Jasper Høiby - Fellow Creatures (2016)

Label:

Source: Allaboutjazz

Genre: Modern Jazz

GAB's Rating: ★★★★☆

Taking a break from his highly (and justifiably) praised trio Phronesis, virtuoso bassist Jasper Hoiby described the rationale for Fellow Creatures thus: "it's been a dream of mine for a while to start a larger ensemble and to have the option of writing for two melody instruments as well as the trio."

Høiby also regards the album in three ways; first he wanted to tell a story with a whole album, establishing a relationship between the album and its listeners by enticing them to play it over and over again so that they became intimately familiar with the music. Secondly, the titles are inspired by author Naomi Klein's 2014 best-selling book "This Changes Everything," whose politically-charged environmental propositions are shared by Høiby. Finally the album is dedicated to Høiby's sister Janette who passed away earlier this year.

Høiby describes the music presented here as "less explosive" (than Phronesis), which it certainly is. From the start, the pastoral "Folk Song" is nearer the writing of Jan Garbarek with its delicate melody introduced by Polar Bear's Mark Lockheart on tenor saxophone and rising British jazz star Laura Jurd, heard here on flugelhorn. By contrast, the ensuing title track gathers pace, with Jurd here producing some feisty trumpet runs interspersed by Lockheart's brazen tenor.

On "World Of Contradictions" the melody evinced by the two horns is played over Will Barry's deft piano line which dominates the piece. Again Barry is heard leading "Little Song For Mankind" over an inexorably building ensemble and the piece is enhanced by Corrie Dick's subtle drumming. "Song For The Bees" signals a heart- warming break from previous numbers with Jasper Hoiby's pizzicato bass vamp evincing an almost Calypso-like rhythm. Corrie Dick's drums create a vital backdrop to the hypnotic "Tangible" whereas the shorter "Collective Spaces," led by the twin horns, is imbued by a contrapuntal pre-electric Ornette Coleman feel.

The tranquil "Suddenly, Everyone" affords ample soloing opportunities for Lockheart, Jurd and Høiby, whereas "Before" beginning with a staccato riff, is a lithe double bass and tenor sax duet breaking down into a more regular rhythmic pattern courtesy of Høiby's obligato bass line over which Lockheart solos before both instruments erratically take up the riff once more, slowing to a conclusion.

The final track "Plastic Island," beginning with laughing and growling voices, is the most strident of all the numbers, an ensemble riff played over a contrasting piano melody and insistent rhythm. Jasper Hoiby's wistful yet vibrant compositions are uniformly irresistible and with excellent performances all round, this seductively addictive album is going to yield frequent and satisfying plays. So, measured by that criterion, Høiby's intentions have been most definitely realised.  Roger Farbey

Folk Song

Fellow Creatures

World Of Contradictions

Little Song For Mankind

Song For The Bees

Tangible

Collective Spaces

Suddenly Everyone

Before

Plastic Island

JASPER HØIBY double bass, composer
MARK LOCKHEART saxophone
LAURA JURD trumpet
WILL BARRY piano
CORRIE DICK drums

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Matt Ulery's Loom / Large - Festival (2016)

Label: Woolgathering

Source: Matt Ulery

Genre: Modern Creative

GAB's Rating: ★★★★★

Prolific and earnest bassist/composer, Matt Ulery, helps to spearhead a musical movement of art and beauty emerging out of the vibrant, blossoming scene in Chicago with his 7th album, “Festival.” Featuring his quintet (Loom) and an expanded 27-piece jazz orchestra (Loom/Large), this major work in three parts will be available on double vinyl, CD, and digital download formats on his own label, Woolgathering Records (WR-0003), October 4th, 2016.

“Festival” presents a rich variety of instrumental music with dramatic intensity and dynamic, choreographic aesthetic design with deep historical roots in American jazz and folk forms while celebrating the survival of experimental art music presentation. 

Music composed and arranged by Matt Ulery except "The Peacocks," (audio track 1) composed by Jimmy Rowles, done over by Ulery / featuring violin soloist, Zach Brock.

Side A - 27-piece jazz orchestra
Side B - trumpet/bass/clarinet/piano/bass/drums
Side C - trumpet/bass/clarinet/piano/bass/drums
Side D - tuba/pump organ/bass clarinet/trumpet/drums  

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Jeff Denson Quartet - Concentric Circles (2016) RIDGEWAY RECORDS

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Jeff Denson Quartet - Concentric Circles (2016)

Concentric Circles is the fifth album by Denson and after the last three where he explored freely improvised music, a unique take on gospels and hymns, and a tribute to the music of Lennie Tristano and Lee Konitz, he has returned to exploring his original compositions in the same vein as his initial recording, Secret World.

Denson’s music pushes through the boundaries of conventions in music. By inventively mixing the world of composed and improvised music, Jeff Denson creates a unique language of his own, where intoxicating melodies and rhythms transport the listener away to unknown lands where vivid hues of tone paint the aural canvas of the inner ear.

The music is steeped in the jazz tradition, where the propulsive rhythms are the heartbeat of the music and the musicians are master improvisers of harmonic structures, song forms, and melodic invention. Where the music diverges from the jazz tradition and creates its unique fingerprint is in the handling of the juxtaposition of the composed and improvised material, the roles and uses of the instruments within the compositions, unique instrumentation itself, its musical forms and the unmistakably memorable melodic language of Jeff Denson. The strength of the melodies transcend genre or idiomatic leanings and plant themselves in the ears of the listeners, leaving them singing them long after the music has stopped.

The title Concentric Circles represents the concept of Jeff’s latest album to be released on Ridgeway Records June 10, 2016. The concept of nested circles around a common center is represented by the fact that Jeff put this quartet together by bringing together the members of his two separate trios: the Jeff Denson Trio with Dan Zemelman and Alan Hall (whom toured recently in Europe and the US with jazz legend, Lee Konitz in support of Denson’s last recording, Jeff Denson Trio + Lee Konitz) and Electreo with bassoonist, Paul Hanson and Hall again on drums. The concept of the concentric circles is represented in the intricate nature of the counterpoint between the instruments in the compositions, which as Denson says, “function like the inner workings of a Swiss watch”.

City Life on Trains

Anticipation

A Thought That Lingers

Wishing Well

Look Before You Leap

Time Waits for No One

21st Century Blues

Once the Door Opens

Circle

I Got It Bad

Jeff Denson Quartet includes:

Paul Hanson, Bassoon

Dan Zemelman, piano

Alan Hall, drums

Jeff Denson, double bass, vocals & compositions

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Bovet-Coleman Trio - It's Time to Go (2016)

Source & Label:

Genre: Modern Creative / Post-bop

GAB's Rating: ★★★★★

Over the last years, Cedric Bovet composed several nice jazz pieces. Cedric and his brother Lucien expressed a common wish to have them recorded someday, the challenge being to find a bass-player able to upgrade them in a trio formula. Ira Coleman gently accepted to join us for a recording session and a few concerts. Ira, a fantastic and creative bass-player who played with famous musicians as Herbie-Hancock, Tony Williams, Freddy Hubbard and Betty Carter during his career accepted the challenge to play Cedric’s music with us. After rehearsing some Cedric’s compositions it clearly appeared that some of them required a richer musical background to fully express their substance. We therefore asked our great friend and impressive trombonist Samuel Blaser and the young talented pianist Mathieu Scheuber to be part of the recording session for some pieces. Finally the alchemy between us turned out to be so effective that we recorded enough music for two CD’s, one in trio and the second in a quartet or quintet package. We hope that our musical and human experience will touch you as much as it filled us with positive sensations, peace and love.

 

 CD 1:
01. Lacustre 30:30
02. Serenade for a Black Moo04:19
03. Sangsue amoureuse 03:20
04. It's Time to Go 04:13
05. Esquisse 05:10
06. Senza Piu 05:42
07. Sans facon 03:34
08. Hongroiserie 05:51
09. Serenade for a Black Moon (2nd Version) 04:22

CD 2:
01. Etat de Choses 04:38
02. Point of No Return 03:25
03. Pierre avoi 04:02
04. Nardis 03:33
05. Jungle Blue 04:16
06. Pas sans monk 04:33
07. Few Miles Away 03:59
08. Etat De Choses (Live) 12:43
 

Cedric Bovet: tenor and soprano saxophones
Ira Coleman: acoustic bass
Lucien Bovet: drums
Samuel Blaser: trombone
Mathieu Scheuber: electric piano  

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Boris Kozlov - Conversations At The Well (2016)

Source & Label:

Genre: Post-Bop

GAB's Rating: ★★★★★

After 13 Criss Cross sideman appearances, including four with the all-star collective Opus 5, Boris Kozlov, one of New York's busiest and most respected bassists in a multiplicity of genres, makes his leader debut for the label with Conversations At The Well.

Joined by the distinguished guitarist David Gilmore of Steve Coleman and Five Elements fame, and the increasingly prominent drummer Rudy Royston, Kozlov guides and grounds their creative navigation of repertoire by Bill Evans, Charles Mingus, Herbie Hancock, Duke Ellington,Wayne Shorter, Keith Jarrett, Ornette Coleman and Thelonious Monk, concluding the proceedings with a vivid, spontaneously generated blues.  

1. Five (Bill Evans)  6:28
2. Conversation (Charles Mingus)  5:49
3. Orbits (Wayne Shorter)  6:14
4. Semblance (Keith Jarrett)  7:20
5. Prelude To A Kiss (Duke Ellington)  9:09
6. Eye Of The Hurricane (Herbie Hancock)  6:12
7. Latin Genetics (Ornette Coleman)  5:46
8. Headless Blues (Boris Kozlov / David Gilmore / Rudy Royston)  4:51
9. Pannonica (Thelonious Monk)  5:26

Boris Kozlov (B)
David Gilmore (G)
Rudy Royston (D)

 

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Succi Saiu Papetti - Three Branches (2016)

Label: El Gallo Rojo Records

Source: Giacomo Papetti

Three Branches è un no-leader trio dall'organico inusuale, formato da tre affermati musicisti del nuovo jazz italiano.  “Three branches” (tre rami) è un piccolo gioco di parole che richiama i rami d'albero (tree branches) e al contempo suona come “free branches”, ovvero rami liberi di muoversi, rami sciolti. Anche la musica di questa formazione è una sorta di jeux-de-mots, tra contenuti e forme diverse, fondato su un repertorio di brani originali di tutti i componenti. Tre personalità molto diverse tra loro ma legate da radici comuni, qui in un continuo dialogo contrappuntistico, disegnano situazioni sonore imprevedibili e variegate. Come ramificazioni di un albero in lenta ma continua trasformazione, 
reminiscenze folk, improvvisazioni free jazz e insolite sonorità cameristiche si susseguono nel creare una musica che gioca con leggerezza colori diversi, dal pathos impressionista, all’ironia onirica, sino a divertenti ritmi tropicali.  

Allora: ci sono un modenese, un cagliaritano e un bresciano.

Anzichè comportarsi come in una tipica barzelletta, questi suonano e basta. Composizioni originali che possono anche far sorridere qua e là, ma non solo.

Suonano tre strumenti di legno, materiale al quale il suono del gruppo deve molto a livello acustico e energetico: l'odore di bosco, la legna che arde, la solida vitalità di un tronco.

Come ramificazioni di un albero in lenta ma continua trasformazione, reminiscenze folk, jazz libero, insolite sonorità cameristiche si susseguono nel creare una musica che gioca con leggerezza colori diversi, dal pathos romantico all’ironia onirica.

1.Brown 04:06
2.Fresh Flesh 05:28
3.Phrygia 05:33
4.Sacrofano 05:03
5.Gigiù Madama 04:16
6.Oslo 05:28
7.Fellini 05:06
8.Odore di Corriera 06:19
9.Reefing 04:25
10.Kolm 06:30
11.Satolly 05:47
    

Achille Succi - Bass Clarinet
Francesco Saiu - Electric Guitar
Giacomo Papetti – Double Bass 

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Florent Nisse - Aux Mages (2014)

Label: Moose

Source: Mozaïc Jazz

 Quelques semaines seulement après la sortie du disque Layers de David Enhco qui faisait l’objet du précédent post, le label Nome présente sa seconde référence, le premier disque sous son nom de Florent Nisse. Ce disque ne cache pas son jeu. Au premier coup d’œil, on sait à quoi s’en tenir. Le jeu de mot de son titre ainsi que la présence dans le line up de deux musiciens qui accompagnèrent à de nombreuses occasions Paul Motian laissent penser, à juste titre, que c’est dans le giron esthétique du batteur américain que se situera la musique. Auteur des notes de pochettes, Guilhem Flouzat évoque également Charlie Haden et Bill Frisell, deux artistes qui ont manifestement nourri la musique de Florent Nisse et de se ses complices.


Motian, Haden, Frisell, ces joailliers, ces magiciens… C’est merveilleux d’entendre les jeunes musiciens d’aujourd’hui s’approprier leur musique avec tant de naturel et de talent. Car ce disque, si vous ne l’aviez pas encore compris, est une de ces petites perles qu’on souhaite à tout le monde de découvrir. Pourtant, le pari était osé… Pensez-donc ! Faire un premier disque avec une majorité de titres calmes, atmosphériques, en préserver l’indispensable légèreté malgré la présence de deux instruments harmoniques, accueillir et aménager une place importante à deux invités de marque tout en assurant une dynamique collective… On peut imaginer conditions plus simples. C’est au prix de cette audace que les dix morceaux qui composent ce recueil se hissent à un tel niveau d’excellence. La musique coule, circule magnifiquement. Parfois elle se densifie, notamment sur les titres plus rythmés comme « H Code » ou « Intrépide », parfois elle s’aère, s’étiole même, jusqu’à ce qu’un simple fil mélodique ne sépare l’auditeur des abîmes du silence, ce qui confère à « Ombre et brouillard » son charme mystérieux. Quelques accords égrainés à la guitare sur fond de grelots, un solo de contrebasse suspendu, poésie de l’infiniment simple. La capacité du quintet à trouver un juste milieu entre le « jeu plein » et le minimalisme est une réelle force. La musique est posée, mais chargée de cette intensité que savent générer les groupes quand leur propos collectif est régi par un interplay subtil, parfois presque imperceptible. Les notes sont choisies, les interventions toujours mesurées, toujours utiles. Il faut dire que le socle du quintet est une équipe soudée qui se connaît bien puisqu’on retrouve aux côtés du contrebassiste Gautier Garrigue et Maxime Sanchez, qui font partie des heureux fondateurs du jeune label, et qui font la route ensemble dans différents contextes, mais notamment avec Flash Pig. La famille, quoi. A cette base indéboulonnable viennent s’ajouter deux musiciens sublimes : Jakob Bro et Chris Cheek.


Le guitariste danois partage bien des choses avec Bill Frisell, d’ailleurs. Notamment du temps, puisqu’il joue régulièrement avec lui au sein de ses propres projets. Bro fut un des guitaristes de l’Electric Be Bop Band de Motian, et le batteur fit également partie de son groupe, celui qui enregistra le très beau Balladeering, un album tout en finesse que je trouve proche par sa qualité et sa poésie du présent disque. Mais au delà des rencontres et des collaborations, il y a une forme d’évidence : Bro est un héritier de Frisell. L’un des seuls à mon sens qui sache si bien faire s’envoler par delà l’atmosphère terrestre les lignes de Blues. Mes propos croisent ceux de Guilhem Flouzat mais vous ne vous en rendrez compte que quand vous tiendrez entre vos mains cette belle galette : le solo du guitariste sur « H Code » est fantastique, simple, chantant et aérien. Bro est partout mais sa présence est discrète. C’est en parfaite intelligence qu’il noue son jeu à celui de l’excellent Maxime Sanchez. Tous deux sont à l’origine d’un impressionnant travail de fond. Je note au passage que le pianiste, instrumentiste raffiné, s’illustre une fois encore par la qualité de son écriture, tout comme Nisse. Signées de l’un ou de l’autre, les compositions sont très belles et recèlent de savoureux mouvements harmoniques, comme une maison d’architecte riche en fenêtres à ouvrir. Elles semblent en tous cas inspirer Chris Cheek, qui impose avec une autorité tranquille un son qui laisse rêveur, charnu, ample, rond, chaleureux. Son phrasé est à l’avenant, un modèle de jeu non précipité, où chaque prise de parole est une histoire, contée avec passion mais sans théâtralité abusive ni excès de vitesse. Tout cela est subtilement porté par Nisse et Garrigue, que je me garderai bien de comparer aux figures tutélaires évoquées. Parce que j’occulterais dès lors la part d’eux qui, indéniablement, contribue à donner à cet hommage  ses allures de pierre précieuse.

1  Eternal Thursday
2  A la pluie
3  H Code
4  Ombre et brouillard
5  Intrépide
6  Rêve normal
7  Image F
8  A Way Away
9  Des lits d'initiés
10 Priceless
 

Chris Cheek : saxophone ténor
Jakob Bro : guitare
Maxime Sanchez : piano
Florent Nisse : contrebasse
Gautier Garrigue : batterie 

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Kenneth Dahl Knudsen - Clockstopper (2012)

Label: LongLife Records

Source: Allaboutjazz - Edward Blanco

Not much is known about Danish bassist Kenneth Dahl Knudsen, even his own website reveals little about his personal story, only that he has won several awards, including being voted "Jazz musician of 2010 in northern Denmark," has been fortunate to have performed the music he loves for most of his life and claims inspiration from the music of John Coltrane and Igor Stravinsky. Delivering his second album as leader on Clockstopper, Knudsen leads a core quintet of international players, which he later turns into a skilled septet by adding saxophone and trombone. The musicians interpret a select repertoire of sophisticated and intricate pieces making for an album of pure modern jazz.

Recognizing that starting off with your best effort is a positive move, Knudsen's septet begins with "Hadeans Arrival," a forceful hard-driving tune employing the horn section of Polish trumpeter Tomasz Dabrowski, fellow Dane, trombonist Jonas Lindh and saxophonist Jaleel Shaw, from Philadelphia, who delivers a wonderful solo as the center-piece of the tune. Knudsen then sets the stage for renowned Danish pianist Soren Moller and Israeli-born jazz guitarist Gilad Hekselman, who provide further highlights of the piece. There are some stark moments on the melodically moving "Couchophobia," while the music takes a different turn on the slow-paced and dark-toned "Tucked In."

The modern sounds of the disc continue on the challenging "Time Trip," and "Sheeps and Raptors," where deliberately strong statements from the bassist offer some of his best work on the album. The music continues to evolve on "Glimpse" and "Beautiful Behavior," which feature Grammy nominated drummer Johnathan Blake. The set comes to a close on another of the bassist's intricate compositions with "Time To Go."

Kenneth Dahl Knudsen may not be a household name in the jazz genre outside of Denmark, but his Clockstopper is indeed an accomplishment deserving attention from modern jazz enthusiasts—not so much for his chops on the bass but rather, for his talents as a composer. Knudsen refuses to play it safe by performing standards or treading on the familiar jazz landscape here, instead he journeys down a more progressive road with compositions that move the music forward —on Clockstoppers, jazz moves to a modern beat.  

Hadeans Arrival

Couchophobia

Tucked In

Sheeps & Raptors

In Our Night

Glimpse

Beautiful Behaviour

Time To Go

Kenneth Dahl Knudson: bass

Jaleel Shaw: saxophone (1, 4, 9)

Jonas Lindh:trombone (1, 4, 9)

Gilad Hekselman: guitar

Soren Moller: piano

Johnathan Blake: drums

Tomasz Dombrowski: trumpet

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Sylvain BEUF / Michel PEREZ / Diego IMBERT - Triple Entente (2016)

Label: Trebim Music

Source: Culture Jazz

Il existe comme ça des plats que l’on peut resservir à satiété. Jamais repu !!! Des façons de faire, en particulier en musique, qui fonctionnent depuis… depuis fort longtemps alors pourquoi s’en priver. Par exemple le contrafact ou le fait de créer une nouvelle mélodie sur une trame harmonique préexistante : en jazz les exemples fourmillent, Donna Lee de Miles Davis est le contrafact d’Indiana, Groovin’ High l’alter ego de Whispering, Evidence de Monk celui de Just You Just Me, j’en passe. Faut pas être bien sorcier pour deviner que le Corps et Ames du CD du trio Triple Entente qui nous intéresse ici est construit sur Body and Soul, Dream Team sur You Stepped out of a Dream, Last Moments sur All The Things You Are, encore plus évident Confirm est le calque de Confirmation, moins aisé à deviner Intérieur Bleu est dans la vie courante Out of Nowhere, nous ne ferons pas l’injure de demander d’où provient Tikos Tikos. Dauphin Bleu, Azul et Amarillo nous ont résisté, personne n’est parfait, mais certaines tourneries nous sont familières. Une seule reprise dans cet enregistrement : Lennie’s Pennies de Lennie Tristano, contrafact de Pennies for Heaven lui même déjà inspiré de I Can’t Give you Anything But Love. Il est d’ailleurs possible de trouver dans l’ensemble de l’album une forte parenté avec l’esthétique tristanienne dans la souplesse et la fluidité des lignes qui brisent les carrures. Alors quoi, est-ce tout, est-ce suffisant ? Non bien évidemment, rien de l’exercice gratuit ici. Ce disque en évite les clichés, il en est même le plus parfait contre-exemple et l’on saura apprécier les soli de nos trois amis sans quoi tout cela ne serait que babillages. Qui plus est, et ça n’est pas superflu par les temps qui courent, cet enregistrement à un rapport généreux avec le je-ne-sais-quoi du bonheur.

01. Confirm
02. Lennie’s Pennies
03. Intérieur bleu
04. Corps et âmes
05. Dream Team
06. Amarillo
07. Tiko Tikos
08. Le dauphin bleu
09. Azul
10. Last Moment (Beuf)

Sylvain Beuf : saxophones
Michel Perez : guitare
Diego Imbert : contrebasse 

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Joëlle Léandre 10 - Can You Hear Me? (2016)

Source & Label: Ayler Records

This hybrid piece, where for the first time the musician has agreed to play the problematic role and function of ‘composer’, can be read both as a form of achievement and as a founding act.
Indeed, ‘composing’, as she makes it clear here, with the structure constantly generating and encouraging individual expression, is nothing else for her than a transposition to ‘another stage’ of the improviser’s gesture and a transfusion into a band’s plural entity of the complex spread of a thought both intimate and collective, made even more unique by its will to be shared. […] Because she constantly feeds all her experience as an improviser into her writing, Léandre has clearly created, with "Can You Hear Me?", a major milestone in her already illustrious career.
(from Stéphane Ollivier’s liner notes)  

1. Can You Hear Me? 04:45
2. Can You Hear Me? 05:28
3. Can You Hear Me? 04:35
4. Can You Hear Me? 06:47
5. Can You Hear Me? 05:51
6. Can You Hear Me? 06:15
7. Can You Hear Me? 06:45
8. Can You Hear Me? 03:29
9. Can You Hear Me? 04:10
10.Can You Hear Me? (complete) 48:09
   

Jean-Luc Cappozzo, trumpet
Alexandra Grimal, saxophones
Jean-Brice Godet, clarinets
Christiane Bopp, trombone
Guillaume Aknine, electric guitar
Théo Ceccaldi, violin
Séverine Morfin, viola
Valentin Ceccaldi, cello
Joëlle Léandre, double-bass
Florian Satche, drums, percussion

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