Lambic Jazz Vol. 6

Tonight's listening was Christian Weidner's Choral (Pirouet). Alongside Weidner's alto sax are Antonio Palesano (p) and Daniel Schroteler (d). This album dates back to 2004 but it didn't land in my ears until a few years later (I guess it was sometime between 2008 & 2009 I think) - it escapes me now, but I may have been introduced to his playing by James Wylie. I was fortunate to spend some time with Christian (and James!) back in 2009 at Music Village. Not only was it fantastic to hear him in person but he also was very helpful and encouraging. I remember being blown away by how good his ears were.

Christian's alto tone is one of my favorites and it is melded with a wonderful melodic and lyrical conception which yields a very distinctive sound. Notes aren't thrown away - they all count. Weidner's improvisations make great use of the song's melody, why this approach isn't more widespread baffles me (you gotta play your chord scales and hip licks..... so killing!).

The album is very spacious and open, yet the individual pieces are no longer than 5 and half minutes and over half of the tracks clocking in at under 3 minutes. There is a flow and continuity throughout that feels almost suite-like. Even when the density increases the overall focus of the album remains. As I listen tonight a word that comes to mind is clarity. The clarity of the three individual's roles/lines/accompaniment and how it fits into the group and album overall. It is a recording I can return to again and again. Highly recommended.

Considering how much I enjoy his music I have been slack in not getting the last two quartet albums (it's on the cards!).

Accompanying the music tonight was Gueuze Girardin and up next is Sam Newsome's interview from the October 2016 issue of the NYC Jazz Record. Usually I read the online edition but I picked up the print version from Constellation last week.

I'll be back with more next week, here are the previous editions if you're interested: Vol.1 - Vol.2 - Vol.3 - Vol.4 - Vol.5