La Rayuela Sónica

Buffalo, Volcanic Rock (1973)

2012-03-09T04:26:00.000-08:00

In a genre hardly recognized for its finesse, Buffalo's second album, 1973's aptly titled Volcanic Rock, was about as raw as heavy metal got in the early 1970s (and its cover art's barely concealed eroticism sparked a controversy all its own, but that's another story). Of course, as those well versed in matters of hard rock and metal well know, all of its crudity was absolutely intentional. This seeming contradiction is both epitomized and explained by the Sydney, Australia combo's signature single, "Sunrise (Come My Way)," which boasted unquestionable melodic sensibility and expertly dangled hooks beneath the coarse leather surface of guitarist's John Baxter's earth-rumbling fuzz distortion, and singer Dave Tice's simultaneously warm, soulful, and, when needed, borderline ragged voice. Next track, "Freedom," pays peremptory lip service to the "think big" mentality of then ultra-popular progressive rock (and the band's prog-loving label, Vertigo), but never succumbs to the genre's arrogant self-indulgence. Rather, much as they do on the mostly improvised studio jams "Till My Death" and "The Prophet," the rhythm section of bassist Pete Wells (later of Rose Tattoo) and drummer Jimmy Economu plants its hooves into honest, proletarian blues-rock mud and stays put. Actually, the mid-album vibe almost gets too basic and laid-back come the unremarkable "Pound of Flesh," but any serious concerns are quickly crushed under the stampeding, LP-closing eruption of "Shylock," which introduces Shakespeare to Black Sabbath by way of Budgie and Steppenwolf) and brings Volcanic Rock's most distinctive and powerful qualities full circle for an explosive finale. And, as had originally been instructed on their debut album before being reiterated here, Buffalo's peculiar brand of Volcanic Rock achieved best results when played even louder. [Volcanic Rock's 2006 reissue by Aztec Records resurrected long lost original album artwork for its handsome digipack, included comprehensive liner notes, and added two bonus tracks: the single edit of "Sunrise" and a live version of "Shylock," making it the definitive collectors' edition.] ~ Eduardo Rivadavia, Rovi (artistdirect.com)

1 Sunrise (Come My Way) 4:58
2 Freedom 9:02
3 Till My Death 5:38
4 The Prophet 7:24
5 Intro: Pound Of Flesh 4:33
6 Shylock 5:52
Bonus Tracks
7 Sunrise (Come My Way) (Single Version) 3:42
8 Shylock (Live Version)

Peter Wells: Bass Guitar
Jimmy Economou: Drums
John Baxter: Guitar
Dave Tice: Vocals

info |
http://www.discogs.com/Buffalo-Volcanic-Rock/release/1922179
http://www.artistdirect.com/nad/store/artist/album/0,,3526803,00.html

The Mars Volta, Noctourniquet (2012)

2012-03-05T02:29:00.000-08:00

1. The Whip Hand
2. Aegis
3. Dyslexicon
4. Empty Vessels Make The Loudest Sound
5. The Malkin Jewel
6. Lapochka
7. In Absentia
8. Imago
9. Molochwalker
10. Trinkets Pale of Moon
11. Vedamalady
12. Noctourniquet
13. Zed and Two Naughts

Omar Rodriguez-Lopez: Guitars
Cedric Bixler-Zavala: Vocals
Juan Alderete: Bass
Marcel Rodriguez-Lopez: Keyboards, synths
Deantoni Parks: Drums
Lars Stalfors: Synths

info |
http://www.themarsvolta.com/the-malkin-jewel/
http://www.progarchives.com/album.asp?id=36504

Forgas Band Phenomena, Acte V (2012)

2012-03-04T10:56:00.003-08:00

"For those of you who grew up on the Return to Forever / Mahavishnu Orchestra / Weather Report strain of modern jazz, you will love this group. There's no mincing words about the Phenomena tag this band is proud to own — terrific music made by a wonderful band that cannot be a trade secret for too much longer. Viva Forgas!" – All-Music Guide

"Composer and multi-instrumentalist Patrick Forgas has been making music for the last four decades, and now in the heart of his fifth one, he still has not run out of ideas to put into musical forms...[Forgas’s writing] and arrangements display elements of orchestral-jazz, ambient-rock, and progressive-bop with ethnic accents based in Eastern Europe cultures, the Middle East, and the Latin World. It is as if he pulls various influences out of the air, and transforms these bits and pieces that he grabs into magnificent complexes of multi-textured broths. " – Jazz Review

For over 35 years, composer/drummer/bandleader Patrick Forgas has been making progressive jazz/rock music in his native Paris. He has led various incarnations of his Forgas Band Phenomena for nearly 15 years and four previous and excellent albums, all of which have featured shifting personnel, but the group featured on Acte V, the group's fifth album, has been stable for five years and is the same group that performed on their last release. So, happily, the band still consists of Patrick, Sebastien Trognon on saxes and flute, Dimitri Alexaline on trumpet and flugelhorn, Benjamin Violet on guitar, Karolina Mlodecka on violin, Igor Brover on piano and keyboards, Kengo Mochizuki on bass. These musicians enliven his compositions with an energy and verve that gives his compositions the performances they deserve!

Fusing new jazz directions with the electric crackle of rock with inspired solos, the music will appeal to fans of Frank Zappa’s instrumental works, Jean-Luc Ponty, Morglbl, Return To Forever and Mats/Morgan Band. The quality of the music and performances is obvious from the first note and we're not the only ones who have noticed, as the group has been invited to play some very high profiles concerts: in 2008 they were invited to Seoul, South Korea to perform and - more relevant to this release - in June 2010, the group were invited to perform at pentultimate edition of NEARFest, performing to a packed audience of over 1,000. (cuneiformrecords.com)

1 Ultraviolet (8:34)
2 L'Axe Du Fou (16:06)
3 Feu Sacré (6:53)
4 Soleil 12 (9:09)
5 Double Sens (13:38)
6 Extralucide (10:20)
7 Eclipse (7:45)

Patrick Forgas: Drums
Sebastien Tregnon: Tenor, alto & soprano saxes, flute
Dimitri Alexaline: Trumpet, flugelhorn
Benjamin Violet: Guitar
Karolina Mlodecka: Violin
Igor Brover: Keyboards
Kengo Mochizuki: Bass

info |
http://forgasbp.online.fr/
http://cuneiformrecords.com/bandshtml/forgas.html
http://www.progarchives.com/album.asp?id=36844

Charles Gayle Trio, Streets (2012)

2012-03-04T07:50:00.000-08:00

The post New Thing lineage is a sacred thing. In the fields sown by Ayler and Coltrane and Sanders and Shepp, the music is free and flowing without ego but with purpose. It’s a judgment call of course, but the proponents are arguably few.

Without attaching too many words to it, it’s a style of playing that’s something spiritual, something other, a connectivity between the players and with the listener. And without overly delineating who’s in and who’s out, it’s certain that Gayle is a master of the form.

Deeply committed to free improvisation and the jazz tradition in all its manifestations, Gayle is a blazing saxophonist, a fluent pianist and, has more recently been playing the double bass. Here he is heard at his best, in classic form on the tenor horn with an exhilarating trio.

The title and cover here evoke a character Gayle took to portraying onstage back in the 1990s, a bit of social commentary using the familiar face of a sad clown (read Emmett Kelly or even Charlie Chaplin), using a tragic face with no comedic angle to reflect on his own homeless days. But the music within is all new, recorded in the studio this year with Gayle heard on tenor exclusively joined by longtime timekeeper Michael TA Thompson on drums and Larry Roland on bass.

To say that he recalls the pilgrims of free jazz is no small praise, but it’s not to lock him in the past. At 72, Gayle remains a vital force. The Streets are paved with some serious intentions. (northern-spy.com)

1. Compassion I Charles 5:16
2. Compassion II 6:43
3. Glory & Jesus 9:12
4. Streets 10:34
5. March Of April 9:24
6. Doxology 10:46
7. Tribulations 8:32

Charles Gayle: Tenor saxophone
Michael TA Thompson: Drums
Larry Roland: Bass

info |
http://northern-spy.com/products-page/charles-gayle-streets/
http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/news.php?id=93241

Jack DeJohnette, Sound Travels (2012)

2012-03-02T03:46:00.000-08:00

Sound Travels is many things: It’s a celebration of Jack DeJohnette turning 70 and being named an NEA Jazz Master in 2012; it’s an updated tour of some of the vast musical landscape traversed in his career; and it’s a chance for him to play — piano as well as drums — with a hand-picked ensemble that purposefully includes some of his favorite younger musicians.

For a collection this lighthearted and variegated, it still packs a surprising musical punch. Among the memorable moments are DeJohnette and percussionist Luisito Quintero trading licks after Esperanza Spaulding’s wafting vocal on “Salsa For Luisito;” the way trumpeter Ambrose Akinmusire seems to suspend time on a compelling stop-and-go solo of fiery power during “New Muse;” the galvanizing guitar solo by Lionel Loueke on a DeJohnette-penned calypso tribute to saxophonist Sonny Rollins on “Sonny Light;” and pianist Jason Moran’s ability to energize and uplift “Indigo Dreamscapes” without ruffling the ethereal fabric of the tune. (Alas, it’s Moran’s lone contribution to Sound Travels.)

Along with Spaulding’s turn on “Salsa,” there are two other vocal tracks, both standouts. “Dirty Ground” is a 7/4 slab of funk equally inspired by New Orleans and the Band, with DeJohnette playing those familiar, galomping accents forever associated with the Band’s Levon Helm, while Bruce Hornsby provides the lyrics and vocals. The third and final sung song is actually a spellbinding feat of vocalese by Bobby McFerrin, in conjunction with Quintero and DeJohnette, on “Oneness,” a song that first appeared on a Gateway Trio disc back in the ’90s. McFerrin’s execution is immaculate, conjuring the ineffable yet potent ambiance of spirituality. It fits well with the two DeJohnette piano solos that bracket the album, especially the closing “Home,” which DeJohnette rightly likens to the South African master of gospel-blues serenity, Abdullah Ibrahim. (emusic.com)

1. Enter Here [02:24]
2. Salsa for Luisito [06:56]
3. Dirty Ground [04:49]
4. New Muse [06:06]
5. Sonny Light [05:40]
6. Sound Travels [01:43]
7. Oneness [05:59]
8. Indigo Dreamscapes [08:05]
9. Home [04:34]

Jack DeJohnette: Piano (1-7, 9), drums (2-6, 8), resonating bell (1), vocal (2), keyboards (3)
Tim Ries: Tenor saxophone (2, 3, 5, 8), soprano saxophone (3, 4)
Ambrose Akinmusire: Trumpet (2, 4, 5)
Lionel Loueke: Guitar (2, 3, 5, 6)
Esperanza Spalding: Bass (2-6, 8), vocal (2, 3)
Luisito Quintero: Percussion (2-8), vocal (2)
Bruce Hornsby: Vocal (3)
Bobby McFerrin: Vocal (7)
Jason Moran: Piano (8)

info |
http://www.jackdejohnette.com
http://www.emusic.com/listen/#/music-news/review/album/jack-dejohnette-sound-travels

Wynton Marsalis, The Music of America (2012)

2012-03-02T02:17:00.000-08:00

Yes and Love. These two words summon the affirmation and arc of intention, and the meaning and values at the core of Wynton Marsalis’s oeuvre, a small sample of which is contained on this two-disc set. When you listen, other words will bubble to the surface, other metaphors and images will arise. Nouns like “America” – rural to city, farming to high-tech, white and black and the spectrum of colors of the spiral rainbow –will be evoked. Marsalis’s music also registers an emotional spectrum, from the sensual slow drags to the in-the-pocket mid-tempos to the high-velocity-jet swing. You’ll also find down-home timbres, horns with bite and sass, plus strings that sing and sting with a fiddler’s edge.

The music in this collection covers only a thirteen-year period in a career that spans three decades, yet the scope and range of aesthetic content encompasses the sweep of a century of jazz tradition and modern innovation. Several cuts on the first disc – “Express Crossing (Astride Iron Horses),” “Station Call” and “The Caboose” – explore the dead metaphor of Pullman porter and Amtrak trains, even harkening back to the Underground Railroad, yet reinvigorate the metaphor in light of high-speed rails. These compositions are the best train onomatopoeia since Ellington’s many classics capturing the iron horse in sound.

“D in the Key of F” captures the Yes and Love of romance and intimacy between couples, alto and tenor sax alternating conversational choruses, ending in an embrace of harmony. Another number, “Jump,” swings with the verve of the best of the big bands of yesteryear. Marsalis’s trumpet mentor, Harry “Sweets” Edison, rises to the occasion, showing the young men how it’s done. Edison was a member of the Count Basie Orchestra that came swingin’ out of Kansas City in the 1930s.

“Fiddler’s March,” a response to Stravinsky’s A Soldier’s Tale, is exemplary of the way Marsalis incorporates classical composers into his aesthetic statements and counter-statements. “Hellbound Highball” demonstrates this engagement with European tradition more explicitly in string quartet format. “Go, Possum, Go” recalls the days of Davy Crockett, in an American slave fiddling context, through violin master Mark O’Connor, who, like Marsalis, reflects Anglo- and Afro-American traditions in his music.

The penultimate song on the first disc appropriates the march beat so fundamental to jazz and Western music. The last composition captures the spiritual optimism, the Yes and Love, of “I Am.” Both are from Marsalis’s 2002 engagement with a jazz quartet, a vocal choir and the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra, All Rise.

The second disc opens with the ultra-modern “The Majesty of the Blues,” followed by “The Dance,” an invitation to waltz along in triple meter, to modulate and break, and to flow in ensemble groove. But the reverie is interrupted by the tragic awareness of man’s inhumanity to humankind, by the lurching of slave ships on the rocky Atlantic. From Blood on the Fields (Marsalis’s epic piece, recorded by the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra, which garnered a Pulitzer Prize in Music in 1997), we see through hearing the tale of a man and woman captivated with each other as captives. “Move Over,” said the woman, yet really desiring for him to “come close to me, touch me” because although they were enslaved externally, she tried to teach him how to live in spite of a bad situation.

This American tragedy, this tale of irony – freedom’s grounding in unfreedom – and the romance and adventure of life still amounts to a Yes, an affirmation of life. But to affirm life we also say “No” to “Soul for Sale” –an allusion to Cole Porter’s “Love for Sale,” with likewise jaunty music contrasted by the harsh reality of the lyrics. We affirm life anyway by signifyin’ and scattin’, by declaring “We gonna swing anyway!” Even with tears, Yes. With the blues, Yes. With tenacity, discipline, integrity, and with what Marsalis calls soul: “to give without want.” Yes. And to Love, to give without seeking in return. Yes.

Do you yet wonder how and why Yes, and when and where Love? The fourth cut, where the heroic soloist is supported by the ensemble bosom of the democratic process, shows a way, as “Double Rondo on the River (Pedro’s Getaway)” swings the forward motion and drive of jazz. This is the feeling of players and listeners immersed in a purification ritual, the spirit of regeneration in the midst of tragedy. To complete the cycle of life, you also need romance, the sweet embrace of life captured in the tenderness of “Spring Yaoundé,” whereby a ritual of fertility conceives springtime. That’s the Saturday Night Function.

On Sunday morning, from the solemnity of the “Altar Call” to the jubilation of the “Holy Ghost,” you’re in an Afro-American church service where you give glory to God in the Highest by shouting a joyful noise unto the Lord. You done worked hard all week, had a good time Friday and Saturday nights, so now’s the time to rejuvenate through joy, to show gratitude for the blessing of life, of breath, of the senses, of time and space. Time to show appreciation for feeling in form, for the memory in sound that is music and all of God’s gifts. Yes, Love.

Whereas a mournful “The Death of Jazz” taps into the very earliest of jazz traditions, the funeral and the parade, we ride the rollicking second line in the Crescent City with the final cut, “Oh, But on the Third Day.” Guitarist and banjo player Danny Barker, who performed with, among others, Louis Armstrong, Sidney Bechet and Cab Calloway, shines here. Marsalis played in Barker’s Fairview Baptist Church Brass Band when he was eight years old.

Wynton Marsalis’s achievement as a composer for small and large groups has not been given due consideration by so-called serious music critics. Similar to Duke Ellington, whose prolific production make assessing his body of work a daunting task, Marsalis has written so much music encompassing such a panorama of styles, genres, grooves and feeling-tones that even a Ph.D in musicology is no guarantee of proper critical judgment. In 1999 alone, he came out with an average of one full recording per month. Who – in these days of pop flash and flesh, celebrity worship and corporate greed – does that? Who has the depth to plumb the entire American jazz tradition as if it’s all good and new, and then connect it with music from Africa, Spain, France as well as the spicy flavors of the Mediterranean? Who is searching for the ineffable qualities of spiritual transcendence in the artistic objectives of jazz? Wynton Marsalis is foremost among them.

Perhaps his early celebrity, as a superb classical instrumentalist who also played precise jazz, overshadowed his compositional achievement. Benny Golson, one of the greatest jazz musicians and composers, puts this in perspective: “Wynton is fantastic. As a trumpet player, this guy did his homework. He used to play the classical literature, the Haydn Trumpet Concerto and what not. But when he started to write, everyone was so overwhelmed by the playing that they weren’t aware of his writing. This guy has written symphonies, he won the Pulitzer Prize. He’s been going forward ever since.”

We invite you to go forward also, with one foot in the past and the other pointing to the future, to bask in the music of Wynton Marsalis, so that you too will say: Yes, Love. (Greg Thomas)

Disc 1
1 - Jazz: 6 1/2 Syncopated Movements; Express Crossing (Astride Iron Horses)
2 - Jazz: 6 1/2 Syncopated Movements; "D" in the Key of "F"; (Now the Blues)
3 - Jump Start - The Mastery of Melancholy; Jump
4 - Station Call
5 - The Caboose
6 - Sweet Release; Church: Renewing Vows (Instrumental)
7 - Go, Possum, Go (Instrumental)
8 - Jean-Louis Is Everywhere
9 - For My Kids at the CollÃƒÂ¨ge of Marciac
10 - Sunflowers
11 - At the Octoroon Balls - String Quartet No. 1 *; Hellbound Highball (Instrumental)
12 - A Fiddler's Tale Suite; The Fiddler's March (Instrumental)
13 - All Rise; Movement 1: Jubal Step
14 - Movement 12: I Am (Don't You Run From Me) from All Rise (Edit)

Disc 2
1 - The Majesty Of The Blues (The Puheeman Strut)
2 - Jump Start - The Mastery of Melancholy; The Dance
3 - Move Over (Edit)
4 - Double Rondo On The River (Pedro's Getaway)
5 - Spring Yaounde
6 - Soul For Sale
7 - Altar Call
8 - In The Sweet Embrace of LifeSermon: Holy Ghost
9 - The Death Of Jazz
10 - Oh, But On The Third Day (Happy Feet Blues)

Sidemen
CD 1

#1-2
Wynton Marsalis/Marcus Printup: trumpets
Wycliffe Gordon/Ron Westray: trombones
Todd Williams: tenor/soprano, clarinet
Wessell Anderson: alto/soprano saxophones
Victor Goines: baritone saxophone, bass clarinet
Kent Jordan: piccolo, flute
Eric Reed: piano
Reginald Veal: bass
Herlin Riley: drums
Robert Sadin: conductor

#3
Wynton Marsalis: conductor
Harry ‘Sweets’ Edison: trumpet solo
Ryan Kisor/Marcus Printup: trumpets
Wessell Anderson: alto/soprano saxophones
Victor Goines: tenor/soprano saxophones, clarinet
Ted Nash: tenor/soprano saxophones
Gideon Feldstein: baritone saxophone, bass clarinet
Wycliffe Gordon/Ron Westray: trombones
Kent Jordan: piccolo, flute
Eric Reed: piano
Ben Wolfe: bass
Herlin Riley: drums

#4-5
Wynton Marsalis: trumpet
Farid Barron: piano
Rodney Whitaker: bass
Herlin Riley: drums
Roland Guerrero: percussion
Doug Wamble: guitar, banjo
Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra

#6
Wynton Marsalis: trumpet, conductor
Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra

#7
Mark O’ Connor: mandolin, violin
Mark Schatz: bass, banjo

#8-9
Wynton Marsalis: trumpet
Wessell Anderson: alto saxophone
Victor Goines: tenor/soprano saxophones, bass clarinet
Wycliffe Gordon: trombone
Eric Lewis/Marthaniel Roberts: pianos
Rodney Whitaker: bass
Herlin Riley: drums

#11
Oriano String Quartet
Daniel Phillip/Todd Phillips: violin
Steven Tenenbom: viola
Timothy Eddy: cello

#12
Wynton Marsalis: trumpet
Chamber Music Society of Lincolin Center
David Shifrin: clarinet
Milan Turkovic: basson
David Taylor: trombone
Ida Kavafian: violin
Edgar Meyer: bass
Stefon Harris: percussion

#13-14
Wynton Marsalis: trumpet
Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra
The Paul Smith Singers
The Northridge Singers of California State University at Northridge
Morgan State University Choir
Esa-Pekka Salonen: conductor
CD 2

#1
Wynton Marsalis: trumpet
Marcus Roberts: piano
Todd Williams: tenor/soprano saxophones
Wessell Anderson: alto saxophone
Reginald Veal: bass
Herlin Riley: drums

#2
Wynton Marsalis: conductor
Ryan Kisor/Marcus Printup: trumpets
Wessell Anderson: alto/soprano saxophones
Victor Goines: tenor/soprano saxophones, clarinet
Ted Nash: tenor/soprano saxophones
Gideon Feldstein: baritone saxophone, bass clarinet
Wycliffe Gordon/Ron Westray: trombones
Kent Jordan: piccolo, flute
Eric Reed: piano
Ben Wolfe: bass
Herlin Riley: drums

#3
Cassandra Wilson: vocals
Wessell Anderson: alto saxophone
Victor Goines: e-flat clarinet

#4
Wynton Marsalis: trumpet
Marcus Roberts: piano
Wessell Anderson: alto saxophone
Herbert Harris/Todd Williams: tenor saxophones
Joe Temperley: baritone saxophone
Alvin Batiste/Dr. Michael/Todd Williams: clarinet
Wycliffe Gordon: trombone
Reginald Veal: bass
Herlin Riley: drums

#5
Wynton Marsalis: trumpet
Todd Williams: tenor/soprano saxophones
Wessell Anderson: alto saxophone
Wycliffe Gordon: trombone
Reginald Veal: bass
Herlin Riley: drums

#6
Jon Hendricks: vocals
Wynton Marsalis: trumpet, conductor
Wessell Anderson: alto saxophone
James Carter: baritone saxophone, bass clarinet, clarinet
Victor Goines: tenor/soprano saxophones, clarinet, bass clarinet
Robert Stewart: tenor saxophone
Russell Gunn/Roger Ingran/Marcus Printup: trumpets
Wayne Goodman/Ron Westray: trombones
Michael Ward: violin
Wycliffe Gordon: tromobne, tuba
Eric Reed: piano
Reginald Veal: bass
Herlin Riley: drums

#7-8
Marion Williams: vocals
Wynton Marsalis: trumpet
Wessell Anderson: alto saxophone
Wycliffe Gordon: tromobne
Todd Williams: tenor/soprano saxophones
Reginald Veal: bass
Herlin Riley: drums

#9-10
Wynton Marsalis: trumpet 2nd, trumpet, mute
Marcus Roberts: piano
Todd Williams: tenor/soprano saxophones
Wessell Anderson: alto saxophone
Dr. Michael White: clarinet
Danny Barker: banjo
Teddy Riley: 1st trumpet
Freddie Lonzo: trombone
Reginald Veal: bass
Herlin Riley: drums

info |
http://wyntonmarsalis.org/discography/title/music-of-america-wynton-marsalis

Hanne Hukkelberg, Featherbrain (2012)

2012-02-23T02:23:00.001-08:00

Norway has not been short of uncompromising musicians in recent years, and Hanne Hukkelberg has been a part of that set since her debut album in 2004. With her fifth full-length, Featherbrain, it is quite possible that she has elevated herself to greater heights.

Her vocal flexibility and willingness to play around is evident from the start. Though not always utilised, on Noah the melody winds and wails, upwards and downwards, its layers upon layers creating a huge textural density. These phrases, you feel, are potentially endless.

As well as the fundamental strength of composition – it is not that structurally strange – what must also go down as a huge part of Featherbrain’s appeal and boldness is the instrumentation. The influence of experimental jazz works its way through to the fore and the way in which these unusual sounds tap, pierce and slice through the music creates an often unsettling and unpredictable ambience. They do sometimes jar, but for the most part they complete the structural foundations.

My Devils recalls much of that Nordic ambient weirdness as a murky melody is hidden in the mix, floating above an accompaniment which flits between jauntiness and a minimalistic serenity. The vocals are both redolent of the robotic Karin Dreijer Andersson and the laidback drone of Phil Elverum. Tones are altered throughout and no two songs are at the same level of intensity. The casual The Bigger Me has something of a song recorded in a kitchen about it – percussively it echoes pots and pans, and features whistles both human and machine, the latter seemingly from a kettle.

The album’s closing track is in great contrast to nearly all of what comes before it. Hukkelberg duets with an elderly man on the lament Erik, performing in her native tongue. They plod along together to a detuned piano, swaying between a foreboding hum before a more rousing finale. It seems fitting that a record so difficult to place – and indeed recorded in a variety of locations – eventually finds its way home, so to speak.

With Featherbrain, Hanne Hukkelberg shows not only a willingness to keep her characteristic sound and change its dressings each time, but does so in a way which sounds so daring. But, aside from all that, it’s another Hukkelberg album to treasure. (bbc.co.uk)

01 Featherbrain
02 Noah
03 I sing you
04 The bigger me
05 My devils
06 Too good to be good
07 SMS
08 The time and I and what we make
09 You gonna
10 Erik

info |
http://hannehukkelberg.com
https://www.facebook.com/hannehukkelberg
http://www.bbc.co.uk/music/reviews/hxj9
http://www.propellerrecordings.no/artists/hanne-hukkelberg

Ahmad Jamal, Blue Moon (2012)

2012-02-21T05:11:00.003-08:00

It is tempting to say that, at age 82, Ahmad Jamal carries on getting better and better, but that would be to miss the point. The pianist long ago reached a level of perfection from which it is simply not possible to get better. It is a level, however, to which he habitually returns. In 2010, Jamal released one of the most sublime albums in his long and splendid career, the quartet set A Quiet Time (Dreyfus Records). Two years later, he has released another one every bit as great.

The signature elements of Jamal's style—elegance, lyricism and sophistication on one side; vibrant, ostinato-driven grooves and riffs on the other; all heard, more often than not, during the course of a single tune—are not just still present on Blue Moon, they are still waxing. So too is Jamal's gift for writing arrangements which bring the sound of surprise to even the most familiar material. To all intents and purposes, Richard Rodgers' and Lorenzo Hart's "Blue Moon" here becomes a Jamal original, and so, among others, does Dizzy Gillespie's "Woody'n You."

For the Blue Moon sessions, Jamal stayed with a quartet but tweaked A Quiet Time's personnel. The wonderfully inventive percussionist Manolo Badrena is retained, but bassist Reginald Veal and drummer Herlin Riley replace James Cammack and Kenny Washington. Riley and Badrena have form with Jamal: Riley first came aboard on Live at the Montreal Jazz Festival 1985 (Collectables), and Badrena a year later, on Rossiter Road (Atlantic, 1986).

These three guardians of the groove interact with each other, and with Jamal, with micro-sensitivity. They are adept, too, at following Jamal's turn-on-a-pinhead arrangements. The quartet moves immaculately from the liquid to the lusty, from a whisper to a shout and back again, like birds of paradise in close formation. As Jamal observes in an All About Jazz 2012 interview, the simpatico between Badrena and Riley makes them an unusually effective percussionist /drummer team-within-a-team.

While nine of the 11 tunes on A Quiet Time were Jamal originals, on Blue Moon he returns, in the main, to the arena in which he first made his name: singular interpretations of Broadway show tunes, songs from the movies, and jazz standards. Of the Jamal compositions—"Autumn Rain," "I Remember Italy," "Morning Mist," divine, each of them—only "Autumn Rain" has previously been recorded, on Rossiter Road. Jamal has also previously recorded three of the half-dozen standards: Gillespie's "Woody'n You" was first heard on At the Pershing: But Not for Me (Argo, 1958), Bronislan Kaper's "Invitation" on Rhapsody (Cadet, 1965), and Johnny Mercer's "Laura" as part of a medley on Live in Paris '92 (Dreyfus). The Blue Moon readings, as you would expect, are new minted and fresh garbed.

Jamal's critical acceptance in the mid 1950s was hard won and helped by the support of trumpeter Miles Davis, who, along with a number of widely reported endorsements, is said to have told his pianist of the time, Red Garland, to "play like Jamal." (True or not, Davis certainly valued the Jamal-like qualities inherent in Garland's playing). The then dean of American critics, The New Yorker's Whitney Balliett, on the other hand, reviewing a Carnegie Hall performance in 1958, found listening to Jamal to be "trying work."

Balliett was, most of the time, an informed and intelligent critic, and it is strange that he so totally did not get Jamal. Maybe Balliett had eaten something earlier that did not agree with him; the historical record can be a perverse beast. In any event, Jamal's genius was officially recognized in the US in 1994, when he was named a Jazz Master by the National Endowment of the Arts. Many other honors have followed. (allaboutjazz.com)

1. Autumn Rain
2. Blue Moon
3. Gypsy
4. Invitation
5. I Remember Italy
6. Laura
7. Morning Mist
8. This Is the Life
9. Woody'n You

Ahmad Jamal: Piano
Reginald Veal: Double bass
Herlin Riley: Drums
Manolo Badrena: Percussion

info |
http://www.ahmadjamal.net/
http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/article.php?id=41219

Xiu Xiu, Always (2012)

2012-02-15T12:16:00.000-08:00

Rarely is so much meaning conveyed in the space of six letters. And with regard to Xiu Xiu, its applications are infinite: always relevant, always provocative, always surprising, always evolving, always glittering.

It's fitting, then, that as the band (now comprised of Jamie Stewart, Angela Seo, Bettina Escauriza, Marc Riordan, and returning member Devin Hoff) marks a decade in existence, such a powerful sentiment would serve as the title of its latest album.

At its core, Always symbolizes the mutual camaraderie with and deep dedication to each person who has internalized Xiu Xiuís work, tattooed its name on their skin or soul, and throughout the past ten years made the band a part of their lives.

The origin of these intense, everlasting bonds is Stewart. His fearless lyrics have given voice to life's most untouchable and taboo subjects, while his distinctively committed but hushed vocals crystallize and medicate their unsettling impact.

Those familiar with the band's work will take particular note of the times Stewart re-visits profoundly personal accounts from his own life -- most prominently on "Beauty Towne" (a not-so-uplifting postscript to the muddle of those depicted in "Clowne Towne" from 2004's Fabulous Muscles) and "Black Drum Machine" (which finishes the narrative of incest and molestation begun on "Black Keyboard" from 2008's Women as Lovers).

Elsewhere, Stewart's willingness to broach any subject finds him confronting both the topical and the intimate in equally meaningful ways: "Gul Mudin" seeks to bring comfort to an Afghani teenage boy murdered for sport by American soldiers; "Joey's Song" strives to do the same for Stewart's brother in the aftermath of a family tragedy.

"Factory Girls" chronicles the sexual objectification and desperate existence of Chinese female, migrant workers. "I Luv Abortion," featuring perhaps Stewart's most unhinged vocal ever, careens through the resolute heartache of a friend too young to be pregnant and seeks to personalize this most political issue.

But while such writing is worthy of reverence, Always' most arresting moments lie in its sonic innovation -- transforming avant pop elements from an undertone into a bright black focal point while adding new influences such as choral music, kraut rock and animal field recordings.

Produced by Deerhoof's Greg Saunier (who also contributes drums and vocals to the album) and mixed by John Congleton (Antony and the Johnsons, Marylin Manson, the Roots) the album is positively vibrant.

During recording, Stewart saw a Bible verse spray painted on the wall of his gym. He interpreted the verse to mean, "Horror and beauty are the same; love and hate are the same, the tireless dread of our own lives and of living can be embraced with the same fervency as what we find beautiful."

Composed of this essence, the album proves that perhaps the only six letters to carry the same weight as "always" are these: Xiu Xiu. (http://www.polyvinylrecords.com)

1 Hi
2 Joey's Song
3 Beauty Towne
4 Honey-Suckle
5 I Luv Abortion
6 The Oldness
7 Chimney's Afire (Mickensian Suicide)
8 Gul Mudin
9 Born To Suffer
10 Factory Girl
11 Smear the Queen
12 Black Drum Machine

info |
http://xiuxiu.org/
http://bellaunion.com/artists/xiu-xiu/
http://www.myspace.com/xiuxiuforlife
http://www.polyvinylrecords.com/store/index.php?id=2017

Omar Sosa & Paolo Fresu, Alma (2012)

2012-02-15T10:44:00.000-08:00

Trying to keep pace with the musical projects of pianist Omar Sosa or trumpeter Paolo Fresu is an almost-athletic pursuit. Calling either man prolific is an understatement, but what's more impressive than the quantity of music they release is the quality of their output. Both have tapped into an eternal wellspring of creativity that eludes most artists, with an ability to conjure the spirits of sound at will.

Their first encounter dates back to 2006, when Sosa asked Fresu to come aboard for a performance which resulted in Promise (Skip, 2007)—a live recording featuring Sosa's quartet, Fresu, and Cuban flautist Leandro Saint-Hill. Two years later, the pair toured Italy together and the experience deepened their musical bond, sealing the deal on their intentions to record a duo date. Alma is a worldly mix of music that finds balance between Fresu's modern European slant on Miles Davis-style moodiness and Sosa's inimitable explorations of the Afro-Latin Diaspora.

The majority of the music is fairly low-key in terms of propulsion, but high on emotional content. The use of percussion and electronic fringe in certain places—along with the occasional presence of cellist Jaques Morelenbaum, who served as the arranger on Sosa's Ceremony (Otá, 2010))—gives the project a sense of depth and variety, but this union of two spiritually-connected musical souls would have been enough to make magic, had this simply been a naked piano/trumpet recording.

While Sosa serves as the primary compositional force on the album, two of Fresu's three contributions—the uplifting "S'lnguldu" and the gentle "Rimanere Grande!"—bookend the proceedings. The most stirring material in the middle is a triumvirate of consecutive Sosa compositions. Morelenbaum, Fresu and Sosa create a heavenly blend on the peaceful title track, which starts in a serene place and arrives at a firm Latin space, while balancing somber and stately moods on ""Crepuscolo." "Angustia," a duo number that appears in between, proves to be the most intense and excitable song on the album.

The pair proves to be simpatico in performance, but the two co-written numbers don't highlight this connection and are the album's weakest tracks, with "No Trance" sounding like an outgrowth of Miles Davis' least-interesting '80s experiments and "Medley Part I: Niños" not really going anywhere. Still, the rest of the material is pure magic. Each man brings something different and special to the others written material, and their shared reworking of Paul Simon's "Under African Skies" is sublime, coming off like an aural imagining of a meeting between Davis, Bobby McFerrin, Jacqueline du Pré and Abdullah Ibrahim.

While it's fairly likely that both men have moved on to points unknown by now, with Alma they have created a work of art of full of life, love and soul. This is music worth savoring. (http://www.allaboutjazz.com)

1. S'inguldu
2. Inverno Grigio
3. No Trance
4. Alma
5. Angustia
6. Crepuscolo
7. Moon On the Sky
8. Old D Blues
9. Ninos
10. Nenia
11. Under African Skies
12. Rimanere Grande!

Paolo Fresu: Trumpet, flugelhorn, percussion, multi-effects, whistle
Omar Sosa: Piano, Fender Rhodes, MicroKorg, samplers, multi-effects, percussion, vocals
Jacques Morelenbaum: Cello

info |
http://omarsosa.com/discog.php
http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/article.php?id=41218
http://www.emusic.com/listen/#/album/paolo-fresu-omar-sosa/alma-feat-jacques-morelenbaum/13076644/

Eyvind Kang, The Narrow Garden (2012)

2012-02-07T06:55:00.000-08:00

Eyvind Kang has contributed string arrangements for a number of artists including Laurie Anderson, Blonde Redhead and Sunn O))) .

The Narrow Garden is the latest full length from composer Eyvind Kang which will be released on Ipecac on January 30th. Across his illustrious musical career in addition to arranging and performing with other musicians, he has released many recordings of original music notably the acclaimed choral piece "Athlantis" (Ipecac) and "The Yelm Sessions" (Tzadik). The Narrow Garden is no exception, offering one of his most original and perhaps one of his most playful recordings to date.

The music on The Narrow Garden sounds like it was composed for a film soundtrack in the way that Eyvind Kang creates evocative visual spaces with sound. True to form the album is composed of full-bodied pieces of music that evolve from minimal song structure to more grandiose musical statements throughout, 'Forest Saman'i' is a great example of this. 'Pure Nothing', 'Mineralia' and 'Nobis Natalis' nod to the choral tones on Athlantis and show definite eastern influences, whilst 'Usnea' and 'The Narrow Garden' experiment with some truly eerie samples.

Overall this is one truly atmospheric album. (piccadillyrecords.com)

1. Forest Sama'i
2. Pure Nothing
3. Usnea
4. Mineralia
5. The Narrow Garden
6. Nobis Natalis
7. Invisus Natalis

info |
http://www.ipecac.com/artists/eyvind_kang
http://www.theholyfilament.cl/noticias/eyvind-kang-nos-invita-a-conocer-the-narrow-garden/

John Zorn, Mount Analogue (2012)

2012-02-06T10:22:00.001-08:00

Drawing inspiration from the life and work of the towering spiritual figure Georges Ivanovitch Gurdjieff, Mount Analogue is one of Zorn’s greatest creations. Taking the form of a mystical journey, the music jumps from one world to another weaving a rich tapestry that blends world music, jazz, contemporary classical and more. Featuring Cyro Baptista’s fabulous quartet Banquet of the Spirits augmented by the brilliant Kenny Wollesen on vibes, this is the latest volume in Zorn’s mystic series, and a major new extended composition. Described as aural cinema, even after thirty years Zorn’s file card pieces have never been equalled. A masterwork! (tzadik.com)

01 – Mount Analogue (38:21)

Cyro Baptista: Percussion, Prayer Bells, Vocals

Shanir Ezra Blumenkranz: Bass, Oud, Gimbri, Vocals

Tim Keiper: Calabash, Drums, Percussion, Orchestral Bells, Vocals

Brian Marsella: Piano, Organ, Vocals

Kenny Wollesen: Vibraphone, Chimes, Vocals

Cyro Baptista

Shanir Ezra Blumenkranz

Tim Keiper

Brian Marsella

Kenny Wollesen

info |

http://www.tzadik.com/index.php?catalog=7394

http://www.allmusic.com/album/mount-analogue-r2381465/review