Jazz

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The Charles Gayle Trio | Forgiveness | Not Two Records

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Charles Gayle – almost 70-year-old legend of free jazz. He spent almost 20 years playing on the streets of New York City. Gayle begun his professional career in mid 80s performing in clubs (e.g. Knitting Factory) and recording albums (the most important once for Silkheart, FMP, Thirsty Ear and Clean Feed). He cooperated with free jazz giants: William Parker, Rashid Ali and Chad Taylor among others. This new album was recorded at Jazzga Club Continue reading →

Satoko Fujii ma-do Quartet | Heat Wave | Not Two Records

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This band’s name, like it’s music, has many layers. Ma-do means “window” in Japanese. But “ma” also means “the silence between notes.” Fujii chose the name to show how the music opens to the outside (just like window) and that silence can have more meaning than notes. In an acoustic setting, the group’s absorbing improvisations explore subtle textures and tone colors, using silence and group interaction to build brilliant collages of sound, melody, and rhythm. They have released two CDs, Heat Wave (2008) and Desert Ship (2010) Continue reading →

Jacek Kochan | Joe Fonda | Franz Hautzinger | Tellef Ogrim | musicConspiracy | Do I The In? | Not Two Records

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This was recorded live at Alchemia in Cracow in September of 2007 and has excellent sound. I had not heard of Polish drum wiz, Jacek Kochan, before we got a half dozen discs of his from Not Two & Gowi. After reviewing a few of them I was impressed with his playing, arranging and the varied personnel on each disc. This new disc also has an inspired line-up of musicians from Austria (FH), Norway (TO), Poland (JK) and the US (JF). Each player has contributed two pieces as well as three great groups improvisations. Starting with Joe Fonda’s “Song for My Mother”, the rhythm team hits their stride quickly with some twisted fretless guitar and Miles-like electric trumpet up front. What is great here is how well the guitar and electric trumpet play together and sound similar. On “Golden Angel”, the bowed bass, el. guitar and mutant trumpet seem to complete each other’s line as they swerve around one another and bend their notes close. The band swings hard on “Feed the Hamster” with Franz taking that great Electric Miles-like tone and squeezing it higher. The ever-incredible Joe Fonda sounds splendid throughout as his bass buzzes underneath all of the action, creating a tight connection with Jacek’s uplifting drums. All four of these musicians are play wonderfully throughout, exchanging ideas, tossing riffs back and forth and consistently surprising us with their tight, interconnected tapestry. Another outstanding disc from the folks at Not Two. — Bruce Lee Gallanter, Downtown Music Gallery Continue reading →

Gebhard Ullmann Basement Research | Don’t Touch My Music Vol.1 and 2 | Not Two Records

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Multi-instrumentalist and composer Gebhard Ullmann lays down the ground rules without ado with the slam-bang title Don’t Touch My Music. There should be no qualms about that, Ullmann’s music is made to draw rapt attention. The closer one listens, the more there is to discover. Ullmann brings in an evolving, and revolving, cast of characters to give voice to his music. Each ensemble brings certain attributes and direction to his compositions that absorb various strains to enrich them. Basement Research with Steve Swell, Julian Arguelles, John Hebert, and Gerald Cleaver has marked an indelible presence with their earlier work. And there’s no messing around with them this time either. The members of Basement Research have honed empathy to a fine skill. Surprise is the hallmark of their cross-pollination of genres. The band dons and doffs styles in seamless motion, playing in sweet consonance at one moment and taking off at tangents the next. An intimate conversation warps into disparate strain. And with the wit and sly humor they inject, thees CD’s turns out to be quite the excellent entertainer. Continue reading →

Kazutoki Umezu KIKI Band | Alchemic Life | Not Two Records

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Kazutoki Umezu (Alt sax, Soprano sax, Clarinet, Bass Clarinet) is one of the most important reed players in the world. One of his recent project s – Kazutoki Umezu “Kiki” Band” blends elements of middle Eastern music, rock and jazz. In addition to pursuing his own projects, Umezu continues to participate in those of others both in Japan and overseas with jazz or improvisation artists such as Yosuke Yamashita, Koichi Makigami, Yoshihide Otomo, Eastasia orchestra, Mal Waldoron, David Murray, Lester Bowie, Barre Phillips, Peter Brotzmann, Carlo Actis Dato. He also enjoys musical relationships with leaders of the New York improvisational music scene such as John Zorn, Ned Rothenberg, Anthony Coleman, George Lewis, Fred Frith, Marc Ribot, Frank London, Don Byron, David Krakauer, Kevin Norton, Mark Stewart and Wayne Horvitz, often making appearances with them at the Knitting Factory in New York. — Continue reading →

Ken Vandermark | Resonance | Not Two Records

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At the end of the week, music fans from all over the region flocked to the concerts in Lviv and Krakow that the musicians had been rehearsing for over the preceding five days, one group even chartering a jet from Georgia. At the end of the week, when it was time to say goodbye, the bonds formed between some of the musicians were so strong that some couldn’t contain their tears. But for many of these artists it was adieu rather than farewell as many intend to build on their Resonance experience by collaborating with each again in the future. — Philip Palmer, Jazzwise magazine) Continue reading →

Ensemble 56 | 1st Meeting Towards Sky Flight Of Dragon | Not Two Records

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One of the hallmarks of the CD is the way in which dissonance and symmetry are complementary. Gorka’s tonality and resonance illumine “5,” and Dora is in consonance with the mood. But he gradually moves out of the pulse, shifting into high gear with Mazur rumbling down on the bass. Each stays within their boundaries, yet there is an assimilation of the individual streams which makes the flow gleam. Spontaneous invention and a dynamic approach sing the sounds of Ensemble 56. The call is irresistible. — Jerry D’Souza, All About Jazz Continue reading →

Matthew Shipp Quartet | Cosmic Suite | Not Two Records

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Featuring Matt Shipp on piano, Daniel Carter on reeds & trumpet, Joe Morris on double bass and Whit Dickey on drums. As the amazing pianist and composer, Matt Shipp, closes in on his 100th disc as a leader or sideman, it is good thing that he didn’t honor his promise to retire from recording like he said a few years back. I believe that this particular quartet has not recorded before this, although all of the members have played together in other combinations. Matt, Joe & Whit have been playing as a trio for the past few years and Daniel can be heard on a variety of previous Matt Shipp dates. Starting with “Cosmic Suite – Part One,” Daniel is playing some lovely, laid-back, muted trumpet while the rest of the quartet swirls calmly around him. This has to be some of the most calm and enchanting music we’ve heard from Matt and his cohorts in recent memory. When Daniel switches to tenor sax, the quartet starts swirling more intensely, the waves building higher and higher. The recording and balance are especially well done, so the quartet sounds mighty fine. On each piece, Matt provides a different yet somehow connected theme, often reflective yet also quite intense. “Cosmic Suite – Part Four” reminds me of a Monk songs, it is somewhat lopsided and it is interesting to hear Daniel Carter playing in such a more inside way. On “Part Five,” Matt plays these shimmering, dark chords that sound as if we are swimming at the bottom of the ocean in slow motion. As we rise closer to the surface, there is a peaceful calm that washes over us until things get a bit bumpy once more. Each part of the “Cosmic Suite” seems to evoke a slightly different spirit or image. It sounds as if Matt has selected just the right musicians for this suite since each one fits so perfectly into the cosmic flow. This might just be Matt Shipp’s finest disc, it certainly feel that way as I sit back in my chair sipping on some coconut coffee in front of my computer on a hot summer’s night. — BLG, Downtown Music Gallery Continue reading →

Steve Swell | Rivers Of Sound Ensemble…….News From the Mystic Auricle | Not Two Records

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Steve Swell’s third release on the Polish NotTwo label moves the trombonist into new, though not entirely unfamiliar territory. On this occasion, his regular Slammin’ the Infinite band has expanded with the addition of trumpeter Roy Campbell to become the Rivers of Sound Ensemble. Hilliard Greene, who plays in Swell’s quartet with Gebhard Ullmann, takes over the bass chair from Matt Heyner, with drummer Klaus Kugel and reed maestro Sabir Mateen as holdovers. More significant though is Swell’s dispensation with composition for the three 20+ minute pieces presented here, each sporting group credits suggesting a collective genesis. That’s not to imply that this is merely a set of free jazz blowouts, though there are some cathartic moments to be sure. What’s striking is the restraint on show and the spontaneously conceived arrangements, which conjure a different setting for each horn soloist: evidence of the protagonist’s years of hard won experience on the New York free jazz scene. — John Sharpe, All About Jazz Continue reading →

Dan Warburton | Jean-Luc Guionnet | François Fuchs | Edward Perraud | Return of the New Thing | Alchemy | Not Two Records

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This band soon erupt and blast forth together tightly. Even when they slow down to a spacious section, they remain a tight-knit quartet. Dan’s twisted violin improv works well with Edward’s quick-spinning free percussion, Jean-Luc out-there sax and Francois’ great bowed bass. Although this great quartet probably don’t get together that often, they don’t sound that way. They have an incredible, well-worn, tight-knit group sound, that remains interconnected no matter how far they go out. Once again we find another European unit that sounds as wonderful as any of their American brethren. Extra-ordinary, yes indeed! — BLG, Downtown Music Gallery Continue reading →