Jazz | Pint | Return From The Stars

 

For whatever reason, Mark Turner was on my mind recently so I picked up a couple of his albums when I was up in Auckland - Year Of The Snake, and tonight’s listening, Return From The Stars. Often the slickness of contemporary jazz from the likes of Turner and his associates isn’t really my thing so I just dip in and out on the odd occasion. As a result, I haven’t really kept up with Turner’s recordings – just keeping an eye what's happening without giving things more than a cursory ear. Looking back, I think part of it had to do with so many tenor players chasing after Turner that it put me off a little, which seems a little stupid as I reflect on it. But maybe that break has been a good thing as I’ve really been enjoying this disc. Jason Palmer (trumpet) is not someone I’m familiar with but he and Turner and work well together and get a nice blend (the unisons/melody on “Bridgetown” and “Nigeria II” leapt out at me), and there’s some nice interaction on “Terminus” too. I like the way the album eases into things as the leader steps aside and the bass of Joe Martin gets the first solo spot. I’ve enjoyed the space that the piano-less quartet brings, especially given so much contemporary jazz can be rather cluttered. Let’s face it, Turner’s a pretty notey player (“It’s Not Alright With Me”) but I’ve noticed on this recorded that he paces himself a bit more than I remember from earlier recordings. Maybe that’s a more recent development in his playing but I have plenty of gaps in his discography... even if it’s something he’s done all along, I noticed it this time and I like it. At times I wanted Jonathan Pinson (drums) to settle down a little too (like at the start of Turner’s solo on “Bridgetown”) and that would have brought that sense of space more to the fore.

I have a feeling there will be more some Mark Turner getting a spin around here. Return From The Stars made me want to check out his previous piano-less quartet album Lathe of Heaven, and earlier in the day I gave the debut FLY album a run for the first time in I can’t remember how long. I picked it up in NYC shortly after it was released, and perhaps it will make an appearance at an upcoming 2000s themed listening session... I’m still wading through some tracks to decide what to play. I’m tempted to hold off listening to Year Of The Snake until I get my hands on Sky & Country so I can run through the FLY albums in order of appearance.

The pint tonight took the form of peppermint tea.

Jazz | Pint | Always Let Me Go

 

After bit of an odd day it was nice to take out the evening listening with some music. Tonight’s listening was washed down with “Poodlefaker” from Craftwork.

I picked up this two-disc live recording on a whim fairly recently and this was my first listen. And while I have a few albums from Keith Jarrett’s “Standards Trio”, ‘Always Let Me Go’ is the first from the trio that I have that is comprised of free improvisations – and that was my motivation for buying the album (I remember listening to ‘Changes’ many years ago but that’s all I remember from it).

I was surprised by how quickly the music passed. For me, that’s a good sign, especially when the opening track is 32 minutes (moving from the more abstract through to something more spacious and lyrical, before eventually settling into a satisfying mid-tempo swing). The second piece is a brief, lyrical solo feature for Jarrett which works as a nice link into the sparse opening of the third piece. Are free ballads underrated? I really enjoy hearing them, particularly when played by an ensemble with a rapport such as this. And the piece works so nicely towards the fourth piece which rounds things out with some energetic swing. The first disc is well paced with a nice ebb and flow within and between works. And I guess that’s similar to the second disc... which had to wait until the following evening for its first run (note: I would return to both discs over the next week... sometimes listening to a track or two... or a whole disc... but my comments in this post were all taken during the first listen).

The opening is spacious and some romantic bass work from Peacock emerges. By the time DeJohnette enters the piece has taken on a completely different shape with tension increasing until quite abruptly shifting gears. A fine drum solo opens the second piece opens which at times has the feel of hand drums – dynamic playing, great colours, and groove. In contrast to the third piece which is more pointillistic with quick, stabbing phrases from the piano from which powerful drums emerge which morph into a moody bass solo. Across both discs the trio is not compelled to give it all at once – solos, duos, and trios come and go throughout which adds plenty in terms of texture and form. It’s still early days and I’ve only listened to it a couple of times, but ‘Always Let Me Go’ might be my favourite from this trio (or somewhere near the top). It just goes to show what you can do if you’re able to keep a band together (and you happen to be Keith Jarrett, Gary Peacock, and Jack DeJohnette!). It left me wondering if this trio’s free improvised recordings been a gateway for fans to explore similar forms of jazz?

Joe Lovano: Trio Tapestry

I used to keep listening journals and on a raining Sunday afternoon I resurrected it. And while the blog has been asleep for a while, I decided to post it here.

Joe Lovano: Trio Tapestry & Garden of Expression (ECM)
Joe Lovano (tenor sax/soprano sax/taragato/gongs) Marilyn Crispell (piano) Carmine Castaldi (drums/percussion)

I've kept an ear on Joe Lovano over years and I usually check out his work when the other personnel are of interest. And it was the presence of Marilyn Crispell that drew my attention to Trio Tapestry as over the last few years I have been increasingly enjoying her music.

Recorded in 2019 and released this year, Garden of Expression is the second album from Trio Tapestry. I was excited when the first (Trio Tapestry) was released but it didn’t strike me at the time… something must have stuck with me though, as I didn’t hesitate grabbing the second release.

The album touches on some areas that have been of interest to me for a while that I want to explore in my music - especially space, and silence - these are some of the same qualities that struck me when hearing Evan Parker’s 2016 release As The Wind (PSI) as well as some of Hayden Chisholm's work.

“Chapel Song” opens the album with a light, crystal, brightness that becomes increasingly warm while retaining the lightness. A delicate piano intro sets the tone for “Night Creatures”. It is interesting to hear what a prominent role the cymbals have on the sound and feel of both of these albums. Overall the drum texture really works for me. Often understated and unafraid of space or backing off. The piano gets busy under some melodic tenor....it works though. Ending is somewhat abrupt. The tracks are longer on this album than the first - not overly so (between 3- 7 1.2 mins with one sitting at almost 11), although there are 3 fewer pieces. “West of the Moon” has a nice flow to it – gentle swells. I like the change in “Garden of Expression” following the opening as it shifts into being momentary more rhythmically unsettled before returning to the warm melody. The piano and drums really lock in through the piano “solo”... really more of a piano/drum dialogue (with some nicely time gong hits from Lovano). The piece moves through many moods before returning home. My ears immediately pricked up as Lovano entered “Treasured Moments”, the vibrato and intonation bring a strangely wonderful tension – settled and unsettled at the same time. Economy is key here. It leads wonderfully into “Sacred Chant” which has a relaxed, joyous sound. The piece ends and feels unfinished. Piano and drums lead off on “Dream on That”, before the piano makes way for the tenor, and then then trio all together. Although this tune features a couple of duets, there’s more of everyone playing together on this album. Something I enjoyed with Trio Tapestry is the way the trio is broken up - solos, duos and trio. On Garden of Expression the sound of the trio is more present. Whereas Trio Tapestry ends with one of the more outwardly intense pieces, Garden of Expression comes back to space with “Zen Like”. It’s my favourite track on the album. Unhurried. Space. A weightless quality. Dig it.

Listening to Garden of Expression led me to revisit Trio Tapestry, and I’m enjoying it a lot more this time around. It still doesn’t quite hit the spot the way Garden of Expression does, but it has grown on me a lot since my last listen (although I'm still not sure what ECM were thinking with that cover art!).

Opening with gongs and cymbals before the tenor enters - I’m struck by the blend between the gongs and the tenor. “One Time In” acts as a spacious prelude. The trio are there from beat one of “Seeds of Change”. Unsurprisingly the sound is denser. The playing remains economical but the sense of space has changed. The piece feels longer. It is, but remains concise. “Razzle Dazzle” opens with solo piano with both hands in unison as drums creep in. The difference in space between one, two, and three active players is evident. Crispell’s piano lines behind the tenor bring to mind the opening phrase. “Sparkle Lights” opens with tenor and piano together before giving way to traded phrases that merge in places while the drums remains sparse. The longest track is “Mystic” (pieces range between 2 and 8 1/2 mins). A quiet rumble of drums is greeted by Lovano on tarogato. Space is at the fore. The rumbling swells but the space and sparse tarogato lines remain, eventually replaced by gong sounds. Eventually the piece builds into a more tradition duo between drums and tarogato. This may be my favourite piece on the album (which is mildly amusing as Crispell lays out). “Piano/Drum Episode” is as it suggests. Piano notes ring out and decay. The drumming is subtle with a warm cushioning quality that is perhaps interrupted by the bass drum. The cymbal hit at the end is all about timing and finding just the right spot. “Gong Episode” is just that – two minutes of gongs. It is well placed in the album flow. “Rare Beauty” opens with full trio, the dynamics are raised and there is a sense of urgency – perhaps heightened following the nature of the gong piece. Lovely interplay between the lines in each hand of the piano. Some of the busier playing on the album... but everyone else drops out to maintain balance. Lovano enters on tenor with Castaldi swinging quietly mid-tempo. The return of piano to take the tune out feels a bit abrupt. “Spirit Lake” opens with drums and tenor. I’m enjoying Castaldi’s stick work at low volume. The piano entry here works much better than the previous track. More dense playing than previously hear - rippling piano, tenor flurries with some growls and altissimo, and busier playing from the drums. “Tarrassa” opens with solo piano. The tenor enters with the drums – and the drum phrasing is standing out to me during this three-way dialogue. Creative playing without overdoing it. The album had been building in density and I was expected the closing piece - “The Smiling Dog” - might see a return to the quiet spaces present in the first half of the album. But it doesn’t and it leaves things feeling somewhat unresolved.

So these two albums have been getting a decent amount of airtime and I feel listening to Garden of Expression opened up Trio Tapestry for me. Lovano has selected the personnel wisely and I hope this group stays together.

Lambic Jazz Vol. 3

It's Wednesday night after class and that means beer and jazz time. Only one disc tonight as there are dishes waiting to be done - Kieth Jarrett's The Survivor's Suite (ECM) from 1976 with Jarrett (piano, soprano sax, bass recorder, celeste, osi drum) Dewey Redman (tenor sax, percussion) Charlie Haden (bass) Paul Motian (drums, percussion)

The album is comprised of two tracks, each running over 20 minutes with fluctuations in feel and density that keep things moving along and engaging, which makes for a really well-paced album.

While many listeners are probably more interested in Jarrett's piano playing, I'm curious about his work on soprano saxophone. His playing doesn't sound like other players of the straight horn or that era (or since really). It's a stripped-back approach, kind of raw and unpolished with an emphasis on melody, sound and texture rather than flashy chops. Sam Newsome describes Jarrett's approach to the soprano as "organic" - it's definitely not genetically modified. Well worth checking out (as is Sam's playing!).

Haden's bass playing is a wonderful lesson in economy that is seldom heard. As and accompanist and soloist, he has the rare quality of being able to use the minimum amount of notes to maximum effect - with a great sound to boot. His partnership with Motian is one of my favorite rhythm sections. For that reason alone I don't know why I haven't checked out more from this group (aside from some listen sessions at the library some years ago). Add it to the list I guess! I'll get around to it, but before I do, The Survivor's Suite will get a few more listens. The 48 minutes fly by (hence this being a rather quick post). Highly recommended. And now it's time to do the dishes.

More Lambic Jazz: Volume 1 - Volume 2

Lambic Jazz Vol. 2

The post-class hang continues and I'm going to try and keep these going for the rest of the semester.

The night started off with Paul Motian: Time and Time Again (ECM) Paul Motian (d) Joe Lovano (ts) Bill Frisell (g)
I was introduced to the Motian by way of Lee Konitz (and come to think of it, that's how I first heard Frisell too) and I was taken by his playing, both as a soloist and as an accompanist. This album is a great feature of the latter. I enjoy the way he doesn't play time the way you might expect, breaking things up, creating dialogue with the rest of the trio, seamlessly moving between different pulses and textures so naturally and utilizing space in ways few drummers do. Lately, I'm enjoying Motian the composer and there are some really nice tunes here - "Wednesday," "Whirlpool" and "K.T." They have a uncluttered, folk-song or nursery rhyme simpleness that appeals to me.

This trio is a great showcase three very identifiable musical personalities and while I 'm not a huge fan of Joe Lovano, this is the setting in which I prefer to listen to his music. As opposed to degenerating into an all-star hit out, these personalities come together as one to form a true ensemble sound, although at times they provide the illusion of moving independently of one another - perhaps a side-effect of playing together for 20+ years.

Next up was Liz Gorrill (these days known as Kazzrie Jaxen) and Andy Fite: Cosmic Comedy (New Artists Records) - a live set of nine piano and guitar duets to round the night out. There are a couple of things that stand out to me listening to these two - Karrie's rhythmic nature and drive and Andy's articulation and tone with an emphasis on the acoustic side of his instrument (which seems to be a rarity). There are plenty of surprises as they take some familiar forms to new places, it's a wild ride but a lot of fun. I'm not sure I can really put this into words but I feel it's rare to hear jazz like this - spontaneous improvisation at its finest. The music feels as if it could go anywhere and often, at the blink of an eye, it takes off on another plane. The way Andy's lines slide over the piano dirge on "Blues for the Child" always gives me a kick, and then there's the counterpoint throughout the album. It's hard to play favorites but the quiet surge of "A Dream of April" snuck up on me tonight.

Accompanying the music tonight was St. Louis Fond Traditional Gueuze by Van Honsebrouck. And now it's time to tune in to the cricket (1st test NZ vs India). Yes that's right, I'm combining three of my favorite things tonight.... make that four as I played some sax before dinner!

Vol.1 can be found here.

jazz record mart - deer wan

Well, the Jazz Record Mart is no more. It felt like ti had been coming for some time now, a classic shop but they hadn't moved with the times and downtown Chicago rent didn't help them at all. The doors closed on the February 15th. I managed to get in one last time a couple of days before they closed. I took a list to save me from getting carried away. I left with only one album, Kenny Wheeler's Deer Wan, which wasn't on my list (in fact, they had nothing on my list!). There was one Mal Waldron I forgot to look for and by the time I was able to return they had closed. I picked up plenty of albums there going back to 2009 on my first trip to Chicago (back then the staff were a lot more surly than the more recent crew) and I'll will miss being able to pop in there (it was handy to home). The stock was purchased by Wolfgang's Vault in Reno.

I couldn't find my pics of the store so I flogged this one off Yelp

Kenny Wheeler - Angel Song

It was sad news to hear of Kenny Wheeler's passing yesterday. Around 2000, when I was hunting out everything Lee Konitz, I discovered Wheeler's 1996 album Angel Song (ECM). Man, I listened to that album a lot that year or so (and later played "Onmo" in my final recital). It was the Konitz who initially grabbed my attention but I soon discovered that there was a lot more to this album than just his presence. Wheeler, Konitz, Dave Holland and Bill Frisell - four distinctive sounds combing as one made for compelling listening. Spacious, lyrical, wistful and powerful (in ways you don't normally associate that word being used), it seems odd that this was there only album together. My ear is drawn to a horn players tone first and from the start Wheeler had me - personal and expressive combined with lyrical phrasing. His tunes are a key ingredient to the album's overall feel. Listening to Angel Song yesterday afternoon and this morning has made me want to revisit these melodies. Although it had been a couple of years since I last gave it a spin it felt like returning home to old friends. Find some time to relax with this gem of an album.

Recent Listening: John Surman

John Surman is a player I have been meaning to check out for a while now. I’m not only interested in his soprano work but also the fact that his music crosses from the jazz realm into the “what do you call this?” abyss.

The Spaces In Between (ECM) – Surman (soprano/baritone sax, bass clarinet) and Chris Laurence (bass) joined by the string quartet of Patrick Kiernan, Rita Manning (violin) Bill Hawkes (viola) and Nick Cooper (cello). Very melodic playing at times blurs the line between improvisations and composed material. Overall the feel is unhurried, melodic and somewhat introspective. There’s almost a suite-like feel to the album with the pieces flowing together well – just as I felt it was getting a bit bogged down things picked up again. It was fun trying to pick which instrument Surman would play on each track as I listened to the introductions. Recorded in 2006 at the St. Gerold monastery in Austria, which I believe is where the Bley/Phillips/Parker album Sankt Gerold was recorded (also on ECM).

In The Evenings Out There (ECM) This one is usually listed under the leadership of pianist Paul Bley but the other musicians – John Surman (baritone/bass clarinet) Gary Peacock (b) and Tony Oxley (d) – share credit on the album spine.

The album mixes things up over the 12 tracks with solo (4 by Bley, 2 by Peacock, 1 by Surman on Baritone), duo (Peacock/Oxley, Bley/Peacock, Oxley/Bley) and 2 quartet performances (Surman on baritone and bass clarinet). The recording has a very open feel, there’s plenty of space for the musicians to play, listen and react – free and melodic. As usual when I hear Bley I wonder why I don’t listen to more from him. It would have been nice to hear a bit more from Surman. Apparently the pieces here were recorded at the session in 1991 that resulted in Adventure Playground that was released under Surman’s name – I’ll have to check that.

Fragments (ECM) 
Another from Bley, is time with Bill Frisell (g) and Paul Motian (d) joining Surman (4 tracks on Bass Clarinet 2 each on Baritone and soprano and sits one track out). Of the nine tracks, there were a few that I had heard before (Frisell’s “Monica Jane” Carla Bley’s “Seven” and “Closer” and Annette Peacock’s “Nothing Ever Was, Anyway”). Quite a mellow set with Surman’s “Line Down” being the odd-one-out, but it does provide some contrast. Strong individual voices yet the quartet come together and work well.

The Biography of Rev. Absalom Dawe (ECM 1994)
This is the first solo album I’ve heard from Surman – he has recorded a few dating back to the late 1970s. The horns (baritone & soprano sax, bass clarinet, some alto clarinet too) get a pretty even spread across the album. Most of the tracks utilize some form multi-tracking with Surman accompanying himself on one or more horns or synth, although there is space for unaccompanied playing. Overall this one didn’t grab me as much as the discs with Bley, but there was still plenty to like (I could take or leave the synth parts). I feel like I’ll warm up to it – the second listen was better than the first. ”The Far Corner’s” did give me a chance to hear his soprano tone on its lonesome (aside from the ever-present ECM reverb).

Under the leadership of Tunisian oud player Anouar Brahem comes Thimar (ECM, 1997) with John Surman (soprano sax/bass clarinet) and Dave Holland (bass).

The album has an unhurried feel to it. The occasional (and very subtle) vocal from Brahem (on “Qurb” for example) adds a little extra of color to the fairly stripped-back feel of the album. Surman divides his time pretty evenly between two horns – four on bass clarinet and five of soprano (including an unaccompanied feature on “Wagt”) and he sits two tunes out. It would have been nice to hear him play some baritone too. At times his soprano summons an “eastern flavor” – not surprising considering the material. There is one composition each from Holland and Surman – the remaining nine are from Brahem.

Surman gets a rich tone on both baritone and bass clarinet and there’s a buzz to his soprano tone that I enjoy. He’s a melodic player with a sense on drama. Not someone I hear mentioned all too often but well worth checking out. I’m looking forward to exploring some more – perhaps some of his earlier work and the other session with Bley/Oxley/Peacock.