Ernest Dawkins is in his element during concert or club performances, and has a stance within the post-bop and free bop continuum that speaks of his heritage coming through the ranks in Chicago. Blues, hard swing, and sounds from the black church and Africa all merge into a unified whole that is infectious, head-nodding, and smile-inducing. Leading his New Horizons quintet, Dawkins (alternately on alto and tenor saxophone) has the roaring heart of a lion and storytelling soul of a griot in this instrumental context. Trumpeter Maurice Brown and trombonist Steve Berry are young enough to be fearless and talented enough to provide perfect front-line foils for Dawkins, while bassist Darius Savage and drummer Isaiah Spencer are also exuberant up-and-comers who add plenty of aptitude and energy to the proceedings. Live at Fred Anderson's Velvet Lounge, Dawkins and his crew present six lengthy pieces that allow not only for the meatiest of solos, but also include some tight charts that revolve around the true heritage jazz pretexts proliferated by the AACM, sharpened by current updated popping rhythms.
A wheezing harmonica and percussion intro leads to "Mean Ameen," dedicated to the mentor of Dawkins, guitarist/trumpeter Ameen Muhammad. A modal two-note bass groove sets the pace for the tart harmonic sound of the horns and hip counterpoint that makes the AACM's Great Black Music identifier great. The swinging blues shuffle title track and straight 12-bar "Goin' Downtown Blues" emphasize the Windy City's past, present, and future in soulful, purposefully off-key and vocal spoken word jive dues-paying preaching. Crisp, sharp staccato brass notes in a fast bop mode set up a fulsome Dawkins on "Toucouleur." While the perfectly titled "The Brood" presents a basic introspective mezzo-forte free float, "Lookin' for Ninny" is well formed with its groove bop, simple sleek lines, and reference to their favored "long tall and skinny" girl. Dawkins is a clearly skilled, smart, and forthright musician. His solos are full of substance, crackling with just enough sizzle and depth without pure histrionics. The band picks up on this vibe 100 percent, and plays accordingly. A valuable document of the current Chi-town scene, and very much relevant to the rest of the world, The Messenger deserves attention from the entire universe of jazz listeners.
Ernest Dawkins, alto and tenor saxophone
Maurice Brown, trumpet
Steve Berry, trombone
Darius Savage, bass
Isaiah Spencer, drums
1. Intro
2. Mean Ameen
3. The Messenger
4. Goin' Downtown Blues
5. Toucouleur
6. The Brood
7. Lookin' For Ninny
Recorded live on 14 July 2005 at The Velvet Lounge, Chicago, IL.
The Scandinavian contributions for the present status of that music called jazz are no longer possible to dismiss. And a fundamental one is given by the quintet All Included. At his axis are the rock solid rhythm duet formed by double bassist Jon Rune Strøm and drummer Tollef Østvang, the same of bands like Friends & Neighbors and Universal Indians. The first is a tension builder, capable of maintaining an obsessive groove or to explore the limits of the lowest sound world, the other keeps things close to the roots, but with a rare sense of surprise – his procedures can be conventional, but they appear when you less expect. On the top are three sometimes angry, sometimes lyrical, horns played by Martin Küchen, Thomas Johansson and Mats Aleklint – three of a kind, seeming an entire orchestral blowing section with its unisons, counterpoints and crossed challenges. Küchen is all emotions, but with a brain In the core of his heart, capable of the most complex phrasing work with extended techniques. With his vocabulary emerging from the hard bop and the free traditions, Johansson makes old ideas entirely new. Aleklint can be open-minded to the extreme, but even in abstract contexts he swings like if his life depended on it. Remember the Blue Note records from the Fifties and Sixties? “Satan in Plain Clothes” is the next step…
"It
was the first time I’d heard Manzin live, and his modesty belies the
searing lines he plays, easily a match for Brecker or Bergonzi." -Sarah Chaplin, Jazzwise
"...He (Manzin) has to be heard to be believed!" -Jon Newey, Jazzwise
"Roberto Manzin’s licks are up to the minute" -Evening Standard
"Sax-player Roberto Manzin's solos have something of the chromatic excitement of Brecker and the soulfulness of Sanborn." -Alison Bentley, LondonJazz
"Scorching Italian tenorist Roberto Manzin" -Time Out
"An
expressive player with an attractive sound, his improvisations reveal a
skilful strategist, a melodist first and foremost, who gradually
unfolds a solo and builds up to a compelling conclusion." -Charles Alexander, Jazzwise
"With
his background of playing in a multitude of musical styles, and his
outstanding technique and superb voice, Manzin not only fits the
[Nicolas] Meier Group to perfection, but moreover got into the music as
if he'd played it all his life. I cannot think of any other clarinet/sax
player who could fulfil this role within the Meier Group with more
authenticity, authority and sheer excellence than Manzin"
"Woodwind virtuoso Roberto Manzin, one of the finest and most versatile saxophonists on the British scene" -Rainlore's World of Music
"Reed-player
Manzin has a prodigious technique that he utilises effectively on
tenor, soprano and clarinet. On the non-original - Mingus' Duke Ellington Sound [of Love]- the
tenor is full and round with an almost Websterian sensuousness and
guitar and tenor combine well in the ensembles. And how about that
clarinet onMissing Home? About time we had some new liquorice and this is very tasty liquorice indeed!" -Bebop spoken here.
1. North 33rd Street Samba - R. Manzin 05:45 2. Ethereal Connection - R. Manzin 07:41 3. LifeFlight - R. Manzin 05:04 4. It Was Time - R. Manzin 07:45 5. Cap-d'Ail - R. Manzin 05:08 6. Send The Mist Away - R. Manzin 10:04 7. In a Sentimental Loop - R. Manzin 08:12 8. A Waltz About Love And Other Wow Things - R. Manzin 03:41
Roberto Manzin: Tenor Sax James Weidman: Piano Harvie S: Double Bass Gene Jackson: Drums
A prized recording by Kenny Wheeler and John Taylor has been released
from CAM JAZZ’s archives. The Canadian trumpeter, who died last year in
September, had a long-standing recording activity on the Roman label,
sharing this journey with Taylor very often. “On The Way To Two”, a new,
prized duet album, was recorded in 2005 featuring 10 songs over a total
45 minutes of stunning music. Complex themes alternate with short
improvised passages, as proof of that natural, special feeling that
bound the two musicians. Sadly and unfortunately, while the album was
being pressed, John Taylor suddenly passed away. Before Taylor leaves
us, he writes in the liner notes to this album, as a virtual remark to
Wheeler: “It was a privilege and joy to play with you for most of my
life, and I wish you were here now to listen to this music again with
me”. The opening track is “Canter #2”, the second episode of a mantra
featuring many of the two musicians’ albums (try finding the different
“Canter” interpretations in the other Wheeler and Taylor albums).
Following this is a superb “Fedora”, with the trumpet and piano
intertwining as naturally as only two musicians so close to each other
could do. “Sketch No. 1” is the first of three moments of sheer
improvisation that emerge between tracks, during which Taylor and
Wheeler pursue new expressive nuances of their instruments. And then
“Who Knows?”, “Fortune's Child” and “A Flower Is A Lovesome Thing” show
and celebrate the empathy that the two musicians have managed to build
and develop over the years.
1 Canter 2 Fedora 3 Sketch 1 4 Quiso 5 Who Knows? 6 Sketch 2 7 Close to Mars 8 Fortune's Child 9 Sketch 3 10 A Flower is a Lovesome Thing
Kenny Wheeler - trumpet & flügelhorn John Taylor - piano
We are honoured to announce that American jazz icon Ari Hoenig will release The Pauper and the Magician with us in February. Lyte Records will be handling the British and Irish releases of the drummer/composer's eighth album, which features Gilad Hekselman (guitar), Tivon Pennicott (tenor saxophone), Shai Maestro (piano) and Orlando le Fleming (bass). Ari is a visionary in the areas of metric modulation and melodic drumming and has been a prolific bandleader for over fifteen years. He's also played in the groups of Joshua Redman, Kurt Rosenwinkel, Kenny Werner, Chris Potter, Wayne Krantz, Richard Bona and Mike Stern.
LR founder and director David Lyttle says, "Some of my best memories in music are of my first trips to New York in my early twenties. Going to hear Ari play in Smalls and then taking a lesson with him in his basement in Brooklyn was very exciting for me. He's been an inspiration and major influence for ten years and it's very special for me to now get to work with him as a label."
1. The Pauper and the Magician 2. I'll Think About It 3. The Other 4. Lyric 5. Alana 6. You Are My Sunshine
Ari Hoenig (drums) Gilad Hekselman (guitar) Tivon Pennicott (tenor saxophone) Shai Maestro (piano) Orlando le Fleming (bass)
Pianist Will Herrington displays a rhythm touch along with a reflectively soulful team of Jon Richards/b and Andrew Boyle/dr on this released. The trio shows a New Orleanish ability to swing on the bouncy “Jockamo” and meditative reflections create a gospel mood on the pensively delightful “By Watyer.” Herrington’s hands continue to testify as he strides through on “The Chief Speaks” and does a impressive job filling the room on his solo excursion “Restoration.” Ambrose Akinmusire brings his trumpet into a staggering and gasping “Ballad of Marie Laveau” and a recitative “elegy” that has the horn moan with emotions. A mix of moods fit for the various moments of a church meeting come out here, with the healing service in full progress.
Will Herrington, piano
Jon Richard, bass
Andrew Boyle, drums
Kiel Feher, percussion
'Solace' features trumpeter Ambrose Akinmusire, Courtesy of Two for the Show Media
1 - Jockamo [04:45]
2 - Bywater [04:48]
3 - The Chief Speaks [04:57]
4 - Elegy (feat. Ambrose Akinmusire) [03:19]
5 - Waiting for a Train [05:32]
6 - Restoration [02:49]
7 - Don't You Come Struttin in Here [04:13]
8 - Ballad of Marie Laveau (feat. Ambrose Akinmusire) [06:19]
JAN 13 - Milan - Blue Note - 23:00 Tickets are available JAN 14 - Milan - Blue Note - 21:00 ***SOLD OUT***
JAN 14 - Milan - Blue Note - 23:00 Tickets are available JAN 15 - Milan - Blue Note - 21:00 ***SOLD OUT***
JAN 15 - Milan - Blue Note - 23:00 Tickets are available JAN 16 - Milan - Blue Note - 21:00 ***SOLD OUT***
JAN 16 - Milan - Blue Note - 23:00 Tickets are available
If you are visiting the UK...
JAN 20 - The Jazz Cafe, London JAN 21 - The Jazz Cafe, London JAN 23 - The Jazz Cafe, London JAN 29 - Brake Hall Ashford School, Ashford Kent FEB 10 - The Wardrobe, Leeds
The music on this album is inspired by my recent travels to Senegal and my years of studying the music of French composer Olivier Messiaen. This multicultural project blends the compositional language of Messiaen, traditional West African music and the new sounds of the NYC jazz and improv scene. A big part of this music was written and influenced by my stay in Cap-Vert, the most western point of Africa in Dakar, Senegal. In the West African heritage, traditional rhythms can only be played by three or more drummers. I tried to represent the cultural identity of these rhythms in a new and different context where the harmony becomes as important as the rhythm. Instead of using a group of drummers, I recreated this sound by giving these rhythmic roles to a melodic instrument. I hope that the end result will create a deeper understanding of Messiaen’s music among jazz audiences in an uplifting way through the influences of African rhythm and improv jazz.
This album was recorded in September 2014 after a US tour with my quartet. The music for this project came together after I received a New Jazz Works Grant in 2013 from Chamber Music America. The musicians featured on this recording are some of the finest in jazz today. Russ Johnson has been an important force in the NYC jazz scene for many years and, since his move to the Chicago area, has become one of the major players in jazz in the Midwest. Drew Gress is one of the most in-demand bass players in jazz and has worked with some of the greatest musicians of our time. Percussionist/composer Jeff Davis has established himself in New York as a vital contributor to the local and international creative music scenes. Jeff is widely sought out for his unique, textural approach to the drum set, as well as for his power and intensity. Robin Verheyen
It is probably impossible to discuss Kamasi Washington's new record—all three impressive hours of it—without copping to at least some awareness of two extra-musical truths. The first of these holds that, as a member of the studio wrecking crew that brought Kendrick Lamar's To Pimp a Butterfly into being, this saxophonist-composer is unusually well poised to secure the attention of listeners who have previously been uninterested in jazz. (This past spring's celebration of all-things-TPAB was sufficiently strong that Billboard even published a well-reported piece that detailed exactly how Lamar's album came to feature so many jazz figures, including Washington.)
The second truth is that jazz could use a few more people with Washington's cachet in the wider world—touring with Snoop Dogg, or putting out albums on Flying Lotus' Brainfeeder imprint. Admitting this is not tantamount to saying that jazz is in some unhealthy creative state (it isn't), but rather that the music currently faces an uphill struggle in the marketplace (as it often has).
You can see hints of these outside considerations in some of the pre-release writing around The Epic—virtually all of which cites Washington's hip-hop associations as a reason to pay attention to his big debut as a jazz bandleader. (Washington cut one prior album as part of a collective, in 2004, but this set is his real coming-out party.) One can imagine other elite contemporary jazz artists grinding teeth while checking Twitter, muttering to themselves: if anyone paid attention to me, they'd notice the post-turntablism beats in my music.
Given all this, it's something of a gobsmacking paradox to discover what a hip-hop-free zone The Epic is, and how enamored of jazz's past it turns out to be. This triple-album set is an extravagant love letter to (among other things): soul jazz, John Coltrane (various periods), and 1970s fusion leaders like Miles Davis and Weather Report. The Epic's Disc 1 opener, "Change of the Guard", might as well be titled "We Love All Kinds of 'Trane". Its ringing opening piano chords sound almost entirely lifted from the playbook of McCoy Tyner, the pianist in Coltrane's so-called "Classic Quartet." (That's the group responsible for A Love Supreme.) The opening theme in the saxes is something that could only have been written after "Impressions". And the harmonious writing for Washington's string section recalls posthumous Coltrane releases like Infinity—tracks from which featured orchestral overdubs supervised by Alice Coltrane (who is, as you may have read, Flying Lotus's aunt). Toward the end of the 12-minute tune, Washington's tenor sax solo veers off into flights of screeching intensity that were the hallmark of Coltrane's later groups—specifically the ones that also included Pharoah Sanders. (Who is, by the way, still active—and still great, on the evidence of last year's record with the São Paulo Underground.)
What The Epic does come to sound like, over the course of its significant running time, is a generational intervention—an educational tool that widens the definition of styles that fall under "jazz classicism." With his writing for string sections and chorus, Washington even flirts with that most dreaded of appellations: smooth. But these specific choices also wind up paying dividends: The calmly spiritual voices and Washington's wailing playing during the back half of "Askim" feels novel.
Given all this, it's something of a gobsmacking paradox to discover what a hip-hop-free zone The Epic is, and how enamored of jazz's past it turns out to be. This triple-album set is an extravagant love letter to (among other things): soul jazz, John Coltrane (various periods), and 1970s fusion leaders like Miles Davis and Weather Report. The Epic's Disc 1 opener, "Change of the Guard", might as well be titled "We Love All Kinds of 'Trane". Its ringing opening piano chords sound almost entirely lifted from the playbook of McCoy Tyner, the pianist in Coltrane's so-called "Classic Quartet." (That's the group responsible for A Love Supreme.) The opening theme in the saxes is something that could only have been written after "Impressions". And the harmonious writing for Washington's string section recalls posthumous Coltrane releases like Infinity—tracks from which featured orchestral overdubs supervised by Alice Coltrane (who is, as you may have read, Flying Lotus's aunt). Toward the end of the 12-minute tune, Washington's tenor sax solo veers off into flights of screeching intensity that were the hallmark of Coltrane's later groups—specifically the ones that also included Pharoah Sanders. (Who is, by the way, still active—and still great, on the evidence of last year's record with the São Paulo Underground.)
What The Epic does come to sound like, over the course of its significant running time, is a generational intervention—an educational tool that widens the definition of styles that fall under "jazz classicism." With his writing for string sections and chorus, Washington even flirts with that most dreaded of appellations: smooth. But these specific choices also wind up paying dividends: The calmly spiritual voices and Washington's wailing playing during the back half of "Askim" feels novel.
Back from the intriguing experience of “SPL” (in trio with Andrea Lombardini on bass guitar and Alessandro Paternesi on drums), a modern record with surprising turns, Fulvio Sigurtà is back with a more classically jazz album. Supported by Steve Swallow’s stunning bass guitar and Federico Casagrande’s refined acoustic guitar, Sigurtà’s trumpet and flugelhorn weave soft, enchanting melodies. You may let yourself be lulled by the first song and title track on this album, written by the band leader, and Casagrande’s “Sorrows And Joys Of A Lamb”. The two regularly alternate as writers of the nine original tracks on “The Oldest Living Thing”, composed by one or the other in more or less equal measure. The only virtual guest here is Ennio Morricone, who is involved thanks to an appealing reinterpretation of the theme from “Nuovo Cinema Paradiso”. Sigurtà and his fellow travelers have looked for (and actually found) dazzling melodies throughout this fifty-minute long recording.
From a musical idea unfold outstanding plots by the three instruments, with horns and guitar that often alternate with one another in leading the dance and Swallow’s bass that supports it all with valuable skill and excellent taste, watching the scene from behind the lines and emerging here and there with sophisticated virtuosities and a voice always utterly recognizable. Although the temperament and uniqueness of the sound of the powerful bass player from New Jersey is no surprise, one can rightly be a little amazed by the continuous growth of Sigurtà and Casagrande: the former has mastered a variety of timbres that would make many players envious (the intro to “Sunday Snow Flakes” is a case in point), while the latter invents sounds and harmonies that perfectly combine with the band leader’s ideas (“Travel Back”). This steadily evolving leader showed four completely different sides of his musical personality in his past four albums on CAM JAZZ: one of the talents among the new generation of Italian jazzmen who is worthy of being listened to most attentively.
On April the 12th, 2014 I went into the studio in Helsinki with one of
my mentors, the great multiple percussionist Billy Hart. We recorded a
program of Herbie Hancock's music that is now finally out on CD! I've
known Jabali since 1977 when I met him in Finland and our paths have
crossed many times over the years, in NYC and at many festivals. I had
never played piano with him until 2012 when we did a concert in Helsinki
and the event was such a success, that I was really anxious to get
another chance to record our collaboration. Thus we now celebrate
Herbie's 75th birthday with the release of "The Herbie Hancock Legacy".
Billy and myself were joined by two excellent Finnish musicians, Jussi
Kannaste on tenor sax and Jori Huhtala on bass, who both contributed
strongly.
1. The Sorcerer 2. Tell Me a Bedtime Story 3. Speak Like a Child 4. Toys 5. Maiden Voyage 6. Dolphin Dance 7. I Have a Dream 8. Little One 9. The Eye of the Hurricane
Jukkis Uotila, piano Jussi Kannaste, sax Sampo Tiittanen, bass Billy Hart, drums Timo Hirvonen, bass
Since the release of their 2007 debut album, "Goodnight, Mr.
Monster", cleverhorse have been quietly experimenting with compositional
forms and improvisational methods. Their second album "50:fifty"
represents a culmination of their shared vision, featuring a
juxtaposition of heavily structured arrangements with free spirited
extemporization, informed in equal measure by contemporary jazz and
Norwegian folk, the sonic space of the soundtracks of the films of Wim
Wenders, the density of Shanghai city, and the sparse and playful
writings of Richard Brautigan.
In recent years, the idea of "folk" music, or "community" music has
become an increasingly important element in Melville's creative
development. This idea of community relies on two definitions. The first
is one in which a small social unit shares common values, interests,
preferences, beliefs and other characteristics that affect the
individual identity of the participants in their pursuit of a collective
goal. The second reflects the writings of Duncan Foster, in which
community is defined as "an action rather than as a group of people,
whereby the...artist acts in community with others". The community arts
project, in this context, becomes the development of relationships and
is the artist's "specific point of communion with others in
collaboration".
Outside of cleverhorse, the band members perform vastly different
styles of music from one another. Whilst this is not unique to this
band, it has positively informed the development of a shared musical
lexicon, an understanding of each other's personalities and playing, and
a mutual trust on and off the bandstand. The music of cleverhorse is a
reflection of their shared community, made as it is of multiple
musicians, personalities and individuals, and a shared history.
1. Bug Monster 06:16 2. Reich I 01:27 3. Reich II 04:44 4. Bitter Cold 05:25 5. Lego So High Only Dogs Can Hear It 01:52 6. Fletcher & The Whirlybirds 05:28 7. Punch 01:38 8. Remark 03:47 9. I Owe You One 05:03 10.Hurts 01:39 11.June Tune 06:20 12.Stankey 01:20 13.Something About A Dog 05:44
Gideon Brazil - tenor saxophone, flute Luke Hodgson - bass, guitar on "Punch" Dan Macdonald - drums, percussion Monty Mackenzie - alto saxophone Robbie Melville - guitar, banjo
David Bowie has died, 18 months after being diagnosed with cancer.
The 69-year-old singer’s death was confirmed in a Facebook post from his official page:
“David Bowiedied peacefully today surrounded by his family after a courageous 18 month battle with cancer. While many of you will share in this loss, we ask that you respect the family’s privacy during their time of grief.”
Writing onTwitter, Bowie’s son, the film director Duncan Jones, also confirmed the news. Bowie, born David Robert Jones, released 25 albums in his career as well as acting in several films. Bowie was known for his experimentation across diverse musical genres and his alter egos such as Ziggy Stardust, Aladdin Sane and the Thin White Duke. He had kept a low profile in recent years after reportedly suffering a heart attack in the 2000s, and his last live performance was at a 2006 charity show in New York. Bowie had been married to model Iman since 1992, with whom he had a daughter, Alexandria Zahra Jones.
Indonesian jazz pianist Sri Hanuraga (Aga) strikes again with a new
album, “To The Universe”. On this album he is using European musicians:
Mattia Magatelli (double bass/electric bass), Kristijan Krajncan (drums)
and Rodrigo Parejo Mateos (flute). This album contains original songs
and some folk songs which are brilliantly re-arranged into challenging
jazz compositions. The album is recorded in Amsterdam, mixed and
mastered by Paul Rutschka,
Sri Hanuraga is am emerging Indonesian talent and versatile both on
acoustic piano and electric keyboards, in jazz, ethno-jazz, fusion and
progressive rock formats.
Sri Hanuraga has performed with several of his projects all around
Indonesia, South-East Asia and in Europe (Holland, Belgium, Germany,
Poland, Hungary, Romania, France, Monaco).
At the age of seventeen, Aga began to study Jazz piano with Indra
Lesmana, the leading Jazz pianist in Indonesia. During that period he
won the first prize at the JGTC Competition, and performed at some major
Jazz festivals in Indonesia including the International Java Jazz
Festival 2005. By nineteen, he moved to Amsterdam to study Jazz piano at
the Conservatory of Amsterdam. In April 2006, Aga won the soloist prize
at the East of Eastern Jazz Festival in Nijmegen and January 2009 again
he won the second prize in the YPF Jazz Piano Competition (judge :
Jacky Terrason, John Taylor, Antonio Farao, Enrico Pieranunzi and Bobo
Stenson)
2011, Aga was awarded with the “The Indonesian Young Talent Award” by
the Java Jazz Festival. Soon after that, he won The European Keep an Eye
Jazz Award 2011 for the category “Best Band” with the Daniel Master
Quartet and June 2011 Aga graduated summa cum laude (10 with
distinction) from the master program in Jazz piano performance at The
Conservatorium van Amsterdam.
His main jazz piano influences are Herbie Hancock, Brad Mehldau, McCoy
Tyner and the Indonesian piano icons Dwiki Dharmawan, Riza Arshad and
Indra Lesmana.
The Amsterdam-based Keep an Eye Foundation, is a Dutch government sponsored program for developing artists across many creative disciplines. Their jazz program culminates in an annual award competition for new talent and in 2014, bassist Alessandro Fongaro was awarded sponsorship that has now resulted in the quintet release of Neither More Nor Less.
A native of Valdagno, Italy, now living in the Netherlands (following a student exchange program in which he participated), Fongaro has been pursuing jazz since the age of sixteen. With a strong business sense to go with his musical aptitude, Fongaro attended the Rotterdam-based international university, Codarts, an institution that stresses a more rounded business management approach for musicians and other artists. Fongaro, though an expatriate at the moment, has not turned his back on Italy and hopes to return and work with that country's own fine jazz musicians.
It was at Codarts that Fongaro assembled an international band of very talented musicians that allowed him to share the musical decision making process, often in the old-world setting of the dinner table. It adds a kind of charm to music that is often progressive but with mainstream grounding and a strong sense of melodicism. Joining him are Dutch saxophonist Donald Simoen, Italian guitarist Federico Castelli, Belgium native Thomas Maasz on piano and Hungarian drummer Attila Gyarfas. All in their twenties, the group benefits from Fongaro's original compositions which play to the strengths of the individuals while observing the best practices in group dynamics.
"Five Months" takes its time building, eventually providing a high-energy improvisational setting for Maasz before returning to the main theme. Castelli's fluid guitar takes center stage on the title track and "KG" is a charismatic ballad that showcases Simoen and Maasz at their most lyrical. It's not until "The Traveller"—which may well be a Fongaro autobiographical composition—that we hear an extended demonstration of the leader's own superb skills on the double base followed by another exhilarating solo from Maasz. Gyarfas' subltle—and not so subtle—manipulations keeps these pieces coherent while constantly in motion. The outlier on Neither More Nor Less is the closing piece, a harder edged "Blues Not," that gives all the players a chance to cut loose.
Neither More Nor Less is a fine debut from some very talented artists that are just barely out of the gate in their musical careers. There are no wasted spaces on this album and it engages from the outset, wisely taking time to breath when the pace requires a bit of a sensory cool-down. While Fongaro is a talent to watch, all the players here deserve equal attention.
