Sympathie,” then playing spare, lyrical lines on “Inspiration 2,” and rhythmically engaged in a percussive duet with Orins on “Moving.” Orins is a constant source of surprise and inspiration throughout, orchestrating textures, prodding and driving, or adding sparse rhythms as the interplay among his bandmates requires. On this album, they have broadened the music with more use of space and silence than on previous discs.

The collective improvisations display some of the deepest communication among the quartet on the album. They seem to finish each other’s thought’s on “Meta-Blizzard,” in a richly textured four-way conversation that veers from abstract sound to melodic phrases and from languid tempo to high energy with graceful ease. The quiet “Atody Man” (Malagasy for “egg man”) features a hushed but intense conversation among all four players. The concentrated listening, familiarity bred of several years of working together, and the seamless use of both conventional and extended techniques give all of Kaze’s music an exhilarating sense of freedom.


Over the course of three previous quartet releases, plus June (HeliX 2017), an album by an extended sextet version called Trouble Kaze, and a guest appearance with Fujii’s Orchestra Tokyo’s Peace (Libra 2016), Kaze continues to amaze listeners with evolving and emotionally deeper music. “I think we all feel more and more free the longer we play together,” says Orins, “We always push our own limits, and play more and more in the present.”

“I have to say, I have so much fun playing compositions by Peter, Christian, and Natsuki, which are totally different from mine,” says Fujii. “This group inspires me so much.”

“Atody Man” will be released by French label Circum-Disc on February 23rd 2018.

1. Hypnotique Sympathie
2. Moving
3. Méta-Blizzard
4. Morning Glow
5. Inspiration 2
6. Atody Man

Satoko Fujii : piano
Natsuki Tamura : trumpet
Christian Pruvost : trumpet
Peter Orins : drums

Composition : Satoko Fujii


Uffe Steen Trio & Vestbo Trio - Doppler Effect (March 23, 2018)


Danish guitar ace Uffe Steen and his band have joined forces with Vestbo Trio. The result is the live album DOPPLER EFFECT which will be released on March 23rd.

This is a powerful live album where you get to hear both trios playing separately, and also together on stage with 2 drum kits, 2 upright basses and 2 guitars. The energy is up, and the playing level is high.

As usual, exceptional packaging by Paul Wilson! Take your pick between the transparent blue LP in gatefold cover or the digipack CD with a 12-page booklet.


Cast in Stone
A Call From The Sixties
Badger
Whitewall Tires
A Silent Moment in Corone
Building Snowmen
Time Machine
It's Simple in a Good Way
Ballroom
Moonglow
Lady Sunshine

Uffe Steen Trio
Uffe Steen (guitar)
Thomas Sejthen (bass)
Jesper Bo Knudsen (drums)

&

Vestbo Trio
Michael Vestbo (guitar)
Jesper Smalbro (bass)
Eddi Jarl (drums)

ALBUM RELEASE TOUR APRIL 2018 - see tour dates below:
15 april Klank Efterskole


Clover Trio - Harvest (GREEN NOSE PRODUCTIONS 2018)

The Clover Trio draws its inspiration from Jazz, Pop and Rock. Harvest, their first album, invites us to discover a music that unceasingly pushes further its point of balance, sometimes featuring hypnotic grooves. Emerging from the encounter between these singular personalities, their original compositions and the re-interpretation of pop standards like Isn’t She Lovely or Imagine, a contemplative, elegant and intense world is born. Damien Argentieri (organ) is known for his collaboration with, amongst others, Lionel Loueke, Jean-Jacques Milteau or Didier Lockwood. His powerful and sophisticated touch merges with the subtle performance of Sébastien Lanson (guitar). His music is imbued with the spirit of the west coast of the united states where he spent ten years, notably with Louie Bellson’s orchestra, Jon Faddis but also John Worley Jr. Over this complicit dialogue, Benoist Raffin’s (Drums) natural groove hovers, making of his art an unusual adventure, refined along with Steve Potts, Bobby Few or Jean-Loup Longnon.

” I like the integrity and the beautiful interaction of the Clover trio. The chemistry between the three musicians really brought the magic out. Harvest is a beautiful album. ” Lionel Loueke


1 Isle of Mulobo Berry 00:06:32
2 Isn't She Lovely 00:06:32
3 Softly as in a Morning Sunrise 00:07:12
4 Played Twice 00:04:43
5 Imagine 00:06:52
6 Lamirémi 00:08:06
7 Gaby's 00:03:40
8 Blues for Jim 00:04:30
9 Joe 00:06:27
10 Taxi 00:05:06
11 Prayer to the Unfamiliar 00:05:55

Damien Argentiéri, organ
Benoist Raffin, drums
Sébastien Lanson, guitar


Soulive - Cinematics Vol. 1 (2018)


Today, Soulive released their first collection of new music in six years with their long-awaited EP Cinematics, Vol. 1. The EP takes its name from its five tracks’ cinematic quality, and the band’s press release even offers some thoughts on the types of films that might be complemented each song (“Kings March”, for instance, could work with a vintage spy thriller).

“A cinematic piece of music creates a mood. Film composers like Jerry Goldsmith, David Axelrod, Ennio Morricone and Melvin Van Peebles were all influential in the concept for ‘Cinematics,’” Krasno says. “The idea is to use soundscape and melodic interplay to enhance the feeling and sentiment of a visual and to amplify the emotion that it’s relating.”

Recorded late last year at Alan Evans’ Iron Wax studio in Western Massachusetts, Cinematics, Vol. 1 is the first release of a planned series of “Cinematics” EPs. That means fans can expect plenty of new music from Soulive in the foreseeable future.

“One of the advantages of putting out music in 2018 is that we can do it quickly and on our own schedule,” Krasno says. “We made this record top to bottom in two days and put it out about a month later, while it’s still fresh from being created.”

“We didn’t have to talk about anything,” Alan says. “It all unfolded as we were working on it; one song influences the direction of the next, and soon you find yourself going down this path. We want this music to take people on a little journey.”

Despite the forthcoming release, Soulive hasn’t announced any new tour dates. As of press time, the band is scheduled to perform at the Ardmore Music Hall outside of Philadelphia on March 2nd and 3rd before heading to London for a show at The Jazz Cafe on March 6th.

1 Kings March 3:53
2 Bluebird 4:11
3 Sidekick 3:30
4 Millers Last Stand 3:09
5 Waves 3:28

ALAN EVANS drums  /  ERIC KRASNO guitar  /  NEAL EVANS keys


Diego Imbert - Tribute To Charlie Haden (2018)


Charlie Haden est, selon moi, un musicien atypique, mais fondamental dans la musique d’aujourd’hui. Son sens de la mélodie et son lyrisme font de Charlie une voix essentielle à une époque où tout doit aller vite. La recherche de la beauté, la profondeur, l’intériorité, c’est que m’a toujours fait ressentir la musique et le jeu de Charlie, depuis le quartet d’Ornette Coleman au début des années soixante jusqu’à son ultime duo avec Keith Jarrett.

Sa disparition a laissé un vide et un silence qui m’ont poussé à entreprendre ce projet. Enrico Pieranunzi a enregistré quatre albums avec Charlie Haden et ce projet n’aurait pas vu le jour sans son implication et son enthousiasme. Le trio que nous formons avec André Ceccarelli depuis « Ménage à trois » était idéal. Enfin, Pierre Bertrand avait réalisé les arrangements pour orchestre dans le disque d’André Ceccarelli « Ultimo » et il était celui qui pouvait donner un écrin à notre trio. Notre travail est une réussite et je pense avoir atteint mon objectif : rendre hommage à Charlie avec un disque qui, j’en suis sûr, lui aurait plu. Diego Imbert

1 First Song 6:15
2 Charlie’s Waltz 4:54
3 Charlie Haden 5:31
4 Liberation Suite, Pt. 1 3:54
5 Liberation Suite, Pt. 2 3:39
6 Liberation Suite, Pt. 3 2:56
7 Nightfall 5:17
8 Last Dance in Paris 3:42
9 Lennie's Pennies 3:08
10 Faith of the Bass 7:24
11 In the Wee Small Hours of the Morning 6:28
12 Silence 4:42

Enrico Pieranunzi (piano)
Johann Renard et Caroline Bugala (violon)
Paul Colomb et Gregoire Korniluk (violoncelle)
Stéphane Chausse (clarinette)
Nora Cismondi (hautbois)
Anne-Cécile Cuniot (flûte)
André Ceccarelli (batterie)
Pierre Bertrand (arrangements)