Jazz

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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 →

Szilard Mezei Trio | Barmikor, most / Anytime, now | Not Two Records

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Szilárd Mezei is a contemporary European violinist, violist, double bass player, composer and leader of various formations; he is perhaps the greatest hope of European jazz violin since the tragic death of Polish violin master Zbigniew Seifert in 1979. Szilárd Mezei was born February 12th, 1974 in Senta, Serbia (then Yugoslavia) as a member of the Hungarian minority in the multiethnic region of Vojvodina. He completed his violin studies in Senta and Subotica and studied composition for four years at the University of Arts in Belograd under prof. Zoran Eric. He plays contemporary improvised music, mostly performing his own compositions. As a composer, Mezei is interested in exploring the relationship between improvisation and composition (similarly to Witold Lutoslawski’s aleatoric and Anthony Braxton’s creative music methods), incorporating elements of jazz and authentic folk music as well. As a young musician he followed the path of B.Bartók and Gy.Szabados. Mezei is also very actively involved in composing scenic music and plays authentic Hungarian folk music on genuine folk instruments (koboz and oud). He leads the Szilárd Mezei Trio, Szilárd Mezei Quintet (/ Sextet / Septet / Octet), and plays in many formations (duo, trio, etc.) for improvising music (among others, in duet with György Szabados, and with his own orchestra MAKUZ, The Fonda/Stevens Group. This CD presents Szilard’s trio, performing fascinating blend of jazz, classical, and traditional ethnic folk music. Continue reading →

Jim Hobbs | Joe Morris | Luther Gray | The Story of Mankind | Not Two Records

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Even when the mood is more reflective as on “The Spreading of the Idea of Popular Sovereignty,” there’s still an ambience of kinetic activity. Thanks for this is in no small part due to the amount of ground Joe Morris covers on bass beneath Hobbs’s braying fractiousness. Luther Gray’s work here has the effect of giving the music momentum for all of its relatively low-key aspect. Rhythmic vitality is to the fore also on “The Story of a Word,” wherein the group echoes the spirit of the trio Ornette Coleman had with David Izenzon and Charles Moffett without uncritically aping its every move. Hobbs treads a fine line between injecting melodic impetus and employing his alto sax as a third voice in rhythmic service and again the results have about them that air of individuality that’s never anything other than welcome. It’s no surprise that “Gunpowder” has its own incendiary quality. That stems largely from the tension the three musicians conjure up. Again Morris gives the music a momentum of which Hobbs certainly and Gray arguably seem to be in denial. As elsewhere, the resulting music hints not so much at a new vocabulary as it does a new form of interrelationship between rhythm and melody. — Nic Jones, AllAboutJazz Continue reading →

The Cosmosamatics | Free Within The Law | Not Two Records

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Free within the Law comes courtesy of the Cosmosamatics, the long-term aggregate co-led by Marcus with veteran pioneer and improviser Sonny Simmons. From the first moments of the title track, seemingly boundless New Thing energy is the order of the day, the rough edges even informing the softer-grained textures and luscious clarinet and English horn counterpoint of “Afro Funk”. Uhr-blues pervades the sinewy swing of “May-Lee-High-Young” as its frontline horn dissonances charge their exuberant but reflective way forward. Simmons is in especially fine form here, each utterance and gesture a testament to his rhythmic versatility and dynamic control. Despite these levels of introspection, the energy is ramped back up during the concert portion of the disc, bassist Peter Herbert and drummer Art Lewis providing scorching support on the freneticism of “The Polish Rally,” bringing the disc to a highly charged conclusion. — Marc Medwin, All About Jazz Continue reading →

Dennis Gonzalez Jnaana Septet | The Gift of Discernment | Not Two Records

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Trumpeter Dennis Gonzalez has been responsible for some beautifully realized music on record in the past and this is a worthy addition to the canon. The music’s full of that often difficult to define quality called life, shot through with a group conception which makes for a realization which is simultaneously both tight and loose. The presence of percussionist Alvin Fielder provides a kind of link with the percussive workouts of the Art Ensemble Of Chicago, and it’s that aesthetic which pervades the first four minutes of the opener, “Raise The Spirit,” before Chris Parker’s piano strikes out for territories new with Aaron Gonzalez’s bass hinting at harmonic possibilities. Singer Leena Conquest adds a further facet when she comes in and the gradualism of approach has the effect of enticing the listener in on the promise of new vistas. They come to the fore on “Ganesha The Spy,” where Parker’s piano sounds slightly portentous, only for the mood to disperse in the wake of percussion before Gonzalez maintains the stately, quietly reverential mood. Again the percussion is deftly handled in terms of deployment. The lyricism of the piece is perpetually foreboding, but in a manner that’s the opposite of off-putting. Not for these guys is the use of volume and instrumental screaming in pursuit of spurious spirit summoning. — Nic Jones, AllAboutJazz Continue reading →

Joe McPhee | Mikolaj Trzaska | Jay Rosen | Intimate Conversations | Not Two Records

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Intimacy permeates many kinds of relationships. It is rare that in one context, several can be examined simultaneously. But the language of music coupled with the poetry of viewpoint can cover descriptive territory without too much hardship to demonstrate that intimacy requires depth of connection and can stretch the parameters for gaining insight and paying attention…– Lyn Horton, All About Jazz Continue reading →

Jeb Bishop | Harris Eisenstadt | Jason Roebke | Tiebreaker | Not Two Records

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Thecrowd at this Krakow, Poland date probably thought they were applauding three Americans. Yet while astute trombonist Bishop and solid bassist Roebke are both Chicago-based, versatile drummer Eisenstadt is a Toronto native now in New York. Bishop’s gutsy slurs and growls lock in place so completely with Roebke’s steady walking and Eisenstadt’s rumbling, funky beats that other instruments aren’t missed. While some tracks may be snappier, the key performance is the almost-39-minute medley that seamlessly links two of the trombonist’s compositions, one by the drummer and another by the bassist. As the tunes flow into one another, Bishop’s buzzing grace notes elongate into brays, strengthened by Eisenstadt’s drags and rim shots. Moving to “Double Dog”, the second tune, brass chromaticism turns to horn whistles and squeaks, until the drummer’s cymbal embellishments signal the shift into his own “How Are You Dear”. Bishop’s lip burbles personalize the tender line, while adding vocalized tessitura. The bassist’s “Northstar” brings out trombone snorts and tongue gymnastics, answered with fidgety arco sweeps and timed drum strokes. The four compositions fit together as effectively as the players improvise together. — Ken Waxman, jazzword.com Continue reading →

Nicola Cipani | Klaviermassagen | Seven Solo Piano Recordings | Long Song Records

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Pianist Nicola Cipani is one of Long Song’s most acclaimed discoveries. His debut The ill-tempered piano was saluted as “achingly gorgeous, unusual and wonderful” (Signal to noise), “endlessly clever and playful” (DMG), earning praise for the “impressive range of techniques” (The Wire) and “unbounded imagination” (AllAboutJazz), along with an honorable mention for best release of 2008 (AllAboutJazz New York). Cipani’s second solo CD no longer resorts to broken instruments — the piano is now healthy and tuned — but the result is still surprisingly uncharacteristic. These piano-string ‘massages’ unearth layers of new sounds, producing a thrilling landscape of drones, overtones, sympathetic resonances. Cipani manages to organize such magmatic potential into meaningful textures and music evolves as propelled by a reflection on sound itself. Continue reading →

The Nu Band | The Dope and The Ghost | Live in Vienna | Not Two Records

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Formed as a collaborative venture in 2000 The Nu Band consisting of Mark Whitecage on alto saxophone and clarinet, Lou Grassi on drums, Roy Campbell on trumpet and flugelhorn and Joe Fonda on bass explores in a very interesting way the intersection of mainstream and free jazz. It is clear that the musicians have a great respect for the jazz tradition and use that as a springboard for their compositions and improvisations on this album. “Lower East Side Blues” opens the album with a strong and deep performance, with the soloing and ensemble playing marking a fertile and earthy feel . . . This was a well played and thoroughly enjoyable album of progressive jazz that is quite accessible. The music is both thoughtful and exciting and the musicians involved have a deep sense of the jazz tradition without being beholden to it. — Tim Niland. Music and More Continue reading →